.::.Easy Mind Reading.::.

Congratulations! As you're looking at this it's likely you're thinking about retraining for a new career - so you've already done more than most. Only one in ten of us are content with our jobs, but most complain but just stay there. So, why not be one of the few who actually do something about it.

When considering retraining, it's vital to first define your requirements from the position you'd like to train for. You need to know that things would be a lot better before much time and effort is spent re-directing your life. It's good sense to regard the big picture first, to make an informed decision:

* Do you like working on your own or is being in a team environment an important option?

* Do you have a preference which market sector you would be suited to? (In this economy, it's essential to choose well.)

* Would you like this to be the last time you'll have to retrain?

* Do you expect your new knowledge base to give you the chance to get a good job, and keep working until sixty five?

We would advise you to consider the computer industry - there are a larger number of roles than staff to fill them, plus it's one of the few choices of career where the market sector is still growing. In contrast to the opinions of certain people, it isn't just geeks looking at screens every day (some jobs are like that of course.) The vast majority of roles are occupied by ordinary men and women who enjoy better than average salaries.

Finding your first job in the industry is often made easier with a Job Placement Assistance program. At the end of the day it isn't so complicated as you might think to land a job - as long as you're correctly trained and certified; the shortage of IT personnel in Britain looks after that.

Having said that, it's important to have help and assistance with preparing a CV and getting interviews though; also we would encourage any student to get their CV updated right at the beginning of their training - don't put it off till you've finished your exams.

Getting your CV considered is more than not being known. A surprising amount of junior positions are bagged by trainees (sometimes when they've only just got going.)

If you don't want to travel too far to work, then you'll often find that a local (but specialised) recruitment consultancy may serve you better than the trainer's recruitment division, for they're going to be familiar with local employment needs.

A big frustration for a number of training providers is how much people are focused on studying to get top marks in their exams, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the role they've acquired skills for. Get out there and hustle - you might find it's fun.

Don't get hung-up, as many people do, on the certification itself. Training is not an end in itself; you should be geared towards the actual job at the end of it. You need to remain focused on where you want to go.

It's common, in some situations, to thoroughly enjoy one year of training and then spend 20 miserable years in a job you hate, as a consequence of not performing the correct research when you should've - at the outset.

You must also consider your feelings on earning potential, career development, plus your level of ambition. It makes sense to understand what (if any) sacrifices you'll need to make for a particular role, what exams are required and where you'll pick-up experience from.

It's good advice for all students to speak with an industry professional before following a particular study program. This gives some measure of assurance that it contains the commercially required skills for the chosen career path.

Starting with the idea that we have to locate the market that sounds most inviting first and foremost, before we're able to chew over what method of training would meet that requirement, how do we decide on the right path?

Perusing long lists of different and confusing job titles is a complete waste of time. Surely, most of us have no idea what our own family members do for a living - so we have no hope of understanding the ins and outs of any specific IT role.

Getting to the right answer really only appears through a thorough investigation of many unique criteria:

* What hobbies you have and enjoy - these can point towards what areas will give you the most reward.

* Are you driven to re-train for a specific motive - i.e. do you aim to work from home (maybe self-employment?)?

* Does salary have a higher place on your priority-scale than some other areas.

* Considering the huge variation that Information Technology encapsulates, it's a requirement that you can take in how they differ.

* You need to appreciate the differences between each area of training.

The bottom line is, your only chance of investigating all this is from an in-depth discussion with an advisor or professional that has enough background to lead you to the correct decision.

You have to be sure that all your exams are current and what employers are looking for - you're wasting your time with programmes which provide certificates that are worthless because they're 'in-house'.

All the major IT organisations like Microsoft, Cisco, Adobe or CompTIA have nationally acknowledged proficiency courses. Huge conglomerates such as these can make sure you stand out at interview.