Page 125 - Marky Stein - Fearless Career Change_ The Fast Track to Success in a New Field (2004)

Ten Success Stories About People Just Like You

Midwife assistants (also known as doulas or labor assistants) help
fully certified midwives or doctors in prenatal, birthing, and post-
natal care in either home, birth center, or hospital births.
Caroline knew what she wanted to do, and she decided to per-
form some research on just how to do it. She found out through
her labor market readiness research that most birth centers and mid-
wives (who were the most likely people to employ her) preferred a
midwife certification program of study followed by an internship
period with a reputable organization or licensed nurse midwife.
Four out of 10 potential workplaces mentioned a school in
Seattle, Washington, that had a good reputation for turning out
competent and employable midwives. Caroline put her severance
package to use to pay for the cost of training and the waiting period
(if any) she might need before her new career began. Her research
revealed that training programs required from three weekends to
three months of classes and attendance, as an internship at any-
where from 3 to 15 births. Schools cost from $300 to $4,500.
Caroline chose a school in Seattle that cost $425 for a three-
day weekend set of seminars. Based on her research, she chose the
school that fit her time and budget as well as having an excellent
placement rate and a good name with employers. Within three
months of study in school and observation of 11 births, Caroline
was up and running—a new and fulfilling career awaiting her!
Here’s another look at Caroline’s strategies:

1. Transferable talents Yes Interpersonal communica-
tion, nurturing.
2. On-the-job training Yes Needed to acquire some new
skills.
3. Strategic education No
4. Short-term education Yes Completed a three-day
seminar.
5. Internship Yes Observed and assisted in 11
live births.
6. Volunteering No
7. Just Dive In! No
8. Entrepreneurship No

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