5 Ways to Get Unstuck in Your Career

The alarm goes off and you lie there. Perhaps you reach for the snooze button, once, twice. Again? Your job has lost its luster and you have little desire to go into work. Perhaps you’re feeling stuck.

It’s not uncommon to feel stuck at various times in our career and you’ve likely implemented various strategies to get unstuck at those times.

But there’s something interesting about when we’re stuck. We tend to forget what we’ve done in the past and our ability to think creatively is hampered. Try the following five ways to get unstuck and that snooze button might become a thing of the past.

Take on a new project. When we’re stuck we tend to hide. We might spend more time hunkered down in our cubicle or keep our head low, but these avoidance strategies just reinforce our feelings of being stuck. Instead, volunteer for a new project, or to lead a cross-functional team effort, or to test out a new product. Getting out of your comfort zone and doing something new can be a first step in getting unstuck. 

  

Brainstorm your ideal job. What do you want to do? If you could do anything, what would you choose? Take some time today and write down every job or career path that would be interesting to you. Don’t think too much about it and don’t judge your responses. Just write and then read your responses. You just might find a path forward there, either through an opportunity at your current job or you might come to realize that it’s time to move on.

Upgrade your image. Sometimes when we feel unmotivated we let some things slide, such as our appearance. We might not take care of ourselves the way we have in the past. Consider how you look and feel. If you’re low on energy perhaps you need to start a new fitness regime. Grab a quick bike ride or swim in the morning before work. Or change up your image by making some strategic new additions to your wardrobe. Who knows? Perhaps a new hairstyle will do the trick. The point here is to make an effort to look and feel your best and even a minor change to our lifestyle can make a big difference.

Travel. If you’ve been driving the same route to work every day and staring at the same four walls for months or even years, it’s time to change things up. Take the scenic route to work. Switch up the décor in your office or workplace. And then request a vacation and travel to somewhere new.  Experiencing a new place can help you gain a new perspective.

Expand your network. Similar to the change in perspective you can gain from travel and experiencing a new place, is the benefit that comes from meeting new people, developing additional contacts, and expanding your network. Check out some local business meetups or conferences coming up and register.  Perhaps someone you meet can help put you on the path to the ideal job you brainstormed earlier.

Feeling stuck is not fun but there are steps you can take to get unstuck every day. Try one or more of the above, or come up with some strategies that work best for you, but make the effort today.

High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 6 Happiness Tips to Boost Your Health and Performance

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!

• 6 Happiness Tips to Boost Your Health and Performance: "A key habit we developed in daily meetings was to have each team member say what someone else had done to help them that day. Expressing gratitude helped to bring the team together and make everyone happier and healthier."
• 17 Simple Habits That Make You Look More Professional: "Taking risks, and going against the grain is part of growing. Being willing to challenge yourself shows others that you are serious about growth."
• 17 Ways to Get Along, Especially When Negotiating: "Look to their positive intent, especially when they appear to have none, and you are more likely to eventually bring out their more positive side."
• How to Stand Up For Yourself: "Learning to assert yourself starts by understanding that you are not trying to control what other people do, but rather you’re controlling your own actions."
• 5 Smart Things to Do When You're Unemployed: "Volunteering for a charity or local community organization can be a great way to keep your skills up to date or help you learn new ones, expose you to new fields and give you something to put on your resume for this time period."

Have you Committed one of these 10 Interview Fashion Crimes?

In an earlier blog post, I discussed the importance of non-verbal communication when forming a positive first impression in an interview. Although we can’t change other people’s perception of the world, we can increase our chance or being perceived positively. Keep in mind that a positive image is a result of careful planning, preparation and an honest assessment of your image.

Take this assessment to see what your fashion verdict would be:

1. What are you carrying? Don’t carry a backpack or fanny pack instead of a briefcase or portfolio. Women may still feel the need to carry a purse, but it should be small and conservative and should be tucked away under your chair during the interview.

2. “Transit gear” must be stowed away. Sunglasses on top of your head, headphones around your neck or in your ears, and cell phones not turned off or set to silent will all make negative impressions. Be sure to take care of all these details before entering the lobby.

3. Too much skin showing. Ladies, are your skirts too short, your tops too low cut? Men, do your pants rise up and show skin between your socks and pants, do your buttons gap? Try on your interview outfits and sit down in a chair in front of a mirror to see what your interviewer will see.

4. Overly bright or large-patterned clothing. Ties should be made of silk, no less than 3 inches wide with a conservative pattern. With the possible exception of creative fields like advertising or computer programming, it's best to stick with navy, black or gray with a small accent of color on your shirt, blouse, tie or a scarf.

5. Makeup. Avoid heavy makeup on women (or any makeup on a man).

6. Piercings. More than one set of earrings on women and facial piercings, tongue jewelry or visible tattoos can be a negative for many employers. Earrings on men should be avoided. In fact, men should avoid wearing any jewelry unless it is a wedding ring, class ring or metal watch.

7. Shoes and hosiery. Avoid fishnets, patterned, or colored hosiery, and bare legs (no matter how tan you are). Women should stick with neutral color hosiery that complements their suit. Never wear open-toed shoes to an interview. Men’s socks should match their shoes and should not show a gap of skin when seated.

8. Clothing and shoes in bad repair. Avoid rumpled or stained clothing. If interviewing late in the day, try to change to a fresh suit beforehand. Avoid scuffed or inappropriate footwear, including sneakers, stilettos, open-toed shoes and sandals.

9. What is your smell? Avoid after shaves, perfumes or colognes. Many people are allergic to certain scents. For a subtle fragrance, use good quality bath soap.

10. Remove any telltale signs that you’re wearing new clothes. Remove all tags, stickers, and extra buttons, remember to cut off the zigzag thread that keeps pockets and slits closed, and don’t forget to press out any creases from the clothes being folded in the store.

Five Things you Communicate with your Professional Image

An image can be defined as the opinion or concept of someone as an expert that is held by the public. Your image can be compared to your reputation and how you are perceived by others. As both a job seeker and an employee, your professional image is critical to success.

Studies have shown that 93% of how we communicate with the world is non-verbal. Only 7% of our interaction with people comes from the words out of our mouths! When you meet someone for the first time, you get 7 to 10 seconds to make a first impression. In those first few seconds, you don’t get to say much, so most of this first impression is based on a combination of professional image and non-verbal communication. Here are five things you can convey with your image.

Self-esteem. Right or wrong, people perceive that how you take care of yourself on the outside is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. In an interview, confidence is equal to competence in the interviewers’ eyes. Therefore, you must project an aura of confidence and self-assuredness with your image.

Organizational Skills / Attention to Detail. Remember you are managing the impression you make through the details of your image. If you have paid no attention to the details or organization of your grooming and clothing (mismatched socks, unpolished shoes, dirty fingernails, or chipped nail polish, etc.), then it appears you will not pay attention to details or may be unorganized in your work habits. If you look sloppy, it is assumed that you will do sloppy work.

Sound Judgment. If you wear clothes that are too tight, too informal or formal, too provocative, or just plain unprofessional, you demonstrate a lack of judgment. The employer correlates this lack of professionalism in your image into your inability to fit into their environment. Show you can make good decisions by erring on the side of conservative professionalism in your clothing and grooming habits.

Creativity. If you are in a field where creativity and innovation are an important part of your job, then it is important to demonstrate this with your professional image. However, don’t go overboard. Try a simple statement of your uniqueness with a small splash of color on your tie, a scarf, or a unique piece of small jewelry such as a pin or ring.

Reliability. Fair or not, right or wrong, you must keep in mind that people will view your image every day to determine your intelligence, level of education, social class, and yes even your reliability. From the big picture to the small details, your image should convey that you are solid and that people can count on you.

Test Your Professional Image IQ

Whether we like it or not, people form impressions based on our professional image every day. If you are job hunting, the extra attention you pay to presenting a professional image will be well worth the effort. Take this quiz to test your image knowledge.
1. You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
TRUE – Studies have shown that it takes up to seven encounters to erase a bad first impression. You may be able to overcome tripping on the way into the interview or spilling your water all over your potential boss. However, you can guarantee their first impression will never be forgotten.

2. The more money you have, the better your chances of having a good image.
FALSE – Money is not necessary for a professional image, there are plenty of discounted, sale, or second-hand clothing items that can communicate professionalism. With proper planning and attention to the details of image, almost anyone can have a positive professional image.

3. How you come across is more important than what you say.
TRUE – If you examine two candidates for a job, the candidate who is less qualified but comes across with a poised, professional image will receive the job more than 80% of the time according to recruiters.

4. Controlled, smooth movements communicate confidence.
TRUE – I often teach the job search motto: “Fake it ‘til you make it!” You shouldn’t lie on your resume or overstate your qualifications. However, confidence can be faked using your body language and professional image. Nervous gestures are distracting to your message when communicating, especially when meeting one-on-one.

5. More than 50% of communication is through the spoken word.
FALSE – 93% of how you communicate with the world is non-verbal. That means only 7% of our communication actually comes out of our mouth. Ask yourself what you are saying without uttering a word.

6. The fit of your clothing is more important than the style or the quality.
TRUE – Even the most expensive suit or garment will look shabby if it does not fit. When deciding what to wear to that important interview, sit down in a chair in front of a mirror in your interview clothes. Take a good look at what your interviewer will see when they sit across from you.

7. The safest smell in business is no smell at all.
TRUE – It is very important to avoid perfume and cologne in a business setting – most importantly the interview. There are many people who are allergic to perfume. If a potential employer is allergic to your cologne, they just want you to go away so they can breathe easier. With that attitude, do you think they’ll be paying any attention to what you say?