Executive Career Insights

12 Days of Career Success Advice: Day 9

If you celebrate Christmas, I hope you are not locked in a frenzy of last-minute shopping and stressed out crowds...all my shopping was done online. So I can relax, focus on family and the real reason for the season.

Anyway, I won't hold you for long...just wanted to stop by and give you a burst of inspiration and motivation for your career. On the ninth day of the holidays, my career coach said to me:

Build relationships and expand your network

It is easy to convince ourselves that we are strong and competent enough to handle life's (work/career/family) issues on our own, but the reality is that we all benefit from blessing others and being blessed by others.

When you consider how much impact a personal referral, a solid Linkedin testimonial and an internal advocate in your target company can make the difference in your career...you have to agree that getting connected and staying connected to others makes good sense, not only for your career, but also for life on the whole.

Personally, I love Facebook because in the past three years, it has connected me to new friends and re-connected me with people from all phases of my life - from Pre-K through college and beyond. Pretty incredible, huh?

Beyond the occasional "join my network" emails through LinkedIn and status updates from Facebook and Twitter - assuming that you actually use those two social networks), do you know where your network is?

If you have been happily employed for many years, that is great, but it is no excuse for neglecting your network or taking your personal/professional contacts for granted. So how do you stay in touch with people throughout the year without being intrusive?

-- Make a list of birthdays and anniversaries so that you can at least send a card in the mail or an e-card. If you are close to the person, acknowledging their children's birthdays as well is not a bad idea.

-- Make an effort to send out an email at least once a year just to check in - how are you, what's new, still at the same job, etc

-- Make sure to inform your contacts everytime you get a promotion, new job, interesting or high-profile project just to keep them abreast of your career progression. Remember to be receptive and congratulatory when the same information is sent to you

-- Make plans to meet in person with your top tier contacts every quarter if you live in the same city, state or regional area

-- Make yourself available for recommendations or referrals when anyone of your contacts is seeking to make career moves

-- Make good use of Linked, Facebook, and Twitter to give everyone brief, but informational updates on your weekly activities

It takes more than building a network for effective executive career management, you have to go the extra mile to keep your network fresh and current.

 

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

 

 

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.

12 Days of Career Success Advice: Day 8

It's a rainy day in Georgia and it feels like it's raining all over the world...the Peach state is not soo peachy right now, it's wet and overcast...but it could be worse right? I have a warm home, the blessing of both parents in my life, my mother is baking banana bread and I have lots to celebrate this holiday season.

Well, I hope it gives you comfort to know that I practice what I preach...as I have been mentally preparing for 2012, I am making a list of new marketing strategies and professional development goals.

Can I be transparent with you? Even as a career coach, there are things that I have fear about and need to purposely stretch myself when I run into a roadblock.

The reason that I love what I do so much is that it allows me to share with others (from a real and personal perspective) what has worked for me and has ultimately changed my definition of personal and career success. So, if I am not letting myself off the hook, don't think you get to slide through these 12 career success planning steps.

On the eighth day of the holidays, my career coach said to me:

Invest in your professional development

I know that I have shared this story before and I will share it again. About five years ago, I worked with a very talented professional who had been laid off and essentially had become "extinct" in her own industry. Why? She stayed so focused on the current tasks at hand that she missed (or ignored) the importance of emerging industry trends in the field of investments/stock brokering. Bottom line - she did not increase, improve, expand, strengthen or add to her professional skills...bad, bad career move!

People, both clients and colleagues, exclaim about the number of career management and resume writing certifications I have...understand that in order to stay competitive, I have recognized that my abilities and skills need to be current and relevant.

How about you? What kind of career "insurance" or career emergency plans have you developed? What measures are you taking to keep yourself marketable, competitive and relevant in your field or industry?

-- Take advantage of every paid and low-cost learning opportunity - online seminars, videos, conferences and more

-- Look inside your company for new skill-enhancement projects or initiatives

-- Consider a lateral move if it will expand your knowledge base and strengthen your qualifications

-- Learning through books still works - any new topic, area of expertise, advanced technology, or industry-based resources can be found in major bookstore chain or your local library.

-- Use the Internet to find free teleseminars, webinars, e-books, blogs, and forums or follow key industry leaders on Twitter.

We live in the information age and there is absolutely no excuse for you to be left in the dark.

Are you just catching this series? Well, click here to start from the beginning...

 

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

 

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. Have you seen our holiday specials?

 

12 Days of Career Success Advice: Day 4

There is no place like home for the holidays - I arrived safely in sunny, but surprisingly chilly GA, visited my aunt and had breakfast with my parents all before noon.

So I feel like my day is just getting started...but before I get distracted with my holiday activities, I wanted to stop by and give you a fresh dose of career success advice.

If you are just joining us, we are on a 12-day journey through feasible, easy-to-implement career success advice that will give you a jump start for the new year. Go ahead and gain some foothold on the competition, let them be merry while you diligently tarry.

On the fourth day of the holidays, my executive coach said to me:

Take credit for your life and career achievements

"Oh, it was not a big deal"

"That feels so natural for me, I didn't have to think about it"

"I can do that with my eyes closed and one hand behind my back"

Do any of the above phrases and comments sound familiar to you? More importantly, do YOU find yourself frequently using them? I cannot tell you the amount of times I have worked with clients and when we get to the "dig-deep" strategy session, even they are amazed by the number of achievements we uncover in one hour.

These life and career achievements you are sitting on are catalysts for where you want to go next -  they are a great source of motivation and serve as excellent reminders on what you are capable of  accomplishing in any situation or circumstance.

Besides the obvious achievements that are "earth shattering" for your industry or field, here are some other sources you can use to jog your memory about past achievements.

-- Company's annual performance reviews, assessments or evaluations

-- Company-sponsored awards or special recognition tokens (there is usually a reason, you earned that award)

-- Letters of recommendations or commendations from previous employers, vendors, clients or colleagues

-- Thank you letters or emails for happy, satisfied company clients (they are generally specific in nature regarding how you helped them)

-- High-profile company projects or special assignments (focus on the complexities, your role and then the results)

-- Academic / graduate school course projects (pick the toughest assignments)

What are you top five achievements for 2011?

 

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

 

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. Have you seen our holiday specials?

12 Days of Career Success Advice: Day 3

My bags are packed - with laptop in tow of course, I will be working. Life as a soloprenuer does not always get a break for the holidays...but no complaints from me:)

How are you doing so far with your career success advice? Don't just take it in and think about it - apply some action so that you can start the New Year off to a bright start.

Well, if you celebrate Christmas like I do, this upcoming week is going to be hectic with last minute shopping, accomodating guests and pulling out all the stops for the big day.

So, I am not going to keep you long. Here you go...on the third day of the holidays, my executive coach said to me:

Jump start your long lost career dreams

Here it is...your opportunity to walk into your field of dreams without any external criticism, objections or negative doubts. Ignore the voices that keep saying that your career dream does not make sense and will never financially support you.

This exercise is about re-evaluating those career dreams and figuring out if now is a better time for you (mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) to take the leap.

-- What is in your treasure chest? Are you holding on to news articles, magazine clippings, books, videos and CD's that nurture your dreams? Has today's technology made it easier to achieve the career dream?

-- Bring your dream out of fantasy into reality and walk in it. If you have always wanted to be a real estate agent, see what comes to mind and write down the details.

What kind of clients/target market do you want to have?

What does a typical day look and feel like? How many clients are you working with on a weekly or monthly basis?

Are you doing straight sales or do you see yourself doing training and consulting to larger groups?

I can speak from personal experience that once you surrender to what your heart is saying, opportunities seem to pop up everywhere you turn.

Understand that it doesn't mean that you quit your job and throw caution to the wind, however, you can start making significant strides towards reclaiming your career dreams. I am a living example of that...remember my story?

 

Related posts:

Previous day: Say goodbye to career mistakes and disappointments

Next day: Take credit for your life and career achievements

 

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. Have you seen our holiday specials?

12 Days of Career Success Advice: Day 2

 

Aaaah, my excitement level is at an all time high - one more day until I head to Georgia. Smiles - you would think I was two years old, giddy with joy about going to see my parents for the holidays. I know the importance of family and remain committed to celebrating life and my loved ones.

That being said, I will still be working up until Christmas Eve as resumes, cover letters and career planning need to get done for my proactive clients.

2012 is coming, whether you like it or not, so why not give yourself a competitive advantage over your peers and get clear, focused and organized.

As I continue my 12-day series on career success strategies, here is my tip for the second day...okay, okay, I will put it in the right format.

On the second day of the holidays, my executive coach said to me:

Say goodbye to career mistakes and disappointments

Sometimes it feels like a breakthrough to finally know where your heart is and what you want to pursue and other times, you miss out on new opportunities because you are too busy look at the past.

We have all been there - took the wrong job, made a bad career move, didn't hold out long enough to get the promotion, whatever it is, let 2012 be the year that you let it go.

The challenge is working hard to find the hidden "gems", embracing the learning experiences and positioning yourself for optimal career growth. Sounds logical, makes complete sense, but is a lot harder to practice.

Do not allow past career speedbumps define your professional future; shed the emotion baggage, take a deep breath and begin to forgive yourself. In all my years as an executive career expert, I have NOT met anyone with a perfect career background.

Engage a more positive mindset before making long-term critical career decisions. Instead of complaining and throwing in the towel, try a few career rebounding strategies and get back on track.

-- minimize that "hard-to-explain" job's space on your current resume and career marketing documents.

-- explore the possibilities of getting re-assigned to more challenging roles in current company

-- evaluate how far off you really are from your career goals and develop plan to get back on course

-- consider internal leadership opportunities in a different functional area if a new job is not an immediate possibility

-- keep yourself challenged and motivated by enrolling in evening classes or online programs. What better way to take full advantage of a lull in your career growth than to enhance your competencies and marketability.

-- anticipate future interviews and start building your selling points with strong achievement examples and other S.T.A.R. stories.

-- seek out leadership roles within your community, professional/local associations and even alumni groups.

Basically, I am encouraging you to engage in activities and efforts that will re-build your confidence, motivation and outlook of your career. It always starts in the mind, if you believe that you can rise above this, opportunities will start to open up right before eyes. Try it and see.

Related posts:

Day 3: Jump start your long lost career dreams

 

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. Have you seen our holiday specials?

Holiday Cheer: 12 Days of Career Success Advice

It's the most wonderful time of the year - I would sing to you, but alas, it is one gift I was not blessed with:) I am beyond excitement this week as I prepare for my travel to Georgia this weekend - there is nothing in the world like spending time with family and loved ones around the holidays.

I recognize this time of year can be very difficult for many people, so I never take for granted what or who I have in my life, not only around the holidays, but all year round.

In the spirit of the holiday season, I am going to do my share for spreading cheer and giving hope to those who are unemployed, underemployed or simply dissatisfied with their careers. Maximize this time of year to take in all the advice and tips you need to get motivated, recharged and focused for 2012. So here I go...

On the first day of the holidays, my executive career coach said to me:

Conduct an honest self-assessment

Whenever I talk to clients who have reached a crossroads in their careers, I always hear "I don't know what I want to do. Can you give me an test to figure it out?"

Well....there are career assessment tools that help provide clarity about your values, interests, personality and skills, but there is no magic wand available. However, you can take the first step and make a commitment to really uncover those things deep inside your heart.

Take a look at your current job and evaluate your career progress in the past five years and ask yourself these questions:

-- What do you value in work - achievements, recognition, status, autonomy or making a difference? Is is present in your current job?

-- What skills are you good at and really enjoy using - writing, teaching, leading others, building, analyzing?

-- Does your current job fully maximize your talents, strengths and favorite skills?

-- Are you passionate about what you do and genuinely interested in your company's products, services and clients?

-- Does your paycheck make elated, happy or disgusted - bottom-line are your financial needs being adequately met?

-- Are your job tasks and required responsibilities at a reasonable level or do you feel excess pressure and demands?

-- Are you stuck in first gear or does your job give opportunities for growth and personal development?

Are you moving forward, are you stuck, are you right on track? Well, don't sit there staring at the questions, nodding and shaking your head - go ahead, take notes and decide how you feel about your current career.

 

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

Day 11: Stay focused and committed to your career goal

 

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.

 

A Winning Recipe For Career Success

This year, I dramatically changed my eating habits - I took the plunge and eliminated all poultry and meat from my diet...now I am not a fully converted vegan because I still indulge in dairy and seafood from time to time.

Needless to say, I am constantly seeking out new recipes and experimenting with new food ingredients to create delicious meals.

Earlier this week as my stomach grumbled for breakfast, I rummaged through my pantry to see what I could whip up and decided to make vegan blueberry pancakes - yep, pancakes with no eggs or cows milk. Well, keeping my fingers crossed and adding a splash of ingenuity, I created a new breakfast favorite - and a yummy one I might add:)

If I stuck to what I knew, tried and true and didn't take the chance, I would have missed out on something great. Sounds familiar when it comes to career success, right? What have you NOT tried that may be the catalyst to real career success? How would you like a simple recipe that can get you in gear for 2012?

 

1) Grab a pen and paper and map out your SMART career plan

It's easy to stay on the sidelines and assume that your peers' career success came through good luck and the right contacts. Wrong! Lasting professional success and career mastery take careful planning, diligence and commitment.

-- Write down your career aspirations on paper to make them real and personal to you; partner with a career coach to help keep you motivated and on track.

-- Evaluate your current career situation and determine where you want to be in the next 12 - 36 months

-- Identify what you need in terms of education, experience and advanced training/education that will take you to the next level and invest in the necessary resources.

 

2) Lose the wallflower syndrome and get visible in your field

Being invisible works if you are a wallflower, however, if you need connections to the key players, a vibrant, active and growing professional/personal network is the way to go.

-- Volunteer for internal and external company events and take advantage of opportunities to represent the company at conferences, forums and trade shows.

-- Join two or three professional and industry organizations that you can participate in on a regular basis.

 

3) Know and promote your personal brand

Let's face it, you may love and respect others' career success, but there are some things that you do better than anyone else. Leverage that knowledge and learn to communicate your unique promise of value effectively to employers and recruiters.

-- Create and keep an updated LinkedIn profile and make sure it includes recommendations from previous employers and colleagues.

-- Compile a brief Google profile so that you are easily found when interested employers and recruiters want to learn more about you.

-- Establish yourself as thought leader by actively participating in company blogs, industry forum and professional online discussions.

 

4) Stay in ready mode with an updated executive resume

Don't wait until there is a crisis to have your executive resume and career marketing documents handy. Be proactive in chronicling your career achievements every six to twelve months or consider developing a master resume.

-- Give yourself credit for all the direct impact and contributions you made in terms of revenue growth, cost savings, image reputation, customer attraction, market expansion, technology integration, employee satisfaction and much more.

-- Where possible, quantify your achievements using dollars and percentages as numbers can really create a compelling story.

 

5) Keep your eye on the future and stay ahead of the curve

Don't get lost in the shuffle because your work world is changing. Pay attention to evolving trends in your industry and identify the major skills and/or new technologies that are important.

-- Maximize participation in annual association conferences and local business events as opportunities for informal education.

-- Research and register for appropriate e-courses, training programs, professional certification classes and learning circles that would directly benefit your career.

So there you have it - five ingredients to get you going...what are you waiting for? Get to cooking!

 

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.

Isn't It Time To Turn Your Career Lights Back On?

We are all familiar with electrical blackouts, well, recently, I experienced what you may call a "technology" blackout. For nine long, consecutive days, I was trapped in a time warp with no home-based telephone service and no Internet service. Pretty scary these days, right?

I did my best to stay level-headed as I ran from local libraries to Wifi locations just download my emails and stay connected to the outside world. I swear that the angels were singing and the birds were chirping when the technician showed up and with the click of a mouse, I was connected to the outside world again. Whew! I never want to experience that nightmare again.

No experience is without a great lesson, so my technology blackout got me thinking about how many talented executives are walking around in your own "career blackouts". Due to fear, disappointment or lack of motivation, you have decided to stay in the same place and afraid to move on because you cannot see what is down the road.

Furthermore, you have completely lost touch with old co-workers, you avoid interacting with your peers and 2011 has found you isolated, dissatisfied with your career and completely out of touch.

Well, if any of this sounds like your situation, the new year is always a great opportunity to step out of darkness and have the courage to turn the lights back on. Don't get bogged down with determining the right resume format or creating a profile on every website you can find - instead, start with some deep self-analysis, tap into old, forgotten career dreams and build your bridge to career success, one step at a time.

I can help you get started with five new career management strategies that would benefit you for years to come:

1) Get SMART career plan

True professional success and career mastery don't just happen or fall into place because of good luck - it takes careful planning, diligence and commitment to become a well respected, trusted authority in your industry and profession.

-- Determine where you want to be in the next 12 - 36 months

-- Conduct a gap analysis to identify what you need in terms of education, experience and advanced training/education that will take you to the next level -- Seek out mentors, key industry players and other successful professionals you admire and start connecting with them and building solid relationships.

-- Write down your career aspirations on paper to make them real and personal to you; partner with a career coach to help keep you motivated and on track.

2) Get visible, get found, get active with your personal brand

Your career success is directly tied to your ability to stand out from your peers and colleagues. There are several things that you do better than anyone else and you have to be able to communicate that to employers and recruiters.

Your career/personal brand should clearly reflect and promote your areas of expertise and your unique promise of value.

-- Develop a plan for own personal brand identity system that includes both online and offline strategies.

-- Create and keep an updated LinkedIn profile and make sure it includes recommendations from previous employers and colleagues.

-- Get creative and bring your personal brand and career reputation to life with a VisualCV.

-- Compile a brief Google profile so that you are easily found when interested employers and recruiters want to learn more about you.

-- Join and actively participate in company blogs, industry forum and professional online discussion - it is an excellent way to promote your knowledge and establish yourself as a thought leader.

3) Get insightful and know your value in a nutshell

Your perceived value ROI to companies is directly related the type of salary you can command in your industry and the leverage you have in terms of raises, promotions and bonuses.

However, if you don't know and understand your true value, you cannot wait for someone else to figure it out for you.

-- Be proactive in chronicling your career achievements every six to twelve months.

-- Consider your direct impact and contributions to your company in terms of revenue growth, cost savings, image reputation, customer attraction, market expansion, technology integration and much more.

-- Focus on quantifying your achievements as dollars, cents and percentages really create a compelling story.

-- Keep your resume updated and don't wait until there is a crisis to have a portfolio of career marketing documents handy.

4) Get in the mix and get back to networking

No matter how good you are, success in today's corporate and work environment is a lot easier when you have a vibrant, active and growing professional and personal network.

-- Volunteer for internal and external company events and take advantage of opportunities to represent the company at conferences, forums and trade shows. 

-- Join two or three professional and industry organizations that you can participate in on a regular basis.

-- Think outside the box and seek out new relationships and partnerships with clients, vendors and strategic partners.

5) Get a forward-thinking attitude and stay ahead of the curve

I distinctly remember working with a client several years ago who was laid off from an industry that got through a complete transformation due to technology innovation. She was at a loss when determining her next career move because she had not done anything in 20 years to stay competitive, marketable or employable in her field.

-- Pay attention to evolving trends in your industry and identify the major skills and/or new technologies that are important.

-- Use annual association conferences and local business events as opportunities for informal education.

-- Research and register for appropriate e-courses, training programs and professional certification classes that would directly benefit your career.

Career Planning - The Bridge Between You and Career Success

I have always taken to heart this saying "when you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail". No matter how hard we try with any other approach, true personal and professional success only follows careful planning and hard work.

How many of you are guilty of working hard in a career that just happened?

Imagine for a second how much more rewarding your professional life could be if you took the time to plan your career and orchestrate the steps needed to get to your dream job.

A successful plan will challenge you to look into the future, define your career objectives, identify competency gaps and research the resources you need to move forward.

So here are five simple strategies to help you pull together an effective career plan:

A) Where do you want to be in five years?

When you picture yourself five years from now, what does your career look like? Try to be as detailed as possible - carefully describe your position, your annual salary, really experience your daily tasks and zero in on what parts of the job you love and what value are you bringing to your employer.

You have to walk into the future space and work on bringing it back into reality

B) Where are you now and are you in the right place ?

Now that you have an idea of the great future career that is waiting on you, closely examine where you are now. Are you on track for steady career progression? Will your current job adequately prepare and equip you for long-term career success and career happiness?

If your ultimate goal is to become the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of a private firm then limiting your career experiences to a database administrator for 10+ years is not a good strategy

C) What new skills/strengths do you need for success?

Knowing where you are heading, now do an honest assessment of the key leadership skills, core competencies and job-related strengths needed for your "dream" job. Will you need to complete a new degree, do you need to expand your professional certifications, what skills/qualifications will be most important and relevant?

Don't wait until you are ready to make a move and then find out that you are not fully qualified, start preparing for your dream career today.

D) What is your personal brand and professional reputation?

By now, you should know that your internal and external perceptions play a critical role in your career advancement. What are you most frequently known for among your colleagues? What adjectives and personality traits are usually associated with you? Why do others want you on their team?

Knowing your personal brand and differentiating traits will be very instrumental in your career marketing strategies - remember, you want to build a strong reputation and attract a following now.

E) What resources or contacts do you need to build your career bridge?

No matter how hard working and dedicated you are, career success does not and will not happen in a vacuum. You will need the support of mentors, professional contacts, personal referrals, networking groups, industry associations and much more.

Recognize that reaching your career goal will take time, commitment, money, information, technology and other people - learn what you need to effectively succeed.

Related posts:

New millenium career resolutions

Career planning for recession-proof success

Are You Slowly Becoming Obsolete In Your Career?

I was recently thinking about how much my business marketing efforts have changed and evolved over the years.

I remember back in 1997 when having an advertisement in the Yellow Pages directory really opened doors for me and had my phone ringing off the hook.

A few years after that, I worked diligently to launch a monthly newsletter and my first website that I proudly promoted on business cards and mentioned in speaking engagements.

Fast forward to today, I have become an expert on balancing all my social media tools (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, VisualCV) to stay in contact with my target audience and it still seems like it's not enough.

What does all this technology mean for you and your job?

• What technological advances have directly impacted your industry and your job?
• What new programs and certifications have gained popularity in your profession?
• What new tools and resources seem to be penetrating your daily work responsibilities?
• What online social media tools have changed how you source employeers or contractors?

 Bottom line is that you don't want to be obsolete while the rest of the world around you is changing. 

* Don't fall behind on your professional development - whether it means a new certificate or taking a class every year, stay on top of technology changes.

* Overcome fear and jump right into it - I remember creating a Twitter account and then avoiding it for months because it was too new and felt too complicated. There are plenty of resources, blogs and helpful tips that can take you from novice to pro on any technology tool today.

*  Subscribe to online newsletters, take advantage of free teleseminars and webinars, and follow the Tweeets or blogs of technology trend setters.

* Don't think you have to become a technology guru overnight - your goal is to stay abreast and stay current, they are technology tools or software applications that I don't use everyday. The point is that I know they exist, I am familiar with them and if my job ever depended on them, I would figure it out. 

 Other helpful posts that can increase your comfort level with new technology:

How do you rank digitally?

Blogging to save your career

Maximizing social media

Going public with your job search

PS: Let's not even talk about cell phones, PDAs, portable computers and Blackberries - I am still trying to catch up in that area:)