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Your #Career : This Common Mind-Set is Killing your #JobSearch …Are you Considering a #CareerChange ? We Feel for You! The Right Attitude can Go a Long Way.

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It can be tough to realize that the role or field you’ve dedicated years of your life to isn’t working out. So tough that you start wondering how you’ll ever make a change and maybe even develop the discouraging sense that you can’t make the change yourself–that if you’re going to have any chance at all, it’s up to someone else to give you a lucky break.

If you find yourself feeling insecure about your prospects for a new job and starting to think you need a hiring manager or recruiter to “take a chance on you,” it’s time to check your attitude. Wanting a lucky break might seem like an innocent enough idea, but in reality, it does a great disservice to you, your prospective employer, and your job hunt. Here’s why:

WHERE DOES THIS IDEA COME FROM?

The origin of this idea could be that grandparent’s story we’ve all heard about showing up in the office and being so persistent that, despite a lack of work experience and a naive approach to business, they got the job. Another source might be the despair that comes with a career change–we doubt ourselves, our decisions and our ability to do something new, so we put the pressure on someone else to make it happen.

Related: Job-searching? Skip the job boards and take these five steps instead

WHY IS THIS IDEA UNHEALTHY?

First, this attitude dismisses all of your skills and qualifications and removes your power from the situation. Instead of being a smart, talented candidate, you’re acting as if you’re unqualified, desperate, and in need of a favor. Not only is that a damaging way to think about your own career, but–outside of a lot of pressure from mutual connections–no hiring managerin their right mind would consider you a front-runner for the job.

Second, and most important to your case, this attitude kicks off a professional relationship by expecting someone else to put their necks on the line for you. It sets up hiring managers as cruel gatekeepers to your dreams who just need to have mercy on you; and if they don’t, it’s not your fault–they’re just mean.

In reality, hiring managers are honest people trying to do their jobs. When they read your resume, they’re thinking, “Does it make sense for me to hire this person for this job?” and, “Am I reasonably certain they can perform this job with the regular amount of training?” If the answer isn’t an obvious yes, they could get in trouble for hiring you, and it could have serious consequences for them!

Wherever we get the idea that “we just need someone to give us a chance,” it’s important to understand that job-hunting has changed over the past 10 years. It’s no longer difficult for employers to find candidates with bachelor’s degrees and industry intern experience, so they rarely need to resort to hiring an unknown entity or sit poring over a resume trying to figure out how your skills can work for them.

Related:5 books to read before you start your job search 

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WHAT SHOULD YOU THINK ABOUT INSTEAD?

Remove the idea of getting a lucky break or a once-in-a-lifetime chance from your mind. Turn your attention towards things that you actually have control over: a compelling cover letter that explains the passion and careful thought behind your career change and a resume highlighting the transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job you want. Make it your goal to show hiring managers and recruiters that they aren’t taking a chance on you; they’re making a hiring decision that will bring new insights, skills and talents to the role they’re looking to fill.

When you find yourself standing at the beginning of a career change journey, it’s natural to feel intimidated. But keep in mind that you’re not alone. While this might be your first career change, others have gone before you and made the leap with great success and still more have made significant pivots in their career that add up to big changes, too. Surround yourself with a support network, tap into the resources here on Glassdoor, and take a chance on yourself!

 

BY SARAH GREESONBACH  | GLASSDOOR | May 16, 2018 | 3 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : These Are The Smartest Decisions I’ve Made For My Career…From #SwitchingCareers to Finding Ways to Add Value to their #Employers , Three Writers from The Motley Fool Shared some of the Biggest Lessons they’ve Learned During their Working Lives.

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A surprisingly high number of Americans are unhappy with their work; some estimates are that more than half of us don’t like our jobs. And while there are always things we have no control over, none of us should feel completely powerless. There are almost certainly things you can do to put yourself in a better situation.

Not sure where to start? Three Motley Fool writers who have lived it offer their experiences below, describing what they say was the best thing they each did for their career, ranging from the bold (completely changing jobs and industries) to the nuanced (taking action to be a more valuable employee). Keep reading below for valuable insight that could help you figure out how to improve your career.

Related:I Changed Careers Repeatedly In My 20s–Here’s What It Taught Me 

 

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I TOOK A BIG CHANCE

In the early years of my working life, my goal was to be a professor or teacher. I started a PhD program, and after a year decided that a PhD and college teaching weren’t for me. I switched gears and became a high school teacher instead. I might have stuck with that, but budget cuts forced me to look for other work, and I ended up getting an MBA, with the goal of switching into a lucrative and satisfying career.

The MBA led to better-paying work, but it wasn’t terribly satisfying. I was soon presented with an intriguing opportunity, though–working as a writer and editor for a very new and small company called The Motley Fool. The prospect of it was exciting, as I’d always liked writing, and the fare I would produce for the Fool would even be educational, scratching my teaching itch. One big downside, however, was the pay–along with the fact that it was a small startup and wouldn’t necessarily be around in five or 10 years.

I took the chance and have not regretted it. Yes, I started out earning much less than I had been, but the company grew and grew, and within a number of years, I was earning more than many writers make. Not every job seeker can afford to take a big pay cut, but if you’re presented with an exciting opportunitythat has one or two drawbacks, give it some serious consideration. If I’d just stuck with typical MBA-type jobs, I don’t think I’d be enjoying my career as much.—Selena Maranjian

Related:My Family Doesn’t Approve Of My Career: Now What? 

I CHANGED MY CAREER COMPLETELY

I landed a job at a hedge fund straight out of college, and while the pay was great, the environment was not. I hated being surrounded by greedy traders who were only interested in making money, and toxic coworkers who were constantly rude to me. But I stayed on for quite some time, not just for the money, but because it was something impressive to put on my resume.

Eventually, however, my unhappiness at work began to impact other aspects of my life, and so with my then-boyfriend/now-husband’s encouragement, I gave my two weeks’ notice to pursue a writing career. It was a risky move, to say the least. Writing isn’t exactly known to be a lucrative profession, and giving up a steady paycheck and health benefits for the unknowns of the gig economy was easier said than done. But once I started writing professionally, I became more content, even though it did mean a pay cut and some lifestyle changes as a result.

So there you have it: The best thing I ever did for my career was to change it completely. I now write full-time, and I’ve never been happier.—Maurie Backman

I MADE MYSELF MORE VALUABLE

In a prior career, I struggled for some time with the fact that I wasn’t particularly happy with my job. And I wasn’t unique: As Maurie wrote last year, more than half of us are dissatisfied with our work. And this dissatisfaction can be due to a litany of things, including pay, benefits, paid time off, opportunity–or lack thereof–for advancement, and satisfaction with the work itself.

For me, it was primarily a lack of satisfaction with the work, and I was letting it affect my job performance. That was further limiting my ability to improve my situation. I wasn’t exactly putting myself at risk of getting fired, but I wasn’t doing myself any favors, either–especially if I wanted to get out of that job and into something that was more rewarding.

So I put on my big-boy pants and started acting like a professional. This included sitting down and making a list of the pros and cons of my job, as well as what steps I could take to improve my situation. I realized that if I didn’t commit myself to being a better employee and partner, I was giving my employer little reason to consider me for career advancement. I also realized that I needed to gain certain skills if I wanted to move up.

By committing myself to the job and investing in my skills, I improved my work performance and earned a promotion into a role that was more fulfilling (and also financially rewarding). While I would eventually leave that industry to pursue a writing career (following Maurie’s suggestion above), my decision and actions to improve my skills and performance paid off in spades for years.—Jason Hall

FastCompany.com | April 25, 2018 | BY THE MOTLEY FOOL 4 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : How To Tell The Difference Between A Career Pivot And A Distraction…When you’re Unhappy at Work, Quitting for Something Else can be Tempting. But here’s How to Tell If you’re Chasing a Rabbit or Heading Down the Right Path.

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Rather than look for a new job, Chon put her energy into volunteering at Dawg Squad, a Los Angeles rescue organization, taking head shots of dogs to help them get adopted. The photos became so popular that pet owners asked Chon to photograph their dogs, and eventually ad agencies sought out her work, too.

Chon soon realized that her side hustle wasn’t just a distraction from her full-time job, but an opportunity for a purpose-driven career pivot into pet photography. “I realized I was at a crossroads when I started have to turn down opportunities because I had a day job,” Chon says. “I started to think, What would happen if I could put 100% of my attention into this side business?”

BE INTENTIONAL

What makes Chon’s experience a successful pivot is she deliberately moved toward something, not away from something, says Alison Cardy, career coach and author of Career Grease: How to Get Unstuck and Pivot Your Career.  When you only focus on moving away from something, such as a job you don’t like or career that doesn’t satisfy you, you’re more likely to jump into something that is familiar and feels secure, such as going back to school or starting a business, and that can be a big distraction, Cardy says.

It’s important to take time to understand what you want from your career, and to consider whether you know what you want to do, or if you’re feeling stymied. “If you know what you want, by all means, go for it,” Cardy says. “But if you’re feeling stuck or confused, that is a good signal that it would be helpful to bring in some support.” But, she says, if you seek assistance from a career coach, be sure he or she specializes in helping people figure out what they want to do, not the just how to navigate the nuts and bolts of a job search, because if you don’t know where you are going, all that information won’t be helpful.

 

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APPLY REVERSE ENGINEERING

We often confuse passion and purpose, says Melissa Bradley, managing director of Project 500. “You might be passionate about something, but will it get you to your goal?” she asks. And what exactly is your goal? Rather than using an activity to determine your goal, Bradley recommends using metrics to define what will change externally when you reach your goal. Bradley started her career working with low-income families in Washington, D.C., and transitioned into policy work but found she couldn’t make as large of an impact on bringing equity and equality to people of color. “Policy work was a distraction,” she admits, noting she is back to working directly with community members. She helps them receive the training and support they need to advance their businesses and improve their communities.

STAY LASER FOCUSED

Distractions are all around us, and it’s easy to follow a job opportunity that looks or sounds good down a rabbit trail, even when it’s not the right fit for us, says Robb Holman, founder and CEO of Holman International and author of Lead the Way. “You want to make the best career decision that is the most efficient and effective use of your time,” he says. Before pursuing a new opportunity, he recommends asking these five questions:

1. Does it help me achieve my priorities?
2. How much time and effort will this take?
3. Will it help me to gain new skills or improve existing skills?
4. Will this opportunity evolve into something I truly want to do?
5. What is the short-term and long-term payoff?

If your answers to these questions aren’t all positive, it might be best to let that opportunity pass, he says.

DISTRACTIONS AREN’T ALL BAD

Don’t discount every distraction, warns Tracey Adams, PhD, founder of ThriveOn Seminars. “Career development isn’t linear anymore,” she says. “You don’t move up, you move to different organizations.” If you’re unsure about your next career move, Adams recommends asking yourself what brought you joy to do as a child.

For instance, when Nerea Gibson, a molecular biologist working in the biotech industry, found she couldn’t get into a PhD program, she went back to an early interest, fashion design, and started designing wallets and bags as a respite from everything else in her life. Gibson decided to leave her full-time job when she realized she was putting equal amounts of energy into her design work as her full-time job. “The passion, design, and potential were too great for me to ignore,” Gibson says. She started her company Aeren Waters last year and was invited to present her designs at London Fashion Week last fall.

We can label distractions as bad, or we can label them as getting more information about who we are today, says Adams.

 

 

FastCompany.com | March 27, 2018 | BY LISA RABASCA ROEPE 4 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : Three Ways You’re Self-Sabotaging Your Next Career Move And How to Stop…Be Honest with Yourself, you Know you’re Ready for a #CareerChange, so Why Haven’t you Taken the Next Step? What’s Stopping you From Moving Forward?

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You can have clarity. You can have a 5-year plan plastered to your mirror. You can know exactly what you want to do and when. You can have a Rolodex of contacts and know the best people in your industry.

But, if you’re holding onto your fear of fill-in-the-blank, you’re probably self-sabotaging your career more than you realize.

Be honest with yourself, you know you’re ready for a career change, so why haven’t you taken the next step? What’s stopping you from moving forward?

It’s not that your resume isn’t as perfect as you’d like it to be, nor is it that you don’t know how to market yourself for your next position. Though those are plausible burdens, it’s much deeper than that.

Here are three subtle fears that are causing you to sabotage your next career move.

You Fear Getting Rejected

You might be struggling with this, if the question, “Why would they hire me?” has stopped you from applying for job openings that excites you, or if the thought of not getting a response back has stopped you from setting up informational interviews with people you’d love to meet.

Granted you might not want to shoot your shot at a position that requires 10 years of experience if you’re barely on the cusp of year two. But, the fear that you might not be good enough is normal. And, plaguing yourself with what I call the “Out of My League Syndrome,” simply because something is different or new, isn’t the most effective way to land the job of your dreams.

In a perfect world, we would ask whoever we want for whatever we want, and we would receive a, “Yes, absolutely,” every time. But, in our imperfect world, no one is free from rejection. It happens to all of us. It’s inevitable, so embrace it. Understand that it’s a necessary evil to achieve success and learn to see rejection as redirection, rather than a setback.

Rejection always leaves you with two options: you either let rejection defeat you or you regroup and keep going. But, don’t count yourself out before you try.

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You Fear Treading in Uncharted Waters

If you have a job that looks good on paper or if you’ve outgrown your current position but feel pretty comfortable in your career, the fear of uncertainty probably has kicked in more than you’ve noticed in your job hunt. Deep down, you don’t completely like the idea that you’re moving from familiar ground into unknown territory.

If you’ve had thoughts like, “What if I get a job and I don’t like it as much, or what if I don’t get paid as much?” Then, you’re a member of this club. When it comes to landing a new job, you’ve probably put in less effort than you’re willing to admit to yourself. Rather than dedicate intentional time to discovering the next best career move, you might coast through your job search, soothing yourself with excuses like, “I just don’t have enough time.”

Unfortunately for you, your lack of consistency and momentum is holding you back from making the career change you so desire. Your first step is to acknowledge that you feel this way. Then, accept that all you can do is put your best foot forward, and repeat, one step at a time. Do your research and talk to as many people as you can before jumping into your next position to ensure it’s the right fit for you.

If that’s not enough and if you want to get as much guidance as possible to safeguard you from making a wrong turn, get a career coach. Career coaching helps you fill the gap between where you are and where you want to be in your career, with a concrete step by step system to help get you there. Find a career coach that understands your needs and who can steer you in the best direction.

You Fear Failing

This is one I used to struggle with, and you can blame growing up in a Nigerian household for this one. Growing up, I was told failure is not an option and success is not a choice. Success is a requirement. So, as you can imagine, that created an insurmountable amount of pressure.

If you’ve ever felt like, “What if I do all this work to get a new job and I fail? What if it doesn’t work out?” Welcome to the party. That fear of failure, probably has you applying to 30 jobs a week, sending off your resume to all who cares to listen just so you can end up somewhere and deem yourself successful. But that isn’t the best approach. It’s impossible to show that you’re the best candidate for every position you desire when you aimlessly apply to that many jobs at once.

Be selective in your approach, and take your time. Don’t let the fear of failure rush you into something that won’t ultimately make you happy.

More importantly, don’t let the fear of failure keep you stagnant either. Failure, like rejection, is inevitable. At some point, you will fail. But, the faster you fail, the closer you get to success.

So, whenever you start to feel these subtle fears creep up your shoulder, ask yourself two questions: First, “Do I honestly like where I’m at now?” And, secondly, “What is the worst that can happen if I move forward in this direction?” If the worst that can happen is better than where you are right now, get out of your comfort zone and take the risk.

Adunola Adeshola coaches young professionals to get unstuck in their careers and land jobs they’ll love. She’s also the founder of employeeREDEFINED.com, a career site for millennials who secretly feel stuck in their careers.

 

Forbes.com | February 15, 2018 | Adunola Adeshola ,  WOMEN@FORBES

Your #Career : Using Intuition – Those ‘Gut Feelings’ – To Help Navigate #CareerChoices …The Challenge is That we are Often so Used to #MakingDecisions with our Conscious Mind – Using Logic & Rationality – That we can Easily Dismiss or Miss this Other Source of Crucial Information.

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I once was in an interview process for a job I thought I really wanted. Deep down though I had a feeling that maybe it wasn’t the right job for me. Something just felt off. But I didn’t listen. Instead, I learned the hard way that those small inner nudges and gut feelings we have – they really do know what’s up. And (sometimes at least) we’d really benefit from listening to them.

Collectively, I would call these feelings, inner sense, or nudges our intuition. Accessing our intuition is particularly helpful in situations where our rational/logical mind can craft seemingly well-reasoned, good cases for either side of an argument or for multiple different choices and we’re left feeling confused and unsure. This happens both in navigating major decisions in our career and day-to-day at work. Tapping into the wisdom of our intuition can provide additional insight to take into consideration and help us make the choice at hand.

The challenge is that we are often so used to making decisions with our conscious mind – using logic and rationality – that we can easily dismiss or miss this other source of crucial information.

So, how can we cultivate being more in touch with our intuition?

 Reduce Stress

We can’t hear the signals from our intuition when we are stressed. When we are too stressed our body is in survival mode and the only signal it’s sending is to get out of this situation. So reducing stress levels is a primary first step in being able to tune into our intuition. Perhaps you’re thinking that reducing your stress is easier said than done, but even just taking a few slow breaths to calm your nervous system can help you tune in. My next point can also help lower stress levels.

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Meditate

The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program developed by Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn at the University of Massachusetts Medical School teaches that through meditation we can gain greater awareness of our thoughts. And while we can’t stop our thoughts, meditation can lessen our natural tendency to identify with, believe, or get hooked by them. In my experience, meditation creates space for us to see and feel things more clearly – the space we need to tune out those arguments spinning in our mind and tune in to our genuine selves.

So, if you’re not already a meditator, give it a try. Headspace is an app with some fantastic introductory 10-minute meditations. It doesn’t have to be a lot of meditation time to start being able to tune in. After you’ve experienced the mental space and peace meditation can bring, you can try to access that when you’re in a situation where your mind is chattering away when you’re trying to make a choice.

TWEET THIS

Try listening to your intuition and see what happens when you take its cue!

A great way to start getting familiar with your intuition is to start small with “low risk” decisions at work or at home. Maybe as simple as deciding where to take the team for lunch, or what movie to watch with your partner. When a decision point arises, try to tune in, then take the option your intuition is telling you. Observe the result. This builds your muscle for tuning in and builds your experience in taking the actions it suggests. As you experiment you can reflect and fine-tune your ability to read yourself and build more confidence in the information your intuition provides. Over time you can begin to use it for choices that feel more “risky.”

Imagine yourself in future scenarios and observe

When you’re struggling to make a decision, imagine yourself having already made the decision to do X. For example, imagine you’ve already accepted the job (ex. you have the salary, the title, you’ve been at the desk with the window view for 3 months). Now, in this future hypothetical reality, how do you feel? Do this again for each option (ex. with the option of not accepting the job, or accepting a different job). Try to find the option that once taken feels the best.

My life coach mentor and teacher, Martha Beck, calls this kind of technique using your “body compass.” Note: just be aware of fear tripping you up. You can still take an action that feels good and is what you really want, but also have it be a bit scary – fear is often a normal part of stepping outside of your comfort zone or trying something new.

With all of this I’m certainly not saying we shouldn’t listen to our mind and logic when making decisions. But, sometimes our intuition can have a lot of helpful information to add to our decision-making process. And I for one on many past occasions in my professional life wished I had checked in and listened to it more.

 —

Note: I have completed the Martha Beck life coach training program 

This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. It is to be used at your own risk based on your own judgment.

Please follow me to get notified of my latest writing.

And to learn more about my career coaching services for young professionals click here. I’d love to help you!

Forbes.com | February 13, 2018 | Sara Young Wang ,  WOMEN@FORBES .. 

I’m a #careercoach focused on helping you find happiness at work Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

#Leadership : How To #FindAJob That Keeps You Happy In The Long Term…Looking for a #NewJob Takes Time & Energy, so Be Sure you Know What you Want Before you Even Start the Process.

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If you’re thinking about jumping ship this year, you’re not alone. According to a new survey from Glassdoor, 35% of recruiters, HR professionals, and hiring managers anticipate that more employees will leave their companies within the next 12 months.

While finding another job is often an important catalyst for positive change, let’s be honest: The process itself is not exactly anyone’s idea of a good time. Between resume and cover letter drafting, interviewing and negotiating salary, job seeking can be time-consuming, stressful and draining–so ideally, you want to go through that process as few times as possible.

The key to accomplishing that, of course, is finding a job that you’ll be happy with for years to come. But how exactly do you find that?

Related: How To Advance Your Career In A Crappy Entry-Level Job

The answer, hiring decision makers believe, is to inform yourself as much as possible during the job search. So the next time you find yourself seeking out a new position, make sure to take the following steps.

 

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FIND JOBS THAT ALIGN WITH YOUR SALARY EXPECTATIONS

Nearly half of the those surveyed (45%) said that the primary motivating factor for employees’ departure was salary, and over one third (37%) believed that employees would be significantly more likely to stay on for longer if they were more informed about salary during the interview process. After all, if you accept a role that satisfies your pay requirements, you won’t have to seek a better-paying job elsewhere.

To provide job seekers with increased transparency, Glassdoor now includes salary estimates on about 52% of U.S. job listings, with that number expected to grow in the future. By looking at these estimates, you can quickly and easily screen out positions that don’t meet your salary needs, saving you valuable time and improving the odds of securing the salary you deserve. Not quite sure what you should be aiming for? Try Glassdoor’s Know Your Worth™ tool to get a free, personalized estimate of what you should be making.

MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ROOM FOR GROWTH

Besides salary, career advancement opportunities were the second biggest reason that hiring professionals believed employees were leaving. It’s easy to fixate on the present when you’re looking for a new job, but if you want to stay at a company for years to come, that short-sighted thinking is not enough. Eventually, you’ll probably want to move up in your career, whether that means a more senior title, bigger paycheck or additional responsibilities. A few signs that the company you’re looking at will help support your future growth? Clear paths to promotion, training, career development programs and formal mentorship opportunities.

Related:Your Company Needs An In-House Career Coach, Not Another Training Program 

EVALUATE THE BENEFITS PACKAGE

Another major reason employees leave their current positions, survey participants said, was to seek better benefits. It makes sense–after all, salary isn’t everything. Besides your take-home pay, perks and benefits are also core components of your total compensation. A company with incredible benefits like premium-free health coverage, parental leave, and generous paid vacation time may end up saving you more money in the long run than one with higher starting salaries. Alternatively, you might just be willing to accept a lower salary in exchange for a particularly enticing perk. For example, plenty of folks have no problem making a little less if it means that they get to work from home.

Related:Could Paying Top Dollar For Staff Be Worse For The Labor Market? 

GET THE SCOOP ON LOCALE

The last key reason survey participants said employees chose to look elsewhere for employment? Location. If you’re excited enough for an opportunity, a 45-minute commute one way may seem like no big deal–but after the honeymoon period ends, you might not feel the same way. When you receive a job offer, carefully consider where the position is located. Would you have a quick and easy commute? Is it close to public transportation? Would you have to move, leaving your friends and family behind? Some of these factors will undoubtedly matter to you more than others, but it’s still worth taking a good, hard look at the whole picture–you don’t want to commit to a job only to regret your choice six months later.

The bottom line: Well-informed job seekers make for happier employees. Before you even accept an offer–or perhaps before you even apply–figure out what matters the most to you and see how the company you’re considering stacks up. Not only will this help you narrow down the number of applications you send out–it will help ensure long-term career satisfaction.

 

FastCompany.com | January 18, 2018 | BY EMILY MOORE—GLASSDOOR 3 MINUTE READ

Your #Career : 5 Ways To Know It’s Time To Quit Your Job…Being Unhappy at Work is the Worst. That’s No Way to Spend the Day. If that Sounds Like You Maybe it’s Time you Look for a New Opportunity & Quit your Job.

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If you want to look for a new opportunity hit up your network of friends in real life and connections on social media.  If you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet now is the perfect time to create one.  Just remember that before you quit your job figure out what your next step is because life without a paycheck can be scary.  

Free- Bubble in Air Sunset

If the sound of your alarm clock sets you into snooze mode…and you really don’t care that it’s after 9 am and you’re still in bed take a minute and ask yourself why.  Maybe it’s because you’re not a morning person, maybe it’s because everyone can use an extra 15 minutes of sleep or maybe it’s because you want to quit your job.

Being unhappy at work is the worst.  It makes the days long and has you impatiently waiting for 5 p.m.  That’s no way to spend the day.  If that sounds like you maybe it’s time you look for a new opportunity and quit your job.

Here are some tell tale signs it’s time to quit your job:

You Don’t Give 110%

If you’re used to giving your all every single day at work then giving anything less than a perfect performance probably makes you feel really bad about yourself.  Once your will to work hard is gone it’s hard to get it back.  A change of scenery may be just what you need to get your groove back.

 

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You’re Not Interested In What’s Coming Next

If your job has become just about the paycheck you probably need to quit.  We all work because we need money, but it’s important to have something to look forward to.  If you don’t picture yourself at your job in three or six months then it’s time to find a new opportunity.

Goals Don’t include Working Towards A Promotion

Staying motivated and working towards the next best thing is an important part of advancing your career.  If you don’t see a future for yourself at your current workplace it’s time to find a place where you will want to be better, learn new skills and move up the ladder.

Not Satisfied

If you find yourself doing your own thing on the side it may be time to turn that into a full time job and go into business for yourself.  Ask yourself why youstarted a side hustle.  Maybe it’s becuase you wanted to learn a new skill, maybe it’s because you need extra money or maybe it’s because it’s time to quit your job.

You’re Not Interested In Making Friends At Work

Workplace culture is so important because we spend eight hours – sometimes more – with our co-workers.  If you find yourself sitting alone at lunch and not enjoying the social aspect of your job it may be time to move on to bigger and better things.  Try to keep a positive attitude because negativity is noticed and you don’t want to be asked to leave.  If you want to go it’s better that it’s on your own terms.

If you want to look for a new opportunity hit up your network of friends in real life and connections on social media.  If you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet now is the perfect time to create one.  Just remember that before you quit your job figure out what your next step is because life without a paycheck can be scary.

Forbes.com | May 29, 2016 | Ginger Dean 

Your #Career : Is Your Job Doomed By Technology?…Is Any Job Safe? The Answer is No. It’s Something We’re All Going to Deal With. However,That’s Not the Right Question. The Real Question is: How Will You & Your Field Adapt to Technology?

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At the Milken Institute Global Conference I’m attending in Los Angeles this week, brilliant minds are debating some of the most important topics affecting society, from prospects for global markets to “the promise of the cancer moonshot.” One I went to yesterday was a doozy: “Jobs and Technology: Is Any Job Truly Safe?”

Free- Bench on a Lonely Beach

“Is any job safe? The answer is no,” moderator and self-employed journalist Dennis Kneale said opening the session, after noting he lost his Fox Business Network job two years ago. “I found the media had almost no jobs and no growth. What happened to me is coming to you guys next and every sector everywhere maybe. ”

But when the panelists were asked whether any job was truly safe, they said… That’s not the right question. The real question, according to the panelists, is: How will you and your field adapt to technology?

How Jobs Have Changed and Will Change

Wendy MacLennan, 54, knows that first hand, as a fantastic story about her by Sue Shellenbarger in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal (“An Engineer Returns to Work After Years at Home With the Children”) explained.

MacLennan had been a car designer at GM and Ford before taking 24 years off to raise her four children and teach at a home-schooling co-op. She was rehired at Ford in 2014 as a systems engineer and project manager designing hybrid vehicles. Because technology had changed so much, the new job, she told the Journal, “was way harder than I thought.” She described it as “like being dropped off in a land where you don’t speak the language.”

Goodbye overhead projectors, MacLennan found; hello virtual-meeting software. And the paper drawings she used to do had been replaced by computer-assisted design software. But MacLennan didn’t give up and neither did Ford, which gave her hours of online training and courses. Recently, the Journal said, MacLennan was named Employee of the Month in her 600-person department.

That story had a happy ending. But will yours? And what about other American workers?

Three of the panelists were hopeful, though hardly giddy — Alan Krueger, a Princeton economics professor and former chairman of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisors; Michael Chui, a partner at McKinsey Global Institute; and Kate Mitchell, co-founder and partner of the Scale Venture Partners venture capital firm.

One — Martin Ford, an entrepreneur and author of Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future — was more downbeat, though not fatalistic.

 

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Pessimistic About Jobs, But Not Society

Ford, described by Kneale as “the most pessimistic on the panel,” said: “I am pessimistic specifically about the future of jobs over the long run, but not over the future of society or the economy.” Ford added: “A huge number of jobs, especially routine, predictable ones across the board in industries and occupations and skill levels will be susceptible to automation. Machines are encroaching on the fundamental capability that sets humans apart.”

(More: How to Future-Proof Yourself at Work)

Mitchell, a fan of the growing “gig economy,” disagreed. “I don’t think we’re doomed. Is any existing job truly safe? We all need to be concerned,” she said.

But, Mitchell added, “the National Association of Manufacturers says there are 600,000 jobs going wanting due to a lack of people who can handle the skills of those manufacturing jobs.” In other words: yes, there will be dislocations, but there’ll also be opportunities.

Technology Will Increase, Not Eliminate, Jobs

And, she said emphatically: “Is the goal of technology to eliminate jobs? Absolutely not. What technology can do is increase jobs.”

However, she added, workers need to tech up. “Eight of 10 jobs today require digital literacy,” said Mitchell. “Computer science and data analytics have replaced English as the language people need to know around the world.”

Chui said McKinsey looked at more than 900 occupations and determined that “less than 5 percent of occupations can be fully automated, but 45 percent of activities can be adapted by technologies.”

Krueger conceded that “the nature of work is changing dramatically.” What technology has done, he said, “is, along with globalization, diminish demand for workers with a low level of skills.” But, he noted, “throughout history we have always feared that technology will replace jobs.”

The Jobs We Don’t Know About Yet

Then he presented a stunning, encouraging statistic: “I did a project looking at job growth from the mid 1960s to 2005 and found that the vast majority of job growth came from jobs that hadn’t been invented yet in 1965.” With a nod toThe Graduate, Krueger said, “plastics” jobs grew below average. Job growth, he concluded, “is very difficult to predict.”

Mitchell underscored Krueger’s point about hot jobs being “new” types of jobs by noting that computer scientist is now the most popular job in Colorado, Utah, Virginia and Washington.

Krueger also noted that the Uberization of the economy has invented and ballooned the number of contractor jobs — what he calls “alternative work” — that didn’t exist a few years ago. Citing his research that appeared in The Wall Street Journal in March, since 2005, the number of workers in “alternative arrangements” has risen to nearly 16 percent of the workforce, up from 10 percent a decade ago. “All of the net job growth form 2005 to 2015 is accounted for by growth in alternative work,” he said.

Indeed, the number of UberX drivers — they’re the ones who drive their own, standard cars — has doubled every six months for the last four years, Krueger noted.

But, Ford responded, independent contractor work is not “reliable income”and doesn’t provide fringe benefits in many cases. “Technology enables all this freelance work and the gig economy. It may be just the fist step heading to full automation,” he said. ”Uber is investing very heavily in building self-driving cars.”

Forbes.com | May 4, 2016 | Next Avenue

 

 

Your #Career : 10 Signs You’ve Stayed at Your Job Too Long…So How Do you Know it’s Time to Move On & Try Something New?

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According to Business Insider, the average person spends 90,000 hours at work in their lifetime. Since work comprises most of our lives, it is critical that you spend time at the right company, pursuing the right opportunities. Among so-called middle-class wage earners, work is glorified. People vie to be the first in and the last out of the office or laboratory in order to prove their dedication (The Harvard Business Journal).

Free- Man at Desktop at Night

Americans don’t just spend physical hours at work. Work also composes our mental energy even when not in the office; stressing, reminiscing highlights, reflecting, or replaying exchanges with our bosses and co-workers.

So how do you know it’s time to move on and try something new?

  1. You dread getting out of bed in the morning

There are times when we simply just don’t want to go to work. But when the thought of going to work is filled with loathing, or you are constantly convincing yourself that you are just having a bad week or month, then it’s more than likely that your job isn’t the right fit.

 

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  1. You are not included in key meetings and decisions

This is a telltale sign that you are being phased out. When your expertise is no longer needed or valued, chances are you are no longer seen as an asset to your employers.

  1. Your work performance and productivity has slipped

You stop coming in early, staying late or taking on extra projects to get ahead. The work you produce is not something you are very proud of, often put off until the last minute. However, it is enough to keep you from getting reprimanded for not doing your job, and also not stand out enough to warrant being assigned additional tasks and/or projects.

  1. Technology will soon make your job obsolete

Technological advancement is occurring rapidly. Many jobs that once relied on the skills of a single person may not be the case anymore. It is important to consider training and/or retraining in your field to continue to make yourself valuable to your company. Additionally, with the rise of technology it is important to consider that your skillset may need to evolve beyond your scope and line of work and into another discipline.

  1. You frequently waste time surfing the internet and social media outlets

You spend less time working and more time surfing the internet, watching videos, or in the break room. Much of your time is spent intentionally distracting yourself from your job duties as you count down the minutes until you can leave.

  1. Your personal life is suffering

Business Insider has observed that couples in which one partner spends 12+ hours more than the usual 40 hours at work divorce at twice the average rate. So, whether it’s the physical hours you spend at work, the time at home engaged in work-related projects, or the time you invest your mental energy distracted or stressed about work—when work permeates into your personal life, it is time to consider new options.

  1. You are not learning or growing

You are not challenged by your work and your skillset is not being fully utilized. Your work should enhance your skills, ultimately adding to your value as an employee. Trainings are review, not applicable to your work, or nonsensical for one reason or another. As a result, you frequently try to concoct doctors appointments or other personal reasons as to why you cannot attend company meetings, trainings or events.

  1. You harbor resentment for your boss and colleagues

Regardless of your place in a situation, you blame your boss and/or colleagues for your lack of success, not being promoted, or your shortcomings. Often times, you find yourself bitter and jealous of others.

  1. Staff and budget cuts

When budgets and staffing are cut, you and your team are still expected to produce the same amount of work with significantly less manpower and financial means. Meeting deadlines will be challenging and work quality will certainly suffer; ultimately putting your job at risk.

  1. You are no longer passionate about your work

Your job and the work associated with it just doesn’t interest you anymore. The corporate culture doesn’t seem to fit your personality. Even after a vacation, or time away from your work; you come back feeling deflated, uninspired, and disconnected upon returning to the office. If recharging doesn’t reinvigorate your passion or interest for your job, it is time to investigate things that may do so.

 

Forbes.com | January 26, 2016 | Jennifer Cohen

 

 

Your #Career : 17 Tricks for Landing a Job that Isn’t Advertised … or Doesn’t Exist….There’s a “Hidden Job Market” with Tons of Unadvertised Jobs. And as it Turns Out, There are some Easy Ways to Crack It.

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“This is good news for job seekers who are a little adventurous but also strategic,” explains Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.” “A hidden market affords you endless opportunities to pursue your dream job. Whether a job is unadvertised or hasn’t even been created yet, by being proactive and pursuing the companies you want to join, you’ll increase the odds of finding what you want. And if the stars line up, you may even have limited or no competition.”

Free- Lock on Fence

“With any job search, networking is critical, but especially if you pursue this alternative tactic,” Taylor adds. “If you know any insiders who either work or have worked at the companies you’re interested in, that’s great news. Or, you may know an industry contact who can refer you to such a person. But remember that if you’re casting a wide net and are still employed, you must use a lot of discretion.”

Your “hidden job search” will require a lot more research, tenacity, and emotional intelligence than a traditional one, she says, “because you typically have to do more persuading and take the time to package yourself extremely well when you’re trying to land an unadvertised, or non-existent job.” But the effort can be well worth it, she adds.

If you’re up for the challenge, here are 17 tricks for landing an elusive, hidden job:

1- Work on mastering your soft skills.

Taylor says you’ll need: good communication abilities, strong drive, excellent street smarts and instincts, great networking skills, diplomacy, intellectual curiosity, persuasiveness, an ability to articulate your pitch, passion, and creativity.

Aside from having a competitive, marketable skill set, these are some soft skills that can make a huge difference when trying to tap the hidden job market.

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2- Find your ‘unique selling proposition’ and master your elevator pitch.

You can’t be all things to all people, so zone in on your brand and “unique selling proposition.”

“Who are you in your industry sphere? What have you accomplished that makes you unique? Where are these skills most needed?” Taylor asks. “Make your elevator pitch powerful and succinct. Once you have your packaging complete, this kind of targeted search will be much more efficient.”

 

“When pursuing hidden jobs, this is more true than ever,” she explains. “Your question should initially be about whether they can help steer you in the right direction. Informational interviews are a foot in the door, too. They may be arranged because the hiring manager views them as a safe approach to keep your expectations low.”

3- Do your homework.

If and when you decide to pursue this type of job search, the onus is on you to conduct extensive research. “You have a little more latitude when there’s a published opening, but this requires a deeper understanding of the industry, company, their mission, department, specific contact names and duties, as well as knowledge of how you can contribute in a meaningful way,” Taylor explains.

Use keywords and the company name not only on LinkedIn, but through a general search, she suggests. “This way, you’ll find endless information on companies, people, strategies, news, and more.”

Roll up your sleeves and become a job sleuth. “Read news releases. Look for people with common interests and think out of the proverbial box. If one of your prospective hiringmanagers plays on a local golf team or is involved with your favorite charity, for instance, forge ahead and leverage commonalities. If they had an anniversary or major achievement in the press, mention that in your pitch,” she says.

 

“Since job networking has virtually become synonymous with LinkedIn, and networking is a huge part of your strategy, take advantage of this critical tool,” she says.

4- Network non-stop.

Spread the word about your job search on social media, talk to colleagues, reconnect with former colleagues, attend industry meetings and conferences, and talk with relatives and friends to get the word out. “Just be sure to thank your contacts along the way and offer to helpthem if they need anything,” she says. “Pay it forward.”

If you tell enough people about what you’re looking for and the value you can bring to a company, someone may say, “Oh, I think a job like that might be opening up at my company soon,” or a startup founder may hear about you and say, “We could probably use someone like that on our team.”

“With any job search, networking is critical, but especially if you pursue this alternative tactic,” Taylor adds. “If you know any insiders who either work or have worked at the companies you’re interested in, that’s great news. Or, you may know an industry contact who can refer you to such a person. But remember that if you’re casting a wide net and are still employed, you must use a lot of discretion.”

 

5- Stay on top of industry and company news.

Your homework is never done.

Set up alerts and stay on top of company and industry news. “It will help open doors and elevate your personal brand with prospective hiring managers,” she explains. “Google alerts is a must-have, but so are those from job-related apps. Openings for similar jobs at companies can give you a sign that your timing is good. Just be sure not to become overwhelmed with every app on the planet, especially if you’re easily distracted. Be focused and selective.”

6- Watch for companies in ‘hiring mode.’

When you read stories of companies hiring in your field, that’s a clue you have an above-average shot at either filling an unadvertised position, or potentially having one created for you, Taylor says.

 

7- Zero in on your dream job or company.

Finding a hidden job is more laborious, but your approach here is quality, not quantity. “So before you launch your campaign, have a clear idea of the position and companies that most appeal to you,” Taylor suggests. “Then scour their websites to familiarize yourself with their goals and people.”

8- Become a LinkedIn Guru.

“Since job networking has virtually become synonymous with LinkedIn, and networking is a huge part of your strategy, take advantage of this critical tool,” she says.

Learn the ins and outs of it; add meaningful connections; explore the benefits of LinkedIn Premium; post helpful articles to your page and groups; engage with members who might help you; look at your connections and their connections; offer to help others; write to employers; and regularly look at job postings on the site.

 

9- Ask for guidance, not jobs.

People are much more receptive when they’re not put on the spot.

“When pursuing hidden jobs, this is more true than ever,” she explains. “Your question should initially be about whether they can help steer you in the right direction. Informational interviews are a foot in the door, too. They may be arranged because the hiring manager views them as a safe approach to keep your expectations low.”

 

10- Volunteer and join committees.

Not only does volunteering with a charity help you give back, it can also establish trust, strong professional bonds, and friendships, she says. “If there’s an industry association that accepts volunteers and you can join a committee, you will interface with people who instantly have common interests. Job seekers who give back to their community have an edge in hiring, too, all things being equal.”

 

11- Call and email.

Did you need to read that twice? “In this day and age, calling a perfect stranger at a company with anything having to do with a job seems risky,” says Taylor. “However, that could be the very reason that you stand out. Some added ammunition: You know someone in common, you’re highly diplomatic, you have a competitive skill that’s in demand, and you understand their mission and corporate culture.”

Your email can acknowledge that they have no openings, but your background can be described as mutually advantageous for specific reasons. “This is where your deep knowledge of the firm can reap major rewards.”

12- Go as high as you can.

Depending on how senior you are and the size of the company, don’t be afraid to reach out and reach high in the organization.

“If you’re a mid-level IT manager, it may make perfect sense to target the CIO or CTO, especially if you have a very marketable skill. If you start too low, you may have to deal with the ‘fear factor’: No one wants to help a job candidate who could threaten their job security,” she says. “Accessing the email can be tricky, but there are ways to figure it out, and beginning with the appropriate admin can at least get you in the door.”

 

13- Consider project work or a temp job.

One way to land a job when there’s no advertised opening is to offer your services as a project worker, consultant, or high-level temporary worker. “If a full-time position is in the offing, you’re already well situated,” Taylor says.

14- Be kind to the gatekeeper.

“Most of the corporate positions I accepted were never advertised,” Taylor says. “I targeted companies with whom I wanted to work. I also believe that administrative assistants are the unsung heroes of today’s companies. They’re often the trusted confidantes of C-suite executives.”

Many job seekers make the mistake of overlooking this vast resource and try to circumvent them in emails or calls. But consider their knowledge and influence, she advises. “Executives who are told by their admins that a great candidate contacted them are much more likely to show interest than if the job seeker is evasive. This is where your people skills can shine, as you show respect for the very people who can be invaluable allies.”

 

15- Have a thick skin and remain positive.

No matter how diplomatic you are, you’ll run across people who will turn you down. “It’s fine. You’re not here to please everyone and you just became one person closer to landing a great, unexpected interview,” she says. “Negativity can drag anyone down, but if you remain tenacious, you will get traction.”

 

16- Be patient.

If you need a new job fast, this isn’t necessarily the way to go about it. But if you have the luxury of time, it’s an excellent approach.

However, you need to be patient. You’re trying to find jobs that are not advertised or may not even exist yet, so the process may be challenging and can take a while. Don’t give up too easily.

17- Assume an entrepreneurial mindset.

Tell yourself, “They need me more than I need them” until you believe it.

“View yourself as a catalyst for the company’s growth,” says Taylor. “Put yourself in the shoes of the manager and market yourself accordingly.” How will they advance their mission with you on board? What unique abilities do you bring to the table? Consider that you’re offering something they need versus asking for a favor.

“When conducting your job search, it’s wise to pursue the obvious: publicly posted openings,” she says. “But when you expand your options to the ‘unseen,’ the possibilities are only limited by you.”

 

 

Businessinsider.com | February 19, 2016  |