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#YourCareer : Career Path isn’t Headed Exactly How you Planned It? Tips to Help you Out.

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We all have points throughout our career where we stall out, hit a major bump, or things become stale. This happens due to becoming too comfortable in your current position, an economic or global crisis, or simply not knowing what direction you want to go. Using your

LinkedIn profile for networking purposes can help you find some direction and potentially lead to other opportunities. Though it is natural to stall out in your career, it’s also possible, and necessary, to move forward when you’re ready.

If you know you’re ready to advance your executive career, but can’t seem to find a spark to get you going, we’ve got some tips to help you out. 

Let Career Detours Be Inspirational

If your career path isn’t headed exactly how you planned it to, don’t get discouraged. Everyone will have detours in their career. Instead of looking at those detours negatively, view them as inspirational and work harder to get back on track. Revisit your executive resume biography as a reminder of where you are now and where you want to be in the future. When your path changes, look for ways to grow from it and make any adjustments you deem necessary.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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Always Look for Ways to Grow

One of the biggest sparks executives experience in their career is learning a new skill. Being able to add a new skill to your executive resume biography is motivating, so consider taking an advanced course or work on projects of your own in your free time. Now is the perfect time to take an online class or update that certification. The top resume writing services encourage people to step out of their comfort zone occasionally because it will lead to growth no matter what. Learning experiences are valuable for career growth, but you won’t experience any of them if you don’t take the first step forward.

 

Network with Like-Minded Experts

Networking can lead to many different opportunities and can be a big spark for your career. Simply talking with like-minded experts can give you new ideas on how to approach your career or certain projects to help you move forward. Be sure to have your LinkedIn profile updated, though, since you’ll likely want to reconnect with people you’ve met through the platform.

There are many reasons careers get stuck. If yours is, take the time to figure out why it’s stalled and where you want it to be in the future. Then set a plan of action to get there.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

                                                               FSC Career Blog |  May 22, 2020

#JobSearch : Déjà Vu All Over Again – Good News, Bad News for Employers and Job Seekers.

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I remember…  with trepidation … the market events in the fall of 2008 caused the real estate crash in 2009 and the resulting rise in unemployment with hundreds of thousands of workers losing their jobs. (I was one of them. As a HR director, I had to write my own layoff letter!)  The recent pandemic is not quite the same, but the impact is eerily similar and much worse for workers who are now unemployed. With luck, this time, the economy will swing back quickly once folks get back to their office or location work sites as cures, vaccines, and plasma infusions are deemed safe and made available to inoculate the general population.

When economic crisis upheavals create market impacts and job losses, it’s best to be prepared for the ‘what ifs?’

In 2009, the bad news was employers laid off, terminated, or furloughed workers with no known return-to-work date.  This was a crisis for the company and its workers. The events affected stability, growth, and/or revenue for the business, but also provided a unique opportunity to enrich the workforce and gain more valuable employees in the long run.  Companies initially targeted ‘slackers,’ ‘redundant,’ or unskilled (untrained) employees in the mass layoffs. Workers able to do the work of others had to cross-train, or who were more productive were more likely to be retained.

Use the lessons learned from the 2009 economic crash to preparing for the current pandemic-related crisis, and/or future events with equitable impact on worker’s careers.

Those laid off or terminated were often the workers with the lowest return on investment (ROI) for the business model.  Unfortunately, it was also a great opportunity to drop what the company determined were ‘troublemakers,’ ‘high maintenance employees,’ and those who had reached a salary ceiling for their job level.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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When the economy picked up again, the company had a choice of rehiring the furloughed workers. In some cases, companies found more productive replacements for the past terminated workers.  Some businesses chose to continue to pay unemployment taxes on furloughed workers and hired fresh employees to train to higher standards and productivity.  This may happen again in 2020. If fresh, new workers can provide a higher rate of productivity after training, the companies could turn a higher profit, faster, and decide not rehiring the furloughed workers is worth the business risk.

The good news is some workers ‘sent home’ during this pandemic event may not have been fired.  Companies recognized some work (telework) could continue if workers had the right equipment and access to work-related applications from home.  The scramble to set the employees up to work from home may result in long-term and increased ROI based on lower overhead costs. This event may help business leaders see the opportunity to keep workers, monitor productivity, and simultaneously reduce overhead costs by continuing to keep employees working at home.

It is bad news for the workers who are permanently laid off or furloughed. The economic crisis does provide opportunities for those who lost their jobs to go back to school, take more technical or trade training, and refresh their resume(s) for more practical or higher-level educational opportunities.

The good news is, even though the furloughed worker may have been highly productive, this is the perfect opportunity to use one’s advanced experience and skills to search for a new career position. Shop for that new job with companies who terminated the ‘redundant’ workers and are looking for that higher productivity employee.  When an employee is laid off it’s the perfect timing to refresh their resume to identify their strongest skills and their greatest weaknesses.

It is vital to showcase on the resume the job seeker’s achievements and accomplishments to document the metrics and capabilities of the worker in past and potentially future work environments.  Review the education section to decide when, where, and what to add to skill sets by taking online classes, going back to schools (colleges, universities – online courses where available), or targeting technical schools for updated trades training.

When economic crisis upheavals create market impacts and job losses, it’s best to be prepared for the ‘what ifs?’ in one’s career path.  Use the lessons learned from the 2009 economic crash to preparing for the current pandemic-related crisis, and/or future events with equitable impact on worker’s careers.  Keep updating one’s work skills, ensure your productivity at work is at its high level and makes a profit (or reduce overhead expenses) for your company. Continue to learn or take training in a variety of skills to make yourself non-expendable to your employer.  If you are not constantly improving yourself, you will not survive or do well in the worst-case economic scenarios of the future.

FSC Career Blog Author: Ms. Dawn Boyer, Ph.D., owner of D. Boyer Consulting in Hampton Roads and Richmond, VA – provides resume writing, and editing / publishing / print-on-demand consulting. Reach her at: Dawn.Boyer@me.com or visit her website at www.dboyerconsulting.com.

 

FSC Career Blog| April 14, 2020

Must Read: How To Make Career Decisions Without An Ounce Of Regret.

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These days, we have access to nearly unlimited resources, advice, and tools to help us plan our career paths.  Of course, that makes things pretty tricky, too.

Often, there are a seemingly infinite number of paths you could take or opportunities to pursue. How do you know what the right decision or direction is? There’s nothing taught in school about how to manage career decisions with confidence.

Because of this, we often make decisions based on the advice we get from others: bosses, colleagues, even well-meaning friends and family members. Or, we make them out of pressure or desperation, when we’re feeling the least confident and most unsure of the next step. 

This is a recipe for career regret. When you make decisions that aren’t right for you, you won’t be happy, and your work will likely suffer, too.

How, then, can you make decisions without regretting them?  The solution depends on doing the following six things:

1. Know Your Zone Of Genius

Your Zone of Genius provides two essential data points to great performance: your Genius and your Purpose. Your Genius is the kind of thinking or problem-solving you’re best at. Your Purpose is the impact on the world or others that’s most meaningful to you. Know this, and you can confidently determine whether or not a potential decision—like accepting a promotion or taking on a new role—is a great fit. If you can’t be challenged intellectually or fulfilled by the impact it has on others, then it’s a definite no.

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Build Your Confidence Muscle

Confidence can seem fairly elusive like it’s a trait that some people have and others simply don’t. First and foremost, forget that. After years of working with successful executives, I’m here to tell you: Everyone deals with confidence issues. It’s universal. However, it is absolutely possible to build up your confidence over time—and when you do so, it’ll be a whole lot easier to make those big decisions with ease.

Start by telling yourself every day that you appreciate and value yourself. This may sound hokey, but the way to rewire your brain is to re-write the messages you tell yourself. If you typically tell yourself negative things, then over-riding those messages with positive ones will start to make you feel different.

3. Seek Support Instead Of Advice

Advice is everywhere! And, more often than not, it’s based on what worked for that one person or situation. But just because it worked for someone else’s career path, doesn’t mean it’ll work for yours.

You need to filter advice through the lens of, “Does this make sense for me? Does this excite me?” If it doesn’t, discard it and move on—no matter who gave it to you. Instead, seek out people who will take the time to know who you are, understand what’s right for you, and support you in the process of figuring things out.

4. Be Clear About What You Want

Create a vision for yourself and your career. Where do you want to be in the next three years? What do you want to focus on, and what do you want to give up? What are the key goals you have? Make sure your vision is exciting and energizing for you to think about.

Once you have this vision in place, use it to help you make decisions. When facing new projects or opportunities, consider: Will this decision help you actualize your vision? If not then the answer is no; if so then it’s an easy yes.

5. Appreciate And Value Who You Are—Not Extrinsic Rewards 

This one is so important. If you don’t appreciate yourself, then you’re going to be more easily swayed by extrinsic rewards such as prestige, money, and perks. Because when you’re not happy or don’t love yourself, you need more external validation.

The reality is, external rewards will never do anything other than give you a small blip of joy, and then you’ll need another one right after. Appreciating and valuing yourself is more valuable than anything you can get. Make this a priority.

6. Resist Conformity

The urge to conform is powerful. We want to be a part of the group, and being an outsider can be painful. It’s instinctual to change who you are to fit in.

Resist this. It can be difficult, but ultimately if conforming means losing yourself or letting go of your values, don’t do it. The best decisions are made when you’re being absolutely true to who you are.

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Author: Laura Garnett

I am a performance strategist, Mother, TEDx speaker, and author of, “The Genius Habit”. I work with CEOs and executives to identify their unique genius and purpose an…

Forbes.com | January 15, 2020

#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer – 3 Ways to Help Your Career as a Stay-at-Home Parent.

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Some parents choose to stay home for many years to raise kids. Others do so because the cost of childcare would pretty much wipe out any income they’d earn from their jobs. If you’re a stay-at-home parent, chances are that you’d like to get back into the workforce someday, whether it’s in a couple of months or several years. But going from stay-at-home parent to employee is easier said than done, especially if you maintain the former schedule for many years in a row.

In fact, you’ll often hear that the longer you stay out of the workforce, the harder it’ll be to break back in. And in a recent survey from FlexJobs, more than 50 percent of stay-at-home parents took a longer break from the workforce than expected.

If you’re worried that a temporary or extended stint as a stay-at-home parent might wreck your chances of ever being employed again, here are a few things you can do to make yourself a more viable job candidate when you are ready to start working again.

1. Stay in Touch

It’s hard to push yourself to stay connected with former colleagues and professional associates when their days are all about meetings and deadlines, and your routine revolves around watching kids and tending to the many peripheral needs that come with them (think food prep and constant laundry). Still, it’s important to stay in touch with those people because they’re the ones you’ll likely want to reach out to when the time comes to get back into the workforce.

Therefore, set some reminders on your calendar to send sporadic emails or make an effort to meet up with your old co-workers or managers for lunch or dinner every five or six months. It’ll go a long way when you’re ready to ask for their assistance in getting yourself hired.

How to Network Your Way to a New Job – Through Email

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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2. Keep Boosting Your Skills

Keeping your skills current is one of the best things you can do to more easily find a job after taking an extended break from the workforce to raise kids. If you’re able to show prospective employers that you made an effort to stay on top of industry changes and rules, or that you took steps to avoid letting your skills lapse, it’ll send the message that you’re serious about your career and are capable of multitasking. (After all, it can’t be easy to do all of that while also caring for children.).

Continue reading up on industry trends and be sure to do what it takes to maintain your professional certifications. Doing so will most certainly be a nod in your favor down the line.

8 Certifications That Actually Impress Recruiters

3. Aim to Do a Little Work on the Side

There’s nothing like a glaring resume gap to lower your chances of getting hired after spending time as a stay-at-home parent. To avoid one, aim to do a little work on the side while you primarily focus on your kids, whether it’s freelancing in your former field or trying something new that you’ve always been interested in. Doing so will not only help your career, but bring in income at the same time.

There’s nothing wrong with taking time away from your career to focus on your family. But if you want to avoid issues breaking back into the workforce, be sure to make an effort to stay connected to your former colleagues, keep your skills updated and, if possible, do a small amount of work so you don’t have an absolute resume gap on your hands.

 

GlassDoor.com | | Posted by 

#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer – Do These Things to Stay Competitive in the Job Market.

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Between artificial intelligence, big data, machine learning, the Internet of Things, and more, many of today’s most cutting-edge technological advances are iterating at a dizzying pace. Add to that fears of automation and an upcoming recession, and employees are facing serious pressure to stay relevant in an ever-changing work environment. But what exactly is on the horizon, and how can you prepare for it now?

To find out, we turned to the winners of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work in 2019, some of the most innovative organizations out there today. Here’s what they said employees need to know–master these skills now, and you’re guaranteed to stand out above the rest.

SHARPEN YOUR DATA SKILLS

At this point, “data” has become a ubiquitous buzzword in the business world–but for good reason. Technological advances over the past couple of decades have provided companies with an unprecedented level of information, and even the most traditional companies are embracing it in order to make more strategic decisions.

“I’m seeing a few key trends continue and emerge as we look ahead to the new year, including the importance of being data-led. As a team, we’re leveraging our data to field new ideas and innovation and inform decisions,” said Rick Jensen, senior vice president, People & Places at Intuit.

“Developing digital skills is more important than ever,” agreed Kevin Peesker, Microsoft Canada president. “I am not speaking about coders or programmers–the shift is every role being impacted by digital, and possessing an awareness of technical and data-infused possibility will be fundamental to making an impact.”

Data proficiency means more than just glancing at numbers and drawing a conclusion, though. Matin Movassate, CEO of data analytics firm Heap, points out that today’s employees need to be able to determine whether or not their data is reliable.

“This grand, AI-driven future can’t happen without a complete, trustworthy dataset,” Movassate said. “So if prospective data engineers, data analysts, data scientists, and business intelligence leaders can maintain a maniacal focus on the completeness and quality of their data, they’ll be well-prepared for anything the future has in store.”

 

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What Skill Sets do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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COMMIT TO CONTINUOUS LEARNING

Data interpretation/analysis is certainly one skill that will be essential to the future, but with how rapidly technology is evolving, today’s workers need to stay abreast of as many cutting-edge areas as possible. After all, any one of them could completely rewrite the rules of work.

“If you think about certain roles today–cognitive data scientist, machine learning engineer–many of those roles didn’t exist 10 years ago, and not only did they not exist, we hadn’t even imagined what they could be. We believe it will be the same 10 years from now,” Peesker said.

A few trends to stay on top of in particular include “SaaS, cloud computing, mobile, user experience, AI, and machine learning,” shared Aron Ain, CEO of HR technology company Kronos Incorporated.

“New ways of working will include more design thinking and working in an agile environment. The rapid development and creative application of new technologies will be applied across the business spectrum, from blockchain to supply chain,” added Manny Maceda, worldwide managing partner at Bain & Company. “Job seekers can prepare by committing to ongoing, self-directed learning.”

Not sure where to start? Subscribing to publications that delve into these topics is always a good idea–a quick Google search should yield plenty of results–as is exploring relevant courses on online platforms like Coursera, edX and Udacity.

DEMONSTRATE ADAPTABILITY

With all of the rapid innovation occurring today, it’s critical that workers are able to keep up the pace when the inevitable changes occur.

“Technology is changing at a breathtaking pace, both with the products we develop and offer, as well as the products we use to run our business. We remain deeply focused on embracing new technology, innovating in all areas, breaking what is not broken to make it better, [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][learning] from our competitors as a means to improve, and on and on,” Ain said. “We’re not only going to be part of the future of work–we’re focused on helping to shape it.”

This breakneck speed isn’t just limited to technology companies, though. Other industries, like aviation, have adopted a nimble mind-set as well.

“To be successful in [the aviation] industry, one must be agile and able to manage large volumes of change,” explained Greg Muccio, director of people at Southwest Airlines. “There are many variables that are outside of our control that impact our operations, so there is more pressure to adapt. Change is constant in the airline industry.”

PUT CUSTOMERS FIRST

It might seem counterintuitive, but as technology continues to revolutionize the way we work, a human-centered approach becomes increasingly important. That’s why Intuit puts such an emphasis on what they call “customer obsession.”

“Intuit was customer-obsessed before it was popular, but we’re continuing to hire for, and teach, capabilities that fall in love with the customer problem–not the solution. We want and need all of our employees to really fall in love with the problem in order to best solve it,” Jensen shared. “Diversity of thought, background, and craft will help us move the needle on solving problems for our customers quickly.”

Human connection is especially crucial in industries like healthcare, where positive patient-provider relationships are key to favorable outcomes.

“At the end of the day, healthcare candidates must be able to stay connected to the human side of research and patient care. Approaching patients with care and compassion are traits that technology can never replace,” said Dana Bottenfield, VP of human resources at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH COLLEAGUES

A people-centric approach isn’t just for those outside of your organization, however.

“Successful job seekers need to have a balance of strong subject matter expertise with a focus on getting results through teamwork,” Bottenfield explained.

“Job seekers need to be comfortable working collaboratively with a broader range of people–data scientists, software developers, and design thinkers–to deliver results,” Maceda elaborated. “The new norm is being able to work in new ways and with a more diverse set of talent.”

And as companies grow larger and more complex, maintaining this connection–no matter your location–is imperative.

“As companies continue to move to platforms with more interdependencies across the entire organization, top talent needs the ability to work seamlessly across the organization,” Jensen added.

The key to doing that? Trust, Ain said.

“Technologies like our own are empowering employees to work their way, from anytime, anywhere. Trust is a two-way street, one that’s earned through transparency, reliability, communication, and performance. This world of flexibility can be wonderful–and trust is key to making it work.”

 

FastCompany.com | January 24, 2019 | BY EMILY MOORE—5 MINUTE READ

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