From Technical Writing to UX Design

From Technical Writing to UX Design Success Story > From: Job To: Job From Technical Writing to UX Design “I was at the end of my tether. I knew I couldn't carry on Googling for answers.” * From Technical Writing to UX Design After years of being unhappy in his work, Dan Brown discovered he didn't need to make a huge shift, or start all over again, to find a rolehe loved. Here's how he found a way to bring together his interests and experience to create a new career path. What work were you doing previously? I'd been a technical writer for most of my career and was working in a role at a large software company. What are you doing now? I'm a senior UX (user experience) designer for a medium-sized software start-up. Why did you change? I'd been unhappy for over five years. I didn't want to go to work. I brought home a lot of negativity. And I was tired all the time. I could sit in front of the TV for hours. It was constantly on my mind: “What am I going to do?” I kept having this recurring dream of facing a wall that I had to climb over. When was the moment you decided to make the change? I was at the end of my tether. I knew I couldn't carry on Googling for answers but never actually doing anything about it. My partner suggested I try to find someone to help me. That's when I discovered Careershifters. Are you happy with the change? Yes! I've got a role that I love. I feel happy to be working in technology and software. And I'm good at it â€" I was part of a team last year that won a gold award at the A'Design Award and Competition, one of the biggest design awards in the world. I've made a whole load of new friends along the way and I have more headspace that I can fill with positive stuff. I still have to get prepared for work on a Sunday night but I never get the fear anymore. I love doing my job. Even my hairdresser has commented on how I've done the right thing â€" because I don't moan about work anymore when I'm there! What do you miss and what don't you miss? I had fab colleagues and a great manager in my old work but apart from them I don't really miss anything. I was quite senior as technical writer, but as a designer I can make more things happen and it will just take time to build my experience to the same level. How did you go about making the shift? Through the Careershifters programme I got over the ruminating and procrastinating that had held me back before and I started to initiate conversations. At work I made an effort to talk to different people and one of those was a former colleague who was working as a UX designer. She suggested I apply for a role with her team and I was successful based on my previous work and approach. From there I focused on getting the experience I needed to ultimately move externally. I took my time and moved around in the company and to different locations over about three years before I moved to my current role. What didn't go well? What wrong turns did you take? I don't feel like anything went wrong but I certainly questioned what I was doing many times. All the way from the initial internal change to getting my new external role I kept asking myself if I should've taken an easier option. Ultimately I achieved everything I'd planned for within the timeframe I originally gave myself. How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible? Maintaining my salary was one of the targets I gave myself for my career change and I achieved that. What was the most difficult thing about changing? Getting into a new headspace and away from the ruminating and self-judgement that had become a habit for me. I eventually got out there and spoke to a ton of people, but it was tough getting over that initial hurdle. I remember it took me a whole three-hour train journey to compose one message to reach out to someone. With practice I learnt that the worst that could happen would be a knock back. And I also realised I could just try something and give it a go, without needing to know beforehand if I liked it or was good at it. What help did you get? Working with Careershifters helped me to completely shift my perspective and got me to where I am now. Being part of a group and sharing the process with others in the same boat helped a lot. I have a whole tool kit to use for life now, not just a few job options. My partner has also been a huge support throughout. What resources would you recommend to others? I would not recommend looking on the internet for job descriptions! That's the career change equivalent of Dr Google. The answer isn't online, it's out in the real world. Talk to people outside of your own circle. Find someone that's empathetic and can help you to unlock what's inside you already. What have you learnt in the process? I'd felt that my career to date was absolutely useless, but I began to see that I didn't need a huge shift, just some help in bringing things together. I learned how to throw the pieces of Lego on the floor, add a few extras and build them into a new role and career path. I've been able to bring more of myself into my career now. I do something that's a fit and that I can happily talk about. I didn't make a dramatic shift in terms of industry â€" or even company, initially â€" but my life is completely different. I also learned that people love talking about what they do and I loved connecting with them. I enjoyed getting into their heads, finding out what worked for them and figuring out how to talk to them at their level. I use all of these skills in the work that I do now. What do you wish you'd done differently? I wish I'd done it a couple of years earlier! What would you advise others to do in the same situation? Stop thinking about it and do something! You can learn to let go of that frown. What lessons could you take from Dan's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.

Dietary Aide Resume - The Difference Between Meal Planner

Dietary Aide Resume - The Difference Between Meal PlannerEvery year a dietician or diet aid is required to create a dietary aide resume. These resumes serve as a form of employment background information that will be handed out to potential employers. As more people are becoming interested in the benefits and advantages of going on a healthy diet, so too is there an increase in the number of dieter's needing help with creating their resume.When looking for an appropriate guide, you will find that there are two forms of it. The first form is called the meal planner and the second form is called the meal plan guide. Both of these resume writing aids offer the same things, but one differs slightly in how they come about. This article will show you the difference between the two and how you can find the right guide for you.The Meal Planner form of dietary aide resume works by grouping all of the various meal types and amounts together. You enter each day's menu into the program and it do es the rest. It then puts together all of the meals and packages them into the appropriate meals for the different types of people that you meet with, each person coming to work with different needs and situations. From there you have to input all of the special instructions and specifications and you are good to go.The Meal Planner form of dietary aide resume has a few shortcomings. First, you don't know what the next meal is going to be, unless you use the step-by-step program. Second, it only addresses a part of the food pyramid. And third, it doesn't take into account all of the options that a person may have. If someone is lactose intolerant, the meals may not be suitable and may not be part of the program.The Meal Planner also doesn't address the potential health risks that may be involved with certain foods. While most foods that are included in this type of program are free of allergens, that doesn't mean that you shouldn't be aware of what you are eating. Keep your personal health in mind when creating your resume.A Meal Planner also offers a free trial for the program. They offer you a month to try it out and see if it is right for you. As with most trial offers, you have to pay for the month's worth of usage before you can start using the program full time. This can work to your advantage as many dieters enjoy getting into the program right away and seeing their weight lose in a relatively short period of time.The Meal Planner works very well if you have a few people in your office and want to share the food. It takes into account how much each person eats on a daily basis and assigns them a certain amount of food each day. It will also allow you to program the amount of calories for each person and have it automatically fed into the program for that person. You may also choose to create a network of people where everyone gets a portion of the food.Make sure to look for a Meal Planner in your home or office computer if you are creating a dietary aid e resume. It is a simple form of resume, but it doesn't always offer you all of the choices. For those looking for a diet program, this is a good option to consider.

Whats the right timing for graduate school

Whats the right timing for graduate school Whats good timing for grad school? For some degrees, the best timing is probably never. The benefits of the degree will never outweigh the problems it creates. For some degrees, going fast is key, for others, taking your time can ward off common missteps. Heres a primer on how to approach a looming graduate application: Timing for an MBA: Fast The value of an MBA goes down the longer you wait to get it. At the beginning of your career you can get a jump-start out of the gate with an MBA from a top school. Midcareer, you wont get that jump-start, because youve already started. So at that point, the MBA is just a ticket to play; most large companies like to see an MBA before moving you to the top levels of management. It used to be that business schools encouraged candidates to wait a few years before applying. But that timeline doesnt make sense for women who want kids. Today, most young women who want kids want to have them before theyre 35. So if you wait three years to go to business school, and then get a job afterward, you will have very little time to work before you start having kids. And then many benefits of the graduate degree are lost. In an effort to encourage women to apply to business school, admissions departments are becoming more willing to take candidates straight out of college. For young women, this is a very good option. But only if youre sure you need that degree. If you dont know what you want to do with the MBA, then you probably dont need it. For people with no clear plan after business school, the burden of school loans to pay for the degree is often more limiting than the number of doors the degree opens. Timing for other professional degrees: Slow The cost of going to graduate school when you have no clear plan for afterward is even higher outside of business school. If you get a job in, say, public policy, and then decide you dont want to go into that field, that degree makes you look unfocused, at best. You might think that more degrees are just more qualifications, but in fact, when you spend years getting a degree in a field where there are no jobs that interest you, you put a red flag up to employers that either you dont know what you want or you dont want them. If possible, you would do best to leave frivolous graduate degrees off your resume so you can look a bit more focused. Take time to work in the field youre considering, to make sure thats what you want to do. Have patience with yourself to learn a bit about who you are. Its nearly impossible to make a decision as a student about what youd want to do when youre not a student. Thats the value of taking time to work in between college and grad school. Timing for an advanced degree in humanities: Never Baby boomers have a lock on tenure-track teaching jobs, and those boomers arent going anywhere any time soon. My favorite statistic in the world is that you would have a better chance surviving the Titanic than getting a tenure track job in the humanities. Members of the Modern Language Association routinely discuss this problem at the annual meeting, and in trade publications. So look, if you love French, take a long vacation in Tunisia. And if you love Dante, read him at night, after work. You dont need a degree in the humanities to enjoy learning. Timing for law school: Try marketing first Did you get a great LSAT score? You know what that means? Youll do a great job in law school. Unfortunately, that is no indicator of how well youll do in the real world. In a law firm, there is no clear partner track anymore. You can be de-equitized at any time. And the determining factor for your worth is not how well you analyze a case, but how well you drum up business. Lawyers are part of the service industry, and service professionals differentiate themselves through marketing. So youd better be great at marketing if youre going to law school. Thinking that youll do nonprofit law instead? Then you need rich parents or a rich spouse because someones gotta pay off those school loans and its not going to be the ACLU. The bottom line for grad school? Try new things, meet lots of different people and use these experiences to help figure out what to do. Take time to get to know yourself, in the post-school world, in the work world. You need to know who you are and what you want before you start signing those school loan papers. A degree only helps you if its getting you to a place you really want to go to.

Middle Names Do They Muddle the Job Search

Middle Names Do They Muddle the Job Search “A person could have but one Christian name, or that if he had [more], but one would be regarded by the law” (Burroughs v. State of Florida, 1880). Speaking recently to the WorkSource Professional Network, I was asked about how using a middle name as your name might muddle recruiters. Since my topic was about being sure you can be found online by recruiters, it was a fair question, although one I’d never considered before. The audience member(s) were concerned that online application forms, which asked for their first names, would confuse decision makers. “Gladys L. Smith” would apply (or send a resume) and “Lynn” would call to follow up. Middle names are common in the U.S., but not commonly used as part of your identity, since the use of both names makes the name seem rather quaint or old fashioned (Mary Jane, Betty Sue, Billy Bob, et al.) The exception is when a boy is named after his father, then initials or use of the middle name instead of the first helps keep everyone straight (George W. Bush, for example, or my uncle, called J.C., instead of Jerry.) Sometimes, people choose to use their middle names because they connect more with that name. Without a formal name change, though, they carry around that first name everywhere they go. (The same goes for nicknames.) I’ve been in interviews or meetings where I addressed someone by the long or the unused version of a name, and felt awkward when corrected, so I support using a first initial and full middle name (F. Scott Fitzgerald style) to avoid confusion. Someone in the audience suggested using quotation marks around the middle name on applications, as you would in print when referring to a nickname or commonly used name (Sanford “Sandy” Coufax.) There is no law against using whatever name you want to identify yourself, as long as you don’t do it to perpetrate fraud. But American laws still recognize only your first given name as your legal identity, so when you travel, close on your house, or open a bank account, you’re stuck with Gladys. Do you use your middle name as your given name? Has it created any confusion in your job search? Leave a comment and let me know how you handle it. Sincerely, Candace Lynn Moody

Looking For Resume Writing Clinic?

Looking For Resume Writing Clinic?In order to be efficient in answering interview questions, you must have a resume that has the information included that is asked for. A well written resume can help you land the job that you are looking for and also be an excellent asset to your employer. The key to resume writing is to put forward only what is necessary in order to produce a finished document that will get you hired.There are many pitfalls when it comes to writing a resume. A resume writing clinic can help make sure that you have not used up all of the potential of a resume that is presented to your future employer. An employer is looking for someone who will be able to provide quality service to them, so they can utilize you to bring your skills to their advantage.An employer also wants to be aware of the style of the resume that is presented to them. Resume writing clinics can help you explore the style that you like to use so that you have something that is comfortable to work w ith. It is also important to understand how to incorporate a resume into the overall communication process. You do not want to be interrupted when you are just trying to get your message across in this regard.Resume writing clinics can provide you with a list of samples that you can study. You may also find that there are some questions that you will want to ask before you sign up for one of these services. This way you can get a feel for what it is going to take to get your resume completed in a professional manner.A resume can be broken down into the following sections: education, experience, interests, and skills. Each of these sections should be well written and be designed to meet the needs of the individual that is about to be hired. It is a good idea to research the education that you have completed in order to get the most out of this part of the resume.Experience is the next section to look at and consider when putting together your resume. You want to give an honest accoun t of all of the things that you have done in the past. The experience that you have had will help you get the most out of this part of the job.Finally, you need to get down to writing. If you are going to be giving your opinion on any topics, this is where you need to write it down. Try to make your opinions as clear as possible so that employers will know exactly what you stand for.Don't be afraid to take the time out to get a formal resume to put together for the next employer that you are trying to impress. With a resume that meets the requirements of the job you are looking for, you can be successful in landing that job that you are seeking. Your resume is the first impression that you make on the employer that you are trying to convince to hire you.

How to Switch off Your Work Brain After Hours CareerMetis.com

How to Switch off Your Work Brain After Hours â€" CareerMetis.com A successful career doesn’t mean working more, or even earning more. It means working better, and enjoying what you do.And no matter how dedicated you are to your present job, no matter how passionate you are about doing the best you can, tolerating an inner work voice that won’t quit at the end of the work day will only do you, and your career, serious harm.Thinking about work outside of working hours, and the stress that is associated with this unfortunate affliction, damages your health, your relationships, and yes â€" the quality of your work. It’s been shown that taking proper time off improves the quality and productivityof your regular efforts.evalThe problem is, nobody ever teaches you to how to switch your work mind off. Who would? Management don’t think it’s in their interest

Brand Broker Orchestrating An Entire Campaign

Brand Broker Orchestrating An Entire Campaign Working in the world of digital marketing is an exciting and thrilling career choice. With loads of roles offering the chance to spread your wings and enjoy new kinds of work, this sort of field appeals to loads of people. Of course, though, in a world of ever-changing online services, you have to be prepared to adapt if you want to get the right clients. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the jobs involved in this process, along with the people you can find to handle them for you. Advertising: Traditional advertising has been a professional field for a very long time. With ads being hard to produce, push, and make successful, it takes the right touch to handle this part of the campaign. Thankfully, there are loads of experts in the field of services like Google AdSense, and most of them are willing to sell their time for a little bit of money. SEO: Getting a website to the front page of Google can take a lot of work, and most people won’t be able to handle SEO when they don’t have any experience. eCommerce SEO Services can be found all over the web, giving you the power to handle this part of a job without having to touch any of it yourself. As a big part of this, content will have to change on a regular basis to make sure that it is reaching the right people. Social Media: Running campaigns on social media is becoming the single most popular way to advertise a business. Offering a free way to put out loads of content, this is great for all businesses, and everyone should be using it. Of course, though, it isn’t easy to make something like this successful. To help you out with it, it will be worth looking for influencers who are popular on social media already, using their followers to generate some hype. Events: Events can go hand in hand with modern marketing techniques, giving people something to look forward to and something for you to post about in the lead up to it. Whether this is a launch party, an influencer night, or anything else, it will be worth having an event manager to help with this. Organising something like this can take a huge amount of work, and a lot of people will find it hard to get people to it. Launches: Finally, as the last area to consider, it’s time to think about product and business launches, and how they can tie into your marketing efforts. These are often the biggest times in the life of a company, making it well worth focusing on the right areas. Making all of this come together will take a range of professionals, from marketers to shopfitters, and you will need to find them all. Hopefully, with all of this in mind, you will be feeling ready to get started with your own campaign company. In this sort of industry, it can pay to get help, with your results being made much better in the process.

What to Do When People Get Your Name Wrong - Career Advice Blog for Millennials

What to Do When People Get Your Name Wrong - Career Advice Blog for Millennials Is your life one constant blooper reel of people constantly misspelling and misspeaking your name? It’s one thing when someone on the street gets it wrong in passing â€" you probably won’t see them again. It’s another when professionals you regularly deal with get it completely wrong all the time. Eventually, they settle for just calling you “you.” “Hey, you! How’s it hanging, buddy?” they start saying. After years of hearing this tactic, you won’t let anyone get away with being clever. The ones who keep failing at your name get some credit, because at least they keep trying. You can only grit your teeth politely for so long. When people fail to put together a few letters, it makes you feel smaller than the length of those letters. It hurts, even when you’ve gotten used to it. You shouldn’t have to get used to it. Here’s what to do when people get your name wrong. Go With Phonetics During meetings, talks and workshops, you can preempt misspelling mistakes by writing your name out and put a nail in the coffin of misspeaking by verbally sounding it out â€" or at least try. It still goes in one ear and out the other, but not as often. Insert a phonetic spelling of your name into your email signature, such as Sigh-Oh-Wren for Sioryn. This approach will help others adjust to your name if it’s not typical to where you’re working and living or a little too modern for folks. It’s stealthy and direct enough to work! Take the strategy viral, and insert the phonetic spelling of your name on your social media profiles. On Twitter, Iva Dixit, social media coordinator of The New Yorker, put phonetics in her handle this way: “Its pronounced Dixit as in Fix-it; the Iva as in Gen-eva. No relation to Madhuri.” A little humor goes a long way. Keep Being Straightforward Repeating yourself is exhausting, but it’s more tiring and annoying to take the passive approach constantly. You tried politely correcting with a soft voice, but people just keep missing your proper name. You tried ignoring it, and of course, nothing changes. So, stop worrying about how you come across, and be straightforward. It’s likely humiliating to the person who continually gets your name wrong, too. If you keep it brief and use a professional tone, you won’t come off sounding like a jerk. However, you also need to consider your relationship with the person and how they would feel if you corrected them in public. Fifty-five percent of individuals identify with what they do and will take their mistake seriously as a reflection of themselves when you correct them. So, try pulling the person aside first. “Earlier, you referred to me as Bob. I want to make sure you know I actually go by Rob.” Focus on the mistake, but don’t phrase it as if you’re blaming â€" or shaming â€" someone with phrases like “You made the mistake of” Many people will accept constructive criticism mindfully. Unfortunately, not all people are self-reflective or considerate of such necessary nuances as names and language. Instead, try something like “My name often gets confused with Katrina, but it’s actually Karina.” Sometimes, you may have to commit a social faux pas and interrupt someone. Do it anyway. People often respect those in leadership positions for being to-the-point and forthright, so if you’re looking to climb the ladder, better start practicing now. Don’t be afraid to interject with “It’s Karina. Sorry to interrupt! Please keep going.” These three tactics won’t stop people from getting your name wrong, but they offer tools that tackle different types of personalities and learning styles. The quiet folks who are visual learners and need repetition can check your social media and email signatures. The unaware can get a polite to-the-point update in a private conversation â€" or by being interrupted. You can also have a little fun by referring to yourself in “I” statements or the third person if you’re feeling extra eccentric one day. Refer to Yourself This approach may raise a few eyebrows, but most will shrug it off and learn. The clever, good-humored folks at in your life will laugh along with you. Why not have a little fun when correcting others? You’re not being malicious, just potentially coming off as a very eccentric individual. Say someone asks you something like: “Well, how did you decide to become a lion trainer and marketing director?” You say, “One day, a rogue lion found its way into the office, and someone was bound to get bitten. So, I thought to myself, Sioryn (said correctly), you can either tame this lion and rise to the occasion, or die. Obviously, I made a new friend.” If you’re a jokester, you can try referring to yourself in the third person, but the latter approach is probably the best â€" hopefully, without the lions. Whatever approach you take, its time to reclaim your name! Subscribe to Punched Clocks for more tips on staying true to you as a professional and striving for your career best. Continue the conversation by commenting or sharing. Get everything you need to build a career you love by signing up for the newsletter.