High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: How to Create and Reach Your Goals in 4 Steps

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!

• How to Create and Reach Your Goals in 4 Steps: "Reaching your goals is equally as hard, if not harder, than setting them, but if you can be patient and focused you will be far more likely to succeed."

• 12 Self-Care Tips for Busy People: "Afford yourself a personal reward from time to time, especially after you’ve done a great job on a tough project or gotten your business through a rough patch. It’s not going to kill your budget, and a fresher, happier you will reap significant rewards."

• Why You Should Work Less and Spend More Time on Hobbies: "To stand out and compete in today’s crowded and constantly changing business environment, organizations need new, innovative ideas that will rise above the noise."

• 7 Lessons in Leadership from Tom Brady: "There are no shortcuts when it comes to success -- you've got to put in the work. As Brady once said, 'I just love working hard. I love being part of a team; I love working toward a common goal'."
• 10 Things You Can Do to Boost Self-Confidence:"People with low self-confidence see others as better or more deserving than themselves. Instead of carrying this perception, see yourself as being equal to everyone."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: How to Get an Amazing Job with Limited Experience

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!

• How to Get an Amazing Job Without Much Experience: "Admit your shortcomings but show that you’re willing to work harder to make up for it. With this mindset, you’ll find  jobs that will give you an opportunity to work your way up."

• 10 Things Successful, Happy People Do Differently: "most successful (entrepreneurs) tended to have two critical things in common: They were terrible at imagining failure, and they tended not to care what other people thought of them."

• 9 Behaviors That Instantly Identify Bad Employees: "Keep an eye out for colleagues that spend way more face time with their managers than usual. The wheels of favoritism may be in motion."

• Self-Care is a Discipline, Not an Indulgence: " It takes discipline to do the things that are good for us instead of what feels good in the moment."
• How to Train Your Brain to Go Positive Instead of Negative:"We have inherited the brain that helped our ancestors notice threats in time to act. We are skilled at finding threats, even as we seek rewards."

4 Career Skills You Should Constantly Be Developing

You probably don’t need to be told how quickly time passes or how rapidly everything changes; you might be noticing a few new wrinkles or greying hairs when you look in the mirror.

It can be easy to settle into a routine in our work lives and before we know it we’ve “lost” a few years with our career on autopilot. Unfortunately, careers on autopilot are rarely successful and employees operating in this way tend to be the first to experience the impact of staff reductions or downsizing.

Our careers and work lives need regular attention and we should be constantly updating and developing our skills.

Here are a few skills you may want to concentrate on throughout the year.

Computer skills. Stay up to date on new technologies, new programs, new gadgets, and learn how to code. The world becomes more automated daily through computer technology and, regardless of your current career path, it pays to be aware of the trends in technology and stay current with your computer skills. There are many free classes you can take online so you don’t have to spend a lot of money on training sessions to stay up to date.

Networking. Continue to develop your network by becoming more engaged at your workplace, being involved in your community, attending networking events, and going to conferences and workshops relevant to your work. Expanding your network is a great asset and can help you find a job quickly if you end up in need of one.

Public speaking. Learning to speak effectively in front of an audience is a skill that can bring other opportunities for you and demonstrates leadership and expertise in your field. Take advantage of opportunities to speak to groups at your job, place of worship, or in your community throughout the year. You might even make some extra money and turn your public speaking skills into a side hustle.   

Self-care. You should always be considering your lifestyle and refining it so that it works effectively for you. This can involve physical activity and exercise, a change in diet, improved sleeping habits, or a new spiritual practice such as meditation. Pay attention to the practices you can implement to have more energy and to be more effective and productive in your work.

Give yourself a reminder to evaluate your progress in these areas every few months.

How to Practice Self-Care After Losing a Job

Losing a job ranks rights up there--along with death, divorce, or a move--as one of the most stressful and difficult times in a person’s life. 

A job loss can lead to anger, depression, and solitude and it’s very important to develop healthy habits during this time of unemployment.

Take the following steps to create a regime of self-care.

Focus on friends and family. Seek out and spend time with those you are closest to. Meet up with a best friend for a regular lunch appointment and spend some extra time with family. Be open with those close to you about how you’re experiencing the job loss and accept the support of others.

Let’s get physical. Pay attention to your health. Now you have some additional time to ensure you can fit in a daily exercise routine, whether it’s yoga at a nearby studio, joining a local fitness club, biking across town, or simply taking a brisk walk around the neighborhood. This time will also stimulate creativity and just might stimulate some ideas regarding your next career move.

Embrace the pillow. Get adequate sleep. Make an effort to avoid staying up late to watch television or staying on a computer or mobile too long getting lost in the world of social media. Instead, go to your library and pick out some great books to read in the evening before falling asleep. Good sleep will provide you with energy and a positive attitude to continue on with the other healthy practices your implementing.

Resist the bottle. This is a time to avoid excessive alcohol consumption. Drinking will not change your situation and will only make it more difficult to practice other healthy habits. This might be a great time to avoid alcohol and instead make a switch to a healthier diet that make you feel more energized and optimistic about your situation.

Turn down the pressure. Take some time to minimize expectations and resist the temptation to put too much pressure on yourself to find a new job or make a decision about a career path. It can be difficult to make clear-headed decisions when we feel under pressure. Implement a daily practice of calm breathing, meditation, prayer, and positive affirmations to quiet the voices in your head, reduce the pressure, and set aside expectations.

When you develop habits of self-care—deepening your friendships, getting adequate sleep and exercise, eating well, and developing positive thinking patterns—you’ll be better equipped to handle a period of unemployment or under-employment.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: Never Say These Things During a Job Interview

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!

• Never Say These 11 Things During a Job Interview: "Don’t try to beat around the bush. Ask specific questions about company culture and team morale, and be direct."

• 7 Simple Habits to Make You a Remarkably Likable Boss: "If you maintain a positive attitude, however, you'll help your own employees realize a new world of perspectives--ones that will be much more productive than chronic pessimism."

• 30 Little Acts of Necessary Self-Care: "Being kind to yourself is one of those things that sounds easy in conversation but difficult in practice."

• 3 Ways to Practice True Leadership: "True leaders are the pinnacle of what they expect from the people around them. And by setting an example, true leaders encourage their people to aim for that."
• The No. 1 Reason Employers Want Older Workers: "Skills retention. It's something that many companies are now looking at with renewed vigor."

4 Ways to Practice Self-Care in the Workplace

Let's face it. Our work lives can be quite stressful and take a toll on us, both emotionally and physically. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the urgency of it all and then fail to recognize what we're experiencing.

When our work situation takes us to the breaking point it is likely to impact our personal and home life, too, and so it's important to develop a practice of self-care in the office.

Consider the following four elements of a self-care plan and adjust them, as necessary, to your work situation.

Surround yourself with support. Unless you're the boss, you can't pick your team but you can choose the colleagues you grab lunch with, or meet up for a coffee break with, or hang out with after work. Build a supportive and encouraging group of colleagues around you to be a source of strength when things are tough and stressful at work. These colleagues can share an encouraging word around the coffee machine or crack the right joke to put things in perspective. Seek out positive people and you'll feel less stressed.

Create a healthy and encouraging work space. Put up some inspiring and motivational quotes t around your desk or on your computer. Always be surrounded by the encouraging wisdom of others you admire and respect. In addition, keep your work space organized and clean. Consider adding a plant to help clean the air and provide a little color. And put up some art by your favorite artist.

Take time to move. Schedule regular time in your day to get away from your desk or work area and take a walk. Adding some physical activity to your day can help refresh and re-energize you, and a comfortable walk allows you get away alone and come up with a new, creative approach to a problem you might be dealing with.

Recognize your successes and victories. Each day and every week brings some successes with it. Be sure to slow down enough to recognize those victories and acknowledge them. Write them down and allow yourself to enjoy even the small successes.

Applying these four practices to your regular work routine can help prevent the stressful times from overwhelming you and negatively impacting your satisfaction on the job and your enjoyment at home.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: How to Ace a Side Hustle While Working Full Time

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!

• How to Ace a Side Hustle While Working Full Time: "Similar to performance reviews with your boss, sit down with yourself on a regular basis to evaluate your time and resources. Is the side hustle serving its purpose? How is it impacting other areas of your life?"

• 13 Ways to Take Care of Yourself Every Day: "Focusing on work is a great excuse for not taking care of yourself. I have set specific time slots where I won’t work and will instead spend time on my family and me."

• Stop Doing These 10 Things if You'd Like to Be Happy: "Focusing too much on past events doesn’t allow you to live in the present or strive for the future. You can’t change the past."

• How to Manage Somebody You Just Don't Like: "Your role as their boss is to help them be successful in their role. You don’t need to like them to give them feedback, make sure they know your expectations, and be there to help them develop and perform."
• 5 Essential Steps to Changing Jobs Without Burning Bridges: "Refrain from researching open positions on company time. It comes off as incredibly unprofessional. Use personal time outside of work for job hunting."

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 13 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want

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!

• 13 Simple Steps to Land the Job You Want: "Network with everybody you’ve ever worked with; connect on LinkedIn with each person you meet on the job."
• 3 Tough Habits You Must Drop to Succeed: "Being an effective leader will require you to break the storytelling habit that's happening in your head. Instead, separate the facts from the stories, and make decisions based on what you know for sure."
• 4 Ways to Make Your Employees Love Training: "The key is to not approach training with a one-delivery-system-fits-all mind-set."
• How High-Performing Leaders Refuel: "I am delighted when I see someone emerging from a mid-afternoon break because it means that they feel comfortable taking care of themselves and they will be performing at a higher level for the rest of the day."
• Using Social Media to Build Professional Skills: "If you want to work on self-development while working out, doing household chores, or commuting, that’s a great time to listen to the podcasts you’ve discovered."

Daily Leap Career Video of the Week: Practice Self Compassion

Each week we present our Daily Leap Career Video of the Week. The video we share presents news or advice related to career development, searching for a job, the economy and employment, and other career-related topics.

It’s easy to be difficult on ourselves and this can lead to difficulties in our work and personal lives. The video below provides an exercise in practicing self compassion.

4 Career Resolutions to Make for 2016

As we approach the start of the new year it is a time to evaluate 2015 and consider how to move forward in 2016. Of course your goals and resolutions should take your job and career into consideration.

Here are four career resolutions you should make for 2016:

1. Take a class to learn a new skill. Many employers offer tuition reimbursement programs or offer some funds to pay for training classes. Consider learning a new language or a new skill, such as coding or social media marketing.

2. Find a mentor. One of the most important things you can do for your career is find a mentor. Identify a few candidates, at your current company or in your community, who have attained some success in an area of particular interest to you and contact one or two.

3. Attend a conference. When you attend a conference it does at least three positive things for your career: a) it provides you with new skills and knowledge, b) it recharges your batteries, reduces stress, and increases your enthusiasm and energy for your work, and c) it provides opportunities to meet new and interesting people and to expand your network.

4. Take care of yourself. Make an extra point of scheduling and getting adequate sleep every night, eating foods that energize you, and being active and avoiding a sedentary life that can come with working in an office.

Make these four resolutions, or better yet, take on and implement these four resolutions and you're likely to have a great 2016.