5 Secrets to climbing the career ladder

Excellent insights found at:
http://www.careerealism.com/secrets-climbing-career-ladder/

Do you think it’s time you moved ahead in your career? Many of us land a job and are extremely grateful to be employed, but always harbor a dream that someday we will move up within the organization.
But opportunities usually just don’t fall out of the sky, and getting the right alignment of the sun, moon, and the stars requires some hustle on your end to make it all happen.
But first, think about things from the boss’ point of view. If you were in the big cheese’s chair, what would you look for in your employees when determining whether or not to promote them?
There are always going to be those tricky political situations where supervisors promote their favorite “pets” and of course, the gooey people who rain down praise and platitudes to their superiors in an attempt to score favor (sickening, isn’t it?). Trying to get yourself ahead in either one of these situations is extremely tough considering how much you might have to compromise your principles to curry favor with the boss.
Here are five tips for climbing the career ladder:

1. Get To Know Your Boss

We book business with who we know and like… the same thing goes for marketing yourself. Make yourself likable, and spend time making your boss’ job easier. Proactively keep them regularly updated versus waiting until they request a status report from you.
Set up regular meetings to keep them up-to-speed with opportunities or liabilities that you see. By acting as someone on “their side,” you can gain their respect and maintain your integrity instead of buttering them up with empty platitudes.

2. Keep A Running File Of Your Accomplishments

Then communicate them. We all know when we are doing a good job at the office, but other than leaving us with that warm fuzzy feeling inside, these don’t do you any good in the office unless you share them. You don’t have to be a braggart.
It could be as simple as forwarding a kudos you received from a client to your boss with a short note: “Thought you might like to see this… was a tough client to win but glad we won them over because it was worth $____ in business to the company!” The boss suddenly has external feedback about the great job you are doing and also measurable quantification of your results. That, in most supervisors’ minds, means that you absolutely rock.

3. If The Opportunity Arises, Propose A Job

Being on the inside, sometimes you can spot a staffing need before your boss (who is concerned with bigger picture issues) can. Sometimes the opportunity is a result of being understaffed or simply because the superior can’t see the simple need right in front of them. Being proactive and formulating your proposal to be a problem-solution fix is a great way to move up.
Be sure to do your due diligence so you can present the idea as a profit-center and not as a cost (which is immediately where the supervisor will go). The more detailed you can be and have estimated outcomes, the more receptive they will be. This could even be your opportunity to design your dream job!

4. Step Up. And Up. And Up.

No, this is not a StairMaster… Fact of life: the go-getters are the ones who move up. Remember the saying, “The early bird gets the worm?” It still holds true. Be early to work, dependable, and get projects done on time or early while not compromising on quality.
But beyond that, you need to always be the one who raises their hand to take on a special project or tough task when you can tackle it competently. You’ll earn esteem with your peers and the people that count.. the boss who is likely looking for that go-getter to be the one to take a program or project to the next level.

5. Be Generous

We all hate the people who take credit for others’ work. And we also hate the people who immediately resort to finger-pointing and blame-shifting when things go bad. Being generous can truly make you stand out as a role model. Nothing shoots you down in the workplace faster than dumping on others. Instead, share credit where it is due, and be accountable for your failures when they happen.
Maintain your integrity at all times – this means being polished professionally (both in how you look and act), and always by doing the right thing. Honesty always is a workplace value that any employer would value… if you are true to yourself and true to them, and keep these five tips in mind, you will emerge on top as the most likely candidate tapped to step into a higher internal role.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Dawn Rasmussen

Dawn Rasmussen is president of Portland, Oregon-based Pathfinder Writing and Career Services, which provides resume, cover letter, and job searching assistance.

4 Steps For Taking Your Networking To The Next Level

Thought provoking post found at:

http://www.careerealism.com/4-steps-networking-level/


While being on the job search is a daunting task for most, it’s important to enjoy the process. After all, having a positive attitude can make a world of difference! But how can you maintain a positive attitude during a long, frustrating job search? Good networking!
Instead of spending all your time and energy on mainstream job boards, get off your bottom and meet new people! While I don’t recommend giving up on job boards altogether, I definitely feel networking is the best way to use your time wisely during your job search.
For example, one great analogy I love to use is the person who goes to the gym for an hour but doesn’t even break a sweat. This isn’t working out. Sure, you drove to the gym and stayed there for an hour, but did you truly leverage your abilities? Similarly, when on the job hunt, it’s important “sweat” a little – work hard and use your time strategically to obtain your dream job.
The key to networking is to create mutually beneficial relationships by expand your professional contacts. These contacts may provide industry advice, other contacts or the key to your future job. The following steps will without doubt get you on your way to be a networking expert.

Pre-Networking Check-List:

• Figure out what you want to be “when you grow up” and make a list of your target organizations and key people within those organizations.
• Have a defined unique selling proposition (USP) that describes what value you would bring to the organization.
• Perfect your “elevator pitch.” Those first 60 seconds with your contact are crucial. Make sure you are prepared and make an extraordinary impression.

Step 1: Value-Added Networking

Give VALUE to your contacts. I cannot stress this enough. This means you must listen, listen, and listen before you ask about questions regarding your own self interests. Listening will not only present you as polite and professional (remember, be cognizant of your personal brand), but also it will allow you to find out your contacts’ needs. By listening and figuring out the missing elements, you may paint a mosaic in the minds of your contacts of your transferable skills that will match their needs or the needs of someone they know.

Step 2: Staying In Touch After Your Initial Contact

After initially meeting, make sure your regularly stay in touch with your contacts. I recommend every four to six weeks you find a reason to e-mail them. Stay abreast of industry news (read a lot), and hopefully you took copious notes on the back of your contacts’ business cards. If you don’t’ already this, make sure you start! Taking copious notes on everything from jargon to business will help you create a more personalized and tailored follow-up e-mail.
A great idea would be to leverage your digital technology skills in these e-mail correspondences. For example, if you find an article, podcast, or video you think might interest your contacts, make sure you send it their way. This is a great opportunity to keep yourself fresh in their minds, and again, you will be adding value to the relationship!

Step 3: Leveraging The Relationship

You can gain wonderful insight from your contacts, but make sure you also show an interest in them! For example, people love talking about themselves and one icebreaker is to ask how the individual got started in their career.
Also, do some thorough research on your contact’s personal and/or professional blog, Twitter feed, and LinkedIn profile so you can ask tailored questions about their career, interests and specialties. Demonstrating research with pertinent and customized questions will impress your contact because you went through such lengths to learn about him or her. This gesture will reflect well on your part, and will almost certainly persuade your contact to continue building the relationship.

Step 4: Using Call-To-Action

Eventually, once you have built a relationship with this contact and you feel like you have added value, it’s time for you to ask for a call to action. You may ask the person if they know of anyone from your target list of organizations to work for, or even better, if they can refer you to a key decision maker.
Ask the person if they are willing to refer you to other contacts and thus, the process continues. Repeat steps two through four with this new contact. The goal is to build as many contacts as possible to eventually land a job.

Important Reminders:

Repetition and dedication are important. Success does not come easily and people who are truly serious about networking and finding their dream jobs will, in the end, differentiate themselves. It’s important to repeat effective strategies and not lose hope in your job search.
Stay positive! Please do not get discouraged or lose confidence in yourself or your abilities. This process will be unbearable if you do not enjoy meeting new people, learning industry insights from them, and more. Trust me — your hard work will pay off, and you WILL find a job. Of course, this may take some time due to the economic climate, but soon the day will come when you have three different organizations calling you to come in for an interview! Remember, don’t sweat the small stuff. Networking is a process and if you are willing to put your time, energy and mind into strategies that are effective, you will see a HUGE return on your investment.
Remember your manners. Always say “please” and “thank you.”
Best of luck to you all!
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Heather Huhman

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder of Come Recommended, a content marketing consultancy.

Annual Career Check-Up: Your New Year In View

Some good things to think about as you plan for the new year vocationally found at:

http://www.careerealism.com/annual-career-check-up/

It’s time for your annual career check-up! What changes do you want to make in your work life in 2013? 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 fresh 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 2013.
Remember to keep your goals SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-driven):

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?

Goals

Are you carrying forward any 2012 goals into 2013? If so, make a note of them. In addition, jot down the primary goals you would like to achieve in your work life 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 2013? 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 career brand would you like to capitalize on more this year? How will you do this? What types of projects, assignments, and roles will enable you to extend your 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 most to express throughout 2013?

Career Gifts

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

Industry Trends

Which industry trends are most likely to impact your career in 2013? 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 planning projects or initiatives that you think will enable you to solve a problem, improve sales, innovate, or help the company to achieve shared goals?
If you find yourself stymied by the process of designing your life, you may need an injection of creativity. If so, try one or more of the 30 creativity-boosting techniques noted in this recent blog post.
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, whether that’s a collage or a left-brained report. 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!
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Cheryl Simpson

Cheryl is a 5-time, award-winning resume writer and LinkedIn strategist. She offers complimentary resume reviews through Executive Resume Rescue.

Why You Shouldn’t Work on Your Weaknesses

Excellent observations found at:

http://christianpf.com/why-you-shouldnt-work-on-your-weaknesses/

True or false: “You will learn and grow the most in the areas in which you are weakest.” If you consider that true, unfortunately you believe a common misconception. According to author and motivational speakerMarcus Buckingham, people grow most in the areas they already know and love. Magazine columnist Marilyn vos Savant (famous for having the highest IQ in the Guinness Book of World Records) shares Buckingham’s convictions with this thought: “Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses.”

You may be thinking, “Sure, everyone knows that.” Really? According to Buckingham, a Gallup poll asked parents this question, “If your child’s report card was: English: A, Social Studies: A, Biology: C and Algebra: F, which grade would deserve the most attention from you?” 77% of these parents said they would focus their attention on the F. Granted, the F should not be ignored, but these parents overwhelmingly agreed that they should devote the largest portion of their time on their child’s weakest – not strongest – area.

Disproving Conventional Thought

Conventional thought seems to be that we should strive toward becoming more well-rounded by working on our weaknesses, but highly successful people disprove conventional logic every day. What if Einstein had focused on history, language and geography (his weaknesses) instead of math and science? Aren’t you glad that Beethoven (who was known for his fits of temper) did not allow anger management to preempt his musical pursuits? You get the idea. Michael Jordan would never have become an elite basketball player if he had set his sights on becoming a banker or an investment broker. And what if Bill Gates had devoted his energies to graduating from Harvard instead of developing computer software?

How About You?

You might not be another Einstein or Michael Jordan, but you do have strengths and weaknesses. Your natural inclinations make some pursuits fun and easy while others are tedious and exhausting. It seems obvious that we should work at the fun and easy challenges, but we are all too often plagued with guilt when we ignore the things we hate. Today, I challenge you to feel liberated from that guilt. No matter how hard you work at your weaknesses, you will never rise to more than average ability, but when you pour your energy into something you love, you could become world class at that endeavor.

Discovering Your Strengths

Not sure what your strengths are? Give yourself this three-part quiz:

1. Write down a list of things that come easy for you. One thing that comes easily to me is math. As a child, I would buy books of riddles because I loved trying to solve them. Therefore, math problems (especially the word problems) became my new love when I took math courses in school. Studying engineering, for me, was a form of laziness because it was what came easiest for me.
2. List all activities where time seems to fly by. What do you get so focused on that you lose track of time . . . when several hours disappear without you realizing it? This activity is a clue to your natural talent. Me? I can easily lose track of time while writing.
3. Write down the things you do which make you happy. I am probably happiest when I am helping others learn something important. For example, I have been teaching Sunday School regularly for 35 years without ever once dreading it. I also love to help people reach their financial goals. . . a process which often requires considerable explanations.

When you compare the three lists, you will discover your areas of natural aptitude and greatest potential. For me, math, writing and teaching may seem diverse, but these three qualities are all key to my writing and financial coaching.

What about you? The activities in your life which come easy for you, make you happy, and cause time to fly by are the huge indicators of who you are and what makes you tick.

Why wouldn’t you want to pursue them?

Do you tend to develop your strengths or work on your weaknesses? Parents: Do you encourage your children to pursue their passions or work on their weaknesses?

The Resume of the Future

A helpful perspective to be aware of and track taken from:

http://www.careerealism.com/resume-future/

What will the future hold for the traditional resume? According to a report by the Career Thoughts Leaders Consortium, the resume, as we know it now, is not likely to exist in the future. Some believe that the resume will be replaced by a social media profile such as LinkedIn. Yet others believe that if the resume does survive, it will be very short and concise, possibly even suitable for a 140 character tweet.

How Does That Affect Me?

Currently, a resume is still needed; however, a LinkedIn profile is also becoming an essential tool for the job seeker. Social media is not a just a fad, it is here to stay. More and more recruiters depend on the information in LinkedIn to help them make a decision on whether to interview a candidate. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, start now to build one. If you do have a profile, review it to make sure it ranks 100% complete and that it is well written. LinkedIn really allows you to showcase your skills.

The Trend For Resumes Is To Be Short And Concise

A survey of recruiters on LinkedIn revealed an overwhelming preference for shorter resumes (1-2 pages). Some experienced professionals believe they have too much experience to fit into two pages but this is a mistake. A long resume turns off many recruiters. Take the time to edit your resume to include only the most essential ingredients.
On the opposite side, some job seekers think they are required to have a two-page resume. If you don’t have a lot of work experience yet, it is perfectly acceptable to have a one page resume. Again, unnecessary information will turn off many recruiters.

Don’t Get Left Behind

Prepare  now by investing your time in what is trending now – concise resumes and well written LinkedIn profiles.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Stacy Harshman

Stacy Harshman, founder of Your Fulfilling Life Career Coaching, brings her experience as a recruiter for a Fortune 500 corporation to her work as a career coach.

Is a home busines for you (written by a mom)?

Taken from:

<Crosswalk@crosswalkmail.com>

Recipe for a Successful Home Business: Gratitude, Guts and Grace

Theresa Ceniccola

What’s the secret to running a successful home based business? I am often asked this question and I find it funny because I never bothered to ask it myself when I opened my first home business at the age of 25. I didn’t wonder if I had what it took to succeed. I didn’t give it much thought at all, which is a good thing because I may have talked myself out of it.
People have all sorts of reasons (a.k.a. excuses) for why they would fail at running a home-based business. I hear things like:
“I would go crazy at home all day! I need to interact with people.”
“My kids would never let me get anything done.”
“I don’t have the discipline; I’d get too distracted.”
Yes, these are legitimate concerns. But I want to share a secret with you. If you really want to run a home business, you already have everything you need to succeed. 
It doesn’t take any more discipline, organizational skills or focus than you already have the capacity to develop. That stuff’s easy to work on. It just takes a commitment to make it work. If you think you’re “not cut out” for the home-based business life, then I encourage you to take a closer look at your heart’s desire. Because if you really do want to work from home, it’s easier than you think.
I’ve run a successful home-based business for 18 years. I have three young children, a house to keep up with and way too many volunteer responsibilities. Most of my clients have the same story. So how do we do it? My experience is that the moms who are most successful (and by that, I mean, the most profitable and happiest), are the ones who have what I call The Triple G Recipe: Gratitude, Guts and Grace.
Three Ingredients for a Successful Home Based Business
1. Gratitude. Let’s face it – the grass is always greener on the other side. It’s easy to look at the stay-at-home mom and think she has it made. Or to long for the life of the corporate cubicle dweller and forget all the things you despise about it (long commutes, rigid schedules, limited income potential and pantyhose…just to name a few). So it takes a commitment to gratitude to keep us focused on our path. Successful and happy mompreneurs start and end their day in gratitude, thanking the Lord for the blessing of a home-based business. Now that’s not so difficult to do, right?
2. Guts. This is where many of us stumble. We want to know that everything is going to work out. We want assurance that if we invest in our business and take this leap of faith, that it will be profitable. We want absolute certainty of our success. Well, guess what? Running a business is risky – that’s what makes it rewarding! And while we should exhibit wisdom and knowledge in our business ventures, what we really need is a healthy dose of guts. We need the courage to take the risks and the faith to know that if we are truly following God’s plan, we will find peace and prosperity.
3. Grace. This is the one ingredient we need to give and receive as business owners. Sometimes we are quick to give grace to employees who don’t do their job well, vendors who don’t meet deadlines and customers who make our life difficult. The most successful business owners understand when to give grace and when to stop being treated like a doormat. They also know when they need to receive grace. They are humble and willing to admit when they have made an error, behaved poorly or simply didn’t do their best. And they are open to receiving the grace of God and the mercy of others so they can learn and grow from their failures.
How do you exhibit Gratitude, Guts and Grace in your business? I’d love to hear your success story!
Theresa Ceniccola is The Christian Mompreneur—a mentor to moms who are running a business that supports their values of faith and family. As president and founder of the International Christian Mompreneur Network, she empowers entrepreneurial moms to build profitable businesses with wisdom and grace. Join the International Christian Mompreneur Network for free and receive the Ten Commandments of a Mompreneur toolkit! 
Publication date: January 3, 2012

The Biggest Secret Obstacle to Your Career - Complacency

Excellent post found at:

http://www.careerealism.com/biggest-secret-obstacle-career/

Time and again, clients land in my e-mail inbox or are on the phone talking to me, painfully recounting how the job they thought was secure was suddenly wiped out in the blink of an eye. What they thought was a bullet-proof company career is suddenly gone, and the employee is now left with dangling, unresolved questions:

• “I did everything right, and was a top performer… How could this happen?”
• “The boss and I were best pals… What went wrong?”
• “Why me?”

But the truth is:

There is no such thing as job security any more. It’s all about employability.

And the biggest secret obstacle to your career rests on one thing and one thing only:

How complacent are you?

The people who suffer the most from being “caught with their pants down” in their career are usually the ones who have not taken an active role in managing their career. Sure, they have contributed a lot of good things, but something gave management pause and made them zero in on the unlucky employee.

That leads to the next question: What have you done to prove that you are not “dead wood?” That you are an active contributor in addition to being a top performer?

No method is entirely bullet proof, but when it comes down to paring down staff, it boils down to a business decision where an employer will look at who might be transferable to another department or have demonstrated leadership or untapped career assets that might be of use to the company.

Complacency has no place in this business model. The concept of “upgrading” is becoming more and more practiced as companies who have trimmed their staff down to the core group are now evaluating who is left to figure out how to move the company forward.

But never fear. There is a way to overcome the perception of a person’s complacency.

This is a brand-new year and what better time to actively roadmap out three areas that can shift an employer’s opinion about you. Here are the three major focuses you need to zero in on to boost your employability quotient with your current employer:

1. Professional Development

What kinds of classes, workshops, trainings, etc. can you take that will hone your ability to do your job, and bring back new ideas to the company? A well-trained workforce is important to bosses making staff reduction decisions.

2. Affiliations

How are you building your connectedness within the industry? What kinds of organizations can you join to build up your company’s profile, and keep tabs on your industry peers (and competition)?

3. Involvement

Where are you demonstrating your leadership by volunteering? This is a touchy area as you have to strike the right balance between contributing on a volunteer basis versus not impacting your ability to do your job. But by stepping up, you keep your abilities and name in the limelight, versus dropping off into obscurity.

Showing traction in your career by integrating these three career drivers, and then keeping your boss informed about them is critical to demonstrating how indispensable you are to the organization. They might lay off others, but if you are valuable to the organization by being an active contributor, you’ll have a better chance of surviving being trimmed out of the company payroll by being placed into another area of the organization.

And if the unthinkable ever does happen, you can be more confident in your job search by not being complacent about your career and engaging in active career management. As a result, the opportunities of another employer recognizing you as top talent  and snapping you up are exponentially increased.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

About Dawn Rasmussen

Dawn Rasmussen is president of Portland, Oregon-based Pathfinder Writing and Career Services, which provides resume, cover letter, and job searching assistance.