Tag

Tagged with: Career growth
How To Get A Higher-Level Job

How To Get A Higher-Level Job
  • March 12th, 2024
  • - Comments Off on How To Get A Higher-Level Job
  • -

How To Get A Higher-Level Job

You want a job that’s one or two levels higher than your current job. How do you apply? Well, definitely not through an ATS.

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are designed to find exact matches, and if you are trying to land a higher-level job, you are not an exact match. But the good news is I can give you a workaround.

Lots of people get hired into higher-level positions, but not through applying online.

2 Steps To Get A Higher-Level Job 

Step one in this process is to learn to go around the ATS. You need to connect with people who work at the company. Not the recruiter. Not even the hiring manager. You need to connect with people who would be your peers in the organization.

Then, you need to focus on step two, which is to tell a great connection story. A connection story is how you feel connected to the mission of the company. What would get you up out of bed every day and want to crush it for them? You need to identify with these people who would be your future peers.

After you’ve found a handful of future peers to connect with, put together this connection story and send it to them via LinkedIn. Ask them to connect. Here’s an example of what that connection request message should look like:

“Hey! Can we connect? I have a story I’d love to share about your company.”

Then, when they accept, message them and share the story about why you’re a huge fan of the company, and that’s why you’re really interested in the XYZ position, the higher-level position.

This going to prompt them to check out your LinkedIn profile and more than likely just forward it to the hiring manager, saying something like, “Hey, this person reached out to me. They’re interested in the job you’ve posted.”

Why does this matter? Because the ATS is run by recruiters who are told to find exact matches, and they’re going to screen you out. If your LinkedIn profile gets forwarded to the hiring manager from a person who works in a totally different department, you’re not going through that same screening process as other applicants who apply online. In fact, they’re elevating you because they’re saying, “This person made the effort to reach out and tell me their story. You might be interested in them.”

Now your story gets in front of the hiring manager, and the hiring manager thinks, “Oh, love the story. Looks like they might be able to do the job. Let me pass them to the recruiter.” And then the recruiter sets up an interview because even though you’re not a match, they were told by the hiring manager to do so.

I’ve seen a lot of people get higher-level jobs when they follow these two steps. But let me be clear: When you’re applying online, there’s no resume fix or cover letter or LinkedIn profile tip that I can give you that’s going to get you through the ATS and get you a shot at that job because you don’t meet the requirements.

If you believe you can do the job, you’ve got to tell a connection story and talk to other people in order to get in front of the hiring manager.

This job search strategy works. If you don’t believe me, sign up for Work It DAILY where I’m working with thousands of job seekers right now—and these tips are working. Try us free for seven days.

These tips will help you conduct a proactive job search. It is a game changer, and it’s really needed in this job market, especially if you’re trying to get a higher-level job. You can do it, but you need new and better techniques to succeed. And I would love to teach them to you.

Good luck, and go get ’em!

Read More
5 Traits Of People Who Are Respected At Work (And Get The Most Career Opportunities)

5 Traits Of People Who Are Respected At Work (And Get The Most Career Opportunities)
  • February 27th, 2024
  • - Comments Off on 5 Traits Of People Who Are Respected At Work (And Get The Most Career Opportunities)
  • -

5 Traits Of People Who Are Respected At Work (And Get The Most Career Opportunities)

I had a sad career coaching call with an extremely successful woman recently. When she told me her career story, which I have all my clients do, her story was riddled with a highway of situations where she was taken advantage of, where she wasn’t given the respect that she deserved.

As a career coach, I have each person tell me their career story because I can always tell, based on the story, where your sticking points and roadblocks are. And for this woman, it clearly was getting herself into situations where they wouldn’t respect her. She was almost in tears while telling me this, but she was still so professional, and then she said, “What is it going to take, JT? What is it going to take for me to get into one of these environments and not be taken advantage of?“

I didn’t want to give her a pat answer, so I said I was going to sleep on it and then come back and tell her the traits I see in people who are respected at work and, therefore, get the best career opportunities. I want to share those five traits with you because I think it’s important that everyone hear them.

1. They See Themselves As A Business-Of-One.

The first trait I see in people who are respected at work is they always see themselves as a business-of-one. They don’t work for a company. They work with them. They partner with them. Therefore, right out of the gate, there’s mutual respect. Then, if they start disrespecting you, you can have a conversation and tell them that they’re either going to get this right or you’re going to go find a new partner because you’re not going to be treated that way. You’re not going to allow yourself to be treated that way. It’s about setting boundaries and addressing the disrespect before it gets out of hand. Respected employees are able to communicate these boundaries without being harsh.

2. They Aren’t Complainers; They’re Curious.

Professionals listen to a friend talk to help him through a career challenge

The second trait is they aren’t complainers; they’re curious. Nobody likes to work with complainers. The people who are respected at work don’t walk in and dump a problem on a manager’s desk. Instead, when they see a problem, they meet with people and they get curious. They ask questions. They try to understand. In fact, one of their favorite phrases to use is “help me understand.” They ask clarifying questions to get to the source of the problem so that hopefully the people they’re talking to can realize the problem, but if not, it gives them permission to then point it out and have a conversation.

3. They Ask Questions Instead Of Bossing People Around.

Woman asks her boss for a raise

The third trait is they get really good at “ask, don’t tell.” They don’t boss everyone around. They don’t tell everyone what to do. They know how to ask questions so that things become other people’s ideas and they get permission to then share their points of view, their ideas, and their perspectives. It’s how they get buy-in. It’s how they get consensus. And, again, it’s how they gain and keep people’s respect.

4. They Talk About Their Results, Not Their Character.

CMO talks to his marketing team during a meeting

The fourth trait is they talk about their results. They don’t talk about their character. You know that you have to be your biggest self-advocate in the workplace, and you’re hired to save or make money. You’re hired to solve problems and alleviate pain, so when you’re talking about the results that you were able to get, when you’re talking about what’s actually valued, not that you were a great team player, etc., you’ll stand out and be respected for the value that you create on the job. You’re going to have to find strategic ways to talk about your results without bragging or sounding like a narcissist to make sure that people understand the quantifiable impact that you’ve had on the company, and the people who are respected at work do this well.

5. They Never Initially Disagree With Someone.

Coworkers talk to each other in the office

Lastly, the people who are respected at work never initially disagree with someone. This might be a hot take, but whenever they clearly disagree with someone, they don’t say “I disagree.” That’s not how they lead the conversation. What they do instead is they find a commonality with the person, something they can agree on, and then they talk about that. These people know how to disarm somebody by talking about what they agree upon first before they discuss where they have differences or disagreements.

I’m sure there are more traits you could add to this list, but when I really looked at the people who are the most respected at work, who are incredibly successful and seem to get all the opportunities they want, they’re doing these five things consistently in their careers. They have these five traits. And it’s having an incredible impact on their brand.

If you’re struggling with getting respect at work, I can help. Sign up for a Work It DAILY membership today (FREE for 7 days!).

Good luck, and go get ’em!

Read More
3 Reasons Why Job Boards Could Hinder Your Search

3 Reasons Why Job Boards Could Hinder Your Search
  • February 7th, 2024
  • - Comments Off on 3 Reasons Why Job Boards Could Hinder Your Search
  • -

3 Reasons Why Job Boards Could Hinder Your Search

At one time, job boards were the way to go for job seekers. It’s where you can post your resume for employers and recruiters to view and apply for job openings. But today, it’s a different story.

The modern-day job search has changed, and finding your dream job (or just a good job) is about personal branding and leveraging your professional network.

Imagine you are a hiring manager. Would you be more likely to take time to interview a candidate you don’t know except for what’s been given on a submitted cover letter and resume or someone who’s been referred to you? A referral has much less risk, and that’s why networking has a higher success rate than job boards when it comes to securing a position.

This doesn’t mean that job boards are dead because there are plenty of niche job boards worth going to as a job seeker. But you can’t build an effective job search strategy around applying for jobs on job boards.

Here are a few other things about the limitations of using job boards when you’re a job seeker.

1. Recruiters May Never See Your Cover Letter And Resume

Just because you apply for a job on a job board doesn’t mean an actual person will ever look at your cover letter and resume.

More than 85% of companies are now using applicant tracking systems (ATS) to review and rank resumes according to skills, experience, and keywords. The simple fact is that companies use internal algorithms, so ensuring a strong ranking is extremely difficult. A recent HR manager told me that they get an average of 400 resumes for each position and only look at the top 10-20—meaning 380 resumes are not even reviewed.

In many instances, before a job posting goes up on the job board, it’s already been shared around internally at the employer and by trusted sources. So, it’s likely hundreds applied before the posting even made it to the job board.

2. Many Job Openings Don’t Get Posted On Job Boards

Office space with employees

Big job boards can be overwhelming with job postings (both relevant and irrelevant to you). This is a similar perspective for the employer when they get an overwhelming number of applicants for the job opening posted on a job board.

It’s also the reason why some may prefer to work solely with recruiters or find other means to source the right talent. If you’re not networking with the right contacts, you’re missing out on opportunities that will never be found on job boards.

3. Recruiters Have More Resources To Find Talent

Recruiters/hiring managers talk about job candidates during hiring process

Recruiters and hiring managers have professional networks too! Whether it’s a professional acquaintance or reaching out to their own workforce, they can put together a list of potential candidates before even posting a job.

In addition, many recruiters also use LinkedIn to find talent.

Resumes that get posted to job boards are still viewed, but there’s a good chance the information is outdated, which is one reason why hiring managers and recruiters are relying more on LinkedIn where information is generally more current.

Networking is the answer!

The best way to get a job is to put together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and network your way onto that company’s radar before they even post a job opening.

However, if you do want to apply for a job that you come across on a job board, make sure you go the extra mile to get past the ATS. Instead of applying to the link on the job board, do some research, find out who the hiring manager is, and take steps to get your updated cover letter and resume in front of them.

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More
4 Things To Know About Building An Interview Bucket List

4 Things To Know About Building An Interview Bucket List
  • February 1st, 2024
  • - Comments Off on 4 Things To Know About Building An Interview Bucket List
  • -

4 Things To Know About Building An Interview Bucket List

Applying to every company that’s hiring isn’t a very effective way to conduct a job search. To improve your chances of landing a job, it’s important to be very strategic about the companies that you’re applying to.

The fact that a company is hiring is only a small piece of the puzzle. You want to apply to a company that fits your skills and personality and has similar values. Most importantly, you want the company’s mission to inspire you, and you want to have a part in that mission.

That’s why it’s important to create an interview bucket list of 10-20 companies you would love to work before you start hunting for a job.

Here’s how to put together an interview bucket list.

Do A Self-Assessment

What industry do you want to work for? What are your key skill sets? What weaknesses do you need to improve?

These are just some of the self-assessment questions that you need to ask yourself before you begin your job search. From there, you also need to consider location. Do you want to stay where you currently live, or are you looking to move?

Once these important factors are considered, it becomes a lot easier to create the criteria for the interview bucket list and narrow down the search.

Research Companies

Young job seeker takes notes during her job search and adds companies to her interview bucket list

There are plenty of ways to find and research companies for your interview bucket list. Chances are you may already have some companies in mind, or great recommendations from your professional network.

A large part of your search will likely be done over the internet. You can find a lot of great companies by searching industry websites, news and business websites, and trade publications.

Once you get a list of companies going, you’ll need to take a deeper dive into each one of them by visiting their individual websites and social media accounts and reviewing any news stories about them.

It’s also beneficial to view sites like Glassdoor and Indeed to read employee reviews about working at the company.

Find Your Personal Connection

Man on laptop writes his interview bucket list

Company culture, perks and benefits, salary, and job opportunities are major factors to consider before adding companies to your interview bucket list. But it’s also important to ask yourself if you respect and admire the company. And if so, how do you personally connect with the company?

When you respect and admire a company, you can make a connection to its purpose. Companies are in the business of solving a problem for their customers; how can you fit into the company’s plans for solving this problem? Is there a personal reason why you’re passionate about solving this problem or why you identify with the company’s values?

The more passionate you are about a company’s mission, the more fulfilling your career with that company will be.

Build Your Network

Job seeker on laptop takes notes while creating her interview bucket list

Building an interview bucket list is one thing, but if you really want to improve your chances of landing an interview with one of these companies, you need to network your way into their orbit.

Identify five people at each company and find ways to connect with them. You can start by seeing if you have any shared connections in your professional network. It’s always easier to be introduced by a mutual connection.

If you don’t have a mutual connection, you’ll have to take some initiative and reach out to some of these professionals on LinkedIn on your own.

The goal is to ask these professionals to connect in hopes you can learn more about the company and what it might take to land a position there. Make sure you let them know that you aren’t looking for them to help you get a job, just some insight as to what the process is like.

These connections may start small with a few casual conversations, but the more commonalities you find with these connections, the more opportunity you’ll have to build meaningful conversations, and trust and mutual respect will follow.

The more of these connections you build, the more opportunity you have to earn a referral to one of your bucket list companies or gain insight about other great companies that may be worth your time.

Looking for additional help with your bucket list and job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.


Read More
The 3 Types Of Work Everyone Should Know

The 3 Types Of Work Everyone Should Know
  • January 25th, 2024
  • - Comments Off on The 3 Types Of Work Everyone Should Know
  • -

There are only three types of work. You either have a job, a career, or a calling. I have been a career coach for over 20 years and I can tell you that after working with thousands of people what you do for work falls into one of these three categories.

What To Know About The 3 Types Of Work

@j.t.odonnell

THE 3 TYPES OF WORK ##IKnowWhatYouDid ##jobsearch ##job ##career ##calling ##careerdecoder ##careeradvice ##careertiktok ##joblife ##careertok ##work ##1

♬ original sound – J.T. O’Donnell

As a professional, you either have:

  1. A job – it just pays the bills and doesn’t bring you a lot of satisfaction other than the fact that it’s taking care of you financially.
  2. A career – not only does it pay the bills, but you feel like you’re leveraging some of your strengths, so it makes you feel a little satisfied.
  3. A calling – you’re leveraging your strengths, and it feels like it’s what you were meant to do, and you’re getting paid for it.

The Problem

Professional man works from home

Now, the problem with this is that over the years, society has convinced all of us that the only thing we should be striving for is the calling—that we should be in love with our work. Everything we do should feel effortless and we should get a big paycheck for it. And that’s not how it works.

Your life is forever changing. There are times in your life when a job is the only thing you need. It’s the only thing you can handle. It pays the bills, and that’s good enough. And every job is temporary.

Then, there’s the career. There are times in your life when you feel like you’re doing satisfying work and you’re getting the paycheck.

Then, sometimes, people reach the calling; they find exactly what they want to do in life. But the thing about the calling is that you need to be willing to sacrifice—you need to be willing to do it even if you can’t get a paycheck. Most people don’t have the strength or the resources to go after the calling.

Stop Looking For A Calling And Do This Instead…

Professional women smile as they work

As a career coach, I want to manage people’s expectations and I want them to be as happy as they possibly can be in the situation they’re in. But to do that, everyone needs to understand that it’s not one-size-fits-all.

Stop searching for the perfect calling in the big paycheck. Learn to assess where you are today. Understand what’s currently going on in your life. Let’s make a conscious decision about what type of work—a job, a career, and (maybe) a calling—you need right now. And then let’s work to improve that step by step.

They didn’t teach us this in school. And, candidly, employers don’t want you to know this because they want you to be forever stuck in a job, don’t they? But there are good employers out there.

Good employers want you to feel fulfilled and satisfied. They can take you to the career level and maybe even the calling level. But they don’t just grow on trees and they don’t just fall in front of you. There’s no magic fairy godmother to give you that calling or career. You have to figure out who you are and what your strengths are, and then we start to work with that and, like a puzzle, we piece it together—a beautiful, unique puzzle that is all you.

So, stop looking for a calling and simply focus on growing your career. If you “work it daily,” you’ll get to where you want to be in your professional life. I promise.

Want Help Finding Your Next Job, Career, Or Calling? 

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More
7 Ways Women Can Achieve Happiness & Satisfaction In Their Careers

7 Ways Women Can Achieve Happiness & Satisfaction In Their Careers
  • January 19th, 2024
  • - Comments Off on 7 Ways Women Can Achieve Happiness & Satisfaction In Their Careers
  • -

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” —Dalai Lama

Studies have shown that people who derive meaning from their profession or feel commitment toward their organization’s mission are people who are much more resilient and satisfied in their economic environment. Average career professionals will work approximately 90,000 hours in their lifetime, so finding happiness and satisfaction is critical.

The good news is that life doesn’t have to be perfect for you to find happiness at work. Below are seven ways women can achieve happiness and satisfaction.

1. Discover The Five Cs

Woman on laptop smiles while working from home

You must maintain high levels of confidence, commitment, conviction, and contribution, and choose a cultural fit.

With the five Cs, you will have a feeling of recognition, pride, and trust in your company.

2. Find Purpose In Your Work

Woman on laptop finds purpose in her career

Too frequently, we get caught up in the day-to-day grind of our jobs and forget to look at the big picture—the “why” or the reason that motivates us to work.

Tapping back into the true purpose of your job will make your daily tasks and accomplishments more meaningful. Discover ways that your work can improve the lives of other people.

3. Challenge Yourself

Professional woman at work

Challenging yourself is one way to intensify your “joy” factor. Why not offer to step in where you normally wouldn’t be accountable? Why not ask your boss if you can shadow a colleague in another department to learn how various aspects of the company work?

This will create variety in your work (making it inherently more interesting) and you will score points for being a proactive employee who’s ready to take on new challenges. It might even land you a promotion and/or raise.

4. Look Beyond The Corporate Ladder

Older woman on laptop happy in her career

Studies indicate that eight out of the 10 jobs that make people happiest in America are not on the corporate ladder. Instead, they were positions with perks like flexible hours or positions that offered high levels of independence.

These facts suggest that choosing work that aligns with your values—even if those values take you further off the beaten path—is a good foundation for career satisfaction.

5. Work Toward Your Goals

Happy woman on laptop and phone works toward her career goals

San Francisco State University’s Ryan Howell co-authored a study in 2009 and found that working hard to improve a skill or ability may induce greater stress in the moment but also guarantees greater happiness on a daily basis and in the long term. “No pain, no gain,” he says.

If tasks aren’t enjoyable in the moment, the sense of accomplishment when the task is over changes that perspective. Howell found that reaching the goal isn’t even necessary to increase happiness—the process of trying and stretching yourself is enough.

Learning new skills may make you happier, but it also makes you more valuable to your current and future employers.

6. Develop A Social Circle

Group of happy women at work talk during a meeting

Having a strong social (professional) network is key. It’s easy to hate your job when you don’t know your co-workers and it is even easier if you continue to avoid them. If you hate your co-workers, the situation isn’t going to change.

Don’t let another day go by without learning about your co-workers. Reach out to them and be curious about their lives. Two people can’t become friends without one of them starting the conversation.

7. Look For Opportunities For Growth

Young woman on laptop happy while working from home

If you feel like you’re always on the defensive in your job, then take a deep breath and look for an opportunity instead. Take joy in the fact that there is always a new project to start in the workplace. It doesn’t matter what you do or where you work, there is always something new that could be done.

Instead of punching the clock and settling into the same routine, take some time to search for new opportunities. Constantly defending yourself is draining for everyone involved. You’ll find it much easier—and much more pleasant—to look for opportunities to grow instead of making excuses.

Most of us are happy when people say good things about us. When you do good things for other people, you create happiness for them and set the stage to receive it in return. For example, compliments are so simple to give that we often forget about them, but they are so powerful that we should always find ways to recognize others. Try spending a day giving compliments instead of criticizing.

Gaining respect and happiness in the workplace is easy to accomplish when goodwill is abundant. Finding happiness is as much about the decisions and actions you take as it is about having good things happen to you. Try some of the above strategies and put yourself in a better position to achieve happiness.

Remember, if you are not enjoying your life…change it! Doing the same thing today will create the same results tomorrow.

Not happy in your career? We want to help!

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More

Annual Career Checkup: Your New Year In View
  • January 5th, 2024
  • - Comments Off on Annual Career Checkup: Your New Year In View
  • -

It’s time for your annual career checkup! What changes do you want to make in your work life next year? Do you want a new job or a promotion? Do you want to keep doing the same things work-wise but with a new employer? Do you want to change career directions altogether? Are you happy where you are but want to boost your performance?

Regardless of your career situation, the new year offers you a clean slate. If you’re a goal-driven person, then you probably set performance targets for yourself at work and in your personal life. Now that the new year is here, it’s time to set your career goals for the next 12 months.

Remember to keep your goals SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound).

What To Consider As You Set Your Career Goals For The New Year

Man on laptop thinks about his career goals for the next year

Relationships

Armed with a list of the most critical relationships in your work life, set a goal for each. What’s the one action you can take that will sustain or improve each relationship?

Past Goals

Are you carrying forward any of last year’s goals into this year? If so, make a note of them. In addition, jot down the primary goals you would like to achieve in your career this year. Are you aiming to land a new job or a promotion by a certain date? Or are you planning to clarify your career next steps or explore a new industry?

Career Trajectory

What title, employer type, and industry would you like to be in by the end of this year? Aim high and dream big, and then work backward to detail the path you will need to take to achieve this trajectory.

Personal Brand

Which elements of your personal brand would you like to refine and capitalize on more this year? How will you do this? What types of projects, assignments, and roles will enable you to develop your personal brand at work?

Career Values

What are the top three career values you would like to honor most throughout this next year?

Career Passions

What are the top three career passions you would like to express throughout the coming year?

Career Gifts/Talents

What are the top two career gifts or talents you would like to use this year?

Industry Trends

Which industry trends are most likely to impact your career in the coming year? What specific actions can you take in the next 12 months to make those impacts as positive as possible? What can you do to mitigate any potential negative impacts?

Personal and Professional Development

What new personal or work-related skills do you plan to develop this year? What formal or informal training will you complete? Remember that once you officially enroll in a class or program, you can add it to your resume and LinkedIn profile—just make sure you clarify that you are enrolled and have not yet completed it. Once you’ve completed the class or program, you can note this completion on your resume or LinkedIn profile as well.

Achievements

What achievement opportunities exist for you in your current role this year? Are there projects or initiatives that you think will enable you to solve a problem, improve sales, innovate, or help the company achieve shared goals?

Achieving Your Career Goals

Woman takes notes and writes down career goals she wants to achieve

Once your plan is crafted, put legs under it by tying your goals and plans to specific dates in your planner. Break larger annual goals into small weekly chunks and make sure you access support for each goal you set.

  • Who can assist you in achieving each goal?
  • What information or resources do you need to pursue these goals?
  • What new skills or success habits must you put in place to realize these goals?
  • What changes or adaptations will you have to make, and how will you go about executing those?
  • What barriers to accomplishing these goals are in your way or could arise? How will you overcome these barriers?

Put your career plan in a form that feels right to you. Store it where you will see it often (preferably daily) and schedule monthly reviews of your plan. Each month when you reread it, make a note of your progress, successes, and problems. Get help when you need it—don’t wait until the year is nearly over to admit that you need support to achieve a goal. Most of all, though, have fun with your goals. Resolutions are supposed to bring us joy!

Need help achieving your career goals this year?

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More

7 Vital Habits Of The Successful Professional
  • December 2nd, 2023
  • - Comments Off on 7 Vital Habits Of The Successful Professional
  • -

Who isn’t a little curious about what a successful professional does differently than the average person? It’s not about what they do with their money. It’s how they approach their careers.

Passenger Or Pilot: Which One Are You?

It’s easy to think we are all doing what we can to take control of our careers. However, this article points out a misconception some people have: thinking they lack control over certain aspects of their career. Or worse, not even bothering to try to take control.

In our careers, we are either a:

A) Passenger – an employee held hostage by golden handcuffs.

B) Pilot – a business-of-one who is in charge of their destiny.

I can see why being a passenger in your career might be attractive. You get to leave the scary, intense work of navigating to the pilot. But is that what you really want? Currently, I’m seeing a shift in our workforce’s mentality.

More and more people are seeking professional emancipation as part of the natural evolution of the employee. They are tired of being a passenger and want to learn how to become the pilot of their career. That being said, here are seven tips for those seeking to become an ultra-successful professional…

1. Realize You’re A Business-Of-One

Successful professional man

Your career has equity. Recognize it and start to determine how to use it to your advantage.

Inventory your assets as a professional and determine who is willing to pay top dollar for them. If you don’t have valuable skill sets that are in demand, start acquiring some.

2. Always Look To Gain An Advantage In Your Business Dealings

Successful professional woman talks to a work colleague

You must negotiate with employers. Don’t take what is given to you without a discussion. An employer is a customer who is always looking for the best deal, and you’re the business-of-one providing a service for them. You want to do business with a customer willing to pay for the quality of work you provide.

Learn to effectively negotiate salary, perks, and other benefits so you feel good about the partnership. You don’t work “for” an employer. You work “with” an employer.

3. Do Things Well

Professional man on computer works hard to be successful

Remember that doing things well is more important than doing new things.

Get focused on building your expertise and understanding how you are the aspirin to an employer’s pain. You must be great at a few things, rather than okay at a bunch of things. What is your specialty as a business-of-one?

4. Work With People Who Are Smarter Than You

Happy/successful woman claps after a presentation during a work meeting

Look for the smartest people you can work with. Find companies you admire and respect. Not for their pay and benefits package, but for the kind of products or services they deliver.

You must seek your professional tribe and partner with them to up your career game.

5. Get Clear On Your Employer’s Goals, Needs, And Business Intentions

Successful professionals in a work meeting

Want to do better in your career? Don’t be so self-centered. It’s not about your needs and wants.

Instead, focus on the needs, wants, and business objectives of the people you are partnering with. You’ll be able to offer more value and get more in return if you do. They are your customer. Exceed their expectations and you’ll have them eating out of your hand.

6. Be In A Position To Walk Away When The Situation Isn’t Right

Older professional woman thinking about her career success at work

Get yourself in a financial position that enables you to quit a job and survive without income for one year. Every job is temporary. You may lose a job. You may want to leave a job. In either case, having the security of savings will give you the power to make the best decisions for your business-of-one.

Who wants to stay in a bad situation just for the money? Ask anyone who held on to a life-sucking job only to get laid off how that worked for them. They’ll tell you they wish they could have left at the first sign of trouble.

7. Realize You Need Experiences And Setbacks To Move Forward

Happy/successful professional man holding a tablet

There is no real failure. We experience, learn, and grow. Stop playing it safe and start embracing your fear. As the old saying goes, “Life begins where your comfort zone ends.” You will not survive and thrive in your career if you don’t constantly learn new things.

Making mistakes teaches us what not to do. That’s a good thing! Stop worrying about what others think and start worrying about what will happen if you don’t take control.

I hope these tips help you build good habits in your career so you can become an ultra-successful professional. How are you taking ownership of your career today?

Need more help with your career?

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More

What To Do When You’re Not The “Ideal Candidate”
  • December 1st, 2023
  • - Comments Off on What To Do When You’re Not The “Ideal Candidate”
  • -

You’ve probably heard the term best fit or ideal candidate quite a bit if you’ve been applying for new jobs, submitting college applications, or simply sifting through your long-term career goals. Employers know who they want, and usually what they want, in the hiring process. However, sometimes that’s not always clear on the other end and candidates can find themselves with many mixed messages.

Aspiring to be the perfect fit for a new position is a job in itself. After all, nobody’s perfect, and everyone is unique. But what do you do when you’ve received the infamous rejection email for the umpteenth time? How will you possibly bounce back from not being the best fit after nailing the first or second interview, time and time again?

Here are a few ways to grow as a candidate and own not being the ideal fit:

Avoid Displacing Anger

Man gets mad after receiving a rejection email for a job he applied for

If you can’t express appreciation or thanks to the hiring manager after receiving the job rejection, then you need to take a step back and go for a walk.

Never communicate with a recruiter, hiring manager, or anyone else in the hiring process while under the influence of anger. You may say something that could damage your reputation and cripple your career. It’s okay to feel hurt after putting in time for an opportunity you really wanted, but save those emotional feelings for close friends or family.

Learn About The “Ideal Candidate”

Woman on laptop reads a letter of feedback from a hiring manager

Following the job rejection, it’s okay to ask the hiring manager for some feedback about what you were lacking as a candidate, and how you can improve for future job opportunities.

When asking a hiring manager for feedback, it’s important to be professional and not too pushy about it. If they don’t respond, or decline to respond, just let it go. Not everyone is comfortable with or has time to give feedback.

However, if they do provide feedback, the information could be invaluable.

Not only is it good to know who you’re competing against, but it’s also good to assess what other candidates have in common, and what traits your dream company looks for in candidates. Why? Because you’ll be able to better understand if you fit in.

For example, if you have a hard time taking charge of tasks on your own but find yourself applying for jobs that offer little structure or support, you might not be the ideal candidate for the job.

Don’t Let Rejection Stunt Your Growth

Let’s say you didn’t get the design job of your dreams despite having a portfolio with years of obvious hard work. So what? Use rejection as a way to perfect your skills and toughen your skin. Maybe you were just one year shy of the necessary job requirements, or maybe your skill set needs some fine-tuning.

This is all perfectly okay. Sometimes we don’t get the things we want because we’re not ready. Remember, the company isn’t saying “No, not ever.” They’re actually saying “No, not today.” You could re-apply to the same company later on and get the job. It’s important to keep the lines of communication open.

Don’t let your job search get in the way of your personal growth. There are always opportunities available for professional development and upskilling—you just always have to be open to those opportunities.

Just because you weren’t the ideal candidate initially, doesn’t mean you won’t be in the future.

Need more help with your job search?

Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More
3 Ways To Improve Your Professional Happiness Using Your Career Decoder Results

3 Ways To Improve Your Professional Happiness Using Your Career Decoder Results
  • November 24th, 2023
  • - Comments Off on 3 Ways To Improve Your Professional Happiness Using Your Career Decoder Results
  • -

The Career Decoder Quiz unlocks your professional strengths and potential. I’m going to walk you through three ways you can use your results to improve your own career happiness, success, and satisfaction.

I built the Career Decoder Quiz back in 2015 and, as of today, hundreds of thousands of people have taken the quiz. When I first shared it with our members and followers, I got a comment from someone on LinkedIn with a PhD in psychology who said their results were spot-on accurate. It truly made my day because I always knew that this information was important and accurate but it’s very validating when you hear other individuals saying that as well.

How To Use The Career Decoder Quiz To Unlock Professional Success

The Career Decoder Quiz is all about your workplace personas. Your workplace personas explain how you like to add value and how you like to create value and results for your employer when you’re doing work. And this is important to understand because you’re not an employee. You’re a business-of-one, and you’re selling your services to the employer. You want to be able to sell services that you enjoy providing. That’s how you find satisfaction in your career.

I’ve worked with thousands of people over the last 20 years. I’ve been a career coach for a long time, and I know that the number one reason people are so unhappy is that they’re not internally motivated by their work. The technical term is “intrinsic motivation.” It means it’s work you desire to do and that’s exactly what the career decoder results reveal. You’re going to feel more satisfied naturally when you’re doing the kind of work your results say you should do.

When we work with people inside the Work It DAILY platform, when our career coaches help our members, what we normally find is that they’re doing work that is not leveraging their top two or three workplace personas. The Career Decoder Quiz is going to tell you you’re top personas. When you get your results, anything that scores 20% or higher means it’s a strength of yours. It’s a persona that you prefer to leverage. Some people only have one. Some people have a couple of them. But you can’t be all eight, so you’re going to see what you prefer to do and how you prefer to deliver that value.

The first way (and probably the most important way) you should be using the results of the Career Decoder Quiz is to get very clear on the kind of work you want to do.

We had a client take the Career Decoder Quiz. He was a very successful executive. In his current role, he was known as an Optimizer. (That’s one of the eight workplace personas.) He was very good at looking at problems in the company and fixing them. But he wasn’t fulfilled in this work. When he took our quiz, it turned out that his top three workplace personas were Mentor, Visionary, and Educator.

What he preferred to do was coach others. He preferred to share a vision, help people connect the dots, and see things that they couldn’t see on their own. He also wanted to close gaps in knowledge and information.

So what we did was work together to quantify his skills and abilities in these three areas—the ways he preferred to work—and then he went to his leadership team and expressed the fact that he really wanted to find work within the organization that allowed him to leverage these three areas. And, lo and behold, the executive team said to him, “We’ve been waiting for you to say this.” He was shocked. They were very happy with him in the Optimizer role and he seemed to be happy in the Optimizer role, so why would they’ve changed things? It wasn’t until he expressed his desire to do work that was in line with how he felt satisfaction that he was able to get results.

I see this every single day inside the Work It DAILY platform as we coach people on their careers, helping them better understand themselves, and this is just one of the ways that we do it.

The second way you need to leverage the results you get from the Career Decoder Quiz is to use them in all your career tools (resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, etc.).

As a business-of-one, you have to market yourself to employers, and the way you market yourself is with things like your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letters, answers in your interview prep, and elevator pitch when networking. A lot of people tend to have the “everything and the kitchen sink” mentality where they put everything they’ve ever done in all of these career tools. They want to present themselves as a Jack or Jill of all trades. That is a fatal error. You need to brand yourself as a specialist, and, more importantly, as a specialist doing the kind of work you want to be doing. The Career Decoder results are what enable you to do that.

Now, a lot of people get their results and suddenly change their LinkedIn headline to “I’m a Builder, Mentor, Superconnector,” or in their resume they write that they are an Educator or Warrior or Researcher. That’s not what I want you to do. That’s actually pretty hokey and that’s not what this was intended for.

Instead, take a look at your top personas. You’ll realize those personas are really verbs. So if you’re a Builder, then you want to go through your tools and quantify your experience building things: “I’ve built X systems.” Or if you’re an Educator, “I’ve taught X number,” or “I trained X number of people.” Or if you’re a Superconnector, “I’ve connected X number of customers/vendors.”

You want to look at how you move the needle in your career. You want to quantify your accomplishments and work experience using the terms that align with your top workplace personas. Quantifying these things and branding yourself this way is how you’re going to send the message that this is your specialty, this is how you like to create value, and you can prove it.

The third way you can leverage these results and improve your professional satisfaction is by understanding or getting familiar with your co-workers’ personas.

It’s important that you know how to leverage the strengths of other people. And let me explain why.

When you know what your strengths are, you’re going to have more confidence, and when you know the strengths of others, you know how to tap into them and collaborate better. This is what companies are looking for—their top resources working well together and creating much better results.

By recognizing the talents of others and knowing to leverage them in concert with yours, you’re going to gain a lot of trust, respect, and credibility within the organization.

I see a lot of people plateau in their careers because they get so focused on what they’re good at and how they win that they lose sight of the fact that in order to get to the next level in their career, they need to partner with others. They need to be able to leverage the strengths of others. You can’t be all eight personas. You’re going to need all eight of those personas in the workplace. So if you want to get ahead in your career you need to put your ego aside. You need to leverage your own strengths, your own personas, and you need to leverage those of your teammates. Your credibility, the trust and the respect that you’re going to get, is gonna skyrocket. And, of course, that’s going to make you much happier on the job.

Those are the three ways you can leverage the Career Decoder results. Discovering your workplace personas is so empowering. And we don’t just use the Career Decoder Quiz with job seekers and professionals. We also use it with employers. They use it with their staff to help them better understand their teammates. And if you’re a leader, not only should you take this quiz, but you should also give it to all of your employees and learn their results so that you can tap into their strengths and make sure they’re happy on the job.

I hope this free quiz helps you, your coworkers, and your leaders. If you want to work one-on-one with our coaches and learn more about your results, join us inside Work It DAILY today. Let us be your guide toward a happier, more satisfying career.

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More
4 Ways To Take Ownership Of Your Career

4 Ways To Take Ownership Of Your Career
  • November 22nd, 2023
  • - Comments Off on 4 Ways To Take Ownership Of Your Career
  • -

Are you sick and tired of depending on other people for your career success? Good! The only person in charge of your success is you.

If you’re feeling trapped by a job you hate, a bad boss, insulting pay, or all of the above, it’s time you take ownership of your career. But where do you start?

Here are three things you can do to start taking control of your career today:

Take Inventory Of Your Skill Sets

What are you known for? What are your best skills? What accomplishments are you most proud of? What are your best qualities?

Take some time to list your best skill sets, and how you use those skill sets to add value to a company. Think of all the quantifiable examples of the times your skills have helped previous employers and other examples of your skill sets standing out from everyone else’s.

Organizing all of this information will help you build your personal brand and organize how you want to market yourself as a business-of-one to employers.

Start Being Proactive In Your Career

A young professional has a career conversation with her boss

If you want to take ownership of your career, you need to stop being reactive and start being proactive. Reactive activities include but aren’t limited to the following: waiting for your boss to give you a promotion, waiting for recruiters to reach out to you with new opportunities, or waiting for employers to email you back about your resume.

Notice that all of these “job search activities” started with the word “waiting.” Newsflash: Waiting doesn’t get results. Taking action does.

Instead, set up a meeting with your boss to discuss advancement opportunities or make a bucket list of companies that you want to work at, and then reach out to employees at those companies to connect, and maybe even set up informational interviews.

It’s also important to submit your cover letter and resume to an actual person when applying for a job, and following up with that hiring staff.

Build Your Professional Network

Man on phone and laptop builds his professional network

The old saying, “It’s who you know,” has never rung more true. Get by with a little help from your career friends! Focus your efforts on building your professional network. Meet new people within your industry and bucket list companies. Start conversations and build relationships with them.

Even if you’re not ready to find a new job or change careers yet, having these people in the wings as references, mentors, and professional contacts will help you tremendously. They can provide tips and insight, act as a sounding board for ideas, and even hook you up with a job. Just make sure you help them out in return!

Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Young happy professional stands out in the job market by stepping out of her comfort zone

Part of your new, proactive approach is to step out of your comfort zone. Many people hold themselves back solely because they are afraid of what people might think. But remember, nothing will change if you don’t!

Make an effort to put yourself out there and meet new people. Set up informational interviews with like-minded professionals, strike up a conversation with someone at a conference, and attend in-person or virtual networking events.

If you’re ready to achieve career success, take ownership of your career today by following the tips above. What is your business-of-one capable of?

Need more help with your career?

Become a member to learn how to UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!

This article was originally published at an earlier date.

Read More
4 Ways To Take Ownership Of Your Career

Coaching For Growth: Lessons Learned On The Path To Self-Transformation
  • November 7th, 2023
  • - Comments Off on Coaching For Growth: Lessons Learned On The Path To Self-Transformation
  • -

Understanding one’s stage of self-awareness development as an executive coach who facilitates leaders to practice conscious leadership is crucial. My own developmental journey emphasized the need to pay attention to how my beliefs and assumptions enabled my effectiveness in varied contexts and interactions.

I realized the importance of aligning my developmental stage with my role and goals. As a learning practitioner, it was clear to me that unless I became able to make sense of my own way of being and acting at a level essential for enabling others to transform, I would not be acting with a high degree of integrity. Nor would I be effective.

What provoked the realization that I was stuck in a level of mindset that was not going to serve me was my encounter with one of the leaders of consultancy that I was seeking to join.

My Pivotal Moment

Soft skills, growth, development concept

During an interview, the company director asked me, “What are your strengths?” Proudly, I responded, “According to my StrengthsFinder, my strengths are Activator, Communication, Connectedness, Woo, and Positivity.” I believed I was showcasing my expertise. However, my ego took a hit when the director responded, “I don’t want you to define yourself by an instrument. I want to know your essence, who you are.”

My Transformation Journey

Growth, development, self-transformation concept

Despite the rocky start, I was hired. At the beginning of our professional relationship, the director played the bad cop, challenging my tendency to act as the subject matter expert. He aimed to unveil my authentic self, and this feedback served as a wake-up call for me to reflect on who I truly was.

At this point, I needed a framework that I could understand that would help me find my way to what many call a “later stage of meaning-making.” Enter Robert Kegan’s five stages of adult development, a framework that, despite my conceptual understanding, revealed a disparity between my self-assessment and reality. Believing I was at a stage referred to as Self-Authoring Mind focused on what I could create of value according to my own standards, I discovered I was operating from the perspective of Socialized Mind, which draws self-esteem and orientation based on how others would judge me.

I engaged the support of an executive coach, driven by my eagerness to learn, enabling a breakthrough that helped me transition from a Socialized Mind to Self-Authoring Mind. I was able to free myself from always needing to know the answers, to be more comfortable with the ambiguity of not knowing, and to be more collaboratively accepting of others’ perspectives.

Power Of Coaching In My Journey

Coaching, mentoring, guidance concept

This experience highlighted the power of coaching that fosters self-awareness and transformation. I acknowledged that I wouldn’t have progressed to higher stages without my coach’s guidance. This personal evolution equipped me with the wisdom to help others grow.

Another resource, Jennifer Garvey Berger’s book Changing on the Job: Developing Leaders for a Complex World, deepened my understanding of transformation. It guided me on how to assist others in identifying their level of development and fostering corresponding growth.

My journey underscored the importance of self-awareness, coaching, and aligning developmental stages with professional roles. This experience fueled my passion for enabling others to navigate their transformative journeys.

Your Journey

Growth, professional development concept

As you reflect on my journey of self-discovery and professional growth, consider your own path. What stage of development are you in, and where do you feel called to be to lead more effectively? Are you ready to embrace the transformative power of coaching, self-reflection, and continuous learning?

If you’re ready to unlock your full potential, take the first step today. Seek a coach, explore relevant literature, and commit to your own evolution. Remember, the journey to self-awareness and authentic leadership is ongoing—embrace it and you will empower yourself to inspire meaningful change in both your professional and personal spheres. Your transformative journey awaits!

Read More