Although spring arrived a few weeks ago, it finally feels like it is here (at least if you are living near me in the Northeast). The sun is beginning to shine, the birds are back, and if you look, you will see signs of growth all around. Why not harness the energy of this season by giving your career an invigorating refresh? 7 Steps to a Spring Career Refresh
Spruce up your resume and LinkedIn profile. Have you taken on a new role at work or new responsibilities? Now is a wonderful time to add that information to your resume. It’s better to do it a little at a time so that when you go for your next promotion or make a career change, the task won’t seem so daunting. Don’t forget to update your LinkedIn profile! Have you reviewed yours lately? More and more jobs are being filled from LinkedIn and the best time to land a new job is before you leave your current one and before the position is posted. Set yourself up to succeed by making sure prospective employers know everything you have been doing. Be sure to update your privacy settings before you make these changes: https://www.socialtalent.com/blog/recruitment/your-linkedin-privacy-settings
Re-group with your network. Spring is here and that means it’s time to stop hibernating. Get back out there and meet face-to-face with your contacts. Whether you are looking to grow your business, your career or your sales numbers, meeting face-to-face is the best way to go.
Take stock in your leadership skills. Are you the leader your team needs? Are you doing everything you can to bring your department or organization where it needs to go? Taking a class or working with a coach can help you grow in this area. The leadership skill gap is real, and employers are always looking for candidates that can inspire their teams and develop future leaders.
Grow your Emotional Intelligence. Studies show that your EQ (Emotional Intelligence Quotient) is more important for success in the workplace (and in life) than your IQ: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/emotional-intelligence-why-important.html. Your emotions are giving you powerful messages and it is important to use this information and not ignore it. Your EQ includes self-awareness, self-management, motivation, social awareness and relationship management. With over 23 years of helping employees succeed in the workplace, I can tell you for sure that these skills matter more than anything else. And, the higher you go in your organization or career, the more important your EQ becomes.
De-stress. It’s hard to be successful if you are overwhelmed with stress. Are you aware of your early warning signs of stress? Do you know how to respond when you experience them? Do you know what keeps you centered and calm? It’s extremely important to know these things and turn them into daily actions.
Re-visit your January goals. How are you doing? What actions do you need to take right now to keep you on pace for a successful 2019?
Be present. Use this bountiful time as a reminder to stay in the moment. How can you be more mindful at work? With the holidays approaching, can you make an extra effort to be present with family members and loved ones? How can you give your team, boss, clients, or work your full attention?
Harnessing the revitalizing energy of the season can breathe new life into your career. I invite you to give a few or all of these steps a try and let me know how it goes. As always, please feel free to share this with colleagues, clients or friends.
Janine Friedman, Owner of Choice Training and Coaching Solutions, Inc. is an executive and leadership coach. She possesses a unique blend of human resources, employee assistance program (EAP), corporate training and coaching experience, making her extremely skilled at bringing out the best in executives and employees. Click here for more info.
To schedule a conversation to discuss these ideas further, click here: https://calendly.com/janine-choice/30min Success is a Choice.
