Good for you! As you’re reading this article it’s likely you’re thinking about learning new skills to change career – so already you’ve made a start. Only one in ten of us are satisfied with our careers, but no action is ever taken. You could join a select group who take responsibility for their future.

We’d politely request that in advance of taking a course of training, you run through some things with a mentor who can see the bigger picture and can make recommendations. Such a person will go through personality profiling with you and assist in finding the right role for you:

* Are you happier left to your own devices at work or is being in a team environment an essential criteria for you?

* Do you have a preference which market sector you could be employed in? (In this economy, it’s vital to choose carefully.)

* Is this the final time you envisage re-training, and if so, do you believe this career choice will allow you to do that?

* Would it be useful for the course you’re re-training in to be in an area where you believe your chances of gainful employment are high up to retirement age?

We would advise you to consider the IT industry – there are greater numbers of jobs than staff to fill them, because it’s a rare career choice where the sector is expanding. Contrary to the opinions of certain people, IT isn’t all techie people lost in their PC’s the whole day (though those jobs exist.) The majority of jobs are taken by people like you and me who like receiving larger than average salaries.

With all the options available, it’s not really surprising that the majority of trainees have no idea which career they will follow.

Because in the absence of any commercial skills in IT, how could any of us be expected to understand what anyone doing a particular job actually does?

The key to answering this dilemma in the best manner stems from a full conversation around a variety of topics:

* Personality factors plus what interests you – what work-related things you like and dislike.

* Is it your desire to reach a key dream – like working from home as quickly as possible?

* Where is the salary on a scale of importance – is an increase your main motivator, or is day-to-day enjoyment further up on your list of priorities?

* Often, trainees don’t consider the amount of work required to get fully certified.

* Taking a proper look at the level of commitment, time and effort you can give.

Ultimately, the best way of checking this all out is via a meeting with a professional that knows the industry well enough to give you the information required.

Kick out the typical salesman that pushes one particular program without a decent chat to gain understanding of your current abilities and also your experience level. Always check they have access to a large array of training so they’re actually equipped to give you an appropriate solution.

Don’t forget, if you’ve got any qualifications that are related, then you will often be able to pick-up at a different starting-point to someone who is new to the field.

Where this will be your first attempt at studying for an IT examination then you should consider whether to start out with some basic Microsoft package and Windows skills first.

How the program is actually delivered to you isn’t always given the appropriate level of importance. How many stages do they break the program into? What is the order and at what speed is it delivered?

Delivery by courier of each element stage by stage, as you pass each exam is the usual method of releasing your program. This sounds sensible, but you might like to consider this:

Many students find that their training company’s standard order of study isn’t as suitable as another. It’s often the case that a slightly different order suits them better. Could it cause problems if you don’t get everything done in the allotted time?

The ideal circumstances are to get all the training materials sent to your address right at the beginning; the entire thing! This way, nothing can happen down the line which could affect your progress.

Finding your first job in the industry can be a little easier if you’re offered a Job Placement Assistance facility. With the massive demand for appropriately skilled people in the UK right now, it’s not too important to make too much of this option though. It isn’t so complicated as you might think to find the right work once you’re trained and certified.

Get your CV updated straight-away though – look to your training company for advice on how to do this. Don’t put it off till you’ve finished your exams.

You’ll often find that you will get your first job whilst still on the course (even in the early stages). If your course details aren’t on your CV (and it hasn’t been posted on jobsites) then you won’t even be considered!

If you’d like to keep travelling time and costs to a minimum, then you may well find that an independent and specialised local employment service can generally serve you better than the trainer’s recruitment division, for they’re far more likely to be familiar with the local job scene.

A regular grievance of many course providers is how hard people are focused on studying to become certified, but how un-prepared they are to work on getting the position they’re acquired skills for. Get out there and hustle – you might find it’s fun.

(C) S. Edwards 2009. Look at IT Training UK or Click HERE.