Are you thinking about making a career change, but you are not sure what you want to do next? You are not alone! Many people decide they want to make a change, but they are not sure what that change should be. Wouldn’t it be great if someone could just show you the path forward that is right for you? But it’s not always that simple. Making a change will require some work on your part, time to process and patience with yourself. Read on for 5 strategies on how to get you started. 

Take Time to Reflect

Think about why you are looking to make a career change. What do you currently like and dislike about your role and/ or organization? Understanding why you want to make a change will be beneficial to you moving forward. It’s important to do some internal work before jumping into a job search.

The first exercise I give to clients is a values exercise to determine what their top values are. This helps you to focus on what is most important to you and make decisions in line with your values. 

Identify Your Strengths

Next, identify your strengths. What are you good at? What is distinctive about you? You will want to utilize your strengths in any future role. Playing to your strengths allows you to perform your best at work. Working in a role that utilizes your strengths will bring you energy, not drain your energy.  

Write It Out

In addition to the strategies mentioned above, think about your list of non-negotiables. Even if you are not sure what type of role you want, there are usually a list of items that you know you DO want in your next career or role. Some questions to think about include:

• What qualities do you desire in a career? 
• Do you like working on a team or more independently?
• Is having access to professional development important to you? 
• Is having room to grow in the organization important to you?
• Would you prefer an office job or something more active?
• Is having a flexible work schedule important? 
• Are there specific criteria you have for: commute, salary, benefits? 

What are must-haves for you in a new role?

Next, make a list of any type of career or role you have considered. Even if they seem out of reach, make an exhaustive list to start, which you can narrow down later. Focus on brainstorming ideas and dreaming big, not just on what seems realistic.

Research Options

Start to research your options based on the exercises above. There are many tools available online to research career paths and roles, including potential training needed and salary estimates. Your research should help you to narrow down your options. 

Enlist the Help of Your Network

Talk to others about their career paths and current roles. This provides much more information than researching online alone ever could. By having these conversations, you can better understand if you would like doing this type of work. Ask your close network – those that know you best – trusted colleagues, friends, family, for their suggestions. Often, someone else is able to see something that you are not able to see. 

The thought of changing careers can be daunting, but using the 5 strategies outlined above will help streamline your process and have you on your way to finding a role that is a great fit for you. 

Still need some help? Schedule a time to talk about how we can work together to help you make a successful career change. 

What is a “personal board of directors”? Maybe this phrase is new to you or maybe you have heard it before and want to think about a refresher of your “board.” I’m not sure where I first heard that phrase, but it has been around for years and if you have spent any amount of time reading articles or attending conferences surrounding careers, you have probably heard it, too! Read on to learn more about how to create your personal board of directors.

Defining Your Board

The idea behind a personal board of directors is to create a group of people to help guide your career, just as a company has a board of directors to guide the company. 

Think of your personal board of directors as the people with whom you keep in touch regularly about your career. Just as a corporate board of directors has a certain number of people, your board should consist of between 4 – 8 people. Less than 4 is too few, more than 8 can become hard to keep in touch with consistently.

Why Having a Board is Critical to Your Career

What does having a personal board of directors mean for your career? It’s important to find the people in your career that will support you as you continue on your path. As changes occur in your career, it is helpful to have people with whom you can talk through these possible changes. Think about what your career goals are as you create your board – and how their feedback can help you get to your next step faster or see opportunities that you had not thought about previously.

Who to Include on Your Board of Directors

What type of people should you include on your board of directors? Once you have defined your career goals, consider the types of people listed below as possible candidates for your board.

• Supporters – People that will provide positive feedback to you and help you see your strengths and accomplishments.

• Critics – While everyone on your board should want to see you succeed and be supportive of your career overall, not everyone on your board should be a “yes” person. You also need someone that can provide constructive feedback. This person is not negative – but they challenge you to think about options you may not have thought about. 

• Connectors – People that have a wide network and can connect you to others to help meet your professional goals.

• Someone in your field – A person in your field can relate to your industry or specific position and the types of situations you may encounter.  

• Someone outside of your field – A person outside of your field can provide a different perspective. 

• Someone who is where you would like to be – Having someone you can talk to who is 1 or 2 steps ahead of where you want to be in your career is extremely valuable.

• A mentor, sponsor or coach – A mentor is someone usually in your field, that provides feedback and advice on your overall career. They could be someone within your company.  A sponsor is someone within your organization that advocates for you, whether it is for a promotion or taking on a new project. A coach is someone that you have hired, or your organization has hired for you, who is professionally trained, and will help you define and work towards your career goals. 

These categories do not have to be mutually exclusive. You may have someone on your board who is within your industry and is a connector. Or someone who is a critic and who is outside of your field. 

Evaluating Your Board

Your board can and should change over time. Just as directors have terms on a corporate board, you need to bring in new members over time to your board. As your career goals change, you need to have people on your board that will help you reach your current goals.

Thinking about the options above, do you have any or all of these people on your board? If not, who are you missing? 

Do you need help evaluating your network so you can reach your career goals? Let’s schedule a time to talk about how we can work together. 

Professionals often contact me because they are feeling stuck in their career in some way. They have lost excitement about going to work every day – maybe due to something happening in their organization, maybe the culture at work is toxic, maybe their boss or co-workers are hard to work with  – or they are bored and need a new challenge. A common theme that emerges is that people want work that is meaningful – where they feel challenged and are making a contribution to the larger organization. 

So what do you do when you are feeling stuck in your career? How do you get “unstuck”? How do you become excited about going to work again every day?

Read on for 5 tips to move forward. 

Why Are You Stuck?

When I first start working with a client, we try to pinpoint the source of why they are feeling stuck. Sometimes this is easy – it is clear to them what the problem is. Other times, it requires some more work to uncover this.

Some questions you might want to consider are:

When did you start feeling stuck?

What changed around that time? At work or at home?

Are you already looking for a new job and feeling stuck in your search?

Look to the Past…

Next, look to the past for answers. Before you started feeling stuck, what did you like about going to work everyday? There was something about your job or company that attracted you to it initially. What was it like at work when you first started? What are accomplishments that you are proud of?

And Then Think to the Future

Don’t stay in the past for too long. Think about where you want to be professionally in the future. What would an ideal day look like for you? Is your role in line with your ideal job?

How to Get Unstuck

Once you have pinpointed the source of why you are feeling stuck, past successes and where you want to be in the future, you can start to identify what steps you can take to get “unstuck.” Enlisting the help of a friend, mentor or coach can help you in this process.

Take Steps, Even if They Are Small

You do not have to make a drastic change right away – making small changes can be impactful. You can travel across the country by flying in a few hours (faster change) or driving for days (longer change, more stops.) 

From the example above, you can see that either option will get you across the county – one will just take more time. Taking small steps may seem like you are not making progress – slowly, but surely you will reach your career goals. Taking small steps will help you to avoid not taking any action and standing still. 

Is there something you can change about your current situation so that you would be happy? 

Or do you need to think about a larger change?

You Will Not Be Stuck Forever

Feeling stuck is temporary – as long as you take time to assess your situation and start to take action, you will become “unstuck” from where you are. Remember where you want to go professionally in the future and focus your energy on taking the steps to get there. 

Feeling stuck in your career? Schedule a time to talk with me about how we can help you get “unstuck.”

As the school year is now underway, I was thinking about how the first day at school is like the first day at a new job. If you have been in the same organization for a long time, even the most experienced professional can be nervous starting a new role.

Here are some tips to help make the transition easier:

Listen

As children, we are always encouraged to be quiet while the teacher is talking and listen to what they are saying. As adults, we should take the same principle and keep this in mind as we start a new job. Are you listening to your new colleagues or boss? If you manage a team, are you listening to the people that report to you? Are you asking them questions about their job and what they do and how this relates to your job? So many times, people start a new job with an idea of what they will be doing and what they may want to change. Before making those changes, take the time to learn and listen to the people around you.

Get to Know People

Just as we get to know people and make new friends at school, we need to get to know the people with whom we will be working. This does not mean you need to become “friends” with everyone at work. But getting to know the people with whom you work will make your job a lot easier. If it makes sense, invite a colleague to lunch or coffee to get to know them better – food always seems to break down barriers. Or schedule individual meetings. Just as classmates at school are with each other all day each week, so are colleagues at work. It is to your benefit to start creating positive working relationships right when you start!

Try New Things

Just as kids will likely be trying new subjects or skills at school, you may be working on items in your role that are new to you and outside of your comfort zone. View this is a learning opportunity. Challenge yourself with that stretch assignment or expand your leadership skills if you are new to managing a team.

Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help

If students are struggling in school, there are a variety of resources the schools can offer to intervene. If you are new in a role and are over your head with a project or in managing people, don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are only the new person for so long, so take advantage of that time while you can ask a lot of questions. 

Need additional training? There are a variety of options available. Here are a few ideas:

• Online classes where you can upgrade your skills on topics ranging from technical to communication skills, such as Coursera or LinkedIn Learning.
• Local, in-person resources such as executive education classes at universities, training hosted by professional associations or conferences.  
• Books! There are thousands of books out there, whether you are looking to upgrade a technical skill or learn more about leadership skills. 

Give It Time

Will you be 100% comfortable your first week of work? Probably not. Are you not sure if you made the right decision or if the company is a fit? Unless there are major red flags, give it some time. It can take months to understand the cycle of your specific position, the company and the business you are in. 

Soon enough, you will be comfortable in your new routine and looking forward to going to school…I mean work, every day. Enjoy your time as the new person and the opportunities that a fresh start can bring. 

Do you look forward to going to work every day? If not, let’s schedule a time to talk! 

Do you know how to maximize your LinkedIn profile? Or is it just a copy and paste of your resume?

If you’re not sure that your profile is getting the attention it deserves and doing the work for you, read on for 3 must-have tips for job seekers to maximizing your profile.

First things first. What does someone see when you appear in search results on LinkedIn?

The first thing someone sees when they search your name on LinkedIn is your name, photo, headline and location. That is all the information they receive when deciding on whether or not to click on your profile. Therefore, be sure to maximize each of those items.

Tip #1: Photo 

Be sure to include a profile photo. Profiles with photos get 21 times more views and 36 times more messages than those without a photo. Also, it makes it easier to recognize a colleague from years ago or someone you meet at an event if you see their photo next to their name in a connection request.

What makes a good, professional profile photo? 

•Wear professional clothing. Even if your workplace is more casual, a business casual outfit would be appropriate. 

•Your photo should clearly show your face. Photos that are too far away make it hard for people to see who you are. 

•Utilize a professional background (patterns in the background can be distracting)

And – this would seem to go without saying – but your photo should look like you. Nothing is more awkward than meeting someone in person and they look nothing like their photo.

Tip # 2: Headline

This is your opportunity to convey who you are as a professional in your headline, instead of just listing your title and company name. You have 120 characters available to you for your headline so feel free to maximize your space! To improve your chances of being found on LinkedIn, include relevant keywords in your headline.

Examples include: 

Supply Chain Professional | Imports & Exports | Global Purchasing

Digital Marketing Professional | Social Media Expert | Creative Writer

Tip #3: About

The About section is especially important. Once people click on your profile, the About section is front and center. People may not scroll down past this section. This is your opportunity to showcase yourself. It is appropriate to write in the first person, using “I” statements. While LinkedIn is a professional networking site, your profile can be more personal than a resume and can showcase your personality. Describe who you are as a professional, keeping in mind relevant keywords. You may want to list some accomplishments. You have 2000 characters for your profile, so consider breaking this up with bullet points. Consider listing your contact information at the bottom of your About section – folks may not click on the actual Contact Info section. This makes it easy for others to contact you. 

There are more sections to your LinkedIn profile, but these are three of the most important ones. Start with these 3 sections to maximize your profile and be on your way to better showcasing yourself professionally on LinkedIn.

Need help updating your LinkedIn profile? Let’s talk about showcasing your best self on LinkedIn. 

Every professional should have a complete LinkedIn profile. It can be a common myth that LinkedIn is just for job seekers. While LinkedIn does offer many benefits to those looking for a new job, there are many more opportunities beyond that. 

What other reasons are there to maintain a LinkedIn profile? I’ve outlined the top 5 below:

1. Get Found

Many people will look you up on LinkedIn before a meeting. I know it is one of the first things I do! If someone decides to Google your name instead of looking you up on LinkedIn, your LinkedIn profile is one of the first results to appear. Since this could be your first impression for many people, it’s important that people are able to find you and see some information about you professionally.

2. Build Your Brand

Being active on LinkedIn by creating/ sharing content will build your brand over time. You cannot do this quickly – building your brand needs to occur over a period of time. If someone visits your profile, they can go back and view your activity. Having a longer activity history will help to demonstrate to the person viewing your profile that you are an expert in your field. 

3. Stay Current

If you intend to change jobs one day (and eventually, we all will, right?), it’s important to maintain your LinkedIn profile, so that you are not rushing to make changes when you start searching for a new job. Also, you never know when people will be viewing your profile and the next opportunity could come along.

4. Connection! 

One of the best parts about LinkedIn is the ability to keep in touch with and leverage your network. When you meet a new contact at an event, you can send them a LinkedIn connection request. Consider your LinkedIn connection list your electronic stack of business cards. Often I am asked by someone in my network “Do you know someone who…?” If someone does not immediately come to mind, I go to my LinkedIn connection list to browse through my contacts or search by keywords to refresh my memory on who in my network I may be able to connect to that person. It’s also a great way to keep in touch with your network. Often, I may only have someone’s work contact information and if they leave that company, my only way to reach them is through LinkedIn. 

5. Create Opportunity

New opportunities may find you. Over 90% of recruiters use LinkedIn to find or screen candidates. I know several folks that are in their current position because they were found by a recruiter on LinkedIn. Even if you are happy in your current role, you never know what opportunity may come along that could be a better fit or what could happen at your current company. 

There are opportunities to meet potential collaborators, vendors, clients, etc. on LinkedIn. LinkedIn is about connection, so the list of reasons to connect and potential opportunities are endless. 

Now that you know why it’s important to maintain a LinkedIn profile, the next post will show you how to create a great profile. 

Need help updating your LinkedIn profile? Let’s talk about how to best showcase YOU on LinkedIn. 

As back to school time is approaching soon, I have been reflecting on the summer.  A big part of our summer is always swim team. While I feel that my kids have learned many lessons from swim team, I was watching one of the races in particular and it struck me how many of the lessons could be applied to our own careers. Keep reading to learn the four career lessons I learned at a swim meet.

Focusing on Your Competition is Distracting 

One evening, the swim team hosted a competition where the younger kids raced the older kids on the team. My son ended up winning many of the races and ended up in the final race. At one point, he turned around while swimming in his lane to look back and see where the swimmer in the next lane was and how close he was. In doing so, he lost valuable time where he could have kept swimming towards the finish line.

In our careers, we of course need to be aware of what is happening in the market, industry trends and what other professionals in your field are working on currently. However, if you look too long at what everyone else is doing, you end up “losing time” in your own career. Time that could be spent on developing yourself professionally or learning new skills. Keeping focused on your career will help you get to that next point faster. Sometimes, you need to stay in your own lane!

Focus on the Small Wins

Ultimately, my son did not end up winning the overall competition. I encouraged him to focus on all the small wins he had that night (making it to the final round and beating his own personal best time).

In our careers, similar lessons can be applied. Not everyone interviewing will get the job. Look at the smaller wins – making it to the last round of interviews or making new connections at a company at which you would love to work.

You may not always get the promotion you want or be assigned to lead that big new project. Does this open up the opportunity for a different role or a different project to lead?

What are the successes along the way you can focus on even if you don’t “win” the final round?

Is there an individual achievement you can celebrate? The success may be in relation to your own career, not in relation to others. 

Always Try Your Best

Did you give your best effort for reaching your goal? If yes, then be proud of your efforts. If no, why did you not give your best effort? Ask yourself – what might be holding you back?

There is Always Another Race

After each race would finish at the swim meet, it was time to rest for a few minutes before gearing up for the next race.

No matter the outcome of the specific “race” in your career (interview, big project, promotion), look towards the future. What’s next? If you landed the job, what will you do once you start to set yourself up for success? If you did not get the job, what did you learn from the interview process that could help you for the next interview? Did you just wrap up a big project? What went well and what could have gone better? What would you do the same or differently for the next project you lead? 

As summer winds down, ask yourself – how can you apply these lessons learned to your own career?

Need help gearing up for your next “race”? Schedule a time to talk with me about working together. 

I was recently working with a client who was fortunate to have multiple job offers from which to choose, and it got me thinking: how do you choose between multiple job offers?

If you find yourself in this position, salary is an obvious factor to consider. Think beyond the salary though… There are many other factors to consider in deciding which offer to accept.

In the article below, I’ll share some of my findings regarding how to choose a job when you receive multiple offers and evaluate your options.

Ready to jump in?

#1: Position Fit

How are the responsibilities of each job similar and different?
Would you supervise employees in either role? If so, how many? 
What day-to-day aspects of either job would you like the most?
Which one matches most closely with your ideal job you were seeking? When you picture yourself going to work each day, would you be excited to go to either of the jobs?

#2: Company Culture 

Much attention is often given to company culture…
But what does that really mean? 

Each company has its own unique culture – even two companies in the same industry, selling the same product will provide a different experience working there on a daily basis.

How to Assess Company Culture

A company’s culture is shaped by the actual people that work there. 
You should be able to get a sense of the company culture from the people you meet throughout the interview process, and other people that work at the company that you may have talked to ahead of time through networking. Would you like working with the people you met? Did it seem like they liked working there? 

Researching the company online before and even after the interview can provide more information about the company as well. What information can be found on their website? What recent articles can be found online about the company?

#3: Professional Development

Evaluate what opportunities for professional development, if any, the company offers. Are there formal programs within the company in which you could participate? Are there external programs that either company would be willing to pay for to invest in employees’ development? Do you want to pursue further education? Although not as common anymore, does either company offer tuition reimbursement towards education? 

#4: Think Long Term

When evaluating your options, think long term. Is this a company you would like to work in for several years? 

Take some time to recall your career goals. Would either role help you meet your longer term career goals? What opportunities are there for growth or advancement within the company? Where could you be in several years if you take either position?

#5: Benefits 

What other benefits are provided besides salary?
Common benefits may include:

• Health insurance
• Time off
• Compensation other than salary (bonus, tuition assistance, student loan assistance, relocation assistance, etc.)
• Opportunity to work remotely a certain number of days per week

#6: Commute Time

Most people have in mind a maximum amount of time they are willing to commute. Are the commutes very different for either position, as far as time or distance? Is this an important factor in your decision or not? 

Evaluate Your Options

Take some time to evaluate your options. Make a balance sheet of pros and cons for each offer. Talk over your offers with a mentor, coach or trusted friend.

And most importantly – make sure you have the offers in writing when considering your options – nothing is official until you receive an offer in writing.

Schedule a call with me if you need help with your interviewing strategy or evaluating multiple job offers.