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Want to make a career change… but lacking confidence in your existing background and credentials?

You could be right - you may need specific skills, experience and qualifications for your desired career.

But in some cases… you don’t need to be worried at all.

In fact, you may have a condition I call "credentialitis". Basically, you erroneously think that you must go back to school, or do some course, or get some credential, in order to be qualified for that career change, or to get that new job or promotion.

It’s bizarre.

I’ve always regarded credentials and qualifications as proof that someone graduated from some kind of course or program… but not necessarily proof that they have the critical skills and talents to perform a certain role.

For example, consider this - you’re an entrepreneurial high-school drop out who started, developed and sold a business and now wants a career change. Hmmm… maybe you want to become the marketing manager at some large corporation.

If you suffered from credentialitis you may believe that you aren’t qualified to become that marketing manager.

So much so that you seriously consider going to business school and enrolling in a marketing program.

But is this necessary? Does an MBA better qualify you than having started, built and sold your own business?

Alternatively, what if you "marketed" yourself as being ideally suited to the marketing job based on your experience as an entrepreneur?

Again, I’m not questioning going to college or undertaking a formal course when you want or need to obtain certain skills or knowledge. Some career changes - like becoming a lawyer or doctor - necessitate that you do that.

However, for other new jobs, you likely possess the most important skills and knowledge required and what you don’t know can be learned on the job… or just isn’t that critical.

Having said that, I’m well aware that our society is preoccupied with credentials - it has "credentialitis" as a whole - and often values certificates, diplomas and degrees more than actual abilities.

But if we agree that this societal credentialitis is unnecessary and damaging (in the sense that skilled, knowledgeable and talented people miss out on jobs and careers to which they’re suited) then it’s up to you and I to change things.

Consequently, I urge you to first be clear on what skills, abilities, knowledge and talents you bring to the new career. Do you honestly think they’re enough? If so, the next step is to get confident in communicating these qualities to a recruiter or potential employer.

If you still think that a formal course or program might be worth doing, consider this question:

Would the course or program genuinely teach you something new… or would it give you a piece of paper to prove what you already know?

Really, if you manage to overcome your credentialitis you’ll not save a lot of money, time and energy on unnecessary studies, but you’ll also become a happier, more fulfilled person.

And if someone ever questions your "lack of qualifications" you can simply explain how your unique background has armed you with knowledge and skills that are superior to those you could get from studying.

As an example, someone once asked me why I didn’t get an MBA. I just said that I had a "real-world" MBA acquired through hands-on experience working in advertising, marketing, law and my own business.

Of course, not everyone will be satisfied with an answer like this. In that case, you need to ask yourself whether working for people and companies that have credentialitis is really for you.

In turn, when you’re the one doing the recruiting, don’t let credentialitis get in the way of making a good hiring decision. Sure, consider qualifications - they do have value - but also consider alternative backgrounds and on-the-job experience that may be just as, if not more, indicative of an individuals abilities.

What is a carbon coach?

In July 2005 I left a near perfect job, Director of a successful consultancy (ABS consulting) to set up in business as The Carbon Coach. My mission (and it is mission possible!) is to coach celebs and influential individuals: to help them prosper and feel good by shrinking their lifestyle carbon footprint for real (the tonnage of carbon dioxide emissions that their households travel and energy is responsible for.) I hold their hand while they change a (energy efficient) light bulb!

How does it work?

I aim to rapidly raise peoples awareness of their direct carbon impacts on the environment. The people I coach actively want to change, but are busy and dont know where to start. I usually arrange to meet them at their home, and quickly assess their carbon footprint from energy bills, travel data – a few simple questions. Then I will discuss with them the ways they have considered reducing it – at this initial stage its very broad-brush stuff.

Who is using a carbon coach?

There are plenty of chief executives, company directors, politicians, celebs, neighbours even, who want to know their carbon footprint – their tonnage. I also provide this same carbon advice for a business, and for its employees.

When individuals commit to making a difference in their home lifestyle, and experience the joy of shedding a tonne or two, first hand, they go on to positively influence their corporate situation..

What size should somebody’s carbon footprint be?

Wherever you start is ok. After all, most of us are living in ignorance of the number. The top-down average carbon footprint for each of us in the UK is about 11 tonnes per year. (Total UK tonnes divided by population.) The 50 % of the footprint that I focus on is home energy and home travel. This bit averages around 5 tonnes p.a. per person. The lifestyle of a captain of industry however, is such that a footprint as high as 60 tonnes is perfectly common.

Outcomes can be simple, such as a change of car or switching to a green electricity tariff that guarantees the electricity comes from renewable sources, or they can be a bit trickier. But changes get to happen. Part of what I bring is urgency and tenacity. The problem (climate change) isnt going to go away – so why should I!

Have you changed your lifestyle?

Yea, but compared to some Im a late developer. I didnt take my personal impact on the environment anywhere near seriously enough until about five years ago. Now my five-bedroom house in Marlow has a solar panel (thermal and PV, so totally autonomous), a light-pipe, super-insulation, whole house MVHR ventilation, passive-solar conservatory and a wood-burning stove. My family of six has a combined carbon footprint of 9 tonnes – including our two cars and all holiday travel. 1.5 tonnes each.

Carbon Coaching is a huge opportunity. Basically, by 2050 every UK citizen needs to have slimmed down from 5 tonnes a year to around 0.5 tonne – or were stuffed. So we need a lot of coaches, and a lot of coaching. And the best way to learn is to practice on yourself!

Are you itching to make a career move? Is that corner-office position calling your name? Have you convinced yourself that job-hunting is impossible because you’re a mom? Here are five practical tips for the successful job-hunting mom.

1. Get clear about what you really want.

Landing your ideal job starts with knowing what you’re looking for. On a very basic level you probably want to earn a certain salary. The deeper inquiry is to ask, “What are the other, more important, characteristics of your ideal job?” The answer to this question can usually be found in your personal values or the things in life that truly matter to you. If you value loyalty and quality relationships, but work in an environment where people demonstrate low integrity in their behaviors, no amount of money will make you happy.

Also, consider if what you want from your work realistically matches up with the kind of job you’re pursuing. A management-level position may offer you the autonomy needed to create a flexible work schedule, but that benefit could be lost in the extended hours the job may demand.

It helps to write out your “ideal job description” that describes your dream job in very specific terms. This step helps to crystallize your thinking and also makes want you want more than a mere thought. So ask yourself: Where are you working? What is your role, function and responsibility? What is your schedule? etc. and

2. Research your options.

Now it’s time to start collecting information. Depending on what you came up with for your "ideal job description" above, you may need to check out the Occupational Outlook Handbook first. This resource will tell you the training and education needed, earnings, expected job prospects, what workers do on the job, and typical working conditions for most any job you’re considering.

Next, start looking at specific employers that you’d like to consider. Do you want to work for a small company or a mega-corporation? What employee benefits do you want? Will you fit into the corporate culture of the company? Use the Web to research company information and also consider checking out potential employers on the Working Mother’s Top 100 list, published annually.

3. Polish up your resume and interviewing skills.

If it’s been awhile since the last time you were job-hunting, then it’s worth your time to update your resume and refresh your interview savvy. Try hiring a career counselor to help you. In addition to giving you advice and guidance on job hunting, your career counselor may also be able to administer assessments that will give some insight on the kind of work your personality is best suited for. I highly recommend Markell Steele at Futures in Motion, Inc, a full-service career management company.

By the way, it’s rarely a good idea to disclose that you’re a mom in your resume and in most states it’s illegal for an employer to ask you about it in an interview. Yet it’s never okay to lie about being a working mom either. (You should be proud of this fact!) However, working moms must face the very real challenge of workplace discrimination. Employers often believe that motherhood impedes work productivity and effectiveness, and for some of you that’s a true fact. Be conscious of the needs of your prospective employer, and yourself, so you are prepared to address this in the interview process.

4. Connect with people who can help.

It’s not likely that you’ll find your ideal job in the Sunday paper (not impossible, just unlikely!). And if you’re working full-time, chances are you don’t have a lot of time to scour the job boards online. Instead, put out your "feelers" to get a sense for what the job market is like in your industry and profession. Many of the best jobs are never advertised publicly, and are usually the result of a direct referral from someone.

If you aren’t already taking time to nurture your personal and professional relationships, it’s never too late. Think about the people you know – neighbors, friends, family, co-workers, etc. who may be able to connect you with possible employment leads. This is where having the specifics of your ideal job and company comes in handy! You’ll be tuned into possible opportunities simply because you know what you’re looking for.

5. Manage your time effectively and professionally.

The hardest part of job-hunting while you’re employed is that awkward feeling of having one foot out the door while you’re still trying to be a team player. Plus, there’s the added concern of taking time off from work to court another employer. It’s hard not to feel disloyal and a bit sneaky, even if you can’t stand your current job.

Ideally, speak with your current employer about your desire to seek employment elsewhere (because quite frankly, it would be easier to stay, right? And hopefully you’ve done your part to see if you can create your ideal job with your current employer first.). This approach also allows you to negotiate a plan that serves the employer’s need, as well as your own.

If you’re unable to talk with your employer, then it’s absolutely critical that you manage your time effectively to ensure your work doesn’t slip while you’re job-hunting. And by all means stay in communication with your current employer. Let’s say you’ve scheduled interviews over your lunch hour — even if you don’t disclose where you’re going for lunch, maintain professionalism by letting him/her know that you may be running a bit late on the way back. There’s nothing worse than having people make-up reasons for your absence simply because you failed to communicate effectively.

Some final thoughts

Job hunting can quickly become a consuming, stressful endeavor. Be kind to yourself by noticing when you’re pushing yourself too hard and be willing to modify your plan. When you’ve been on the job-hunting "circuit" for awhile, you may realize that you’re actually pretty happy in your current job. Sometimes, looking at what’s out there is all you need to see how much you already love what you’re already doing.

There are many successful businesses that are way and out of the spare bedroom of the owner’s home. Usually, the owners of these businesses left the security of working for someone else to follow their dream to develop their own home-based business opportunity.

There’s a lot to be said about a person who has started and operated their own business for any length of time. Many of the skills and talents to run a business are also important to many businesses should you want to get another job in the future. Consider these skills that are demonstrated by developing your own a home based business opportunity

1. Initiative. Nothing says success like a person who is willing to place themselves at risk to achieve something important. Taking the opportunity to build or develop your own home-based business says a lot about a person

2. Organizational skills. All home-based business opportunities are usually started by just a single entrepreneur with a dream. They must have great time management and organizational skills to be productive

3. Discipline. Unlike a job were there’s a boss to keep you focused on track, running your own business demonstrates your ability to get up every morning and get the job done without constant supervision.

4. Financial management. Success or failure of any small business opportunity is based upon your ability to to effectively manage capital.

Just these four points demonstrate very important skill sets that most established businesses look for in new employees. It’s not a negative on your resume to have taken some time off to establish your own work from home business opportunity.

Rather, I suggest that the skills learned and developed during a period of self-employment can actually be considered a major advantage over someone who has simply remained employed.

So when he waiting for? There are almost unlimited home-based business opportunities and ideas that you can use to develop your dream. Being self-employed after a long period of working in corporate America cannot only be refreshing but in the end, make you a better employee, should you wish to return.

The first requirement in the pursuit of a happy and successful career in selling is your own belief in the value of the product or service that you are selling. This is an ethics issue. If you are not totally convinced that what you are offering represents good value then the chances are you will not sell it successfully. Or if you do then your own self-esteem will suffer - not a price worth paying, especially when there are so many valuable products and services waiting for you to exploit. The raw materials you have for Selling1) Social Skills 2) The Need 3) Time 4) Product or technical knowledge 5) Ideas 6) Energy Your job as the salesman is to maximise the effectiveness of all these ingredients, for the benefit of the customer, the company and you, in that order. Organising for SuccessA) Examine all your existing outlets Look at the results you are getting from the various clients you have. Pareto’s Law applies here i.e.: 80% of your results are coming from 20% of your clients! Check it out for yourself. Focus on the top 20% and seek out more of this type of prospect - they will boost your results dramatically. Be practical about this, you can reduce the frequency of your calls on the smaller producers to make time to find the potentially bigger clients. Consider making telephone calls to service the smaller clients rather than travelling to see them. Good telephone sales skills can be as rewarding as personal calls, try it and see. You can always go back to calling if it doesn’t work with some clients. B) Examine the results of the other salesmen in your company to see if they are selling where you are not, Make a list of all possible targets. The suppliers of your products could help you here. They will know the profiles of clients buying their products through other sales people. Ask them for information, it’s in their interests to tell you. Explain Pareto’s Law to them. Tell them you want to find the top 20% of prospects. C) Examine where the competition is selling that you are not. Where competitors are selling similar products or services. They have clearly established a need amongst a group of clients that possibly you could be selling to. Study their outlets and find the additional benefits that your product offers these clients and go and sell to them! D) Examine the whole spectrum of products and competitors’ sales to see what they are selling and you are not. You will be surprised at the opportunities that you are missing. Remember this, your destiny is in your hands. The beauty of selling is that you become your own personal enterprise.