Our 20 best tips ever…and here are 16-20

Tip # 16: Update your successes. In Tip #8 (earlier blog) I suggested about documenting your successes and having a handful of those ready to go. Once you get that started, every time you have a little win, I want for you to jot it down somewhere. Keep a record. This will give you easy access to content that can help you sell yourself more successfully in performance reviews, as you might be updating your resume, and also great content for job interviews. Just get in the habit of noting what happens, how you made it happen, and what were the results, those metrics around how did you help save money, make money, improve quality, and improve image.

Tip #17: You will run into periods of time career-wise when you feel flat. It’s just reality. It’s the way it happens. At that point, diagnose why you’re frustrated. If we go way back to the values in tip number one (earlier blog), chances are when you’re feeling flat something is out of alignment. For me, another one of my top values is creativity. I like to be creative in my work.  I like crafting resumes that sell people successfully into the targets that they’re aiming for. So if something gets out of alignment, I go back to my top three values and say, “Is something not working here? How can I respond to that?” It doesn’t necessarily mean you need to change jobs. It can mean you might need to strategize an improved approach to how you’re doing your work, talking with your boss about that. So diagnose what’s going on when you’re feeling a little flat.

Tip #18: We talked about having a focus (Tips #2 & 3, earlier blog). I also would like for you to have a bigger picture vision for how you would like to progress longer term. Where would you like to be five or so years down the line? You may feel a little fuzzy about that and that’s okay, but if you have some rough idea it just gives you more of an awareness for what should you be investigating and experiencing.

In your present position, if you know you’ve got a goal a few years down the line and you see other people involved in that, say, “Is there a way I can get more exposure to that? Is there a way I could support the project on a sideline level or a book that you would recommend?” If you’re not clear on your vision, do a little brainstorming. This is part of what we help clients with in our career assessment process, but you can also just Google “creating a vision”, and it will bring up some ideas. It could be a vision board. Some people like to do that.

Tip #19: Stay connected. Any time you cross paths with someone in your profession, in your industry, in your vision, just someone that you really enjoyed meeting, go ahead and add them to your LinkedIn network. I will frequently do that at events, where I’ll just pull out my phone and say, “Oh, let me find you on LinkedIn,” and I send it right there and it’s done, and they’re usually a little flattered I wanted to be connected.

So that’s a good way to do it, and then look for ways to collaborate, posting questions on things you’re struggling with, being involved in professional association activities, even just the chat board. Just helps remind people that you’re out there and keeps those connections fresh. I have heard multiple, multiple, multiple times that the biggest regret that professionals have when they’re either forced to conduct a job search or making that decision on their own, is that they didn’t keep their network up.

Tip #20: The last one! And that’s getting help if you need it. Now, that can be with someone like us, where we  provide strategic career support and we have a lot of experience with it, or it could be someone, or another type of resource. I talked about professional counseling if you’re really stuck on something. Get help if you need it. That leg up can make a huge difference in moving you forward.

And keep in mind that we offer a free initial consultation, over the phone, just 15 minutes, and it’s all about you. If you’d like to set that up you can contact us at 970-224-4042, or you can email me directly at katy@careersolutionsgroup.net.