Jockey Glen Butler’s story is proof that age need not be an obstacle when it comes following to your dreams.

At age 42 Butler has finally fulfilled a life long ambition to jockey race horses.

Although he always wanted to be a jockey, he found the 3am starts just a little too difficult when younger, and gave up training.

It was a decision he always regretted. After numerous attempts, he finally gained an apprenticeship, and recently had his first win in a race.

Of course it was not easy going. He was subject to numerous knock backs while seeking an apprenticeship, and also had to reduce his weight to just 51 kilograms!

There’s an old saying that goes something like “there’s only one way to really get to know a person; either live with them, or work with them”.

Well there’s nothing like finding out the hard way is there?

And while as a job hunter we can never really “try before we buy” when it come to getting the low down on a new boss, it is now possible to gain some sort of idea.

eBossWatch is a new service that allows job hunters (only in the USA at the moment) to search for a prospective new boss on a database and for a small cost, receive an email report which offers a six point review, based on feedback received from past employees.

I recently wrote a review of this new job hunting tool over at my personal website disassociated.com if you are interested to read more about it.

Apologies to regular readers of The InterChange Desk for my continuing absence, and the lack of posts recently.

Ironically my blogging here have resulted in some work which has become ongoing, but has left less time to spend researching and writing InterChange Desk articles.

At this stage I am not sure how long this state of affairs will continue for, but will post further updates from time to time.

In the meantime I am still updating my personal blog disassociated.com (more opinion, rather than fact, based!), so I haven’t dropped out of the blogosphere totally!

I thought I was watching the Nine O’clock news but it turned out to be someone’s video resume! Personally I don’t think they’ll be for everyone. It’s an idea I will talk about more here one day. In the meantime here is this week’s Friday five checklist:

• While we might be able to use email, fax, or snail mail, to communicate with prospective employers most of the time, there will be certain situations where making contact by phone is un-avoidable. And while we may have no qualms about picking up the phone and calling most people most of the time, there will always be those “extra difficult” sort of calls that fill even the most confident person with dread. 12 Ways to Overcome Phone Phobia at Water Cooler Wisdom, offers strategies for overcoming this phone phobia. To add to the list, where possible I try and make any “difficult calls” first thing in the day - it saves having to think too much about them that way, which only makes such calls all the harder to make!
• Your “confusion” at making a big change is more likely fear of the truth. “Are you really confused, or do you actually know what you want to do?” Confusion as another name for fear?
• Those who read my targeted job search articles and are indeed looking for “targets” should read Target your search at The Net-Savvy Jobseeker.
• If I’m talking about it then it must be old news, and I’ve already covered the pros and cons of the idea, but there is a growing consensus that blogs are increasingly becoming regarded as resumes. Living, breathing, resumes that offer more than just a glorified list of someone’s qualifications and experience.
• If however blogs just aren’t your thing you might like to consider compiling a personal portfolio of your life’s work and experience. “You can use your strengths and values to express your story with pictures, words, stories, letters, or music. Your portfolio may be digitally expressed on the internet, or it might look like a photo album, journal, or binder.” If that doesn’t appeal then I’m afraid the video resume may be your only option… give me a blog or personal portfolio any day!

There’s one thing I can say about blogging daily: it seems to keep you in touch with each day (if that makes sense). It’s been a week since I was last here, and it literally feels like a week has just vanished into the ether! I’d rather see days vanish one by one, than weeks!

• One of the things that has prompted me to change careers as I have, is the desire to somehow be making a difference. In many instances people hoping to make a difference feel it is for the benefit of others and the greater good. “Making a difference” though is many things to many people, a point that is underlined in Career Change: How to Make a Living by Making a Difference, and there are a surprising number of ways your work can indeed make a difference!
• It’s one thing to loathe your career, it’s another to complain endlessly while doing nothing about it. So let’s take a few leaves out of Hunter Arnold’s book. Or blog. “I’m constantly amazed by the sheer volume of American workers who have nothing positive to say about their jobs, yet aren’t even in the market for a new one.” The problem is not just confined to America either! “How awful it can be to work in a job where you feel unfulfilled or unappreciated, but you have the power to change it!” Exactly right - redirect all that negative energy and look towards a positive outcome.
• Ok, so how to be “positive”? Well, it can be as simple as complimenting someone…
• Not so much an article on career change as such, but “Dealing with Change - Could You Make It?” at For Career Success Blog, puts the process of change in a very day to day sort of way. “Muscle tissue regenerates every 6 to 24 months. Our bones are replaced every 4 to 7 years. We have all new red blood cells every 90 to 120 days, and our intestinal lining changes every 5-25 days.” Indeed the only constant is change.
• Only the other day I threw out a bunch of old keys that I hadn’t touched in ages (some, if I remember rightly, are from places I haven’t lived in for years…), and now I spot “Energy Suckers Stealing Your Joy? | Tolerate No More!” at Blast O’ Joy. It’s amazing the amount of energy and drive we can pick up after getting rid of the things that are clearly “surplus to requirements”. Including, may I say, jobs and careers that are bogging us down!

… and being 10pm it’s about time I got out of here and joined them. Maybe in a bar at a theme park at this hour though! Enjoy the weekend!

• Though posted a few months ago I thought it would be worth mentioning the Dream jobs contest (which has since - unfortunately - closed) posted at Careerbuilder.com’s Blog. After a survey of 6000 American workers found 86 percent of respondents felt “fun” was missing from their jobs, Disney Parks offered contestants the chance to work for a day at one of their theme parks. I wonder if a day was enough?!
• Does job hunting suck? Take part in the poll and see how your opinion compares with everyone else. There’s no doubt it can be an uncertain, unnerving, and frustrating process, and like looking for a new home, something many of us could well do without. As a recruiter once said to me though, “job hunting itself must be regarded as a full time job”. I agree, though sometimes it feels more like a necessary evil, than a job!
• While talking of “job hunting being a full time job”, Heather Eagar suggests establishing a job search schedule to help keep track of the process. A particularly useful idea for career changers since there are more steps involved, and having a plan or road map to work to is more than essential.
• The 15 Winning Characteristics of the Happiest, Most Successful People. Some motivational/inspirational reading at Cultivate Greatness.
• The InterChange Desk was recently added to CHIMBY, a search engine that specialises in listing career advice websites, blogs, and resources. With over 400 listings you’re bound to find the career information you are looking for!

It’s been a little quieter around here than I anticipated it would be, and I apologise to my regular readers for the slow down recently. The other projects I am involved with have required more of my time than I originally thought they would. I should have seen that coming though!

Despite this The InterChange Desk is still managing to make a few waves.

I was recently invited by Anthony Dever to make a guest post at the satirical Australian TV awards website, The Fuglies.

While just a little different my from my usual writings on career change matters it was nevertheless a fun undertaking! Thanks again for the invitation to participate Anthony!

Also a number of posts here have also been featured on some blog carnivals, including IQI Strategic Management Inc, Life Insurance Lowdown, Career Intensity, Living by Design Blog, Balanced Life Center, and Creating Abundant Lifestyles. My thanks to the respective organisers for including my work.

These blogs all feature a variety of articles on life balance and career matters so please visit them for more reading.