It’s Your Career Get You Out of the Way!
As I was reading an article on line, it stated, “It’s Your Career-Get out of Your Own Way,” I thought, “This is something I must share with my clients.
As I began reading this article, it hit me. I realize that everything I read was true, so I wanted to share with you what I read in this article.
If I honestly had a dollar for every time a job seeker or someone in transition gave me an excuse as to why they cannot locate and land their next career, I’d be a gazillionaire.
Just yesterday, a guy with 15 years experience in the technical field of Engineering said, “It’s been hard this last year. I think all my jobs have gone over seas and there really isn’t anything left in my area of expertise.
And another person I talked to was in her mid 50’s. Her excuse was her age. I asked her if she has a specific example of why she felt this. She said, “Well, you know , when I go into a company, they seem to be hiring all the young folks and they look at me as a threat to them.”
Then I spoke to Cindy who said, “It’s been hard since I’m new to this city. Well, she has been here for a while now, but claims she is having a hard time associating with people.
Finally, I spoke to Ken, a guy who claimed the top prize. He recently echoed the top excuse for not moving out of his current job to purse something more fulfilling and that pays more: “It’s so time-consuming. I have a full time job, a son and a house to care for and don’t have time to work on my next job.’ My response: Ken If all my clients can gain success, then apparently you’re satisfied with what you currently have and really are not that serious about finding something better!
Oh, there are a lot more excuses that I hear on a daily basis to help you justify why you are “stuck” where you are. They range from “The economy is so bad” to “My industry is being taken over” to “I can’t stand my boss” and “My resume isn’t being seen by HR managers” I could go on for hours, but I won’t. Let’s focus on how to prevent these and other excuses from sabotaging or slowing down your own efforts in being able to lock down your next career!
In the article, Dana also gives three main strategies that I would like to share with you as I feel they will help you tremendously.
Rule #1: Nobody cares about your career more than you. If you aren’t going to take responsibility, get rid of the excuses, and build a plan to move forward, and then just stop talking about it. It’s that simple. So stop. Re-boot your efforts and start from the beginning. Buy a new job search/career book, read free articles on the web, attend a seminar, and go to face-to-face networking events.
Rule #2: Without a plan and a process, your actions won’t turn into results. Yes, you keep sending out résumés, telling people how unhappy you are (with the hopes they come up with some job ideas), and introducing yourself on LinkedIn groups. So how’s that working for you? Run your new effort like a project. Start a binder (digital or paper), set goals, schedule your activities in your calendar, and follow through! Winging it or jumping in and out of the job search will not deliver any results.
Rule #3: Play the odds game and crank up the volume. You think you’re doing a lot. Double it. Then double it again. Don’t focus on that one perfect job, wait for that interview, and – maybe – network to get your application on the hiring manager’s desk. You need ten of those. Yes, you need to find ten real career opportunities, activate them by applying, networking, and following up. When one drops off, add another. Work the numbers!
It’s a new era of career movement, both for growth within your company and for external job search. Do you have what it takes to recognize that the ownership is fully on your shoulders? Are you prepared to change your approach and stop hiding behind excuses? Of course you are! Ask for help, be positive, and take action.
As always I want to hear from you. What have you done to overcome your excuses and reach a level of success in your career where you are 100% satisfied with what you are currently doing? What steps did you take to get there?
As a reminder – Don’t keep this wealth of information for yourself – share and pass along with others. It’s simple. You already have your email box open right now. Hit the forward button and send it to other whom you know can benefit from this great content.
Looking forward to seeing your results.
Have a great rest of the week.
With you all the way,
Courtney
