Although 2020 has brought so many changes, LinkedIn continues to be the largest online business networking platform and a top influencer in how we leverage and advance our careers. Learning how to negotiate the ins and outs of this powerful social media tool is to everyone’s advantage. Here’s 9 Top Strategies for Diving Deep into LinkedIn:
Create a profile with a professional photo and pertinent details. It might seem obvious, but attention to detail is important when looking to network and make significant career connections. Be succinct in your accomplishments and don’t forget to include your efforts at volunteerism. The goal is a well-rounded profile, just as when you’re applying for a new position. Think of LinkedIn as your online resume.
Make meaningful connections. The first connections are the obvious ones, but then what? Browse your connections’ connections to see if there are any that may be an acquaintance, and think about adding those. Don’t send blind connection requests—include a brief message of how you have a mutual connection, etc. As you start to build your network, requests will organically come to you. You’ll be surprised how it grows!
Post regularly. Creating meaningful content that is of interest to others (that they in turn may share) is key to broadening your LinkedIn presence. Also, be sure to share articles you find interesting. This is another method of organically growing your network.
Ask some colleagues for recommendations. Having a balanced number (not one or two, but not necessarily dozens, either) of well-written recommendations are a plus to those looking at your profile. They can often lead to new opportunities when making connections.
Always keep an eye on career trends and available positions. You may be perfectly happy on your career trajectory, but don’t underestimate the power of keeping an eye on that Job section of LinkedIn. Why? Because it allows you to keep up with industry trends, see who’s hiring and how they may be expanding positions in their organization, and keeps you up to date with the key words, phrases, and HR terminology that’s in the forefront.
If you are unemployed, it is especially important to look on LinkedIn as much as you would any other source for potential jobs. The advantage here is that LinkedIn is built on people and connections, rather than sending a blind resume to an email box of the HR Department. Be sure your profile is ultra professional, and you may choose to tactfully state that you are looking for an opportunity in your field. Let a few key connections know you are searching for that next opportunity as they may know of a possibility or be able to introduce you to some of their key connections or a great recruiter.
Use Company Profiles to your advantage. Read about companies you are interested in and/or are highly regarded in your field. You can also search to see if you have any connections at a particular company. Continuous learning will pay off, if not immediately, but in the future. You never know when an opportunity will present itself, and having knowledge of your desired company is always beneficial.
Follow influencers in your field and join LinkedIn groups of like-minded individuals. We know that many experts and those at the top of their field do not accept invites for connection; you may wonder how you can form a relationship despite this brick wall. Mutual connections are of course important, but so is joining groups that those people may have started or are actively involved in. Just keep connecting, and even though the connection that was your goal may not transpire, you’ll be sure to meet many interesting and influential people along the way.
If you’re recruiting for a position, check out Recruiter and Recruiter Lite. It’s an excellent option to make connections and meet new prospective candidates and there are free trial versions. The search capability is excellent, and again, you’ll meet people who may keep you in mind for the future.
If you are unemployed (or as I like to say “between successes”), it is especially important to look on LinkedIn as much as you would any other source for potential jobs. As with anything else, you’ll get out of LinkedIn what you put into it. Remember that networking in a professional atmosphere is as key as in a more personal, social arena. Spend some time on this network, and you’ll be certain to reap the rewards!
I wish you a very prosperous 2021! As always, I’m available to assist you in your journey. For more information on my coaching services, visit my website at www.mbrownassociates.com.
Entering the last month of 2020, we have a great deal to reflect back on, particularly when it comes to our careers. The changes in how we successfully navigate the workplace have been vast, and for now, there doesn’t seem to be a definitive end to our new way of working. That said, we still need to consider developing our career amongst these unique circumstances. Today we’ll discuss some ways we can accomplish that, despite the current climate.
Even though we’ve been caught up in the seemingly endless virtual meetings, we need to take time to evaluate not just how we’re working, but look at our current performance and future goals. It may seem counterintuitive at the present time when some days it may seem all we can do to accomplish our norm, but the time is right to do a lot of introspection. How has working from home affected your performance? Did you acquire new leadership skills or become more self-reliant in your home office? No longer surrounded by the office noise, have you discovered that you really love what you do—or discovered that it’s time to change directions? It’s just you working away solo now—you can be honest with yourself. Express your feelings by journaling or whatever notetaking system works best for you.
Self-study
Once you’ve laid your thoughts out, it’s time to formulate a plan which includes the necessary education and certifications. To that end, you may not be aware of how many free or low-cost opportunities are at your disposal. Let’s take a look at some resources:
Certifications You Can Obtain for Free! From AES Certification to Project Management, check out these great ideas: https://www.jobscan.co/blog/5-certifications-add-resume-free/
Recent College Graduate? Check out Handshake, a job portal that has become a leading community for those early in their career: https://joinhandshake.com/
Continue to Build Your Tribe: Take advantage of the virtual meetings to introduce yourself with a brief “elevator speech” if you will, and actively engage with other meeting/event participants. Pay special attention to opportunities to share contact information. Check out some of these great apps to make your virtual business card:
HiHello: https://www.hihello.me/
Haystack: https://thehaystackapp.com/
Inigo: https://inigoapp.com/
Managing Your Mind: The very habit of practicing mindfulness is a deliberate action, and one that can not only help us through current career challenges, but in our personal development as well. Here’s a mindfulness quiz that can help you evaluate where you are in the mindfulness sphere. After your score is tabulated, a list of valuable recommendations are given. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/quizzes/take_quiz/mindfulness
Learn, grow, and document: Be proactive and go a step above and beyond (perhaps use that time was formerly spent commuting). Use tools like Google Drive, Evernote, etc. to document what you have done in the way of continued development so they are easily accessible for future reference. In the event you’re asked to perform a self-evaluation, you’ll have this information at hand. As far as sourcing the courses, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Udemy, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and other major players. Here’s some interesting alternatives:
A Collection from The Muse – 41 Free Classes from Various Sources: https://www.themuse.com/advice/43-classes-you-can-take-right-now-to-advance-your-career-and-theyre-free
Free Professional Development Courses: https://www.futurelearn.com/subjects/business-and-management-courses/professional-development
500 Free Learning Resources for Nonprofit Professionals: https://www.nonprofitready.org/
Performance Assessments
Another method that can be utilized is the 360-degree Performance Review, which can be adapted to the remote office situation. This is where the employee, managers, subordinates, and a cross-section of peers perform a review, as well as extending this to outside sources such as vendors, associated companies in different cities, etc. In the remote situation, this is a great tool to assess communication, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills. Communication can be a bit off kilter in our virtual world, and this assessment reinforces its importance. There are a variety of tools that can be utilized including Doodle or Survey Monkey polls, or even the poll feature in Zoom. Managers can take the existing performance evaluations and with some creativity adapt them to the remote learning environment. With continuous improvement in mind, this exercise is extremely valuable.
Continuous Improvement of Soft Skills
Now more than ever, we need to master our soft skills so that we can communicate effectively from a distance. Problem solving is paramount, and being able to devise adaptable solutions allows the team to flourish. Strong flexibility and adaptability skills will serve us well during the pandemic and going forward in our careers. We had to switch gears so fast with the onset of the pandemic that we just did whatever we needed to do to get our work done; now we can refine processes such as responding to new challenges, continuous learning, and even some novel improvisation when things in our virtual world don’t go as planned. By encouraging employees to stretch their creativity and step outside their comfort zone, you may find a plethora of great ideas to strengthen the sense of community while accomplishing goals.
There is so much to be learned from the times we are faced with in regard to continuous career development. If you’d like to speak with Marshall about coaching services, please contact him at 202-669-2065. Visit the website for more information, and follow us on our social channels. www.mbrownassociates.com.
Wishing you a healthy, safe and successful new year!
This year has brought changes to all our careers; the way we work, interact with others, and manage to stay connected. Challenges usually bring learning opportunities, and today we’re examining what COVID-19 has taught us in regard to our careers.
We have become more adaptable: Flexibility and the ability to adapt to ever-changing situations is the name of the game in 2020. As the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention,” and it’s never been more true. Recognize your ability to create strategies to help yourself, your colleagues, and your family, and share those ideas freely.
There’s a new humanity: Remember the old joke that no absence was excusable, save for your own funeral (if you gave proper notice)? Things are different now, and the fact that families work and learn differently has given us the opportunity to see each other as people, not just well-dressed colleagues who occupy
It’s another Monday morning. For the home-based employee, it’s another week of working virtually. Another week of trying to juggle kids, our career, and perhaps a barking dog or curious cat while we’re maintaining a professional atmosphere in which to complete our work. Your home isn’t designed to be an office, but overall, you’re managing fairly well.
A PwC survey in June found that 44% of employers felt employees were more productive working at home during the pandemic, vs. 31% who believed they were less productive and 25% who felt work output was roughly the same. How would you categorize yourself?
There are many factors at play here to be your most productive. The key is in planning as much as you possibly can, and this means as a family. Women are particularly stressed and job statistics show they are increasingly leaving their jobs to provide childcare and assist with virtual learning. For single parents, the stress is even greater as there’s no partner to balance things out.
However, the world keeps churning. Bosses still expect top quality work and the same dedication they were accustomed to pre-COVID-19. Is this possible, you ask?
Yes, in fact, it is. It just takes a lot of creativity.
Consider:
According to a Gallop poll, 1 in 4 adults is working entirely from home. Statistics vary, but approximately 50 percent of students are participating solely in online learning, with the remainder in some sort of hybrid arrangement. That’s a lot of people home together all day trying to accomplish what was once done with the support of others in a designated environment. It’s no wonder there’s stress!
We invite you to grab a cup of your favorite coffee or tea and explore these tips and resources:
- Dual working couples can and should stagger their day. Finding a unique solution that is amenable to your family while meeting your supervisor’s expectations is crucial. Communicate this information to your supervisors and work together to create a realistic plan.
- Respect each other’s space, both for adults and children. Ensure everyone has the best working and learning environment possible. Take this very seriously to minimize frustration.
- Outsource what you can afford (grocery delivery, housekeeping, etc.) Consider child care or utilization of a “pod” schooling situation for those days or even a week when you must be in a conference or nonstop meetings. Allow yourself the ability to give proper attention to the task at hand, especially if you are a presenter or you are participating in continuing education.
- Curb unrealistic expectations and let go of perfection. If the laundry is a bit piled up or the grass needs mowing, don’t be so hard on yourself. It will get done. You need less stress, not more. Prioritize.
- Demonstrate compassion for others and practice understanding. We’re all in this together. Be creative in solutions to help each other during this challenging time.
- Practice your best self-care. We all know what we need—proper sleep, exercise, eating right. We also intuitively know what makes us feel our best on a very specific level. Whether it’s yoga, walks in nature, reading for an hour each day, taking particular supplements, or sticking to a certain nutrition, continue to make that activity a priority. As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” Take care of yourself both emotionally and physically.
- Set boundaries. Turn that laptop off and put the phone up for a bit. Resist the urge to check emails during family time. If you’re fortunate enough to have a home office, shut the door when the workday is complete. Learn to say no, and stick to it. Prioritizing will bring clarity to the things that can be postponed or even eliminated from daily life right now. Saying no tends to make us feel guilty, but for our own mental and physical wellbeing, it’s a necessity. Make your decisions and stick to them.
- Have a plan for emergencies such as sick children or your own need for a sick or personal day off. Have a plan for when (not if) your internet has an issue or there are other technology issues. We all run into this from time to time. How can we adapt and pivot and still get our work done?
- Remember to advocate for yourself. This is something that a virus can’t diminish. Maybe you were in line for a promotion earlier in the year, or you were facing a particular challenge. Again, communication is key to allow your supervisor to see that you haven’t missed a beat and you’re ready to tackle anything from a promotion to advancing your skills to dealing with sensitive issues with coworkers.
- Recognize that this is temporary. Institute practices that will help you look back and remember how your family conquered this challenge successfully.
Ten Resources to Navigate our COVID-19 World:
- The Cloud. If you don’t already utilize Google Drive, Dropbox, One Drive, or the like for your work projects, now is the perfect time. By sharing documents securely, you can work together efficiently and in real time. Google has an entire suite of products to help: https://www.google.com/docs/about/
- Productivity software. From Monday to Microsoft Teams to Trello and all the others in between, these help keep us on track for virtual or on-site tasks. Most of these platforms have free trials. Try: https://monday.com/product/
- Lost your job due to the pandemic? Spend time on not only the popular job boards such as Indeed, but do some searching on LinkedIn. There are wonderful opportunities to be had, and the search feature is excellent. https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/
- Need help with health and human services in your state? Many resources are listed here: https://www.hhs.gov/programs/social-services/index.html
- Self-care apps have increased in popularity. Many suggestions are listed here: https://psychiatry.ucsf.edu/copingresources/apps#a
- Looking for some different educational opportunities for your children? Try these:
- Virtual Field Trips: https://www.discoveryeducation.com/community/virtual-field-trips/?fbclid=IwAR3xAaEuF9L6zycO_xBL5Nd8lhk63Dnyqp6z30iMGkMS_E2ijMiEOmGH_WY
- Keep everyone learning with Kahn Academy: https://keeplearning.khanacademy.org/
- Stream stories for free: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
- Nature and animal webcams from around the world: https://explore.org/livecams
- Looking for some support, even for a few hours? Try https://www.care.com/
- Childcare specific resources by state: https://www.childcare.gov/covid-19
- COVID-19 Prevention in the Workplace: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/businesses-employers.html
- Coping with COVID-19 from the National Institutes of Health: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/education-awareness/shareable-resources-on-coping-with-covid-19.shtml
What are your favorite tips for juggling work and home life during COVID-19? Please share in the comments. We’d love to hear your insight!
Coaching can play a part in helping you identify, think through, and put sound practices into place. If you’d like more information on our services, please visit www.mbrownassociates.com and follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarshallBrownAssociates. Interested in making an appointment? Call Marshall at 202.669.2065
COVID-19 has interrupted our lives for months now. We’ve had to pivot our careers a bit and employ some changes in how we carry out our daily work. However, one common denominator still exists—we need to network and continue to build professional connections.
Gone were the days of those in-person events; the socials, networking breakfasts, lunch and learn—all of it needed to be accomplished in a new way. The good news is, it’s still possible to network, and maybe even be more productive in doing so.
Korn Ferry reports this sobering stat: until COVID-19, event planners were putting together more than 5,200 meetings a day, each with more than 10 attendees. COVID-19 brought that to a grinding halt.
Where is the good news in all of this, you ask? Finding positive aspects to our seemingly defunct networking life allows us to realize there’s one big savings, and that is time. The time you used sitting in traffic, looking for a parking space, driving from one spot to another can be worked more effectively into our day, thanks to modern technology.
We are of course talking about all the internet platforms we’ve become so familiar with in the last months. Zoom, WebEx, GoToMeeting, and the like. We were familiar with them before, but now as we become seasoned users, we need to make them work for us the same as any other tool in our career—not for convenience sake, but to actually help expand our network and strengthen those valuable connections we’ve already built. Here are some ideas to utilize our home/remote office space and those in-person conferencing tools into a valuable resource for networking:
Use the video chat feature, not just the audio. Striving to make a great first impression still applies, even from our home office. Have a good background/divider or suitable green screen, dress in your normal business attire, and be ready to meet existing and potential new colleagues with a smile and air of professionalism, just as you would in person. Considering all the stress COVID-19 has brought about, we need to keep our meetings positive and make good connections that will serve us in the future—not connections fraught with despair because we’ve recently lost a job or are frustrated dealing with the pandemic upheaval. Keeping a spirit of true collaboration and offering to help others is essential.
Join in on career fairs and preorganized networking opportunities. Hosts of these events are getting creative, including having a “map” of booths or presenters that you can click on, which will take you to Zoom or a similar platform. Roll with the creative ideas and put them into practice. Some have found that partaking in a “virtual coffee break” is even beneficial. Gather together some colleagues who have commonalities and see if there’s a chance to forge more connections within your network.
Utilize the obvious built-in icebreaker—COVID-19. Taking genuine interest in how people are doing and pivoting their work life is both a chance for them to share their experience, and you may even learn some great tips, too. Most importantly, it affords us the opportunity to share human experience.
Focus on your connection. After brief introductions, pivot the conversation to your new contact and learn about them. They will remember this, and you never know when an opportunity may come along that they would consider you a good fit for.
Be patient and remember everyone’s life has been upended. A colleague may not return a call or email as quickly as they normally would. Maybe it’s difficult to find a good time to meet. Be mindful that they are enduring challenges themselves. Give them a reasonable time to respond before giving a gentle nudge.
Polish up your professional and personal online presence. It’s all about putting your best foot forward professionally. Think about it – what do we do when we want more information? We look a person or organization up online. Make your profiles ones you’d want others to be pleased to see.
The most important takeaway is that we keep an open mind and turn the challenges of COVID-19 into new possibilities. One constant that will always remain is the need to network and develop relationships—we just need to engage in new strategies to accomplish this.
For more information on connecting with Marshall Brown, please email info@mbrownassociates.com and visit our website at www.mbrownassociates.com
As a follow up to my last blog, I believe that there are even more benefits to participating in a Mastermind group which is why I am continuing the list today. Without further ado, let’s take a look!
Feedback – In life, there are common issues that are bound to arise whether it is with running a business, changing careers, or simply trying to make ends meet. Regardless, having people who may have been through these problems can be invaluable. In the group, there is always the same goal to grow personally and professionally and become more successful so you will be guaranteed help in some way or another.
Accountability – When you brave the world alone, there is very little accountability for actions. However, a mastermind group will look to change this by setting objectives at the end of every meeting. If the targets are not hit, you will be held accountable which should improve your discipline as well as keeping you motivated.
Improve Confidence – With the help of other members, you will start to make huge decisions in your life and for your business, which will allow you an improved confidence. Once you have more confidence, this will show to everyone in the same room and will soon spread to those that you can influence.
Expand Skills – When you attend meetings for your group, you will be meeting with all different types of people who all have different skills and perspectives to offer. With any luck, each member will specialize in something different, which will allow you to interact and expand your very own skill set. When you attend your very first meeting, you will see that there is a very special atmosphere to be experienced. In some ways, it is like being back in school again because you have peers who are pushing you to become even stronger. As you continue to challenge each other and raise the bar, you will soon see an improvement in your performance.
Help Others – So far, many of the benefits have been focused on what you will see in return of your investment but there is also a flip side to this since there are many other members. When you contribute an idea that gets taken forward and helps someone to increase his or her happiness in life, it can be a great feeling. When you help others, you also know that you will see the return of this at some point in the future.
Summary – As you can see, there are some amazing benefits that you will get from joining a mastermind group. Besides gaining business ideas, having many voices of reason, improving your confidence, having accountability, and expanding your skill set, you will have an opportunity to spend time with influential people and this will have a profound influence on both your personal life and your business. Amongst other things, you will make small changes, which can be a great way!
Interested in joining a Three-Month Mastermind group that I will be facilitating starting in June? In this group, you’ll learn how to be more strategic by setting SMART goals, brainstorming together, and you’ll receive a private coaching session from me each month. You’ll get three hours of strategy monthly, checklists, resources, networking, and more. Sign up by April 30th for an instant $100 discount. Want more information? Visit our 2017 Mastermind Group page, or call me at 202.518.5811. I invite you to share this with your like-minded colleagues.
Here’s to your success!!
If you aren’t living the life you want, how do you get back on track? How do you get clear on what you want? And how do you stay committed to it? Here are some steps that can help you get started:
Know What Motivates You
Motivation becomes stronger when you have a vision or an image of what you want to achieve. You may have the desire to get something done or to achieve a particular goal, but if the desire and ambition are not strong enough, you may lack the initiative and willingness to take the necessary action. A motivated person takes action and does what is needed to achieve her or his goals.
Clarity
Before getting what we want we must first know what that is. This may seem obvious but it trips up even the most intelligent people right out of the gate. Take out a blank sheet of paper and write “My Dream Life” at the top. List everything you want to have, do, be and share. From this list generate goals to help set you back on course.
Avoid the “Shiny New Object Syndrome”
It’s easy to lose momentum by getting distracted with new, exciting opportunities. Having clarity makes it easier to distinguish those opportunities that help move us forward from the ones that throw us off track. The next time a new opportunity arises ask yourself, “How will this help me achieve my ultimate goal of “x”? If it doesn’t, you probably want to dismiss the opportunity and move on.
Redefine Failure
People who focus on the destination as opposed to the journey also tend to be more critical of their failures. When you enjoy the process along the way, it’s easier to appreciate the end result — whether you consider it a “success” or “failure.” The next time you do experience failure, however, reframe it. Consider that you have just learned how not to do something, and then acknowledge yourself for what you’ve learned.
Give in to Your Primal Instincts
Craving new challenges is hard-wired into our DNA. If it weren’t, we never would have left the cave, invented the wheel or flown to outer space. Ignoring this primal code over the long term can lead to disappointment. So how do you happily succumb to this urge? With more clarity and structure.
Create a list of things you haven’t done yet, but want to do. Be specific and remember the three, guaranteed “no fail” rules when it comes to goal setting:
1. Write it down. 2. Write it down. 3. Write it down.
Putting your list in writing transforms it from a desire into a personal contract with yourself.
Go Guilt-Free
Taking time to care for ourselves, guilt-free, is difficult for many people. Sometimes it feels as though things will fall off the rails if we “let go.” But when we do let go, something amazing happens: the earth still spins — people find a way to manage without us. Taking time off leaves us feeling refreshed and makes us better workers, parents, spouses and citizens. Plus, going guilt-free can be contagious.
As with anything worthwhile, there is no quick fix when it comes to designing and building the life you want. However, keeping yourself motivated can make you a happier person, more energetic and enable you to see the positive results. Getting the life of your dreams should be more than a dream. Make it a reality by taking these steps; as the saying goes “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” Imagine you are at the end of your life; would you rather have wonderful memories or awful regrets? Only you can make the life you want so what are you waiting for? Go for it!
What are your dreams for a beautiful life? Share with us in the comments or over on our Facebook page HERE or tweet @marshallbcoach.
Natural disaster. Divorce. Death of a loved one. Job loss. Career change. There’s not one of us who has escaped major change in our lives. And whether you bring on major change yourself or circumstances beyond your control are thrust upon you, starting over is never easy. In fact, major life change can bring with it extreme heartache, debilitating stress and despair. But you can do it. You have the means within yourself to recuperate and grow from any life-altering situation. Truly. If you or a loved one is facing an experience that requires “starting over,” keep the following points in mind. They’ll help you get through a very difficult time with greater peace-of-mind and grace. Take time to let go. Starting over often happens due to traumatic events. Even when you initiate the change that requires starting over, grief is natural. Take the necessary time to grieve your losses. Your timeframe for mourning may be different than someone else’s, so be true to your own needs. Be gentle with yourself. If ever there was a time to love and nurture yourself, it would be now. Go easy and be sweet with yourself. Take rest when you need it. Say no to anything but the essential, and use that extra time to sleep, walk in nature, visit with supportive friends. Just be. One step at a time. Starting over can feel overwhelming at first, so pay attention to one step at a time. For example, if your home has been devastated by fire or another disaster, take care of your immediate housing needs and safety first before you turn to the bigger question of where to live in the long run. Take consistent baby steps. You will make more progress (and it will feel easier) if you focus on accomplishing regular, small tasks rather than large ones now and then. It will also help you move through the times when you feel so overwhelmed that you can’t seem to do anything. Acknowledge each and every step as an accomplishment. Each and every one is. Accept the change. Whatever has happened has simply “happened.” It just is. Try to avoid “what if” scenarios or feeling guilty or creating stories to explain why it happened. Hard as it might seem, acceptance helps you embrace the process of starting over. Make an attitude adjustment. Starting over can be as easy as changing your mind or your attitude. Instead of being fearful of change and what lies ahead, embrace the potential that change makes possible. Try to view it as adventurous, perhaps even exhilirating. You may learn to celebrate change rather than trying to avoid it. Set realistic deadlines. When it comes to the tasks required of starting over, it’s helpful to set deadlines for yourself. But give yourself ample time to accomplish them. For example, you might set a date to attend a support group to help you deal with the pain of loss. Learn new skills if necessary. Starting over might mean having to learn some new skills. If you lost your job, you might need or want to go back to school. If you lost a longtime spouse, you might have to learn how to date again. Be open to learning. It’s a positive way to start over and have some fun at the same time. Create a support team. Don’t be afraid to ask friends or family members for help, or attend support groups. And know when to seek help from professionals. People who are more resilient use these strategies to build their strength and capacity to lead a resilient life. They choose to embrace the unpredictability of life, the pain and the adversity because they know that the rewards they gain are priceless. Like it or not, change is inevitable. Learn to accept, embrace and grow from the change. Starting over will feel easier, and you be able to go with the flow more gracefully. It may not feel like it at the time, but slow and steady steps will help you heal, grow and evolve into a more rounded being who can bounce back when life knocks you down. How do you keep going when the going gets tough? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook or tweet @marshallbcoach.
It’s a new year, time for making plans and setting goals for your health, relationships and lifestyle; but what about your career? Having a clear vision of what you want to achieve in your working life is key to achieving your goals and enjoying success. Do you know what you want your future to look like?
Why Set Goals?
Top-level athletes, successful business-people and achievers in all fields all set goals. Setting goals gives you long-term vision and short-term motivation. It focuses your acquisition of knowledge, and helps you to organize your time and your resources so that you can make the very most of your career.
Here are some steps you can take to help you articulate your vision statement for your career which will help you achieve your goals.
• Set aside some time.
Creating a vision for your career cannot and should not be rushed. After all, you are going to be spending the majority of your time at work, so you may as well spend some careful consideration when planning.
• Review your goals and values: Write or type out what you are currently doing and what is important to you for a healthy working life.
• Long Term Goals: What do you enjoy doing? What are you good at, what type of work is important to you?
• Short Term Goals: What knowledge or skills do I need? What industry should I focus on?
• What would your career be like if you had the power to make it any way you wanted?
• Imagine yourself in the future at a point in which you have achieved great career success. What is it that you have accomplished? What does your life look like?
• Where would you like to be in your career in 5 years? In 10 years? In 15 years?
These are just a few simple questions to get your creative juices going. Once you start to express your feelings and thoughts about your career, you will start to see a plan form. Keep your statement nearby where you can read it regularly to inspire you. Revisit it often to make sure you are staying on track and to reinforce the image of you in our ideal career which will help you both consciously and subconsciously develop goals and action steps that will lead you to success. Have you created a Vision for your Career? Leave a comment here or head on over to our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or tweet @marshallbcoach and share your experience!
You may already know that I had the honor of being interviewed by SimplyHired.com for an article on using the Law of Attraction in your job search. I happen to love using the Law of Attraction in many areas of my life but I find it especially useful when working with my executive and leadership coaching clients in their respective careers. From climbing the corporate ladder to complete changes in direction, the tools in the Law of Attraction aid progression and promotion incredibly. Here are a few ways to use to the Law of Attraction in your career to get clear, get focused, and get ahead!
freedigitalphotos.com by Pong
1. Decide What it is You Want. It’s an unfortunate truth that many people get stuck serving the same organization unhappily for most, if not all, of their careers. Imagine the nightmare of working somewhere you don’t love, doing a job that doesn’t satisfy you, until retirement. Investing the time to examine yourself, your skills, and your priorities will help you to decide exactly what it is that you want from your career.
2. Renew Your Level of Commitment. Once you’re clear on what you want, fully commit to that cause. Every action you take in your career should be a step in the direction of your goals, whatever they may be. Stay focused and dedicated to your dreams and you’ll get there.
3. Know that Something Better is Coming. Part of the Law of Attraction is having faith that your proactive choices and everyday commitment to your goals will bring about the changes you want to see. Sometimes it may seem that the process is taking too long or that you’ll never reach your “final” destination. Know that it’s coming and that you’re learning valuable lessons along the way; lessons that will serve you greatly when you finally get wherever it is that you’re going.
4. Focus on Your Goals. Use some quiet time every day to imagine your life when you’ve achieved your dreams. Picture yourself behind your executive desk in your big corner office or soaking up the sun during a well-deserved vacation once that bonus check clears. Using your mind, each and every day, to envision the life you’re preparing yourself to live will foster the development of that new reality for you.
These are just a few actionable tools you can implement today to use the Law of Attraction in your career. I have a variety of career coaching tools available on my website, but if you feel as though you could use some personalized support to create your own game plan for success, contact me today for a complimentary consultation!
Have you used the Law of Attraction to achieve your goals? Leave a comment here or head on over to our Facebook or LinkedIn pages, or tweet @marshallbcoach and share your experience!