Four Tasks to Take Control of Your Career
The pandemic has made life uncertain. Many of us don’t know what our career, school, or plans could look like tomorrow, much less next year. Though a pandemic like this makes it difficult to make plans for the future, there are still things you can do today to take control of your career once the future is more certain. Here are some concrete tasks to focus on to help you further your career while the world is at a standstill.
Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile
If you haven’t had time to look at your resume or LinkedIn profile to make sure it’s updated, now is the time. If a future employer finds your profile, you’re going to want the most recent work and skills listed there. If you need some more specific ideas, here are 3 Tips to Creating a Searchable Job Resume and 5 Tips to Create a LinkedIn Profile that Stands Out.
Be Actively Involved in Industry-Related Social Media Groups
Those who aren’t networking aren’t working, so they say. We’d have to agree. However, you don’t have to go to mixers and events in order to meet people in your industry, especially since many people aren’t currently meeting in person. Instead, join industry-related groups on LinkedIn, watch Facebook Live events, or follow companies/colleagues on Twitter and Instagram. These connections can help you broaden your career sights, potentially letting you know which companies are hiring and which you’d like to work for.
Periodically See Who’s Hiring
Even if you are fairly happy in your job, it’s never a bad idea to keep your eye on who’s hiring. This is what we call staying passively engaged in the market. Keep and eye on LinkedIn and other job boards, maybe send out your resume to a promising lead every once in a while. And, of course, keep your network active.
Be Fiscally Smart
If you haven’t already, start putting away some “Go to Hell” money—savings for if you can’t take your job anymore, and your boss, companies, and colleagues can “go to hell” (pardon the French). In all seriousness, it’s always a fiscally sound idea to have a few months’ salary put away for hard times. If you do ever end up needing it, you’ll be less stressed in your search for a new job.
These suggestions scratch the surface on all the things you could do to further your career during this pandemic. If you begin tackling these tasks, you’ll start to move forward in finding or strengthening your career.
These tough times might also call for more one-on-one career support if you’re transitioning to a new job. We can help. Our Career Transition Program supports every aspect of your job transition with one-on-one coaching, market research, self-insight assessments, on-demand training, targeted practice, financial planning, resume-Linkedin support, and much more. Contact us today or call at 1-800-680-7768 to discover how our Career Transition Program can benefit you.