updated: January 10, 2022
What if?
Ok, let’s say that you currently have a job that you generally like, enjoy, or maybe you’re just plain cool with. And then someone approaches you or you hear about a dream opportunity that requires immediate action – whether it’s within your current job or it’s for a new company. If that person says “send me your resume later”, outside of a few minor tweaks would your resume be ready to go?
Whether or not you are looking for a new job, it’s important to proactively manage your career.
So if you’re ready to be on point and to always be in a position to take your career to the next level – follow these 5 Tips To Proactively Manage Your Career.
1. Stay Current – Scheduled A Quarterly Resume Update.
- Don’t wait until you’re job hunting to update your resume.
- Create a calendar entry called “Review & Update Resume” and set it to recur for every 3 months.
2. Evaluate & Improve with an Audit & Analysis.
- Make a list of the skills & experiences you currently have, the ones you want to have and when you want to achieve them.
- Seek opportunities to bridge the Gap and Document progress on a regular basis.
3. Toot your horn – Keep Track of Accomplishments.
- Keep track of your accomplishments, compliments and achievements
- Use Evernote , Google Doc or a Word Document to capture them.
- Pro tip: You’ll need these accomplishments to help you craft C.A.R. statements for your resume. C.A.R. stands for:
- Challenge- The situation (problem or opportunity) that needed to be addressed
- Action- The step(s) that you took to address the challenge
- Result-The outcome and impact of the action you took to address the challenge
(Click on the Evernote link to create an account and get one month of Evernote Premium for Free.)
4. Build Relationships – Join a Profession Association.
- Think of P.I.E – which means performance, image and exposure. As professionals we need exposure to help us build our networks.
- Be Active – participate in forums, meetings etc.
- Join a committee – Develop leadership skills.
5. Never stop learning – Invest In Yourself
Add new skills – whether software or business skills
There are many learning options including Linkedin Learning (formerly Lynda.com) or MOOCs like Coursera.
Bonus Tip:
LinkedIn is a powerful tool that will bring these 5 tips together.
- Use LinkedIn as digital resume. Update it as often as your resume. (Power Tip: Turn off Alerts)
- Showcase Accomplishments – Get endorsed by colleagues.
- Join Professional Association groups and be an active participant.
- Showcase your Lynda.com or Coursera certificates – they allow publication directly to LinkedIn
You can also check out the podcast episode where I discuss these 5 Tips with my friend and collaborator Mikelah Rose of Style & Vibes
Your Turn
Let me know what you think about these tips? Do you have other tips that has worked for you?
If you enjoyed this article please share with your friends.
