If you answered yes (or even maybe), then over the holiday period try spending some time evaluating what you want next in your career. Think about what is important to you. If you look back over your career to date, what motivated you to make the choices you made. Have these choices made you feel excited and fulfilled in your career. Are they still making you feel this way or have things changed for you.
For many people, 2020 and working from home, has given them more time to reflect on what they enjoy and what they don’t enjoy in their career. Everyone needs a purpose in life and your career is usually a big part of this. However, for many people their purpose may have taken a bit of a beating this year.
All our lives changed so dramatically this year. Are you now trying to figure out if your current job or career is really the right choice for you? If you are going around in circles, getting more and more confused, try taking a few hours out of your day and doing some self-evaluation. To help you start this process, follow these 3 steps –
STEP 1 – DEFINE
Before you start looking at your resume and LinkedIn profile it is really important to “define” who you are.
𝗪𝗛𝗢 – Who am I? What are my values, what is important to me? What are my personal attributes?
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 – What are my skills? What have I achieved in my career? What do my colleagues and friends say are my skills? What are my strengths? What comes naturally to me? What career achievements am I most proud of? What makes me happy? What energizes me?
𝗪𝗛𝗬 – Why should a company employ me? What benefits would I bring if they did?
This all helps you to create your own value proposition. This is a way of understanding and communicating your ‘professional self’. It helps you communicate the value that you bring to the job market based on who you are and what you have done in your career. The key components to your Value Proposition include your Professional Identity, Your Values, Your Attributes, Skills and Achievements as well as the benefits you will bring to an organisation.
If you want to really dig deep into your career journey, and create a detailed picture, then an excellent book on career change and job search is, “What Color is Your Parachute” by Richard N. Bolles. This is also a particularly helpful book for anyone just staring out in their career.
STEP 2 – COMPLETE
➤ Your Resume – ensure this is updated and selling you. It is your personal sales document. Check that page one has the following – personal details (name, mobile, email) career profile and accomplishments or competencies/skills, a career summary (listing company name, your position, years you worked there)
➤ LinkedIn Profile – ensure this is 100% complete and optimized before you reach out to your network. You wouldn’t send an incomplete resume to a job advert, so don’t reach out to anyone on LinkedIn, before your profile is “perfect” Remember, the first thing someone will do is look at your LinkedIn profile. Think about what it is telling them. Never expect anyone to read between the lines, they don’t have time.
➤ Elevator Pitch – “Tell me about yourself?” – practice your answer. It should be a maximum of 2 minutes duration. 80% of job interviews will start with this opening question. Your answer sets the scene for the whole interview. Make your answer succinct, authentic and relevant to the job you are being interviewed for. Film yourself to hear how you sound and see how you look. Also time yourself to ensure you keep within the 2 minutes.
STEP 3 – CREATE YOUR PLAN
Create a daily and weekly job search routine to help you focus. Know what you want and create your end goal. Set time frames and dates and monitor your progress. Keep a note of all your activity, try using an Excel spreadsheet and create your activity tracker. Read here if you need ideas on how to do this.
Be persistent, when you are job searching, this is so important. You drive it and you always follow up. Ensure you utilise all that LinkedIn has to offer as the fantastic research tool that it is. Not sure where to start with LinkedIn, then check out this article for some tips. Read here.
Remember, only 30% of jobs are found through recruiters and job boards, the remaining 70% of jobs are found through networking.
Finally, think about your job or career change as an expedition not just a day trip. Prepare yourself that changing jobs or careers is not an overnight thing but is an exciting journey. Expeditions take time and careful planning to ensure their success.
If you are 100% committed to change, then you will keep on that journey regardless of how challenging it may be. Believe in yourself and never give up!
If you have recently lost your job then it is worth checking out my recent article on coping with job loss. Read it here
If you could benefit from career coaching or job search advice, then contact me at [email protected] to discuss how I can help you.
Wishing you a safe, healthy and fabulous festive season.