Reinvent Yourself

The world around us is constantly in a state of reinvention. Just look at your toothpaste-whiter, brighter. Cars are safer and more luxurious with better fuel economy. Reinvention is another word for change. Women are always changing, whether it's our hair, clothing style, favorite haunts, even friendships and political attitudes.

But reinvention is not just change. Reinventing yourself means change with a twist, with a new face, a new outlook on life or career. Reinvention is the process by which you take everything you are and everything you've learned, and switch direction to head off on a new path. Sometimes it's a fork in your road: you stay in the same field, but in a new capacity, or you stay with your company but in a completely different role. Sometimes, however, you take a detour onto a brand new highway by entering a totally new line of work.

Sometimes you have to reinvent yourself to accommodate a fast-paced, ever-changing world. Sometimes, the need for change comes from within. Which of these apply to you?

• Your interests have changed.
• The market for your current skills has dried up.
• You've figured out your passion.
• You've discovered that your college major really isn't what you want to do.
• You've uncovered new talents you never knew you had.
• You're tired of the rut you're in.
• Your life's circumstances have changed.
• You have more time to devote to work.
• You need more money.
• You don't need the money.
• You need flexibility in your schedule.
• You want to be your own boss.
• You want to change the world.

Reinvention is not always a choice. Sometimes we're hit with a sledgehammer and we have to make a u-turn. Was your world suddenly flipped upside down? A baby can do that to you, but so can a heart attack or other illness - yours or someone close to you. You're widowed or divorced, the bottom fell out of your husband's job, and the bank account is awash in bright red. Your company phased out your job, a new boss brings in her pick to take your place, or your partner was transferred to a new city. Sometimes life forces you to assess your situation and begin to search for a new career.

Once you have pinned down your new industry or career choice, you can begin packaging yourself to your new target market. You don't have to start over from scratch. What you've learned in one job can serve you well elsewhere, in ways you may not ever have considered. Instead of discounting your previous work history, look at it in a different light. Highlighting different aspects of your skills and experiences will give your work history the makeover it needs to attract employers in your new industry.

• Learn everything you can about your new field. Before you even consider your skills, you have to know what will be valued in your new career. Have you decided to go into human resources? Make a list of all the skills, experience, training, certification or education human resources professionals should have. What is the job description of the position you are looking for? If you don't know what is essential in your new career path, ask a professional in that field. Look at positions in your field advertised in the classifieds or online job databases. What are the employers asking for? Conduct a search online for the title of your desired position, and you'll retrieve valuable information and resources.

• Compare the essential job skills with your experience. First take a look at your general skills, such as computer skills or communication skills. Many skills are widely transferable and valued in several industries. Dig a little. If you were an accountant and want to be a news reporter, your number crunching has given you great attention to detail and accuracy - two highly valued skills in journalism. Now think more about your specific experiences, such as organizations you belonged to, companies you worked for, and titles you held. They probably don't line up exactly with your new industry, but how have they prepared you? For example, your position as a social worker taught you how to handle disagreements and evaluate clients' well-being. Use specific experiences or anecdotes to illustrate how efficient you will be in customer service.

With all the information you gathered from your self-assessments, tweak your resume to include your transferable skills. When switching careers, it is often beneficial to use a functional resume format, rather than the traditional chronological style. A functional resume focuses on specific skills, not necessarily based on a progression of specific jobs you've held. A chronological resume includes a run down of your employment history starting with the most recent. In either version, you'll want to include your previous experiences, but with a twist. Rewrite your resume with an emphasis on your new career goal. The most important point here is to make potential employers see the you that you want to be, not the you that you used to be.

Make sure your personal appearance matches the new you. If that needs repackaging too, start early, so all your face-to-face contacts see the new you. If you were a sales clerk in a funky retail boutique, and you're going into corporate life, check out what women are wearing in the boardroom before showing up in a mini skirt and fishnet hose.

With your goals set and your resume in hand, you also have to determine how you're going to make the leap.

• Try to make an internal transfer. If your ideal job is right under your nose, build your skills and network effectively to make a transition right in your company. This kind of reinvention has the advantage of comfort level. You already know the people, they know you, and you probably won't lose benefits or seniority. The key here is to ask - to find out what's available and what you have to know to get it. Large companies sometimes offer an intranet of available internal opportunities.

• Attend job fairs. If you are taking a plunge into a completely different career, chances are you don't know a lot of contacts in that field. Job fairs can provide a great opportunity to network and meet people in your new industry.

• Volunteer. Forget the old maxim about never giving it away for free. Your talents and skills are your strongest selling point, and strategic sampling is a wonderful way to let people know about you. If you're starting a career as a fundraiser, offer your services to local schools and charities. If you want to work for an art gallery, work with local restaurants and lounges and offer to coordinate art shows with paintings from local artists.

• Ease yourself into a new career. If you're a nurse, but you want to be in sales, take a part time job as a salesperson. Try an industry, like pharmaceuticals, that values your nursing knowledge and experience. Don't burn yourself out, but try a taste of what seems like the ideal job before abandoning a sure thing.

• Go for it! If you're at your wits end, be prepared to quit and jump cold turkey into a new career. But don't expect instant success, tons of money or a quick ride to the top. This is often the least effective way to make a successful transition, unless you have financial security or something lined up.

• Network. Let your network know that you are looking for a new position. Explain what field you are looking for, and why you've decided to make the leap. If you're launching a new career, hold an "expert" party to introduce yourself to those who can help you. If you're looking for a position as a paralegal, invite your cousin whose wife is a lawyer to a "family barbeque." If you just got your massage therapy license, invite salon managers, gym trainers, or facialists who work in spas.