Career growth and development Archives - Page 3 of 4

How To Take Advantage Of Online Career Skills Courses

January 26, 2023

There are a host of online courses available to help people level up in their careers or learn new skills entirely. But, to fully take advantage of online courses, you need to have your priorities in order and know exactly what you want to accomplish.

Some courses are offered for free, but there are also many that cost money. As you review available online courses and determine the ones worth taking, you may have to consider both finances and time constraints. Consider these four categories when choosing online courses:

Seeking Online Courses For Career Growth

Online courses that can help professionals do their job better are among the most valuable courses that you could take.

It’s easy to work in a role for a long time, but not grow in it. You can’t let that happen! If your career isn’t growing, it’s dying.

In order to make yourself an indispensable employee, it’s important to keep up with industry trends and constantly take inventory of the skills you need to do your job exceptionally well. Some companies will even pay for their employees to take courses or certification programs if the employee can prove it will help them do their job better and ultimately benefit the company.

As far as choosing the right online courses, it helps to write out the specific areas where you’re looking to upskill, and then research which courses check off the most boxes. LinkedIn Learning has a diverse course selection and the website Coursera has an extensive library of courses.

Beyond doing your job better and making yourself an indispensable employee, there’s a certain sense of satisfaction that comes with always trying to get better.

Gaining Skills To Make A Career Change

Breaking into a new industry as a result of a career change or layoff is never easy. One of the first major steps a person has to do is an assessment of professional skills. This is where professionals determine what skills they have that are transferable to the new industry, and what skills they’re lacking.

For example, a journalist looking to make a transition into marketing has important communication and writing skills that will transfer well into the industry, but would probably benefit greatly from a course or certification program in online marketing.

Just because a professional completes a course or certification doesn’t mean they’re qualified for the new industry. But, it may put them in a better position to secure a job interview, and it at least shows potential employers a willingness to learn.

If you were laid off and are unsure about your next career move, Work It Daily has free career quizzes that could point you in the right direction.

Gaining Extra Skills To Be A More Well-Rounded Professional

Taking courses to gain extra skill sets or to pursue an additional passion is a very advantageous position for professionals.

We all have interests beyond our careers, and sometimes our careers turn us on to additional interests. For example, a doctor with a passion for graphic design may take courses about how to develop a freelance business on the side.

Others may take courses to help transition into a new position at their workplace or climb the ladder at the company.

One of the best steps any professional can do is to get ahead of the curve and anticipate skills that they may need in the future. Taking this type of initiative will not only impress your employer but may also help you learn more about yourself as a professional to either excel at your current career or chart a new career course.

Taking Courses For Personal Enjoyment

Not every online course that you take has to be career-related. Sometimes it’s good to just take a course for fun or personal satisfaction. The number of courses available online runs the gamut. You can learn a new language, sit in on online lectures from university professors, discover basic life hacks, and hear from prominent people about their success stories.

Expanding your knowledge base can make you a more well-rounded and happier person. This translates well into all aspects of your life.

Online career courses are only a piece of the puzzle. The path to true career growth is putting together a plan for success, and Work It Daily can help!

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Executive Spotlight: What Word Defines Your Professional Development Focus For 2023?

January 20, 2023

At Work It Daily, we have a saying: “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” For context, we’re talking about your career. You must constantly work on your career to grow as a professional so you can stay relevant and employable. Professional development should always be on your mind as a business-of-one. But what you do to grow as a professional might change over time. What you focus on developing this year might be completely different from what you focused on last year.

We recently asked our leading executives what word defines their professional development focus for 2023.

Here are their responses…

John Schembari, Senior Education Executive

Investment. How do we invest participants in the professional development that they receive? Far too often, professional development is a one-size-fits-all, lowest common denominator, sit-and-get rather than an opportunity for participants to review relevant data, define personal and collective areas for growth, prioritize initiatives (1-3) that will target the growth area, and then analyze impact. Therefore, I’m not a fan of “one and done” trainings but, rather, a huge proponent of ongoing PD in the form of revolving professional learning communities (PLCs) and affinity networks.

John Schembari is a current K-12 teacher/school leader academic improvement coach and former school building and district administrator. He loves to draw, travel, swing dance, and read nonfiction.

Carla Biasi, Personal Stylist

Creativity!

I want to find fun ways to engage my followers and bring more of my personality to my communications. It will make me think more out of the box and focus my content. And I’m really looking forward to connecting with viewers.

Carla Biasi is a personal stylist living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. She currently has her own business and works part-time at an upscale women’s boutique and as a virtual and kit stylist for a womenâs specialty brand.

Michael Willis, Sports Business Operations Executive

My professional development word for 2023 is âarticulate.â

By definition, articulate means expressing oneself readily, clearly, and effectively.

In everything we do, we must find the words to articulate our intentions with vigor to make ourselves believable.

The first question in any job interview will be, âTell me about yourself.â You will be asked to do this. Your answer will set the tone for the rest of the interview. Many job seekers get stumped on this question. You must be able to âarticulateâ a persuasive and illuminating response.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, and you may have an excellent visual presentation. But with that graphic, you must be able to âarticulateâ communicatively and understandably what the visual is trying to show the audience.

In 2023, I will work on my âarticulationâ skills.

Michael Willis has 18+ years of experience working with accounting & sports organizations and has managed P&Ls of $10M – $125M+ with budgets of $3M-$50M+. He worked for the NFL for 22 1/2 years, mainly with the game officials working on the financial/accounting side of the business.

Mark Taylor, Product & Operations Executive

âCommitment.â Doing the best I can at any one moment, striving to be âbetter,â and letting go of those things I canât control.

Why? Well, Iâm forever on the hunt for practical methods of becoming more effective. As such, I recently watched Stutz on Netflix. Itâs a documentary directed by Jonah Hill about his therapist, Phil Stutz.

Phil, and fellow practitioner Barry Michels, have written two books: The Tools and Coming Alive. I started reading the latter recently.

There are a number of nuggets in the book that have made me sit up and take notice, not least this quote:

âThe reason you canât commit to anything is because it hurts you too much if it fails. Success means putting everything on the line and, if it doesnât work out, doing it again. And again. No blaming. No excuses.â

So, hereâs to true âcommitmentâ and “success” in 2023…

Mark Taylor has 20+ years of risk, technology, and product management experience working in global and regional financial services firms in the UK and the U.S. He’s managed teams of 40+, successfully addressed 100+ regulatory issues, and has saved companies $15M+.

Ana Smith, Talent Architect & Global Learning Strategist

Connection is my development focus for 2023!

Our workplaces play a significant role in our lives. Work affects both our physical and mental well-being in good ways and bad. The COVID-19 pandemic brought the relationship between work and well-being into clearer focus. According to the Surgeon General 2022, Workplace Mental Health and Well-being report, one of the biggest challenges we faced in 2022 (and onwards) is connection and community.

Connection is essential for human well-being. Connection is a basic human need, and people who feel a strong sense of connection to others are happier, healthier, and more resilient!

One of the ways that connection is important is that it helps to combat loneliness and isolation. When we feel connected to others, we feel less alone and more supported. This can be especially important in times of stress or difficulty, as it can provide a sense of security and comfort.

Connectedness also allows us to feel seen, heard, and valued. When we share our thoughts, feelings, and experiences with others, and they respond with understanding and empathy, it can help us to feel understood and accepted. This can be especially important for people who may feel marginalized or excluded in some way.

Especially important to me, connection plays a critical role in our ability to learn and grow. When we are connected to others, we have the opportunity to gain new perspectives and insights, and to learn from the experiences of others. This can help us to develop new skills, knowledge, and understanding, which can be valuable for personal and professional growth.

Finally, it is a key factor in our ability to experience joy, love, and belonging. When we feel connected to others, we can experience deep and meaningful relationships that bring us a sense of fulfillment and purpose. This can be especially important for people who may be struggling to find meaning or purpose in their lives.

Ana Smith helps people & organizations achieve their full talent potential by developing and co-creating people strategies and customized solutions, and turning them into impactful outcomes and collaborative relationships, using coaching as the “red thread.”

Debra Shannon, IT Executive

My 2023 focus is intentionality. In the past, Iâve tried to do everything but realized that I couldnât do it all despite my best efforts. Thereâs a quote by Andrew Benintendi: âYouâre going to struggle. Youâre going to do well. You canât really let the past or the day before â whether you had a good day or bad day â dictate the day you have that certain day.â A few things happened during the pandemic that made this really hit home for me. Everything happens for a reason and only worry about what you can control.

There will always be more personal/professional opportunities than I can physically do. Iâve learned that I need to be purposeful and prioritize and continually re-prioritize what is and isnât importantâeach day is important. I canât do it all and thatâs ok (and I’m getting better at admitting that). Iâm going to continue to be more intentional in what to plan and accomplish.

Debra Shannon is an IT executive who is also a CPA, CIA, and CISA. Her passion is turning chaos into calm. With her unique blend of experience in technology, project management, and auditing, she can break down complex business problems, identify practical solutions, and lead executive teams and business partners to embrace the value of technology changes.

Lisa Perry, Global Marketing Executive

For 2023, I’m focused on abundance. An abundance of five professional areas: connections, fulfillment, wealth, success, and happiness. I’ve worked to clearly define what this means for me across each of these five areas. For an abundance of professional connections, I’m looking to grow my social media network by 40% in 2023, as an example. I’ve laid out a detailed plan as to what it will take to achieve. To grow my social media network by 40%, I will post 2-3 times a week on LinkedIn, TikTok, and Instagram and connect with 100+ new people per week. I will track weekly, making it easier to measure my ongoing progress and success.

I also find it important to state the intentionality of my word, abundance, daily if I can, to stay focused, motivated, and driven toward my goal, which increases the likelihood of achieving it.

I know some things will come easy, but for other things, depending on how big they are, I will have to work at them. I will have to fight the busyness, distraction, intimidation, and fear that will show up. The key will be to stay persistent and motivated to remain committed. But my goal is to focus on the result of abundance.

Lisa Perry helps companies build leadership brands, driving loyal customers & delivering profitability. She does this through a process that builds brands consumers love. Her goal is to help companies develop, monetize, and grow their brands.

What word defines your professional development focus for 2023? Join the conversation inside Work It Daily’s Executive Program.

10 Ways Employees Can Be More Proactive At Work

January 17, 2023

Proactivity, as defined by organizational behavior, is âanticipatory, change-oriented, and self-initiated behavior in situations, rather than just reacting.” When a person is proactive, they are acting in advance of a future event. Proactive employees typically don’t need to be asked to do something, and will usually require less-detailed instructions.

Proactive behavior is applicable to either one’s own role or to “extra role” responsibilities. Within one’s own role, for example, a person may find a more efficient way to complete one or more of their responsibilities. Extra role responsibilities (i.e., those tasks outside of your stated job description) speak to an employee’s organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). The proactive employee would, for example, initiate an offer to help their co-workers before they are asked to assist by either their colleagues or their manager.

The steps you can take to become more proactive at work apply to both your formal role and your part of the scope of the OCB within your team, your department, and your overall organization.

There are variations on the theme; however, the following behaviors are a common foundation for proactivity within all of the theories:

Organize | Take Stock | Be Positive

Proactivity requires that you be organized. That includes your mindset, your space, and, of course, your schedule! Organizing your time helps you approach tasks more efficiently and allows you to be more open to opportunities. This scheduling needs to include “downtime” for those activities that keep your life in balance.

A positive attitude is right up there on any list. Approaching tasks from a positive perspective encourages you to look for the best in every situation. It helps you become the employee who is “ready, willing, and able,” who can always be counted on. A team player who is reliable and available will become the go-to person, the problem solver.

Take stock of your current responsibilities:

What are your tasks?
What are the priorities?
What can be consolidated, eliminated, or shortened?
What can you do to stay ahead of less urgent tasks?
How do you solve problems?
Can you prevent problems by planning ahead and developing alternative processes in anticipation?
What are the things you still need to know?
Can you automate any of your tasks to make them more effective and less time-consuming?

Communicate | Connect | Network

Find a role model by observing the leaders in your company. When possible, spend time with them to gain insight from their behaviors. Try out their techniques. Some will work for you, others will not. You’ll need to fine-tune what you acquire so that you are able to build your own repertoire.

Let others know that you want to be more involved. You’ll need to create your own opportunities. Don’t wait to be askedâpresent your ideas to your management team.

Goals | Persistence | Excellence

Set goals for yourself. Write them down! List everything that you want to accomplish. Set deadlines! Once you have the end in mind, you can achieve your desired outcome. A series of small goals leading up to the completion of a large goal keeps tasks from becoming insurmountable.

Stay the course on how you want to accomplish your goals. This may require overcoming your fears and rising above obstacles or setbacks. You’ll need to step outside of your comfort zone and become increasingly resilient.

Strive for excellence from start to finish. Commit yourself to always presenting your best workâyour completed project with no loose ends. Be passionate about what you do. Give it your all. No matter what role you are assigned, you will be more effective when you put your full energy and effort into it.

Celebrate! | Be Flexible!

Celebrate your successes, big and small, as you move along your path to becoming more proactive!

Be flexible! You can’t plan for every outcome, so being able to react to the unexpected is an important trait for the proactive person. It is about the awareness of the existence of choices, regardless of the situation or the context.

Need more help being proactive in your career?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

How To Successfully Manage Your Career Goals

January 11, 2023

When it comes to having career goals, it’s important to aim high. But sometimes the challenge we all face in aiming high is putting too much pressure on ourselves and then becoming overwhelmed. Achieving your career goals is all about balance.

The best way to achieve your career goals without putting too much pressure on yourself is to understand that it’s very unlikely that you’ll achieve your goals overnight. You have to build a career plan, be flexible about it, and work to chip away at the goals that you set.

Here are three ways that you can successfully manage your career goals:

Set Mini Goals

Setting mini goals is a way to help accomplish your overall goals, but in a way that is manageable and less overwhelming. For example, say your goal is, “I want to be promoted in a few years.” This is a solid and ambitious goal, but for some, it can be difficult to know where to start in making this goal a reality.

This is where mini goals come into play. In order to put yourself in a position to get promoted, you can start with the mini goal of, “I want to do something every month to help grow my career.”

Accomplishing this mini goal could include taking a month to focus on courses or certifications that will help you upskill, using another month to put greater emphasis on your networking efforts, and using yet another month to learn a new skill entirely. All these mini goals help make you a more well-rounded employee, and that type of effort adds up over time.

There’s no guarantee that you’ll get promoted in a few years. There are so many factors at play, but focusing on career growth will at least put you in a position to be considered.

Build Better Career Habits

This is similar to setting mini career goals in the fact that you’re taking small steps to achieve a larger benefit. Changing the smallest habits can make a huge difference in your career.

One habit that many job seekers can improve on is how often they update their resumes. A lot of people don’t update their resumes until they’re applying for a job, but a better habit would be updating your resume every six months.

Updating your resume every six months helps you keep track of things you’ve done to learn and grow your skills. It’s much easier to remember recent events than to try to go back three years ago to assess what you’ve learned. It can also be motivating, as it can serve as a good reminder of the skill gaps that you still need to fill.

Other career habits to change could include cutting out 20 minutes of daily social media time to focus on your career instead or making it a point to reconnect with one LinkedIn connection a week.

Creating better habits can go a long way toward helping you accomplish your career goals.

Incorporate The 3 Cs Into Your Career Goals

At Work It Daily, we’re big proponents of the 3 Cs because they can help professionals at all levels of their career journey, including those looking for a job, aiming for a promotion, or exploring other ways to grow their careers.

Here’s a refresher on the 3 Cs:

Content: There’s a lot of great information on the internet, including at Work It Daily, that can help professionals plan their career goals, including video tutorials, online quizzes, blogs, etc.

Coaching: Whether it’s an online coaching platform like Work It Daily, or consulting with a trusted colleague or friend who has had career success, take advantage of the knowledge of others.

Community: Whether it’s a coaching community, or someone you know also trying to get their career in order, it’s always best to not address career challenges alone. In addition, it never hurts to have positive reinforcement.

All of these small steps can make a big difference in helping you accomplish your career goals, and the best part is that it’s all manageable. As long as you have these small goals in mind, and stay organized, you can grow your career without feeling overwhelmed.

Need more help with your career?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

New Year, New Career, New You

January 6, 2023

How can any of us resist the urge to reinvent ourselves with the turning of the calendar? Jump on the bandwagonâthere’s plenty of room here among the hopeful, the determined, and the motivated.

Do Some Inner Exploration

First, consider this a fresh start for you. What are you seeking as you dream about your next career opportunity? Some enticing ideas that often appear in my initial conversations with clients include:

Autonomy: The freedom to embark on creative projects, to dictate your own time, to put your attention where you’re drawn.
Meaning: At the end of the day, knowing that where you’re spending your time matches your values at a basic level.
Connection: Working alongside people who get you, who respect you, who say “thanks” every now and then.
Engagement: Dialing into what you’re doing, using your brain, your intuition, and your other talents.

All of these possibilities are compelling, but before you press down on the gas pedal and drive out of where you are right now, ask yourself whether it’s your environment that’s creating the lack of these qualities, the boundaries (or lack thereof) that you put in place, or possibly the underlying ideas you have about yourself and your own worth and power.

Usually, it’s a combination of all of these factors, and if you can pull apart the company, your boss, your co-workers, and other dimensions of your environment which you’re unconsciously creating by playing out old scripts, then you’re ready to move to the next phase of the process.

Articulate The Most Important Qualities You Want

Make a list of what you want in your new career. Imagine that you’re single and you’re searching for a new romantic partner. Sit down and write a list of 10-15 qualities you’re seeking.

Next, get very specific about three more categories:

Where do you want to be working geographically?
What are some target companies you’d like to research?
What are the specific job titles that you’re seeking?

Reach Out And Build Your Sphere Of Connections

Strategically expand your circle to be in purposeful conversation with people who can offer intel on the companies and positions on your list.

For those of you who cringe at the idea of asking for help (particularly when it seems like you’re almost using people), if you’ve been networking the right way all along, it shouldn’t feel uncomfortable. Networking, maintaining, and building your professional connections is about providing value. When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, you shouldn’t ask for their help right away. Establish a relationship first. Once you do that, they’ll be more than willing to help you in your career because they know you’d do the same for them.

Whatever you want out of life and your career, you can accomplish. A year from now, you really can be in a completely different spot, one that resonates more deeply for you. So, what are you waiting for? Start making changes today!

Need more help with your career?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

How A Recession Could Impact Your Career

January 5, 2023

Whispers about a possible recession have been in the air for a few years, but those whispers grew a lot louder recently with many economists highlighting various economic indicators pointing toward a possible recession in the immediate future.

Recessions can impact everyone differently, but history indicates that there will be mass layoffs, fewer jobs, more competition for jobs, and less job security.

Here’s what you need to know about a potential recession’s impact on your career:

Common Situations People Find Themselves In During A Recession

As stated above, a recession impacts everyone differently. Any issue with the economy will impact consumers’ wallets in one way or another but things can become particularly painful when it impacts your livelihood.

From a professional standpoint, the most common situations people find themselves in during a recession include:

Feeling trapped in a job they hate – Perhaps you were looking to leave your current job and make a career change, but the recession put the brakes on that. A person trapped in a job they hate can be less productive and many times the unhappiness from their professional life bleeds into their personal life.

Getting laid off from a job – This is the most painful consequence of a recession. It has a significant impact on a person emotionally. It also forces them to pick themselves up and enter into a competitive job market. And the awkward and uncomfortable fact is that if you are laid off, you’re better off being involved in a company’s first round of layoffs. Those let go in a second round of layoffs must enter into an even more competitive job market where their former co-workers already have a head start on them.

Being forced to accept a job they don’t want – People have bills to pay and it’s not uncommon for some to become so frustrated with the job search process that they eventually settle for any job offer they get. This is especially painful for anyone that may have been laid off from a career they loved. Going from a career you love to one you don’t could make you a less productive worker and could also have major emotional impacts.

Struggling to land a job at all – This is the worst-case scenario. Not only is the job market ultra competitive, but those who have lost a job are interviewing for new ones with an urgency that sometimes comes across as desperation. The more times a person gets rejected from a job, the more desperate they become and the more it impacts them during job interviews. The unfortunate truth is that those who are laid off during a recession are at a disadvantage because recruiters are more likely to hire people that are already employed.

How To Know If A Recession May Impact Your Career

There will be some common sense signs such as the state of your industry and the overall health of the company you work for, but beyond that, there are typically six strong indicators that your job is at risk during a recession.

The biggest indicator starts with doing an honest self-assessment about yourself because if you don’t have a long-term career goal in place, you are vulnerable to losing your job during a recession.

If you’re currently just getting by at your job but can’t define what you do particularly well or the value you provide the company, that’s a major red flag.

A solid long-term career goal involves a 2-5 year plan that highlights the skills and expertise that you provide to a company and what the company’s return on investment would be if they hire you. This is all about creating and maintaining your personal brand. Your career goal should also include a plan for how you want to continue to grow professionally.

While having this plan in place doesn’t make you recession-proof, it will put you in a better position if the worst-case scenario does occur!

How To Prepare Your Career For A Recession

Nothing in this world is foolproof but there are certain steps that you can take now at your current job that will make you less vulnerable during a recession.

It all starts with being an engaged employee who strives to always exceed expectations at work.

You should be the type of employee who has career goals in place. You know what value you provide the company and how you’re going to provide it.

You should also be the type of employee who reaches out to management from time to time to see what you can do to increase your value to the company. An engaged employee is a valuable employee!

It’s not a matter of if a recession is coming; it’s when. Make sure you’re prepared!

Need more help preparing your career for a recession?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

5 Career Questions To Ask Yourself This New Year

January 4, 2023

The new year is here! For many of us, January is the perfect time to reflect on our lives and set new goals, hoping to become better versions of ourselves. Most people make personal resolutions, like getting in shape, quitting smoking/drinking, or learning a new language. But, what about career resolutions?

A career resolution is exactly what it sounds like: a resolution for your career intended to help you grow into a better professional. At Work It Daily, we believe that you need to work on your career every day (yes, you do, in fact, need to “work it daily”). So, everyone should make a career resolution or two along with those other ambitious resolutions. They can be little things like learning a new skill or growing your professional network, or bigger goals like landing a promotion or getting a new job.

But how do you know what kind of career resolutions to make?

You can begin by asking yourself, “Am I where I want to be in my career?” If your answer is “no,” you need to take a closer look at your career goals.

Here are five more career questions you should be asking yourself this new year to figure out how to grow your career and become the professional you know you can be:

1. Am I Proud Of My Job Title?

You could be a janitor or a neurosurgeon, it doesn’t matter. If you aren’t proud of what you do for a living, there’s something missing: passion.

Career burnout is real, but sometimes it’s deeper than that. Our passion at 25 won’t necessarily be our passion at 40. And that’s okay.

When we are passionate about what we do, we are proud, because we are doing what we think is important, what we love doing. We are adding value to and making a difference in this crazy worldâin a small, but significant way.

Every job is important. No matter what your job title is, if you aren’t proud of it, you should absolutely change that. Identify that one problem you want to find a solution to, and go after it. What are you waiting for?

Remember: The only bad job is the one you aren’t passionate about.

2. Do I Feel Secure In My Career?

This is a bit different from job security. Actually, job security doesn’t exist. Every job is temporary. Think you can stay in the same job for decades and then retire? Think again.

So, what does it mean to feel secure in our careers?

Well, when we believe as professionals we can add value wherever we are.

You are a business-of-one. A company won’t want to invest in you if they don’t know the kinds of services you provide, the kind of value you could add to the organization, and the problem you could solve for them. Here are some examples of questions that will help you determine if you’re secure in your career:

Are you adding value at your current job?
Are you honing your skills, expanding your network, and building your personal brand?
Do you feel confident that if you lost your job, you’d be able to find a comparable one in the same field?
Do you feel confident you’d be able to demonstrate to potential employers how you add value?

Since every job is temporary, it’s extremely important to constantly work on our careers and ask ourselves these questions frequently so we always feel secure in our businesses-of-one.

3. Will I Be Able To Achieve Wealth?

When most people think of “wealth,” they think of dollar signs and anything that you can attach a monetary value to. Our jobs help us build wealth. We’re not going to tell you that money isn’t important. Of course it is! It allows you to live the life you want to live. In many ways, money equals freedom.

But the truth is, there are other forms of wealth that are more important that you can’t attach any monetary value to.

Real wealth comes in the form of family, friends, hobbies, experiences, knowledge, and community. If you don’t have these things, money will never fill that void.

So, is your career allowing you to build this type of wealth? The intangible kind? Or are your relationships suffering because of your job? Is your work-life balance nonexistent? Do you have any time to pursue hobbies, learn, or volunteer?

Your career should never inhibit you from achieving real wealth. The best job isn’t the one that pays the most. It’s the one that pays the bills and gives you enough time to live, too.

4. Do I Have Any Regrets?

Just asking ourselves this question can be difficult, because maybe we don’t want to know the answer. Acknowledging that you regret something in your life is the first step to making a change. Guess what? There’s still time to chase your dreams!

If you do have regrets, that doesn’t mean you haven’t been a successful professional. That also doesn’t mean you haven’t had a good career. You could be the most successful person, but if you never got up the courage to start that business, make that career change, or go back to school, you’ll most likely think, “What if?” for the rest of your life.

You’ll never know if you don’t try. Don’t be afraid of failure. Life is just one big experiment, and experiments never fail.

And even if you do “fail,” that’s an incredibly more valuable experience than waiting out the clock on a mediocre career. So, don’t give up on your dreams just yet.

5. Can I Reach My Full Potential In This Role? In This Career?

When we feel like we have more to contribute to society, that’s a sign we haven’t yet reached our full potential. Do you feel like you’re wasting your potential at your current job? Do you think you’d reach your full potential in another career?

Really think about what you want your professional legacy to be. It’s a lot harder to get up in the morning when you don’t find fulfillment in your work. When it comes time for you to retire, are you going to look back on your career and feel like you could have accomplished much, much more with those 50 years?

Everyone has unique gifts, skills, and expertise. When we focus on developing ourselves as individuals, as businesses-of-one, it’s a lot easier to share those things with the world. Give yourself a chance to reach your full potential. You may be surprised by what you can accomplish.

Before you get back into the same routine at work this year, we hope you take a few minutes to ask yourself these career questions. Listen carefully to how you answer them. You may need to make a career resolution or two.

Need more help with your career?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

How To Recession-Proof Your Career In 2023

December 22, 2022

Are anyone worried you wonât property a job in the present job market? Or are people worried your current part might be eliminated at some sort of momentâs notice? If therefore, we have a coaching series for you to help check out!

In each of our latest live class, weâll educate you on how to remain employable and relevant inside the job market through these tough times.

We almost all remember 2008. It has been a challenging coming back numerous. Now, weâre painfully returning to the idea of residing through another recession.

With mass layoffs, hiring freezes, and furloughs happening due to financial influences, many are questioning this security and stability of the futures. You may actually be thinking about the relaxing question, âAm I subsequent? â

Inside our 4-week class, youâll learn what you require to fag order towards secure opportunities even while in hard times.

You should take this particular training if:

Youâre fearful regarding your future
Youâre worried nobody will certainly hire you
Youâre unsure showing exactly how to recession-proof your career

Join our CEO, M. T. O’Donnell, and Movie director of Training Development and Coaching, Christina Burgio, with regard to this live event collection on Wednesdays at twelve pm ET from The month of january 4th-25th.

CAN’T ATTEND RESIDE? That’s alright. You’ll have entry to often the recording and the workbook following the session!

4 Simple Career Resolutions For 2023

December 16, 2022

Everyone has heard of New Year’s resolutions. You know, those promises that we make to ourselves about things that we’ll do better in the year ahead. Sometimes these resolutions work, while other times we end up with gym memberships we never use!

But, have you ever heard of a career resolution? It’s actually the same thing as a New Year’s resolution, only career-focused.

However, with something as important as a career, you don’t want to break these resolutions. That’s why it’s important to keep these goals manageable.

Here are four simple career resolutions that are easy to stick to and achieve:

Be Self-Aware Of Where You Stand In Your Career

Being honest and self-aware of where you are in your career is the most important step in making strong career resolutions. If your career is going nowhere and you’re unhappy, then it may be time to consider a career change, which will take you down a different path entirely.

But if you’re happy and in good standing with your career, it’s a lot easier to set goals for the year, and build out a long-term career plan.

Find A Way To Grow Your Career

Career growth is a very broad spectrum that means something different to everyone. It could be something as simple as improving on a weakness or building on a strength. It could also be learning a new skill or taking on additional responsibilities at work.

On a larger level, it could be seeking a promotion or moving into a leadership role.

Whatever the goal is, make sure it includes growing professionally. The worst thing that you can do is stay the same! If you’re not growing your career, you’re dyingâand becoming a lot less valuable to your company. There are always ways to upskill!

Better Serve Your Professional Network

With current colleagues, former colleagues, and other professional acquaintances, you’ve probably built a solid professional network through the years. A strong professional network can really come in handy if you lose your job or are looking to make a career change. However, you shouldn’t just rely on your network when you’re in need!

It’s important to find ways to offer value to your network. This could include checking in with members of your network from time to time. Exchange messages on LinkedIn to see how they’re doing or share relevant content of interest.

If you can help someone in your network going through a career challenge, you should!

Maintaining a strong professional network is like an investment. If you want it to pay off, you have to put some time into it and be consistent.

Take Care Of Yourself

Working on your career is hard work! It’s okay to be selfish sometimes.

Whether you’re working to grow your career or looking for a new job, it’s important to find balance.

Your family and health always come first, so make sure your career goals don’t interfere with that. If you want to set aside time during the week to work on your career that’s fine, but don’t miss an important family events or milestones.

Don’t let your career goals get in the way of your health goals. Go to the gym, take a walk, or go for a jog. Balance is key to maintaining healthy career and life goals. Sometimes you just need to adjust that balance as you go.

Need help accomplishing your career resolutions?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

How To Expand Your Network For Job Search Success

December 15, 2022

Networking is vital to job search success. Networking can lead to referrals, identifying jobs that aren’t yet posted, and securing informational interviews. They can also lead to future professional references.

These results can give you a competitive advantage and help you progress toward your career goal. Networking platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are tools that can help you effectively expand your network. Here’s how…

Building Your Social Network

Online or offline, the goal of networking is to build relationships. Every social networking platform offers some means of connecting with new people. Interact with others and share posts that are thoughtful and relevant to your field. Engage your audience by seeking input and sharing your thoughts or review of industry-related topics.

Share these topics and post information on your own profile for your audience, but also get involved in groups on LinkedIn or chats on Twitter. There are thousands of chats and groups for a wide variety of industries, specialties, or job searching in general. Do some exploring and request to join the group or start following the Twitter chat.

In my experience, people are very receptive to newcomers on these interactive forums. These forums can be a great way to meet new people. After participating, you can begin to follow or request a connection with individual contributors. Depending on your location, there may be the possibility of meeting your connections in person. The social network is a platform to build these relationships and make that in-person connection.

It Takes Time To Build A Network

Patience…patience…patience! All good things take time.

Maintain a positive attitude and be flexible. Those two skills can save you from many future career headaches. Not everyone will be willing to connect. Remember that networking is a two-way street. Prioritize your connections based on who has a job you’d love to do, or who works for one of your target employers, and focus your efforts strategically.

Always personalize connection messages to new people on sites like LinkedIn to let the potential contact know you’re not arbitrarily clicking every “Connect” button in your suggested contacts. Keep connection messages brief and to the point. I’d recommend not going into personal detail this early on or putting potential connections on the spot; just invite them to be a connection or offer your email address as a point of contact.

You can say something as simple as, “Hi Jane, I’ve enjoyed following your contributions to XYZ Group and agreed with your review of the Acme Co article you posted. I am also a (insert job title here) and would like to connect with you. Please let me know if I can be of any help. Thanks.”

A short and simple message with a personal reference and offer to help shows that you are trying to form a mutually beneficial relationship.

Gaining Credibility

By building relationships you can become a resource on certain topics for your network. Gaining credibility takes time, but let the process happen naturally. Conduct research, search for best practices, gain more experience, and get in contact with people that share their experience.

This is where actively participating in Twitter chats or LinkedIn groups can help build your knowledge. Sharing ideas with others that are passionate about their field can keep you motivated and engaged in your line of work. After developing these relationships, opportunities can arise off-screen as wellâassisting in a volunteer effort that was coordinated online or attending a networking event, speaking event, or job club that was promoted online. Read the information about the events your network is posting and try to commit to going when your schedule permits.

Impress Hiring Managers That May Google You

A hiring manager may look you up on Google at some point in the job search process. If you actively network across platforms such as LinkedIn or Twitter, or attend events in person, your Google search results page may show these stories and profiles.

Any site you join for professional networking purposes should serve as a complement to your resume. That means whether you post blogs, tweets, or share information on LinkedIn, all your content should be professional and error-free. These can validate your candidacy and make you stand out among the competition.

As you start networking, you’ll learn more about your field, gain skills, and build confidence. Build relationships and help others in your search. Use social networking for job search success and foster relationships that can help you discover your next opportunity.

Need more help with your job search?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

3 Career Resolutions Youâll Need To Succeed In 2023

December 14, 2022

Are you currently afraid of typically the thought that youâll enter in the new year along with no success in your own career goals? Have you been uncertain of what you want to because of obtain noticed in your career efforts today? Do an individual have little to simply no success in getting discovered by employers? If therefore, you’re in the proper place!

Each year, millions of people create New Year’s resolutions around hopes to drive a good improvement. While there are usually different types of settlements you can choose to be able to implement, your career ought to be heavily considered.

Research has identified that people who have a tendency to make these promises are ten-times more probably to reach their objectives than people who donât create resolutions for on their own. The best way for you to get ready for your career achievement inside the new year is usually to develop these file sizes in advance!

In this training, youâll learn:

Why itâs thus important to get resolutions on place for your career development
How you can pinpoint effective career answers that will get anyone noticed while you enter this new year
The modern job research strategy you need to help implement that will push motivation

Join the CEO, J. T. O’Donnell, and Director of Coaching Development & Coaching, Christina Burgio, for this survive event on Wednesday, January 21st at 12 pm hours ET.

CAN’T ATTEND SURVIVE? That’s ok. You’ll have entry to often the recording and the workbook following the session!

4 Things To Know About Negotiating Salary In 2023 (And Beyond)

December 14, 2022

Salary negotiations can be tricky, but there’s no escaping them. At some point in your career, whether you’re applying for a job or angling for a promotion, you’ll find yourself in the middle of a salary negotiation.

These conversations don’t have to be uncomfortable. Like anything in life, knowledge and preparation can make all the difference. As an employee, if you know your value and you can back it up with quantifiable results, you can make a compelling case during your salary negotiations.

However, there are always everchanging trends and things that job seekers should be on the lookout for as they prepare to negotiate their salary.

The Economy Can Change In A Heartbeat

This is an important factor to remember and 2020 was a good example of how quickly the economy can change. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic shutting down businesses and changing business models, many companies were forced to lay off employees.

With the availability of vaccines in 2021, businesses started to reopen but the market is completely different. For example, industries impacted significantly by the pandemic such as restaurants, retail, hospitality, and seasonal jobs are struggling to fill jobs and are raising wages to entice job seekers to work for them.

On the other hand, many employees got a taste of remote work in 2020, so the demand for remote jobs is on the rise. A recent FlexJobs survey found that after the pandemic, 65% of people still want to work remotely full time, and another 33% prefer a hybrid work arrangement where they split their time on the clock between the office and home.

Many in-demand industries like tech & software, cybersecurity, e-commerce, gaming, and telemedicine are all jobs that lend themselves to remote work and the market for such roles will be extra competitive. If you find yourself looking for a job in one of these industries, or other in-demand industries, you may be going up against people who have very similar skill sets.

This could significantly impact your value, especially if you live in a market where there are more qualified people with the same skill sets than available jobs. In these cases, you’ll have to go the extra mile to stand out, and you could still be looking at a small salary reduction.

But, on the opposite end of the spectrum, if you live in a market where your skills are in demand and there’s not much competition, you may be able to use that to your advantage during salary negotiations.

Salary largely depends on experience, location, and economic conditions. All of these things can be very fluid and that’s why doing research is so important.

Speaking of research…

Never Stop Doing Research

Salary research isn’t just limited to those looking for work. It’s something that all professionals should do.

Even if things are going well with your job, and you’re not necessarily in the market for a salary increase, it’s still a good idea to check the market sometimes to see what the average salary for your position is at any point in time.

The need for consistent salary research is even more important in the post-pandemic economy where there are so many fluctuations in the market. Every industry was impacted differently by COVID-19 and this will ultimately play a role in salary increases that companies offer current employees and salaries offered to new employees.

According to research published on the Society for Human Resource Management website, company leaders were expected to increase compensation in 2021 by between 2.6% and 3%, but industries will continue to be affected unevenly, just as they were in 2020.

There are free resources available that can give some valuable information about job salaries. Glassdoor has a salary calculator that allows professionals to enter information about their current career, job experience, and market to give estimated market value.

The more information you have about your value, the more comfortable you’ll feel about negotiating salary. It’s also important to remember that salary is only one part of the equation. Many companies offer strong employee benefits packages that include good health insurance and retirement benefits, along with generous paid time off and other perks.

Salaries Are Always Changing

Just because you make a certain salary today doesn’t mean that it’s going to stay that way or increase. Job responsibilities and requirements can change, and the best employees are the ones who are usually a step ahead and show a willingness to be flexible.

Take a step back once in a while and think about how your job is changing. Acquire the necessary skill sets that you need to stay ahead, and take time to find ways to go the extra mile and expand your job responsibilities. By doing this, you’re not only growing within your job position, but you could be setting yourself up to move up within the company.

These characteristics will prepare you for not only being able to justify your salary but give you some leverage in salary negotiations if you’re seeking a salary increase.

Salary And Career Planning Go Hand In Hand

Salary increases don’t typically just happen by accident. They’re usually a result of hard work and continued career growth. From the moment you start a job, you should always be thinking about ways to not only meet expectations but exceed them.

By putting together a career map, you can plan out your goals and strategies for gradually increasing your value as an employee. As you check off these accomplishments, you can get a sense of whether you’re on schedule, or even ahead of schedule, to reach certain career milestones.

Keeping track of these milestones is important because it can help determine the right time to bring up the topic of salary and bolster your case during negotiations. Remember, you’re a business-of-one, and it’s important to always know the value that you provide to your employer.

Some salary negotiation strategies will never change, but it’s going to be important to keep track of post-pandemic trends and their impacts on salary, at least for the immediate future.

Need more help with salary negotiations?

We’d love it if you signed up for Work It Daily’s Event Subscription! Get your career questions answered in our next live event!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.