By Jill Sutton

Have you ever met someone who loves her job? She seems to be confident, happy and overall more satisfied. So, why don’t you feel that way? Could it be your job? Is it the right fit for you? Your job is like any relationship; even the best ones have their ups and downs. You should not leave your job every time that you feel overworked, discontent, or frustrated. But, there are a few specific questions that you can ask yourself to help you decide if your current job the right one for you or if it’s time to look for a new career?

These five questions can help you decide if it is time to proactively start the process to make a career change.

1. My current job may not be my “ultimate job” but does it provide me with future opportunity or help develop skills that I may need in the future?
2. Do I feel invigorated or challenged on the job at least one time per week?
3. Overall, are my abilities and skills being utilized on the job?
4. Do I live for the weekend and look forward to 5:00 everyday?
5. Do I have any physical symptoms that I can attribute to work, such as head-aches, anxiety, or inability to sleep?

If you answered no to any of the questions 1-3 and answered yes to any of the questions 4-5, then you need to seriously consider a career change. But just in case you are still on the fence about making such a change, ask yourself this final “million dollar” question.

If I won the lottery tonight, would I quit my job?

A. No, I would not quit my job.

1. No, I would work a few more years. I am too young to retire.
2. Yes, but not immediately. I would wait until I speak with my family and a financial planner.
3. Yes, my desk would be cleaned out by tomorrow.
4. YIPPPEEE! I would send my boss an email and never look back!

Believe it or not, there are many people who are satisfied with their career and would actually keep their current job even if they hit the jackpot. If you answered “D” or “E” to this question then you are ready for a change. Did you know that the average person will spend over 90,000 hours on the job over her lifetime? If you are going to spend that many hours working, why not enjoy what you do? Don’t spend any more time on a career that is not right for you. Now is the time to figure out what career would keep you on the job, even if you were to win the big bucks.

By Maynard Webb

When I was at eBay, we created a virtual community, an army of entrepreneurs chasing their passions. We enabled people to buy and sell – something they had always done, but on a more efficient, global scale. Now at LiveOps, we’re also creating a virtual community enabling people to do something else they have always done – work, but through LiveOps people can do it on their own terms.

What’s happening is a mini-revolution in the way people work. Rather than working nine to five for a corporation, more than 100,000 people have opted to work from home as home agents providing professional telephone customer care. This number is expected to grow to more than 300,000 by 2010.

Flexibility is a key reason for this growth. With the LiveOps model, agents contract with us and can choose to work for as little as one half-hour or as many hours as they would like, and they choose when they want to work, anytime day or night. Over half of our independent contractor agents are mothers with young children. Others are disabled or care for family members needing special care.

Applying for certification as a LiveOps home agent is simple. The process includes reading comprehension and voice tests, as well as a basic credit and background check. It is a great opportunity, but isn’t for everyone. Successful agents manage their own independent businesses, diligently stick to their self-created schedule, enjoy talking to new people, and can handle the occasional difficult caller.

For LiveOps agents, it’s not about how much your boss likes you, how political you are, or who you know. Agents are rated on keeping commitments to self-scheduled work times and on objective performance measures such as length of time on the phone and order conversion rates.

The best performing agents get to select their schedules first and have access to more calls and therefore, their businesses can make the most money. At LiveOps, calls are always routed to the best performing agent, not the next available agent. We call this the “survival of the finest.” LiveOps agents always know exactly what is expected and how well they rank among their peers. It’s a completely open and transparent system that allows them to course correct when necessary.

Survival and contracting doesn’t mean LiveOps home agents are on their own. Our community of independent contractors has access to facilitators and chat rooms for quick answers to questions or easy tips on how to improve the performance of their business. Succeeding as a home agent and achieving work/life balance is rewarding. Few jobs can match the flexibility, independence and financial freedom that come with it.

Webb is CEO at LiveOps. He was COO at eBay until last year. Apply at liveops.com .

Arise

By Angie Selden

Home-based business opportunities seem to be a dime a dozen these days, yet there are a select few arrangements that offer compelling advantages to those with a special kind of entrepreneurship and thirst for premium compensation.

Over the past few years, many global companies have growing concerns about their customers’ disappointing experiences with service agents overseas. With readily available broadband technology, a thriving industry has developed with thousands of U.S.-based agents working from their homes. There are options – home agents can work as little as a few hours, or more than 60 hours per week, and as either a part-time employee, independent contractor, or incorporated business owner.

With so many choices, it’s important to understand the advantages of each. Arise Virtual Solutions has provided opportunities for near-full time home agents to work as incorporated business owners owning their customer service businesses since it was founded in 1997. Arise Certified Professionals (ACPs) dictate when, how often, and for whom they work including over 40 Arise clients like Walgreen’s, Home Depot, and Verizon. As business owners, ACPs invest in their own certification and equipment, demonstrating to clients that they are invested in and motivated to operate a successful customer service operation.

So what are the secrets of successfully becoming an Arise Certified Professional?

1. Find 25 hours a week to work when you choose
2. Hone your selling and persuasion skills
3. Thrive in a competitive results, based environment
4. Be comfortable using technology for work
5. Enjoy meeting professionals like you in a virtual community
6. Commit to a schedule each week and work it
7. Be confident about getting paid for your performance
8. Love the premium brands in the Arise portfolio of companies you can service!

In short – invested agents provide better service when their own success – and compensation — is tied directly to the success of their clients. This has been proven by the high-caliber brands that Arise consistently attracts – which means more opportunity for you in the long run. Add to that the sense of accomplishment found in managing your own business, and the result is thousands of agents across the U.S. proud to call themselves Arise Certified Professionals.

Selden is the CEO, Arise Virtual Solutions Inc. Apply at Arise.com.

Alpine Access

By Chris Carrington

Is a home-based position the perfect fit for you? Do you have what it takes to be successful? Working from home and effectively balancing all the demands on your time is hard. It’s not for everyone, but the rewards are tremendous for those with the right approach.

Let’s be honest. The process of becoming an Alpine Access agent is likely more rigorous and challenging than other positions you may have applied for previously. We invest in our agents and hire them as employees of the company, hoping they’ll be around for the long-haul. We provide paid training, cover hiring costs, promote from within and create a supportive community. As a result, we choose our agents carefully and only hire the most passionate and enthusiastic individuals.

Alpine Access uses a two part hiring process. First, we look for excellent customer service skills such as phone etiquette, ability to follow instructions, basic technology knowledge, and ideally, previous experience in a customer service role. Then we look for a “client match.” Matching agents with clients is a key reason Alpine Access is the outsourced provider of choice for both agents and customers. Because our agents are hired as employees rather than contractors, we can assign them to specific accounts according to their interests, skills and prior industry experience. Our agents enjoy dedicating themselves to one account and clients get experienced agents who secure higher average sales orders and increase customer satisfaction rates. To improve your chances of matching to a client, be sure to highlight your hobbies and interest as well as job experience on your application.

Building a career around your life, rather than your life around your career is not an unrealistic dream, but it takes effort. Be choosy. In the same way we don’t take just any candidate, neither should you take just any job. When asked why you want an at-home position, describe your motivation in terms of more than just wanting to work from home. With these tips, regardless of age, circumstance or location, if you are self-motivated and willing to work hard, you can have a successful, rewarding career that provides personal life balance.

Carrington is CEO of Alpine Access. Apply at alpineaccess.com

By Michelle Kedem

Many firms, both large and small, work with headhunters to help them fill empty positions. Headhunters are therefore the first gatekeepers in the interview process, determining who gets interviewed for many desirable positions.

Headhunters typically work with more candidates than clients and have many applicants for any given job. At the same time, their credibility with clients is determined by the quantity and, more importantly, the quality of the candidates they present. Convincing headhunters that you are a high caliber candidate will get them to call you when they have openings that match your skills, and to push for you when the right position is available.

So how can you convince a headhunter that you are a high quality candidate that will represent them well in front of their clients? Respect their time!

Specifically, here are five tips that will help you impress:

1) Your initial email or phone call should be professional, polite, and direct. No fancy cover letter is needed.

2) Remember the headhunters’ interests. Their clients are the companies extending offers, not the candidates applying for jobs. Target your resume and pitch, based on the job or type of job you would like to get. If you are applying for a specific role, modify your resume, where appropriate, to reflect the language of the job description. If a role is not right for you, refer friends and colleagues that meet the job specifications.

3) Know your own goals, with defined parameters around how far you are willing to stray from the ideal. (e.g.: I would like to decrease my commute time and work in my town, but 20 minutes each way is OK).

4) Follow-up appropriately. Keep the headhunter posted after interviews with his or her client. A quick e-mail or phone call is sufficient; a lengthy rehashing or multiple follow-up inquiries can be viewed as an irritation.

5) Remember: Every interaction is part of a larger interview process.

Michelle Kedem is a partner at On-Ramps, a recruiting and consulting firm focused on placing people in flexible work arrangements.On-ramps.com.

Updated on 15 July 2023

By Megan Masoner

Building a successful career requires persistence, preparedness, and confidence. Once you’ve gotten to the door, you must make the right moves to get through it as you seek to advance your candidacy.

Be sharp

Once you’ve been invited to interview, your work has just begun. Prepare yourself both mentally and emotionally. If you do, your body language will reflect confidence and comfort, which is key to any interview. Walk into every interview with the intent that the next 60 minutes could change your life. Show your authentic passion and enthusiasm for the opportunity, and you will draw others to you.

Do your homework

Learn about the person who will be conducting the interview. All too often we come in over prepared about the company, but under prepared about the interviewer. People are flattered when you express interest in their experience. There are a lot of ways you can locate this information: ask the Administrative Assistant who is scheduling the interview, ask your recruiter, Google the person (they may be published which gives you direct insight to their experience), or just listen for their strengths as they mention them throughout the interview.

Related article: 8 Ways to Improve Your Candidacy for the Job (With Examples)

Establish trust

Quite simply, credibility can’t be replaced.

Focus on what you have to offer, not what you may be lacking

Forget about answering all questions “correctly.” Nine times out of ten there are no “correct” answers. The interviewer is looking for creativity, persistence, and evidence of your ability to get the job done.

Listen

Not only do you want to hear what the interviewers are saying, but you want to understand what the interviewers are asking for. What do they get enthusiastic about? Through the tone of their voice you can derive the hot spots of the job (areas of greatest need). Align your experiences and responses to the areas for which they express their greatest enthusiasm. Showcase your experience through relevant examples and reinforce throughout the interview.

Remember innovation and initiative

Always be prepared with an out of the box innovative idea that you took from concept to execution. No matter how big or small, in today’s competitive market, systematic thinking is essential. Highlight the moments in your career when you weren’t asked to do something, but did it successfully anyway.

Measure up

Too often we state our accomplishments in very broad terms. Remember to give quantitative measures on how you succeeded. Not just “I deployed a quality improvement program,” but “I deployed a quality improvement program increasing productivity by 20% through the following three key enhancements…” List specifics, but don’t get bogged down with the details. Focus on the results and articulate how you drove success.

Follow up

When closing an interview and you get to the “what questions do you have for me?” portion ask the interviewer directly what he or she feels would constitute success for the person that will hold the desired position? Then use it as an opportunity to close highlighting how the strengths you have would enable that success. You can even use the strengths mentioned as an opener for a post interview thank you note. Before leaving don’t forget to ask for the job, demonstrate your commitment, and reiterate your ability to deliver.

Be creative, if you don’t market yourself no one else will

It may be the differentiator between you and the other candidates that day. Prepare a small leave behind or summary sheet that uniquely summarizes your strengths. This may be a bio, a list of accomplishments, or even quotes from peers or leaders demonstrating your performance. Most likely the recruiter will attach it to the top of your resume, and it serves as a reminder of some of the highlights you have likely mentioned throughout your interview.

About the author

Megan Masoner Detz is a Human Capital Executive (MBA) known for creating human resource strategies that boost productivity and corporate performance. With diverse experience in human capital consulting, mergers and acquisitions, and workforce planning, she has held leadership roles at notable companies including Cable ONE, Hargray Communications, VARIDESK, and NTT DATA, Inc. Her expertise extends to global staffing, organizational design, executive development, and strategy implementation.

Check out other articles by best-selling authors:

Emi Leon – 8 Ways to Improve Your Candidacy for the Job (With Examples)

Dawn Rasmussen – Top Five Questions About Resumes Answered

Sunny Lurie – Eight Proven Strategies to Open the Door to a Vibrant New Career

Stacia Pierce – How to Search for a Job During the Holidays

Dawn Quesnel- Helpful Hints for Job Seekers

Stacia Pierce – Conceit vs. Confidence

By Lynn Joseph, Ph.D.

Sheila is a top-notch marketing manager. After being laid off, she is now two months into her job search, and finding it to be the most challenging project ever undertaken. Sound familiar?

Initially, Sheila had obtained advice and coaching on interviewing, networking, and resume writing, and had quickly scored solid interviews. Her attitude had been positive and her self-esteem high. However, after each interview resulted in her ultimate elimination from the competition, she became discouraged and dejected—leading to her confidence faltering.

Sheila’s situation is not unusual. A recent study found that landing a new job takes one month of active searching, for every $20,000 in salary earned in the former job. This often translates into many interviews over a period of months. Landing time can take much longer if the job seeker is depressed because companies want to hire candidates with enthusiasm, positive attitude, and self-confidence—in addition to the required skills and experience. Sheila needs to develop the emotional resilience to bounce back quickly after rejection if she is to land her dream job.

Today more than ever, savvy business people and scientists alike know about the power of the mind and emotions to manifest success. A recent study in the Consulting Psychology Journal showed that 62% of job seekers who followed a brief mental imagery technology (MIT) protocol landed jobs within two months compared to only 12% of job seekers in a placebo group. The study was the author’s doctoral dissertation, and following are the key steps participants were guided through. By taking just a few minutes each day—as Sheila now does—you can quickly bounce back from rejection, feel more in control of your job search, and radiate the enthusiasm and self-confidence that will win you the job you want.

1. Future Self. Take ten minutes daily to relax, close your eyes and daydream having your ideal job. Imagine it as if you have it now, in minute detail and with all your senses (sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch). Muster all the excitement, satisfaction of accomplishment, and joy that you can. Mentally celebrate with your loved ones. Next, imagine going back in time and taking the necessary steps (easily and elegantly) that won this ideal job.

2. Mental Rehearsal. Take ten minutes daily to imagine yourself as a star performer giving a top interview performance. Try mentally watching yourself on an inner TV or movie screen as you use a remote control to stop, revise, and replay any segment you are not satisfied with. Engage your feelings and all your senses. Listen to the questions asked by a supportive interviewer, and your answers—given confidently and competently. Have fun with the process. Finally, play the entire scenario through without stopping, seeing and hearing you giving a superb performance. Imagine receiving an offer, and feel the pleasure of success. This brief exercise can represent a full-length interview to your subconscious mind—your ally.

3. Affirmations. Repeat the following positive self-statements often; or make up your own. Your subconscious will get the message that you want and expect nothing short of success.

· I am good enough and I deserve to have my dreams come true.

· I have the skills to overcome challenges and reach my goals, and I’ll be wiser and stronger for having done so.

· If I don’t get the offer, there’s another, better, opportunity waiting to be discovered by me.

· I forgive others and myself for past failures and disappointments.

· I control my career and life, and I expect success.

To conclude, a favorite quote by Henry David Thoreau, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

About the author

Dr. Joseph is a career and life transition telecoach and the author of The Job-Loss Recovery Guide: A Proven Program for Getting Back to Work—Fast!