Everett Said:

finding a new career?

We Answered:

You might look into other manufacturing type facilities, but have you considered the other side of the shop? Sounds like you have a lot of valuable knowledge. How about putting your knowledge of vehicle repair to work as a customer service rep or shop manager? You could work in any of your prior areas (autos, heavy equipment or lawn care/golf maintenance) and not have to have the responsibility of actually fixing stuff.

Georgia Said:

Finding a new career with a felony?

We Answered:

I agree with Kody.

A lot of felons work as automotive technicians, and you should have no problems in securing a job as one.

That would be a great field to work in with a felony! It is along the same lines as a construction worker, and most jobs will not require a background check and I am assuming will not ever ask about your background. Especially with a felony as yours.

In addition, I am almost in the same category as you, except I have a different felony charge.

I have my bachelor's in business and currently working as a managing paralegal for a 50+ attorney law firm making $40,000 a year with GREAT benefits. Just another option.

Ella Said:

Need help finding a new career in Austin, Texas.?

We Answered:

First off, welcome to Austin and thank you for working in the correctional field. I have done that in the passed and it is not an easy task...lol I am sorry to hear about your injuries though. Hopefully, you will get to feeling better.

A really good place to look for work in the Austin area is through the http://www.twc.state.tx.us/jobs/job.html website. It is put on by the Texas Workforce Commission. They have a LOAD of jobs available in pretty much all fields/ industries and at every experience level. You can find anything from temp agencies to established companies and even corporations. Even State of Texas employment as well. You can look in the Austin area, or anywhere else in Texas for that matter.

The site is very detailed and in depth. You can create an account on there and use thier "resume" wizard and have that posted so that employers can actually seek you out. And not in the annoying way that Monster.com does with emails that lead to no where. I am a veteran and currently a Federal employee, but I created my account on there just to have it there in case of any other opportunities arose. It has been pretty useful for me so far.

Another site to check out is the USA Jobs website (Link is below in Sources section). That is to find Federal employment which there are a lot of Federal jobs in the Austin area. Again, another very detailed and well maintained site that is very useful. I am a USA Jobs website guru...lol I am on there at least five times a day.

Good luck with your search and your move. I hope this information is helpful. And you will love Austin!! Email me if you have any other questions or need help. I have listed both of these sites in the "Sources" section below, along with some other sites that you can use that might be helpful.

Alicia Said:

I've been home with my children for 14 years how do I go about finding a new career.?

We Answered:

Going back to school may be a way for you to re-enter enter the workforce without having to compete for a job. If you go vocational, the schools usually have an outplacement program that is successful.

Don’t discount your life skills either - being a housewife requires budgeting, administrative skills, etc.

Perhaps you can work in a day care (if you still like children after 14 years), or consider working as an adult day-care worker, assisted living worker or in-home care provider for the elderly.

You could also try for a part time or temp job to get some current job experience if you feel your computer skills are up to it.

Most retail stores, craft stores, etc. are pretty happy to hire back-to-workers and many of the skills you learned as a mother can transfer directly to retail.

Having said all that - it's not going to be easy. If you are looking to work in an office, you absolutely have to have a good personal image and at least some knowledge of Word, Excel and Power Point. If that’s the direction you want to go, buy the tutorials and start studying like crazy. MS Office is not very hard to learn if you apply yourself.

When you are confident enough in your computer skills to go out amongst 'em I suggest you register with several temp agencies. It's the best way to get some job experience and learn office protocols.

The primary temp agency I use does a really good job of providing me with people for short term needs. And, many of them are back to workers.

Virginia Said:

I'm having trouble finding a new career...Any advice?

We Answered:

Pick up a catalogue at your local community college. Read about some of their two year degree programs, what classes they require, what skills they require. Do any fit you? This may give you some insight re: what different skill sets different careers now require. You need to sell yourself using the current lingo. If you see you are lacking in a skill you might want to consider going back to school. Most careers require a bachelor's degree (minimum associates). I have many returning students in my classes these days, as many people have either lost their jobs or are looking to change. Good luck! (pick up that catalogue, it will give you ideas!)