Career Success Day 11: Keep Your Eyes On The Prize
Ok, why does being at home feel like punishment to me? My mother has made her fabulous, soft, yummy homemade bread and I cannot have any…I am trying to avoid gluten because my body does not seem to like bread too much anymore. Much to my disappointment of course…sigh…I do plan on sneaking an itsy bit of cake later though, so all is not lost. Yes, it’s still gluten, but who doesn’t like cake?
On the 11th day of the holidays, my executive career coach said to me:
Stay focused and committed…
It is easy to get side-tracked and even discouraged when it seems like your efforts are in vain…however, when I reflect on life, nothing that was worthwhile ever came easy.
If you want change, accept that the timing is not always right, but there are things you can do to improve your prospects during the “waiting” season. Remember that every career decision impacts your personal growth and development, so make the best decisions for your situation.
Keep talking to the right people…
There is nothing like getting the insider perspective from people working in the role you want – schedule informational interviews, get real facts like pros and cons, learn what it takes to advance in careers, ask if any special education, training or certifications will give you an edge.
Position yourself an insider…
If you are looking to move from a financial analyst to marketing assistant, know you will need to “walk” and “talk” differently and present your skills and capabilities in a whole new light.
- Learn new jargon, keywords and terminology
- Evaluate your current and past experience to see if you may have ANY experience that is related or relevant to your new field
- Start where you are and explore lateral assignments or internal company projects that can help you with your career change
- Don’t overlook volunteering – I had a client who transitioned successfully from finance to marketing after volunteering for 5 years.
Preparing for the right opportunity before it shows up is JUST as important as taking advantage of real opportunities…what untapped opportunities are waiting in 2013 that can you start preparing for now?
