I wanted to share this testimonial from a career client, Kevon, who is part of our new online 60 Day to Your Ideal Career Program. His story reminded me of how important it is to fit your career transition action steps into your existing schedule and your life, in order for it to be successful.
“Thank you for checking in. Everything is going well and I think I’m making great strides. Also, I like the new format– doing the workbook online, unlimited emails, etc. It is much more conducive to my lifestyle and what I need out of my coaching.”
When it comes to your identifying your ideal career, it takes a balance between making the time and not getting so overwhelmed by it that you don’t take action at all. You don’t want all of the work you spend on defining your dream job to feel like an added item on your to do list. Find a way to work on it that works for you. Our online program is not for everyone, but is perfect for those who want to work on it at their own pace on their own time.
If you’d like to learn more about our career services, contact us today.
P.S. Get one of the most information-rich career newsletters on the web delivered straight to your email inbox! Check out our Free Newsletter to help you along your career journey today!
In my latest video I was at Miraval and wanted to share a few thoughts that I had while on vacation. When you’re looking for your ideal career, try to think about everything that you might need to consider such as the work environment, your personality type, the salary, or if it will be fulfilling to you. People often pick one thing that was a fit for them and choose a job based on that. Then they end up in a job that is not right for them. Go slow with this process and step over nothing. Note every tidbit that comes to mind, and consider it when you’re painting the picture of your ideal career.
One thing that I always tell my career coaching clients is that LinkedIn is not optional in your job search. Recruiters and employers are reporting that 80% recruiting is done through LinkedIn. You can’t just stop once you’ve set up your LinkedIn profile. You have to make sure that you are actively connecting with people to benefit your networking efforts.
For example, I asked my career coaching client, Lisa, if she could identify a potential informational interview among her LinkedIn connections. One person she picked was a woman in one of her industry specific LinkedIn groups. Because of their mutual participation in the LinkedIn group, Lisa felt comfortable reaching out to her. The woman was kind and gave her tips about how to strengthen her position in her job search. This is great example of how beneficial networking through LinkedIn can be.
We recently received some positive feedback about our LinkedIn Consulting. Here’s what they had to say…
“I am thankful for the guidance and clarity you [Stacy] are providing me on our career coaching journey. Your skill at your craft is quite evident in the way that you have transformed my LinkedIn page. These changes have proven quite powerful as made apparent by the number of inquiries I have received since you made the changes.” – R.S., Maryland
Having an updated and professional LinkedIn profile is key to your job search. Check out our LinkedIn Consulting Package and learn more about how we can help you.
Hallie Crawford
Job Search Coach
P.S. Are you in the ideal career for you? Find out if you’re in the right career with our Ideal Career Quiz.
Unemployment rates are still an issue in the U.S.A., but this doesn’t mean job seekers should settle for just any job! I often have to remind my career coaching clients to not overlook their talents and skill sets when applying for jobs.
Job search can be a long and tiring process, but don’t just take any job to get out of the process early. You might just need to get creative with your job search methods. One of the best ways to figure out what your talents and skills are is to take a career assessment. These are great tools designed to help you unveil your hidden talents. Once you discover your talents and skills that you didn’t realize you have, you might be surprised by how quickly your job search will move forward.
One of the biggest barriers I see as a career coach, that keeps job seekers and professionals from advancing in their career path, is complacency. With career assessments, you’re able to learn more about who you are, which can help you realize that you might be compatible with more jobs than you realized. The career assessment might not tell you what your calling is, but it can definitely help you learn more about what career possibilities might be out there for you.
If you’re interested in learning more about our career assessment services, contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
P.S. Are you frustrated with your job search? Check out our FREE REPORT: ”Take Control of Your Career Transition: Uncover Hidden Opportunities”.
Check out my latest video as I discuss many possible reasons why you might not hear back about a job application. The truth is there’s no way to know for sure what the reason is. In this video I share four possible reasons why you’re not hearing back, and what you need to do differently!
Today I wanted to share with you the importance of having an opinion and a strategy in your job search. I often have to discuss with my clients how crucial it is to have a plan while in career transition. You have to be prepared for everything that comes your way so that you can have the confidence you need to land a job. This is especially true once you are in the interviewing process.
For example, my career coaching client Paul in California recently shared with me that when he’s in an interview he often gets nervous, does not speak up and does not voice his opinion. He knows that this is not good because they can’t evaluate him as an employee if he does not speak up. Having an opinion and something to say in the interview process helps the employer know how you think and how you would handle situations as an employee.
Don’t try to just please the interviewer, the prospective employer, or someone you are trying to network with. It does take some balance. You don’t want to come off as rude or try to control the conversation. Be respectful, be relaxed and be yourself, so that you can show them what you really have to offer.
If you’d like more help in your job search, please contact us today for a complimentary consultation!
Hallie Crawford
Atlanta Career Coach
P.S. How do you know if your resume is good? Take this Resume Quiz to find out how to keep your resume out of the trash can.
I recently came across two different articles that I wanted to share with you regarding education and the career value of graduate school. This one from the Daily Beast, Why a BA is Now a Ticket to A Job in a Coffee Shop and a recent Wall Street Journal article about the value of a law degree, Law Schools and Other Shameless Schemes . This is a touchy topic and there are varying strong opinions out there.
I do believe in the value of higher education and a degree. What I want is for people to evaluate it for their situation and their goals, because the value of it can vary widely based on these two things. We need to look at it on a case by case basis though, and we should just make generalizations about it.
I would encourage students or potential students to take a hard look at that higher degree, and evaluate it before they make any decisions. But don’t discount the value of it off the cuff. If that degree is exactly what you need in order to get into your desired profession, you definitely should find a way to do it that is financially feasible for you. You just need to evaluate it just like you would any other investment you are making, wisely and methodically.
Three factors that you want to consider for your evaluating your decision are:
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Finances – Can you afford it and which program can you afford?
Remember these days there are certificates out there, online education and more options than there used to be. You want to consider finances, but you also want to consider what you are getting for that as well. -
Reputation – What’s the reputation of the school you are looking at?
Will it be valued within your industry or not? If not, look elsewhere. You can find out if it’s valued by talking to people in the industry and surveying them to get the industry perspective. -
Career Value – Is a degree or certificate the only way to get your foot in the door?
If it’s too expensive for you to consider, and there are other ways to gain experience or education, do those instead.
Again talk to people in the industry (informational interviews) to find out more. Talk to the school, what do their gradutes do with their degree, and how many of them get jobs right after school?
If you’d like more help with your career direction, please contact us today for a complimentary consultation.
Hallie Crawford
Ideal Career Coach
P.S. Get one of the most information-rich career newsletters on the web delivered straight to your email inbox! Check out our Free Newsletter to help you along your career journey today!
Here’s my latest video where I discuss the struggle of brainstorming career ideas. Career coaching clients often askme , “How do I make sure I’m covering my bases regarding brainstorming career ideas.” Here are 4 easy ways to brainstorm additional possible career paths for you in the next 2 weeks. Helpful Tools: www.mypursuit.com and www.onetcenter.org are great resources!
