Past Director Report

*IEEE Career Assistance - Steps to a Better Career*

Career planning or searching for a new job is never easy. Whether you are
undertaking this task on your own schedule or an imposed one, you need to
carefully make a plan. In this article, we point to a number of reference
materials that help you cope with the stress of career change and give you
guidance on what to do next.

The first step is to recognize that you're not the only person looking for
a change. If you are unemployed because of a layoff, don't take it
personal. Don't forget that your IEEE Network is as close as the next
Section meeting. Make use of this network to talk about your situation and
get honest feedback about your experience, skills and the opportunities
that may be just down the road from your old company. Beyond the Section
network, IEEE-USA has created the *Career Manager*,

https://www.ieeeusa.org/careers/default.asp

This is a central index of career sites and timely reference material that
can help you understand where you are in your career and how to get more
information.

The second step is to write the plan that will guide your career to its
next phase. To assist you in building the plan, IEEE-USA has created
the *Career
Management Workshop*,

https://www.careervitality.com/english/index.php?default

This online free workshop will direct you through structured questions to
help you understand how to increase your job satisfaction, become and
remain a top performer, maximize your employability, and get the support
you need to achieve your career goals.  Additional resources are available and
can be downloaded from IEEE-USA Career Manager.

The third step is to identify targets for your job search. Region 3 has
developed a *Employment Assistance Web Site*,

www.ieee.org/r3jobs

that has many information sources that are organized by national and local
listings. Take the time to check out a number of these sites until you find
the ones that interest you. Not every available job is listed on a job bank
or newspaper. Many are never listed external to a company. To find these
jobs, use your local IEEE Network and find someone that works at a
particular company. Ask your contact to review the internal listings and
let you know if something is available. If you can't find a company contact
or need to develop a list of companies in a particular area, Region 3 has
generated a series of company listings organized by Area / Council.  These
listings are in Excel format and can be downloaded from the Region 3
Employment Assistance web site to help you identify prospective companies
in your geographic area.

The final step is to establish contact and make that important first
impression. The information sources on the Region 3 Employment Assistance
web site can help you make the contact but from there it's up to you.
Remember to research the target companies thoroughly and know what they do
and how they do it. It's also a good idea to practice with a friend before
an interview.  Remember, the more you know about a company before the
interview, the better chance you will have to make a good first impression.

Good luck with your efforts and let us know how Region 3 can help.
Remember, in the IEEE Network, the person you help this year can help you
in years to come.

Lee Stogner