It’s the middle of January, the winter doldrums are creeping in, and you need a fresh breath of life. In other words, you’re ready to jump ship and find new job, or maybe even a new career. But before you dive into new waters, let’s make sure you know how to swim and where the shore is.
Evaluation
What’s your current status –
What has triggered the need for change? Is it the company culture, the compensation package, the boss, or coworkers? These are all items that might suggest it’s time for a new job within your industry. But, if your thread of discontent is a sense of unfulfillment, or a desire to either use the same skills you are using now in a different way or learn new skills, then it might be time for a new career.
What can you offer now? What are your top skills – both hard and soft, and which skills are easily transferable? For example, leadership qualities, communication skills, an aptitude for organization, and a high emotional IQ are soft skills that equip you in any career. On the other hand, being tech-savvy, strong math skills, digital marketing, copywriting, and skilled trades are just a few hard skills that can transfer from one career to the next.
Where does your career foundation stand firm, and where are the cracks? Evaluate your training and education, the solidity and extensiveness of your network, and your overall experience. Do you have a good mentor who can help you walk through this journey?
Where are you headed –
What’s your passion? If you could choose whatever you wanted to do each day, what creates a sense of excitement and anticipation? What energizes you? Here’s a clincher; what do friends and family call you for help about – the skills that overwhelm them but come naturally to you? What is on your I’m-going-to-do-someday list? If you volunteer, where do you serve? What we do outside of work often is an excellent indicator of where our career should be focused. If this feels overwhelming, consider taking a career assessment.
What are the deal breakers? You can pinpoint what you don’t like about your current situation, but what critical requirements are you seeking in a new job or career? Narrow it down to the top three, write them on a list, read it often, and don’t ‘settle’ for less to get out of your current position.
Do’s and Don’ts for your search –
Do: Be confident. You have evaluated where you’re at and where you’re going. You know your past accomplishments, top skills, and points of attraction. Build a unique personal brand and move forward with professionalism and confidence.
Don’t: Turn confidence into arrogance. You have a lot to offer – and a lot to learn. The sooner you realize both sides of the coin, the sooner you are an attractive hire.
Do: Build a unique personal brand. Connect with people in your industry and fringe industries. Participate in forums. Respond with thoughtful comments to articles posted by others in the same field. Create a solid network of professionals –some of them may end up as part of your personal support team.
Don’t: Skip the social media cleanup. Those bad-attitude comments, unprofessional exhibits, and funky headshots can quickly deteriorate the brand you are trying to establish.
Do: Update and customize your resume. Highlight your top qualities with specific examples. Use metrics where applicable. Master SEO and keywords. Adapt the presentation of your skills to the job description of the position you are seeking.
Don’t: Create a standard resume and send it to everyone. Lack of customization indicates a lack of interest. Don’t try to attract attention via colors and fonts, etc. If you can’t stand on skills and experience, you are in trouble.
Do: Craft a cover letter for each resume you submit. It’s the perfect opportunity to share a story that shows how you have put the skills they seek into action. Provide a compelling reason to read your resume.
Don’t: Send the same cover letter to everyone or skip it entirely.
Do: Prepare for interviews – whether in-person or virtual.
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- Make connections before the interview.
- Learn everything you can about the company and its culture.
- Go beyond the general public persona. Dig into their story, history, missions, values, and purpose. Discover who their customer is and their competitors. The more you know, the better you will present the value of your skills and attributes.
- Sell yourself, of course, but don’t neglect to share the part that others played in your story. Presenting a one-person show indicates a lack of team spirit.
- Ask strategic questions that reveal your interest in and knowledge of the company and demonstrate how hiring you for the position is the right step.
Do: Conduct yourself in a positive, professional manner every step of the way.
Don’t: Burn bridges via ghosting, lack of respect and consideration, bad-mouthing previous employers and coworkers –you get the picture. All of these and other negative behaviors will come back to haunt you.
Do: Connect with Broadstaff. We are more than just a company. Our culture is summed up in one word –Empowerment.
Consider these words of advice from our CEO Carrie Charles –
“Feeling uncomfortable is the access to growth. Ignore that little voice in your head that tells you you are not enough. Don’t let fear stop you. Let go of perfection. Success is messy — it’s made up of failure, sacrifice, and frustration. Learn to bounce back quickly and build mental toughness. Say yes to opportunity even when you feel unqualified. Put your faith above all else and remember, your voice matters.”
Broadstaff –the place where dreams come true, where people can rise to new heights and create a life they love. Connect with us today to find your next opportunity at inquiries@broadstaffglobal.com.
