Career Advancement

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Do You Have a Plan for Your Career?

By Jared Cole on Monday, December 24, 2012

Looking to The Future of Your Career Getting a job is only the first step; you need to set career goals and continually improve in your craft if you want more meaningful responsibilities, higher salaries, or that big promotion.

According to the University of Kansas, people who have clear ideas about what they hope to accomplish have improved chances of achieving them.

Forming a career plan is important. Check out our video to get helpful insight on what steps to take to help you achieve your career goals, and to find out what happens when you throw out preparation and just wing it.

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Get Employment Health with Career Fitness!

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Are you at the entry level or are you at the NEXT LEVEL! Be smarter, better, and sharper in your career to help keep your job and get promoted! If you want a skill set that’s ready for anything, you’re going to have to work on not only your talents, but also your knowledge and connections. You’ll need to be a CAREER MASTER!

One of the best ways to master your career goals is to continually improve. How do you do that? Well, working your skills is a lot like working your muscles. Without continual practice, they become weak and flabby. Check out our extreme video where career fitness expert, Skills Masterson, gives you the power to trim your flabby skills into a set of ripped competencies for career success!

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Job Searching While Still Employed

By Jared Cole on Thursday, July 19, 2012

Maybe you’ve been at the same job for a few years and are looking for that next great challenge. Or maybe your current job isn’t working out for you. No matter your situation at work, it’s best to have your next job ready before quitting your current one.

Looking for a job while still employed can feel taboo. Many workers feel uncertain about the best actions to take at work when looking for new employment. You shouldn’t let this fear hold you back from advancing your career. Here are some ways you can improve your chances of finding a new job without stepping on your employer’s toes.

Shhh! Keep It Discreet
It’s best to keep your search away from work. You shouldn’t feel obligated to inform your current employer you’re job searching until you’re ready to give notice. While you may have a strong working relationship with your boss, you could still disrupt relations and teamwork with your boss and co-workers if you talk about a new job opportunity and end up not getting it. Also, don’t use your managers or co-workers as references during your search unless you’ve discussed with them your plans to look for a new job. Wait until you’ve left on good terms.

You should also avoid posting your resume into search databases online, instead directly apply to open positions. You never know who could be looking at them, and the news of your job search could reach your current employer. Consider changing some privacy settings on your social media accounts. Social media can be a powerful tool in your job search, but if you’re friends with co-workers and managers, you could burn some bridges with them by publicly announcing your job search. You may feel like it’s keeping a secret, but it’s more about keeping the search out of the workplace until you’re ready to leave.

Don’t Use Company Time or Company Dime
Your employer is paying you to work for them, so don’t use company time and resources to look for a new job. Wait until you’re off work to search online and send resumes to hiring managers. Make sure you include your personal contact information and not your work number or email in a cover letter or resume.

If you need to schedule an interview, make sure it’s before work, during your lunch break, or after work. If asked why you’re taking your lunch break early or late, you can tell management that you need to take care of some personal business. You can also take scheduled time off for interviews, but don’t use sick time off for this purpose.

Avoid using company equipment and resources during your job search as well. It may be small things like paper, but it can really hurt your chances of getting hired if you send cover letters with your current employer’s letterhead.

Resign with Respect
If you get a job and accept it, make sure you give your boss ample time to prepare before you leave. Be upfront and give as much notice as possible. When you’re leaving your job, it can be easy to stop caring about your responsibilities. Make sure you have your duties and responsibilities clearly communicated to the right people. If you continue to work as a model employee before leaving, you’re more likely to be able to use this employer as a recommendation, contact, or reference in the future.

Applying for a job while still working a full-time job can be tiring. You have a lot to do during your off time, on top of your regular life schedule, but the long hours are worth it. What has helped you find a job while still employed?

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Signs that Workplace Change is Coming

By Rachel Rudisill on Friday, July 13, 2012

Have you ever had that eerie feeling that something was about to change? Are there ways to know if something big is coming your way?

Some say yes. Here are just a few clues that changes in the workplace could be in your future.

Budget Revisions
A shift in focus may be reflected first in a shift of the budget. If a division is being given additional funds it could be a sign of growth to come in that area. If you notice new equipment purchases or additional resources in a particular area, you may want to approach your manager to see if there is anything you can do to contribute to the development. Stay on the lookout for training being scheduled in that area and if you’re interested in learning more, be on the lookout for opportunities that match your skills with the development.

Rescheduled Meetings
Meetings can be rescheduled for a variety of reasons, but when appropriate, seek to understand why. Your manager may not always be able to share with you the reason a meeting was rescheduled and sometimes it may not have anything to do with the topic of that meeting. Instead, another matter of higher importance may have just taken its place. But sometimes when a meeting has been rescheduled it’s because new data has been provided that has changed the need for the original meeting. Perhaps priorities have shifted and a project that was once urgent has now been given a more flexible timeline. If you are able to have open communication regarding a meeting that has been rescheduled, you may actually learn something new that will impact your industry, company, or job function.

New Faces
When someone new joins the team they may think they’ve got big shoes to fill, or they may think their role is to shake things up a bit and bring in some new energy. When new people join a team they bring with them a host of ideas and experiences that are likely to influence and develop the workplace. A fresh perspective may seem intimidating or exhausting at first, but new blood often invigorates and advances a team. Seek to find a balance with new team members in allowing them to try out their new ideas, and preventing them from reinventing the wheel or trying solutions that have failed in the past. It can be hard to think trying something that failed in the past is a good idea, but with new players and a different environment the results could change, so look for ways to help and provide prospective.

If you’ve spent any time in the workforce you know that change is inevitable. Try not to worry about things beyond your control, instead look for ways you can develop your skills and have a better big-picture understanding of your workplace. This can help you be ready to make the best of changes, perhaps even advancing your career when things get switched up. What are some ways you’ve benefited from change in the workplace? Or what new ideas have been a result of new team members or big changes?

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Climbing the Corporate Ladder When You’re Shy and Introverted

By Jared Cole on Monday, June 25, 2012

It’s hard enough to find a job when you’re shy, but it can seem just as hard to become a team player within a group of strangers you’ve just met and position yourself to move up into management.
Here’s how you can overcome being just shy of a promotion.

Talk Big About Your Co-Workers
Introverts internalize all of the information that’s given to them, from casual conversation or presentations, to internet research and books. While introverts don’t have to be shy, it can be very easy for them to constantly think about how the outside world correlates with them, instead of how the outside world correlates with itself. Take some time to step back and acknowledge your co-workers’ achievements. Colleagues love a sincere pat on the back, an email full of kudos, or a card with congratulations. Management will see that you’re a team player with eyes on the company’s goals.

Shy workers may feel like sleazy used car salesmen when dishing out random compliments, but there’s a great way for you to give sincere acclaim while giving yourself a little credit too. If working on a project and a team member goes above and beyond the call of duty, tell your boss, “I couldn’t have done the project without (co-worker’s name). He/she made things so much easier for me.”

Tell Your Boss How You’re Doing, Really
We have a culture of asking the obligatory “how are you?” question when first talking to other people. Most of the time, we don’t really mean it since it’s just a formality. This is a perfect opportunity for you to self-promote. Next time your boss walks by and says “what’s up?” or “how are you?” instead of being unprepared and saying “not much” or “good” make it an opportunity to talk about the progress of your latest project or of a recent accomplishment.

If randomly bringing it up feels too awkward and sales-pitchy, you can wait for more opportune times when it’s ok to talk about yourself. Wait until you have your annual review with your boss and present a list of all your accomplishments and achievements you made during the year. If presented in a structured and thought-out manner, it can make a good impression on your supervisor.

Just Say it
Sometimes you have to throw caution to the wind and speak your mind. While it’s good to be cautious of what you say and self-censorship can be a useful skill, for those who are shy, it can be a hindrance. Shy workers can kill their own best ideas because they’re too self-critical. Rather than getting held back by negative thoughts, focus on what co-workers and managers are saying, then use that as a basis to elaborate. When you stop focusing on yourself and instead focus on the ideas being presented, you start to brainstorm and provide valuable input for your employer.

Building relationships and getting noticed by management doesn’t happen overnight. It can take time to build trust and demonstrate how valuable you are to your employer. Luckily for us introverts, our strongest abilities are patience and planning, which can give us an advantage when the word “promotion” starts floating around the workplace. What are some tricks you’ve used to help step outside of your comfort zone while at work?

At Work Career Advancement

How to Take Full Advantage of Your Staffing Agency

By Jared Cole on Saturday, June 23, 2012

When you’re between jobs, it can feel like you’re walking in an endless desert. It’s like you’ve been there forever and you can’t do anything else but walk aimlessly. The truth is, your job search doesn’t have to be that way. Many job seekers and workers have discovered the benefits of working for a staffing agency.

Access to temporary work full-time jobs aren’t the only things staffing agencies have to offer. More than just providing work, they can help you develop a stronger job search outside of employment experience. Here are some lesser-known benefits of staffing agencies that you can take advantage of.

Résumé Review
One of the biggest perks of working with a staffing agency is your direct access to résumé experts. Your recruiter sees a large number of résumés every day, so they are often times well versed in the dos and don’ts of effective writing. This perk is often overlooked because workers are under the impression that since they are already working, their résumé doesn’t need work.

All résumés need to be constantly updated. Who better than your recruiter to help you best outline and describe your temporary work experience in a manner that’s appealing to employers? If you’re interested in tightening or critiquing your résumé, talk to your recruiter. It’s free to schedule a time aside for you to go over the ins and outs of résumé writing. If your agency can’t, they can refer you to someone who can.

Resource Libraries
It’s important for staffing agencies to have employee satisfaction, retention, morale, and motivation. That’s why many agencies have meetings and lectures focused on helping you plan, succeed, and grow in your career. These gatherings let you discuss and learn about job related issues from experts and peers, which help build a better working relationship between the recruiter and you.

Most staffing agencies have resources full of useful information on interviewing, workplace etiquette, cover letter writing, and networking. When you develop stronger job skills, you’ll be better enabled to achieve your career goals, and your staffing firm will have a more qualified worker to place for its clients.

Software Training
Sometimes you have to take several placement tests before you can schedule an interview with a recruiter. Depending on what field and pay rate you want to be in, or where you want to go in your career, you might be tested on more than just basic use of word processors. Some clerical positions require more than a basic knowledge of Microsoft Office, and with the program frequently changing and updating, it can be difficult to keep up with it on your own.

If you want to enhance your office software skills, most agencies allow you to come in during your days off to train yourself. Recruiters will be impressed seeing you take the initiative to educate yourself and improve your skills. Employers like to see candidates get closer to their career goals by improving skills from programs offered by staffing firms.

While there may be some misconception s about staffing agencies, there are several opportunities for you to learn and grow as a job seeker. What are some ways you’ve taken advantage of programs offered by staffing firms?

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It’s Time to Check Your Progress – Self Evaluations

By Rachel Rudisill on Friday, June 22, 2012

The mid-year point can be a great time to give yourself a review on your job performance. Most companies typically hold performance reviews or annual reviews at the end of the calendar year, but at that point there isn’t much you can do to improve your scorecard for the year. Here are the key elements in conducting a self-review.

Review the progress you’ve made on your goals.
Remember the goals you set for yourself at the beginning the year? When is the last time you reviewed those? Now is the perfect time to review them and see where you are at meeting them. If you are struggling with a goal, take some time to consider what the obstacles are and how you can work around them. In areas where you’ve succeeded, it’s a great motivator to see how your performance is paying off. Often, we are so busy getting our work done we don’t take the time to look up and see how far we’ve come. This evaluation may just be the motivation and encouragement you need to keep pressing on.
Review any new skills you’ve learned or skills you’ve advanced.
Have you been to any training events this year? Have you taken any online classes or webinars, or read any development publications? Even though everything you learn might not create a new or advanced skill, it’s good to review what you’ve been doing to stay fresh and keep your skills sharp. Now may be a good time to create or update your list of job specific abilities and soft skills, and you may even want to score yourself on them. If you have a résumé, it may be a good time to update it or add any new skills to your LinkedIn page. Keeping those things up to date regularly prevents you from having to do major overhauls every few years.
Create a timeline for improvement.
Everyone has room for improvement, and even if you’ve met your goals, now is a great time to start thinking of ways to advance or add milestones you’d like to achieve. This timeline will remind and motivate you to pursue your development goals and will demonstrate your commitment to improvement to your manager. It would be great to share this with your manager, especially if you’re going to need additional resources to achieve your goals. Even if you don’t share it with your manager now, it will be a wonderful asset to discuss in your annual review.

How do you measure your performance and development? Share your tips in the comments section below.