I got an early Christmas presents from one of my clients...we had worked on a new sales resume for her and she landed a new job with 30 days....now, that's what I like to hear.
Of course, the resume on its own didn't get her a job offer, but with the right career marketing tool and a strong career story to "sell" - interviews happen and job offers come.
On the 11th day of the holidays, my career coach said to me:
Stay focused and committed to your career goal
It is so hard to get side-tracked and even discouraged when it seems like your hard work is not paying off...however, when I reflect on life, nothing that was worthwhile ever came easy.
For those of you wanting to make a change, but have accept that the timing is not right, what can you do to improve your prospects while "waiting" it out. Remember that every decision you make in your career impacts your growth and development, so you want to make best decisions for your situation.
Keep talking to the right people until an opportunity shows up
There is nothing like getting the insider perspective from people who are working in the role - schedule informational interviews and 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.
Postion yourself an insider even though you are not there yet
If you are looking to move from a financial analyst to marketing assistant, understand that 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 successfully move from a job in financial services to senior marketing roles after spending five years in volunteer opportunities.
Preparing for the right opportunity before it shows up is JUST as important as taking advantage of the opportunity when you finally see it...what can you start doing in the New Year to position yourself for what has not yet unfolded?
Related posts:
Day 1: Conduct an honest self-assessment
Day 2: Say goodbye to career mistakes and disappointments
Day 3: Jump start your long lost career dreams
Day 4: Take credit for your life and career achievements
Day 5: Identify and promote your personal brand
Day 6: Create a standout resume
Day 7: Beef up your online presence and get your "voice" heard
Day 8: Invest in your professional development
Day 9: Build relationships and expand your network
Day 10: Identify and get a good mentor
About Abby, Executive Career Architect, Job Search Expert, Master Resume Writer
Ask yourself these questions:
-- Does your executive resume accurately describe your management style and leadership capabilities?
-- Is your executive resume rich with compelling Challenge-Action-Results success stories that indicate your value contribution?
-- Does your executive resume convey enthusiasm or energy motivating employers to contact you?
-- Has your executive resume been generating a stream of employer responses for the right jobs?
If you have answered no to any of these questions, you should be talking to Abby Locke. She is an executive resume writer helps senior-level executives to achieve career success through cutting-edge, brand-focused career documents and proactive career management strategies.
Her distinctive executive resume samples have been published in 13 national career publications...click here to schedule a resume consultation.
