If you have a look at the dozens of comments on this blog you will see that many people are asking some version of the question

“Can you change careers if you are over 40?”

Well the short answer is “yes”.

The challenge you face is the same as everyone else who is trying to change careers. Traditional CV based recruitment doesn’t work, so you have to approach it differently.

In addition you have another challenge to face which is ageism.

However ageism can also be overcome using the same techniques I teach on Career Change. If you haven’t got a copy of the Career Change eBook then do so now as it will save you years of frustration.

It usually takes people till they are about 40 to realise they have been in the wrong career for a while. THis is either because they were always in the wrong career but took a while to figure it out OR because their needs have changed and what was good for them a while ago is no longer good for them.

Truth is most people just get to a point where they need a career change. They get bored and suddenly realise that life is too short.

Career Change at 40 is not only possible, it is probably essential and healthy. Embrace it and go for it. Take some guidance so that you don’t go in the wrong direction or go from the frying pan into the fire.

It’s really starting to heat up. The career change eBook is developing a life of it’s own and I am getting dragged along with it.

I have had a bunch of book reviews back and they have been very cool. They even looked beyond the typos, which have now been fixed – well most of them. I dare say a few more will creep in there.

I was also interviewed by the daily express this week, so we may even see some national press.

As launch day approaches things appear to be hotting up. I just hope the systems can cope. I hope that I can cope.

So I asked if anyone was interested I writing a book review of my new eBook “career change”.

I have been blown away by the response and extremely grateful to the many, many people that volunteered.

Although I can’t give a free copy to everyone that offered, I will ensure you are all rewarded for your generosity of spirit.

I made a few breakthrough discoveries over the last few years including why traditional job search simply does not work, when trying to change careers.

Don’t worry I spill the beans in the book and I show you exactly what you should be doing.

Read all about the personality-centric Career Change eBook

I’ve been locked in a room for weeks writing the Career Change Personality eBook.

If you are thinking of changing career then you will love this new report.

I have crammed it full of all the tricks I’ve learned on how to beat the recruitment system and make a successful career change.

Keep watching for the release date.

Big thanks to everyone that participated in today’s workshop in London.

I enjoyed the contributions and was impressed by the people attending.

We mostly involved ourself with how to land your dream job, everything from what to do and how to persuade people to let you do it.

We also touched on how to get headhunted.

Everyone shared their experience and ideas which really made this a dynamic event.

I wish I had his words, for he certainly has my thoughts. Seth Godin is bloody brilliant and you should read him every day.

Today he talks about what the system is trying to do to you and why. He also explains why you have to stand against it.

Go read Seth’s article about Emerging now.

With over 1,500 comments left I think it is fair to say that job hunters are making their opinions heard.

And an opium that is often repeated is that recruitment agencies suck.

Go to http://www.careerpsychometrics.com/buzz/ and read the comments for yourself. Do you think this industry deserves such a castigation?

So what are the complaints? Well it’s not the obvious “they didn’t offer me the job”. No it’s more fundamental than that. Here’s my paraphrase of the short list.

1) They didn’t acknowledge my application.

2) They didn’t actually have vacancy advertised

3) They did not provide s rational reason for rejecting my application

4) They clearly didnt know what they were doing.

5) They had no understanding of the job role or what I do.

6) Ageism is rife; normal even

7) Prejudice is rife

If I was to summarise further, rudeness and incompetence covers most of it. Is this acceptable?

What do the industry bodies have to say to this? I openly invite their comment, though as we have documented, this not an industry that is known for getting back to you.

Perhaps a league table of agencies, created by Job seekers would have some use. I can’t believe all agencies are this bad so perhaps my members and Job seekers will help compile an agency directory.

Thoughts welcome.

You know things are bad (or have changed) when employment advisors are struggling to find work.

I think this is more a sign of just how much the employment process has changed. It’s an indication that the old fashioned approach really doesn’t work. Spamming job adverts with your CV isn’t working.

“The trouble I am finding now is that after working within the private sector It seems so hard for me to find suitable and sustainable employment, I feel as though I am too overqualified now for many jobs I want to pursue, I know how to enter into hidden job markets etc being that I was an Employment Advisor myself and believe me its not for lack of trying to get a job, I am happy to do almost anything and put my hand to any sort of work but find myself stuck somewhat in this current job market. “

In the 3 step system I will show you an alternative to CV based recruitment. It’s very clear that an alternative is required. Check it out for yourself by signing up for the free mini course. It also comes with a money back guarantee.

I think most people are finding job hunting extremely frustrating right now. Career development is feeling more like arrested development for most.

Here is an email I received from Jill this week.

I can’t even see hardly any jobs that I can apply for any more.
I feel I will have to go back to education and have a massive debt over me
for years afterwards.

Jill

Should Jill go back to university and get more qualifications? Well generally speaking the answer is “No”.

A couple of things you need to know. In the last five to ten years or so university has become big business. It needs to make money – lots of money. So it sells you the magic bullet. -

“If you only had this qualification then all you job worries would be over.”

Unfortunately they cannot keep up their side of the bargain and the percentage of students who actually get a job in their field is pitifully low. Let’s put it this way. There is a reason universities do not offer money back guarantees.

The second thing you need to know is that, in my experience, the “product” is fine – it’s the marketing that’s needing work.

What do I mean by that?

Well pretty much everyone has a marketing problem not a product problem. This means that it doesn’t matter how much you improve the product, if the marketing is still rubbish then it’s not going to sell.

I have been in professional markeing over twenty years. Fore the last ten years I have been helping people with their careers and working with psychology but these are still marketing issues.

• Deciding what you want to do for a living
• Getting interview invites
• Communications, written, voice or in person
• Interviews

These are all marketing issues. The people who are good at marketing are the ones who excel in all of the above areas.

Unfortunately everyone is bad at marketing – yes everyone.

The good news is that these skills can be learned. This is what I cover in the 3 Step System. You don’t need to know much to be significantly better than everyone else.

So my advice to jill is not to go to university. Instead learn the core markeing skills as used in career development and make the most of the product as it stands. I’m pretty sure the product is already good enough, so now you need to work on marketing it properly.

Even great products will sit on the shelf if they are not properly marketed. That’s human psychology for you. Check out the 3 Step System, which, unlike the university, does come with a money back guarantee.

Spent the day with the most interesting bunch of people at my new “How to get headhunted” course.

In the morning we had a very strange “introductions” session. We introduced ourselves to one another in a way that was pretty alien. Later it would become apparent why. I think it’s fair to say that we threw ourselves into the deep end from the outset.

Our objectives for the day were clarified too.

We then moved on to “The 6 Ps of Career Development”. In a world where career development is largely about spamming employers, this section was new to all. Some interesting discussion surrounded this section.

It’s fair to say that there was more content than time but everyone was willing to hurtle along at a breakneck speed.

The afternoon saw us lost in tactics. Steps that could be taken to move us into the headhunting zone. Many notes were taken.

We ended the day learning how to “Talk to the elephant”. Everyone contributed openly. The room was filled with people from across the personality spectrum and it gave us all a chance to get inside the head of people with different personality types.

I can’t thank everyone enough for openly sharing. Quite fascinating.

There’s more to come about headhunting so keep watching.