4 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Career

It's nearly spring and traditionally that is a time when some give their house a thorough cleaning and remove items that are no longer needed or require updating.

Here are 4 tips for spring cleaning your career:

1. Update your resume. Take a new, fresh look at your resume and remove anything unnecessary or outdated.

2. Update your skills. Perhaps your technology skills have fallen behind or you could benefit from some additional knowledge of your industry, now is a good time to evaluate this and find way for a skill or knowledge upgrade.

3. Refresh your contacts. Identify three to five professional contacts that you haven't spoken with in
a few months and reach out to them. In addition to providing an update on your work be sure to take a genuine interest in their activities.

4. Update your wardrobe. Be sure to dress the part and if that means some of your wardrobe has become outdated spend some time and money to upgrade your look. This can also help you feel more confident on the job or in a job search.

What suggestions do you have for spring cleaning your career?

 

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Holiday Movie Lessons

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

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• 8 Career Lessons from Your Favorite Holiday Movies: "As silly as it sounds, your favorite holiday movies can teach you valuable lessons, which you can absolutely apply to your career."


• End of Year Networking Tip: Keeping Your Network Engaged: "This time of year offers a great opportunity to re-engage your network with a small amount of effort. Keep it simple, keep it social."


• 4 Clever Ways to Connect with Powerful People: "Would you like to have [someone famous] in your network? Of course. The real question is, what can you offer someone who’s better-known or more famous than you are?"


• 5 Career Boosts for Your Holiday Break: "These are the realistic things I can do to help me when I go back to work after the holidays."


• Top 10 Resume Tips for 2014: "While you’re busy ramping up your job search, here’s a handy guide to help you give your resume [and cover letter] a nice competitive boost."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Career Myths, Rebooting, and More

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

© Bellemedia | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

• 6 Career Myths You Shouldn't Fall For: "You've probably heard the same bits of career advice tossed around over and over ... But plenty of the maxims that we hear repeated actually aren't true. Here are six of the most popular career myths that you shouldn't fall for."


• Starting Over? 10 Tips to Reboot Your Career: "If big changes feel overwhelming, focus on small daily actions. Even taking mini-steps—setting up an informational interview, writing a thank-you note, reading an industry blog, etc.—make you feel more in control as you slowly build up to your goal."


• How to Meet and Influence People You Don't Know: "Your goal is to increase the number of people who know, like, and trust you. You should identify people ... who have the chance to influence hiring decisions."


• Take Back Your Life in Ten Steps: "Human beings aren't designed to work continuously. We're meant instead to move between spending and renewing energy. Ideally, take a break every 90 minutes, even if only to spend a minute or two breathing deeply."


• 13 Little Things You're Doing to Sabotage Your Success: "If you promise me a miracle, I’ll expect it. If you promise me a little, I’ll be happy with a little and delighted with a little more. Being impressive is mostly about being reasonable in your projections and hitting them consistently." 

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Job-Hunting, Gen-Y, and Success

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

1. 8 Commandments for Every Job Hunter
"Here are eight of my favorite rules to organize your (job) search while maintaining your sanity."

2. Solving Gen-Y's Passion Problem 
"This simple phrase, 'follow your passion,' turns out to be surprisingly pernicious. It's hard to argue, of course, against the general idea that you should aim for a fulfilling working life."

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3. Don't Stop With Just One Contact at Your Target Companies!
"Even at small companies, it’s generally a good idea to build relationships with multiple people to ensure you’re someone that comes to mind when an appropriate opportunity arises."

4. 3 Qualities to Drive Your Success
"Possessing the deep down desire to achieve a particular goal or set of goals will provide the motivation to do what it takes to succeed."

5. 5 Tips to Return to a Company Where You'd Previously Quit  
"Well, just remember, a burnt bridge does not preclude building a new bridge to get back across to the other side."

More on Making Effective Use of Your Networks

As a follow up to the video on networking by Keith Ferrazzi (shared yesterday), here are some tips on making the most of your connections from an article by career coach Miriam Salpeter.


The article suggests contacting members of your network before applying for a job because "Many organizations prioritize applicants referred by employees. Some companies even give bonuses to employees who suggest candidates who are hired, so some networking contacts may have a financial incentive to pass along your information."


It is important to "be sure to follow up with contacts who help you and let them know you appreciate their efforts."


You can read the full article here. 

Networking Makes Good Business Sense

People in your network can be a valuable source of information that might include job leads, clients, and other resources.  For many, though, networking may not come easy.   Below are some tips that can make networking easier and more productive.

Start Small

If networking is challenging to you, start small.  Set a goal to attend a networking event or other networking opportunity once or twice a month, and then increase it as you feel more comfortable.  For many, networking one-on-one seems easier, so consider inviting a business associate to lunch as a way to get started.  Remember, regardless of how you network, it is important to be yourself.

Be Strategic and Then Evaluate

After attending a range of professional networking events, evaluate your experiences to determine which ones interested you and provided the most value.  These are the ones you want to revisit. 

Leverage the Internet

The Internet offers many opportunities to make professional connections through websites, like LinkedIn. You can also participate online through professional or industry forums and blogs.

Prepare before an Event

Your networking success at professional events will increase if you’ve prepared in advance.  For example, research the speakers and topics that will be addressed.  Investigate current trends or issues that might be of interest to those attending the event.  This preparation may help you generate a few open-ended questions to spark conversation with attendees. 

Reciprocate Assistance

When networking, there should never be an expectation that everyone is there to assist you or vice versa. However, when someone is able to provide professional assistance, it is nice to reciprocate when possible.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these every weekend so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

1. Reading List: 10 Insightful Books for Career Changers
"With the economy improving, you might be considering a career change. Maybe you'd like to quit your present profession and do something completely different, even start a business ... Whatever the motivation, here are some helpful books to guide you."

2. How to Use Your Contacts to Land a Job
"Here are a few tips to help you get into that next gear and to make sure that you are working your contacts to help you get to where you want to be without being overly aggressive."

3. Passed Over for a Promotion: How to Deal
"Whether we like it or not, the workplace is full of politics. People trade favors and help make things happen for people they like. It’s not always a bad thing…it’s just the way the world works."

4. When Should You Quite Your Day Job 
"You need to know how much you're willing to lose before you even start thinking about starting something new."

5. 5 Ways to Probe a Company's Culture
"A lofty compensation package, spiffy title, and corner office are all great characteristics to look for in a job—but if you're looking for a happy job, a great cultural fit is equally important."

How to Optimize Holiday Party Networking Contacts

Most holiday parties have come to a close and although you may
still have some opportunities at the upcoming New Year’s Eve parties, it is
time to plan how you can take full advantage of the new contacts you made
during holiday festivities. Congratulations to you for going out on a limb and
taking the initiative to make new networking connections at these events. However,
now you may be asking yourself what to do next. Here are some tips to help you
optimize these new relationships.

> Follow up with these new contacts as soon as possible.
If you have not yet touched base with your new contact, it is time to reach out
to them. The longer you wait, the more likely you will be forgotten in the
bustle of the holidays.

> Use the upcoming new year as an ice breaker. Send your
new contact a card, email, or voice message with wishes for a Happy New Year
and inquire about the remainder of their holiday since you last saw each other.

> When you make the initial contact, remind them where
and when you met and who introduced you. Use the topic of your conversation –
your shared interests or goals – as a reminder of your conversation. Remind
them of how you can be a resource for them and clearly express what you are looking
for from them as a networking contact.

> Search for the person on social networking sites such
as http://www.linkedin.com/ and http://www.facebook.com/. This is a way to
reconnect without asking for too much of their time.

> Don’t wear out your welcome before you make an honest
connection. Keep in mind that people are often just returning from work after
an extended absence and they may not be able to get back to you right away. Be
respectful of their time, their schedule, and their other commitments.

Create Your Networking Contacts List

In Tuesday’s blog post, I discussed creating a comprehensive networking strategy in which I mentioned building a networking contact list. I challenge you to make a list of at least 50 networking contacts. When asked to create a list like this, most people automatically say “I don’t possibly know 50 people.” This stems from closing your mind to all the people you have contact with and assuming they can’t possibly help you. I implore you to open your mind.

You should make this list and maintain regular contact with the people on your list, whether you are actively job searching or happily employed. Should the unfortunate unemployment situation present itself to you, the better prepared you are, the faster you can start networking to achieve results. Here are some ideas to help you build your list.

Friends and Family
This is the obvious place to start. However, keep in mind that most people’s friends and family may not know exactly what you do and they certainly don’t know what makes you good at your job. Don’t be shy about telling them.

Past Co-workers and Supervisors
Chances are, these people are still in the same or a similar industry. These people know your skills, work ethic, and personality and may be a very effective place to start networking.

Vendors and Business Contacts
As above, these people see you at work at know your skills. They also probably work with similar companies and can be an excellent source of “insider information” on job openings.

Sports and Recreational Activities
If you are involved in any activities, your classmates or teammates know you well. However, they probably don’t know what you do for a living.

School
Whether it is your school or your children’s school, this is a great way to meet a variety of people across diverse career fields.

Doctor / Dentist
Imagine how many people your doctor and dentist come into contact with every week. They talk to their patients and get to know them and they are the perfect networking conduit for you.

People You Come into Contact with Every Day
Hairstylists, retail salespeople, mechanics, and bank tellers are among the people you interact with. Don’t be shy, tell them what you do for a living and make connections through their diverse network of customer contacts.