Career Stimulus Plan
Hoboken, NJ – eLearners.com (http://www.elearners.com)
The book is the result of laser coaching sessions with nearly 1,000 Americans from across the country who were struggling with their careers. From these sessions, the Career Whisperers have extracted the most relevant and practical advice for a career hunt or transition in today’s economic environment. Similar to the laser coaching sessions, the “Book of Wisdom” is designed to help people discover what is holding them back and the strategies needed to move them toward success in the workplace.
Interestingly, the most commonly asked question was, “What is the best career to pursue?” The advice: look at your own interests and strengths, instead of what’s hot in the job market right now. “If you merely choose a hot career (e.g. nursing, security, energy) and then pursue a degree or job in that field, without a major interest or skill that is applicable, it will be hard to stand out,” said Michael Cushman, one of the Career Whisperers. “You have to be true to yourself.”
Beyond providing greater detail on identifying “the right career for you”, the “Book of Wisdom,” also points to three major themes that stood out from the Career Whisperers’ conversations with Americans: focus, network and adapt.
• Focus. If you are willing to take anything, you will gain nothing. When you are feeling desperate, there is a tendency to go in circles. If you don’t have a specific focus for your search, there is a tendency to throw your resume out to any job openings, whether they are appropriate or not for your level of skills and experience. Instead, target specific companies, organizations and people and develop a plan to be known in your industry.
• Network. It’s not about selling yourself to others; it’s about getting others to sell for you. Employers don’t want to make a mistake about hiring the wrong person for a job. It costs a lot to hire a person, and there are often legal challenges in firing an employee. If someone they respect recommends that they consider you for a position – they will pay attention.
• Adapt. Industries, professions and jobs come and go rapidly. If a degree is 10 to 15 years old, it’s out of date. Education isn’t something you do only when you are young. Today, retooling yourself, earning continuing education credits, and ongoing personal development are a way of life. You are never too old to learn.
“Americans we met were often surprised when we asked them, ‘what do you really want to do,’” added Ayn Fox, another Empowerment Tour coach. “At first they said they had never thought about it and that they didn’t know. But after further questioning they realized that they did know, they just needed permission, encouragement and a strategy to go after what they really wanted.”
For many Americans, the Career Whisperers found that further training and education may be the next most logical step to get people to their dream career. To help with that training, the Empowerment Tour offered the opportunity for people to apply for a full-tuition scholarship to one of eight accredited online schools: American Public University, Ashworth College, Bryant & Stratton College, Capella University, Ellis University, Everest University, Virginia College and Western Governors University. Applicants can still apply for a scholarship online through October 31, 2009, at http://www.careerstimulus.com. Recipients will be selected in November.
About eLearners.com®
eLearners.com is one of several high visibility websites operated by EducationDynamics. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting learners to online education, including online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners.com provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online degree program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For online colleges and universities, the eLearners.com website offers a low-cost, performance-
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is higher education’s leading marketing services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition. Through its Market Research and Advisory Services division, the company brings a decade of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence, and best practice insights to its clients. For more information, visit http://www.educationdynamics.com.
Contact:
Jenny Foust
Communications Strategy Group
jfoust@csg-pr.com
(303) 433-7020 or (720) 244-4268
