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Change is inevitable. And if there is one thing the recent recession has taught all of us, it’s that no job lasts forever. While cutbacks and layoffs have occurred across the board, some industries have been harder hit than others. Whatever the reason, thousands of intelligent, educated and experienced professionals are without employment. If you’re among them, no matter what your industry, it may be time to reinvent yourself and your career.
You want to cultivate a reputation as an incredibly hard working, talented and smart professional. So perhaps you start by serving up kindness and generosity daily.
For kindness really can create a strong backbone for career success – if it comes with a side of business sense.
In an excellent Harvard Business Review blog post, Jodi Glickman suggests that generosity “can make your career” if you use it to show a strong work ethic and communicate well.
Glickman’s top idea for being generous at work is one that will make any supervisor smile: Make your boss’ life easier or better. “Put her agenda ahead of your own and watch as your star rises,” she writes.
I have one question for you: “Do you want a job?”
Not so fast. Read the question again before you answer it. Done? Good.
Since 90 percent of the people who read that question answered, “Yes,” I will assume you probably did, too.
However, I challenge that answer based on the fact that if you are reading this, you have most likely spent four-plus years in college, attended several development seminars of some kind, and have paid thousands of dollars out of your own pocket to acquire additional knowledge and skills as well as a few ancillary documents to help propel yourself up the ladder.
Your boss’ vacation is coming up soon. Last time she left it felt chaotic and as if no one was minding the store. This time, you want to step up – for the department’s sake and for your own too.
If you’ve been hoping to move into management, a boss’ holiday could be your on-ramp to show your skills and advance your prospects.
Before you start taking charge, though, you need the boss’ blessing to be the fill-in manager.
The concept of chakras originates from ancient Hindu texts. The chakra model describes seven reference points in the body, organized around the nervous system, says Teresa Palmer, owner of Wellness Without Boundaries. Each chakra corresponds to a vital organ in the body and has associated emotional characteristics.
The chakras are believed to be energy-generating, working to help keep our body in balance and thereby promoting physical and emotional well-being.
In looking at the emotional characteristics ascribed to each chakra, it’s possible to see the personality attributes that employers claim they look for in to fill certain job roles. Is it possible that the better balanced our chakras, the greater the chance we have of landing that next job?
Consider these seven words and phrases frequently found in job postings and how they relate to each of the seven chakras.
Getting where you want to go is much easier when you know where you want to go.
Here are some questions to ask yourself to clarify your next steps in your career. Knowing what you want isn’t usually an immediate thing. Rather, it takes reflection and a gentle set of movements in the right direction. These questions are designed to get your mind moving in the right direction.
You’ve mastered Angry Birds, watched every Kurasawa movie five times, read Game of Thrones twice and have given up on writing your novel of the century. There is so much we can do in our lives including watching Ax Men or the Housewives of Wherever that we forget to take the time to work on working. That is to plan and take the time to review and consider our current career path and the steps to take to move it forward or not. (Accepting the position you are in is perfectly fine).
Try planning an hour each week to work on your career. Here are a few tips to get started:
I was recently with a number of senior executives from many different companies and industries and the discussion drifted to how one gets, and doesn’t get prepared, for the ultimate senior job. There was one consistent theme voiced by each person: they each missed an opportunity to learn how to handle life at the top during their careers because, at the time, the experience was perceived as a “backwater” assignment. Fast forward all these years later with hindsight being 20/20, they all wished they had taken time to learn what they need to know today.
For those of you gunning to be in that top job someday, consider these tips so you keep your eyes open and train yourself to always evaluate how each opportunity can contribute to your long-term career success:
It’s that time of the year when the owners of 3-year old thoroughbreds are making their claims to run in the Kentucky Derby with the hopes of having a chance to compete for the Triple Crown, a title won by a horse that can win the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes .
As the horses prepare, the trainers and owners are deciding what jockey they want in the Kentucky Derby. While at the same time, jockeys are evaluating what horse will be best for them to ride. A jockey has to believe the horse can not only win the grueling Kentucky Derby, but also has the speed to win the Preakness and the endurance to complete Belmont. The jockey needs to gauge the performance of the horse and assess its potential for the future.
As trainers and owners choose a jockey, and a jockey decides on a horse, it’s a concept similar to the job search process. Employers look to choose the right candidate, and a candidate decides on a job that’s best for their career. If you are a job seeker, you want to ensure your chances that the job you take is one that can satisfy your short and long-term needs. With the most recent Glassdoor.com Employment Confidence Survey, 38% of employees reported that they plan on changing jobs within the next three years; it is timely to think through, not gamble on, the kind of career horse you are going to join before you commit.
Here are three questions to consider so you can win your own Triple Crown career:
There is a difference in being loud and being clear when it comes to your career. When it comes time to discuss your career path with your boss, being clear is far more valuable than being loud. After all, we can easily tire of noise but clarity is always desirable. Whether you have a performance review or a one-on-one meeting with your boss, here are a few ways to make sure you clearly articulate what you want out of your job and where you see your career going:
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