Ah yes, Valentine’s Day is here. Can you taste the sugary sweet joy of love in the air? Do you feel soooo lucky to have the perfect partner or the perfectly Valentine-themed dressed children?
Even if your answer to the above is yes (and good for you if it is...really, I mean that...), you still may need to revisit the relationship you have with your career. No, that doesn’t mean go out on an overpriced prix fixe dinner with your colleagues tonight. Think about what you want from your next role and go out and get it. Besides being a great time to stress eat an enormous amount of chocolate, It’s also a pretty good time of year to find a new job. LinkedIn Workforce Report shows hiring was 13 percent higher last month than a year earlier.
Now, step away from the Russell Stovers. It's time to make a change and find your perfect match...for a job. Here are some tips to get you out there.
Get yourself in shape. Give your resume, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles the makeover they need to feel confident and to take the job search world by storm. Throughout the editing process, focus your content on the results and impact of your work. If you have quantified information that shows scope or impact definitely don’t be shy about showcasing it.
Tip: A quality position description on your resume consists of 1) a strong action verb 2) quantified information 3) results/impact of your work.
Do some light stalking. Think you have a good idea of what you want your next move to be, but not sure you have what it takes? Hunt down some people who are in that role and talk to them. Back in my higher ed days I used to recommend students research what alumni with their skills and academic backgrounds were doing via the Linkedin’s Alumni Tool. This could be valuable to anyone regardless of your career level.
Tip: Join your university’s alumni group and try to message people you find through it.
Get on the internet. Where do all eligible candidates go to find their match? The internet, of course! Forbes outlines some of the best job boards out there right now. I would also add Werk into the mix. It’s curated jobs with flexibility built in for those seeking work/life balance.
Tip: In my opinion, an active job search means you’re applying to 5-10 positions per week.
Follow these tips and it will help you get out of your loveless job relationship and into a position you’ll feel great about (get your head out of the gutter). Good luck!
