Reinventing Yourself: Tips to Help You Start Again

Reinventing yourself is a common life experience. We have all gone from student to spouse to parent, from worker to boss and business owner, from friend to lover, mate and widower. They just seemed like natural transitions.

Now the thought of having to reinvent yourself because you have been fired, laid off, or aged out can cause panic and fear. You just can't even begin to imagine what else you can do to make a living. And it doesn't seem fair that you should have to reinvent yourself. After all, you have been doing your job well and expected it to carry you to retirement. Unfortunately no one ever said that life was fair. You either role with the punches or go down. And since going down is not an option, reinvention is the way to go.

First of all, if you have resisted learning how to use a computer change your attitude now. Find some kid to get you up to speed. The internet puts the world at your fingertips. If you can't us it you are behind the times. Most likely you are reading this article on a computer. Now keep fiddling around and explore this new world. Computers have become a necessity of life for anyone who wants to find new options for themselves.

For the next week you will keep a paper and pen next to you at all times. Write down everything you have an interest in. I mean everything. Don't just write gardening- write planting roses, mowing the lawn, fixing the fence and everything else you did while working in the garden. You want a long list broken down as much as possible.

Do the same thing with your work experience. Write down every little thing you did. A plumber also drives, calls people to confirm their appointments, interacts with different types of personalities, cleans up after they are finished, figures out bills, submits paperwork and keeps track of their hours. All that and I never even mentioned water!

Think about your hobbies and interests. Write it all down, making sure to break down the activities as much as you can.

Now make a list of the companies you know you might like to work for. Here's where the computer comes in. Do a search for companies similar to the ones you know and like. You'll get answers from around the world so narrow the search to the area in which you would be will to work. If you just can't get the hang of searching ask that kid who was trying to teach you to do the search for you.

There's nothing wrong with reading the newspaper to find a job. Networking and friends are good sources too. But there aren't a lot of companies hiring. So if you can't find a posted job you are going to have to create one.

By now you have several long lists of random interests and abilities. Start grouping the items that relate to each other. You can use an item as many times as you need to. A pattern will develop. Does every group include driving? Or working with people? Or does anything else seem to appear in every grouping? Look at your list of companies and think about how they can use the things you are good at and like to do. Write a short resume including that special interest and take it to the company. It's not very likely that the folks in human resources will meet with you that day but you might get lucky. But the real reason you are going there is to try to find out who runs the department you would like to work in. Get names and titles. Call them. They will probably either take your call or call you back. Your approach should be friendly - not desperate. Offer your services on an hourly basis. You are trying to create a need they may not even know they had.

Getting yourself hired today is different then it ever was. It's a matter of getting your foot in the door, being the least expensive, showing what you can do and making a place for yourself. If you do this you just might find that you are working at a job you enjoy more then you ever have before.You also might get inspiration to get your own business started. Lot's of people are doing that and loving being their own boss.You have more options then you realize if you take the time to create them.