Tips for Energizing Your Job Search and Career Throughout 2017

Tips for Energizing Your Job Search and Career Throughout 2017What is it that gets you excited about your career or the potential the working world has to offer? Whatever the answer is for you, investing in your own career growth will generate excitement and enthusiasm when youre feeling burned out. Whether you are already devoted to a position or youre searching for a new job with the promise of growth and upward mobility, employing these tips in the year ahead can inject an extra dose of energy into your career life.Determine Your Strengths and WeaknessesI would advise that you make a list of career goals for the year ahead and focus them on growth. Ask yourself questions such as What excites me about this position? In what areas can I improve? In what areas am I weakest in my current role? What opportunities are there for improvement in my career?Once you have your list, start looking for opportunities to learn and grow in these areas. It could be as simple as taking an online web inar, a professional course, or earning a new certification. Consider taking leadership courses/classes or reading a book on an area in the field you want to know more about. When you begin to see yourself as a competitive product, you can develop a personal brand that will highlight your strengths while differentiating you from the competition.Define Your AspirationsWhere do you see yourself in one year? How about ten years? Decide what your career goals are, and if you arent on a pathway that leads you where you want to go, now is the time to tischplatzset the right course. Determine what excites you most and how you can utilize it to advance in your career or search for positions that will allow you to explore your strengths in order to achieve your goals.Share With OthersOnce you have determined what it is you are passionate about, share your talents with others. Let a supervisor know you are willing to host a training at work or can present during a workshop. This allows others to learn while you contribute to a positive work environment. It will also give you something fun to look forward to and an opportunity to show your employer you are interested in forward progress and growth in your career. This all makes a great case for a raise/promotion the next time an opportunity pops up.Have the Right MindsetAccording to the book The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Anchor, having the right mindset can make all the difference in your life. Its no surprise Anchor found in his research of Harvard graduates that 75 percent of job success can be predicted on your level of optimism, social relationships, and how you perceive stress. He also reported the most successful workers were those who spent extra time with friends when they were feeling stressed, not those who worked the hardest. The big takeaway here is that your mindset has a huge impact on anything you dowhether you are job searching or are already working to climb the ladder with your current employerso kee p it as positive as possible. This is especially true when you hit a roadblock.Know the Market and CompetitionThis is the part where you do your homework. Check with the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. What is the job outlook for your profession? If the numbers are looking good, youll be able to expect growth in your sector, which means there will likely be more jobs available. This can mean a shortage of qualified workers and the opportunity for a promotion or raise in the right climate. If there is a poor outlook, you know to expect more competition in the job market.To get ahead, know what your competitors are doing. Are they attending classes, joining professional organizations, reading up on the latest developments in your industry? Find out what the latest skills are for someone in your profession and ensure you have them. This may mean taking classes or attending some seminars to get you up to speed. Part of being a professional is knowing what is happening in your field.Elim inate the UnnecessaryReserve your energy for the things that matter most to you, both at work and outside of it. Allowing yourself to be sapped of energy each day by an overly demanding boss, colleagues, or work schedule is not productive. Think about the most essential tasks you need to complete each day, set time aside to complete them, and move on. This will preserve enough energy to enjoy a personal life, which will create a more positive attitude for you. Furthermore, it will also give you a better focus on what type of work environment you are looking for if youre job searching so you can find the right culture fit for you.Create a Plan of AttackJust like anything in life, you need a plan to achieve your goals. Outline what you need to do to get where you want to go. Think of this as your roadmap to success. Set smaller goals on the way to your ultimate goal. Know that as you age, your career goals may change, so you need to revisit your plan often and adapt it as necessary. C onsider your career development plan a living document that can be adjusted to fit your needs.Develop a Realistic TimelineOnce you have a plan in place, its time to break your goals into doable chunks with time markers. This will help you keep your eye on the prize so you can meet your smaller goals that add up to big achievements over time. Think of what you need to achieve each year, each month, each week, and daily to accomplish the goals you have set for yourself. Look ahead at the calendar for training dates, professional seminars, and deadlines for large projects and take note so you can make the most of these opportunities for growth and development.Celebrate Your Successes, Even the Small OnesEven when you experience a small success, or achieve one of the minor goals in your career development plan, celebrate Even baby steps in the right direction are something to crow aboutso enjoy those small victories to re-energize yourself on the way to achieving your larger career goal s. I believe you deserve a career that brings you joy, fulfillment, and the ability to live your best life. If youre having a hard time writing your resume or your current resume isnt generating the response youd hoped it would, reach out to me on LinkedIn or visit my website for help now.

Ladies Heres What Its Really Like To Drive For Uber

Ladies Heres What Its Really Like To Drive For Uber Have you only ridden in Ubers with male drivers? Youre not alone, but believe me women drive for Uber, too.With the rise of the gig economy, driving for Uber is an easy form of side hustle, but it definitely mucksmuschenstill hasproblems. Founder and former CEO Travis Kalanicks scandals have been well-documented, and there is a pervasive problem of women being attacked, followed and harmed by their Uber drivers. The recent swath of sexual harassment accusations is a reminder that the workplace isnt always a safe space for women so, whats its like to be a female rideshare driver?Most of the time, it was a blast, said Hillary Hafke, a freelance publicist at Live.Work.Lead. She initially signed up as a rideshare driver for extra cash, but found that her tenure was short-lived.I stopped driving for two reasons, Hafke said. First, my babysitting work picked up. Second, with my babysitting work now providing that extra income, I figure d it wasnt worth risking my safety to keep driving. I did have a few pretty bad experiences.Unfortunately, Hafkes experiences were not unique. Teajai Kimsey, who works as a marketing director for a national manufacturing firm by day, also experienced harassment from riders.I think some passengers have the impression that since youre a woman you will take mora shit, but its not true, Kimsey said. Ive had an occasion where a passenger would not leave the car. I got out, took my keys and leaned back in the window. I said, Heres how this is going to work, any minute now a cop is coming by. If you arent out of my car, Ill flag him down and he will remove you.In Kimseys experience, the positive interactions with customers outweighed the negative ones. In one instance, a rider had traveled halfway around the world to partake in a funeral for his godson and made it to the ceremony just in time, thanks to Kimseys driving. In another, Kimsey helped a rider surprise her fianc on Valentines Day .For the fruchtwein part, everything is fine, Kimsey said. Sometimes, I am in a position to be a crucial part of someones life.People especially drunk people almost seem to worship you, Hafke said. I swear riders would just go on and on about how cool it was that I was a woman driving for Lyft. And honestly, I definitely had been that rider before I started driving.That said, both Hafke and Kimsey acknowledge that theres work to be done to make the rideshare industry safer for women. I like the driving, Kimsey said. I dislike the company, but things are improving under Dara (Khosrowshahi, the new CEO).For Hafkes part, she pointed out that the ridesharing industry could stand to be improved for mora than just women.(Driving) was definitely my best option at the time, Hafke said. There is obviously harassment involved, but the men get that as well.Hafke doesnt believe that rideshare companies can do much more to change passenger behavior. Instead, Hafke sees a need to address the sy stemic issues that lead to those negative experiences but in the meantime, shed still recommend ridesharing to other women.Assuming they are emotionally in a place where they can deal with harassment, Hafke clarified. I am able to stomach more harassment than most. I also think that being tall Im 58 is important. I felt much safer on account of my size.I know a lot of women who drive for Uber, Kimsey said. For the most part everything is fine, but this isnt for everyone.