Last Updated on October 5, 2006 by Paulette Brown-Hinds
Change and the Job Market
By Kevin Martin
In the last article we discussed the importance of preparing for a job or career change by planning a transition. In this article I want to discuss what I consider to be the most important step in changing careers. This step involves investing time and possibly money into your education.
It is important to invest in your education so that you can become a superior worker. Getting a reputation as a superior worker leads to not only higher pay, but more options for you. These options include promotions or the ability to go to a new company.
The steps for successfully investing in your education include:
1. Purchasing the Required Tools
2. Finding Mentors or Instructors
3. Going Back to School (Studying, Practice and Test)
1. Purchasing the Required Tools
Any new job or career has its own specialized tools. Roofing has different tools than plumbing. Sales requires different tools from programming. Many times, your job will provide you with the tools you need. However, it doesn’t hurt to buy additional tools on your own.
In my case, when I decided to become a programmer, I had to purchase programming books and new computer programs. My new client needed a program written in “C” which is a well-known programming language. There were different versions of C, so I had to purchase the version of this program that corresponded with the version that my client had.
2. Finding Mentors or Instructors
Finding someone who can help you be successful is probably the most important step you can take to be successful in your new career. In my new job as a programmer I had to immediately learn a new programming language called “C”. In addition to buying a self-study book, I also called a friend to get a referral to a “C” programmer. After a few weeks of self-study, I used this person to help me understand the more complex aspects of the C language. I paid him for his time and his assistance was invaluable.
You don’t always have to pay for help. There is another way to find a mentor that people often overlook. On every job, there are always people who are considered “top workers” by their peers. When you start a new job, find out who the top performers are. I recommend that you watch that person closely and learn from them. Often, these people are willing to take a new person under their wing and show them the ropes. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
3. Going Back to School (Study, Practice and Test)
It is funny how many of us, including me, often disliked school with all of the drudgery of homework and tests. What we did not realize was that we were going to have to use these same skills in the workforce. Starting a new job is in many ways like going back to school. You have to study, practice and test yourself.
Having tools and a mentor does you no good if you don’t study, practice and test yourself. As part of learning a new job, you have to study and practice. It always takes time to learn new skills. Expect to practice for months, if not years, to become proficient in a new job.
What many people often overlook is the need to test themselves. Just like you can never become a good athlete unless you play against top competition, you can never be a good worker without testing yourself. Testing yourself means comparing your skills to others and making sure that you are not just average, but good.
For me, an unexpected test occurred when my client required me to learn a new database language called Paradox. After learning C, Paradox seemed easy. However, I would soon learn that I did not know as much as I thought I did.
After working with Paradox for almost one year, I joined the Los Angeles Paradox User’s Group. User groups are organizations where people of common interests get together to share ideas, ask questions and get information. This user group put out a monthly newsletter that often contained sample programs. To my great surprise and horror, although I had now been using Paradox for almost a year, I often could not understand or follow many of the examples in the newsletter. Uh-oh! This test showed that I was NOT a good Paradox programmer. It quickly became apparent to me that I needed to upgrade my skills.
Kevin Martin is an entrepreneur who grew up in Riverside and who is interested in discussing specific actions for improving the black community. Comments can be sent to by1989@pacificnet.net. This account receives a great deal of spam so be sure to include this article’s title or blackvoicenews in your subject line.