Are you feeling there is a lot of uncertainty at the moment?
Is your job stable at the moment, however being uncertain if you might have a job in the future?
We are facing challenging times together. Some people have lost their jobs and others are lucky to still have a job. Living in uncertainty is not easy.
My question to you is, how are you preparing yourself to anticipate changes that may come? And in this environment, these changes can happen very quickly.
Here are some career tips to help you to be proactive in your career:
Networking
Use this time to build your networks. The majority of the business and career opportunities I have had so far have been gained through networking. A few things that I do to build on my connections are:
- The Phone Call – call people to simply say “Hello.” People rarely make phone calls these days. When was the last time you received a call from someone, and they called just to say “Hi” and check in? We need to be more connected now more than ever, so call just to say hello.
- LinkedIn Endorsements and Recommendations – Use this time to endorse people’s skills and give recommendations. Imagine getting an email in your inbox and someone giving you positive feedback for the work that you have delivered. It is a joyful feeling. You can give recognition to people right now by writing recommendations for them. Whether the person publishes your recommendation or not, it is their choice. It is the thought that counts.
- Thank you Emails – I was doing a 14 day Thank you Challenge when I started working from home. It was very rewarding. Every day I took about 10 minutes and I typed an email to a friend or colleague to thank them for being in my life and how they have helped me. Every person who received this email felt touched by the email and it was such a joy to send them compassion at this time.
Upskilling
Study online for free. Why not?
- https://www.linkedin.com/learning – free for one month (add the completed course to your Linkedin profile)
- https://www.udemy.com/ – free courses and download certificates (paid courses)
- Top 25 Most Popular Ted Talks https://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all
- TAFE – Free short courses https://www.tafensw.edu.au/fee-free-short-courses
Ask for Feedback
I signed up for the Leadership in Critical Times membership: https://www.themahlermethod.com/lict I really value the work of Dr Louise Mahler and as part of the program I received feedback on how I present on screen. Louise gave me constructive feedback and she also provided ideas to improve my engagement strategies online. Use this time to ask for feedback from such people as colleagues, friends, customers, suppliers, managers and stakeholders.
You can start by staying, “I am just using this quiet time to reflect on my career,” followed by:
- What do you think are my top 3 strengths?
- What skills do you think I can improve on?
- What perception did you have of me when you first met me?
- What do you think makes me unique as a professional in this field?
Alternatively, you can ask, “I am considering completing some online training courses. What courses do you think I can do to help me develop my career?”
At the end of these conversations, ask them if they would like some feedback as well.
I created this slide show recently. It will only take about 60 seconds to watch and feel free to send this to any family/friends or work colleagues.
Enjoy:
My mission is to help 1,000 people to succeed in their career aspirations.
Wishing you peace and good health.
Leonie Lam
Career Coach | Facilitator | Speaker