Build a Better Career - reflections, information and recommendations for your ongoing career development.

Welcome to Build a Better Career! I do hope you'll stay a while to read and share.

As author and host of this blog, let me start by introducing myself. I'm Dr. Rita Carey of RCM Associates. For the last 20 years, I've provided career services for corporations (General Electric, Walden Books, IBM, Pratt & Whitney) and to government and non-profit organizations. My work has given me the opportunity to manage large career centers that served thousands of jobseekers at all levels. That was great experience and very fulfilling. But, that said, perhaps the most important thing I can tell you about myself is that I love my job.

I did not always have a job that I loved, of course. It took a rather convoluted, unpredictable career path to get me here. I experienced first hand the trials and tribulations of being in a job that doesn't fit and the stress of transitioning from one position to another. Somehow, on that path, I developed a strong interest in how people manage moving from one job to another. How do they manage it?

It wasn't just the "how to" of job search about which I was curious; it was also the emotional roller coaster that accompanies such a life transition. My curiosity got the best of me and when presented with an opportunity to do some serious research, I chose "career transitions" as my topic. I set out to discover the answers to the following questions:

  • How do people manage to make successful transitions?

  • What services provide the greatest benefit to career transitioners?

  • What job search actions are most likely to lead to a successful career change?

What I learned from researching over 800 workers who had been displaced from a Fortune 500 company and working with thousands in the career centers now informs my work as a career coach.

This blog will contain information about job search strategies such as resume development, networking, online communities, interviewing, and important follow-up protocols. You will also find labor market information from time-to-time.

Please do not resist the temptation to comment. Your questions and commentary will add value. I look forward to your company.

In support of your success,

Rita
Rita M. Carey, Ed.D.,CPCC
Professional Career Development Coaching

Email: rita@rcmassociates.com