A very small number of men and women in Great Britain are pleased and contented with their working life. Naturally most will take no action. The reality of your getting here if nothing else suggests that change is beckoning.
For those thinking of re-training, it\’s vital that you have in mind your requirements from the job you\’re looking to get into. Ensure that you would be more satisfied before you put a lot of energy into re-directing your life. So much better to look at the end goal first, to make an informed decision:
* Are you happier left to your own devices at work or do you find company is an important option?
* Are you thinking carefully about which area you would be suited to? (In this economy, it\’s vital to get it right.)
* Is this the final time you envisage re-training, and if it is, do you suppose your new career will give you scope to do that?
* Is it important for the course you\’re re-training in to be in an industry where you\’re comfortable you\’ll have a job until retirement?
The biggest industry in the UK that fulfils the above criteria is the IT industry. There\’s a need for more skilled staff in this sector, just check out any jobs website and there\’ll be a long list. Don\’t misunderstand and think it\’s full of techie geeks staring at theirscreens all day long – there are loads more jobs than that. The majority of the people in IT are people of average intelligence, with well paid and stimulating jobs.
Your training program should always include the latest Microsoft (or any other key organisation\’s) accredited exam simulation and preparation packages.
Due to the fact that most IT examination boards come from the United States, you must be prepared for the way exams are phrased. It isn\’t good enough just going through the right questions – they must be in an exam format that exactly replicates the real thing.
Practice exams can be very useful as a resource to you – so much so, that at your actual exams, you don\’t get uptight.
At the top of your shopping list for a training program should be 24×7 round-the-clock support with expert mentors and instructors. So many companies we come across only seem to want to help while they\’re in the office (9am till 6pm, Monday till Friday usually) and nothing at the weekends.
Locate training schools where you can receive help at all hours of the day and night (irrespective of whether it\’s the wee hours on Sunday morning!) Make sure it\’s always 24×7 direct access to mentors and instructors, and not a call-centre that will take messages so you\’re consistently being held in a queue for a call-back at a convenient time for them.
We recommend looking for training programs that incorporate three or four individual support centres from around the world. All of them should be combined to give a single entry point and also round-the-clock access, when you need it, with no hassle.
Look for a training provider that goes the extra mile. Because only round-the-clock 24×7 support gives you the confidence to make it.
Now, why might we choose commercial qualifications as opposed to more traditional academic qualifications taught at the state educational establishments?
With 3 and 4 year academic degree costs spiralling out of control, alongside the industry\’s general opinion that accreditation-based training most often has much more commercial relevance, we have seen a dramatic increase in CISCO, Adobe, Microsoft and CompTIA accredited training programmes that create knowledgeable employees for considerably less.
Obviously, a necessary degree of relevant additional knowledge needs to be learned, but essential specifics in the areas needed gives a vendor educated student a distinct advantage.
Just like the advert used to say: \’It does what it says on the label\’. Companies need only to know what areas need to be serviced, and then advertise for someone with the specific certification. They\’ll know then that all applicants can do what they need.
Looking at the myriad of choice out there, there\’s no surprise that nearly all newcomers to the industry have no idea which career they should even pursue.
Since without any previous experience in computing, how could any of us understand what someone in a particular job does?
Usually, the way to come at this issue properly flows from a deep conversation around several areas:
* Your personal interests and hobbies – often these show the areas will satisfy you.
* Are you hoping to get qualified for a certain motive – for example, do you aim to work based from home (working for yourself?)?
* What priority do you place on salary vs the travel required?
* Many students don\’t properly consider the level of commitment demanded to achieve their goals.
* You need to understand the differences across each individual training area.
To bypass the confusing industry jargon, and discover what\’ll really work for you, have an informal meeting with an industry expert and advisor; a person that can impart the commercial reality whilst covering each certification.
(C) 2009 Scott Edwards. Look at Career Change Job or Career Skills Advice.