Jobication

When it comes to preparing yourself for your next career move how much thought do you actually put into the process?  You are smart, you have a solid work background, and you know the right people.  What if that were all there was to landing your next gig?  Maybe you know how good you are but do others?  Educating the world on your many accomplishments might feel like “overkill” when you are out promoting yourself, but providing a bit of a “jobication” in the process, may go a long way in broadcasting to the rest of the working world just how great you really are.

Finding the right words, the best points to highlight when it comes to putting together a compelling story about your work history is not as easy as it seems.  No one likes to brag but brag you must if you want to make sure others fully understand what you have to offer and how qualified you are for that next big opportunity you are seeking. Punching up your resume is hard when you have so many kudos you might not know which ones to point out that you may tend to ramble on just about anything to get your point across.

Here are a few tips to help Jobicate your resume to help educate your viewing audience:

  1. Quantitative vs. Qualitative:  It might be easy to get lost in the numbers especially if you are an accountant, but making sure you balance the “touchy-feeling” soft skills with quantifiable results is a must no matter what your profession.  Helping to measure results whether you are in a professional, creative or technical field makes your value and contributions stand out no matter what level position you are applying for.
  2. 2.     Strategic vs. Tactical:  You may be starting out or you may have years under your belt, in either situation sharing examples of how you think vs. how you act is as important as stating you are a “multi-tasker” or are adept at working in a matrix environment.  Sharing specific examples of how you process, analyze, research, and come to conclusions vs. merely how you execute sets you apart from those that take orders from those that make orders.
  3. 3.     Problem Solver vs. Doer:  How you derive at results is as important as how well you can execute against them.  Sharing examples of how you are able to “figure it out” as well as how well you can execute your job responsibilities is an important distinction when you are showcasing your talents on multiple levels.

Finding the right words and sharing specific examples of how you illustrate your skills takes time and attention.  If you feel you won’t do justice to yourself, it’s worth hiring a professional to help you promote your accomplishments and market your skills to make you ever-so appealing to the anxious recruiter.  Jobication is not just about educating the rest of the world about your skills as much as it is about showcasing your talents in a way that makes you stand out from the rest of the weary job seekers all looking to land their next assignment.

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

Follow greenlightjobs on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenlightjobs

And, on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/50

 


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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Career Politics-Building Your House of Cards

After power-watching Season 2 of “House of Cards” on Netfilx this weekend, I realized that the notion of “politics” has taken on a whole new meaning. I’m not suggesting we redefine politics by your sense of who you’d like to bump off in your work place, but there is something to be learned from someone who has enough passion to not only fuel his own career ambitions but who can certainly take care of those around him as well (brilliantly portrayed by Kevin Spacey in his character, Frank Underwood.)

Now the old expression, “Hitching your wagon to the right horse,”  may have merit but making sure you align yourself with the successful and the powerful and knowing who can help you in your rise to the top is not necessarily a bad strategy so long as you don’t get caught in the crossfire. Career politics can bring out the stalker or the prey in all of us.  In any event, knowing how to play the game is as much about learning how to survive as it is about how to win.

It’s okay to think you don’t need to learn the rules of engagement when you are planning your next career move.  Maybe your resume speaks for itself or maybe you have great contacts that can help you generate enough job leads that you don’t really need to “politic” your way into your next job?  Career politics is not so much about maneuvering your next job move as it is about helping you sustain in the job you do have.

You may think that by just doing a good job, working hard and showing up on time it’s all you need to do in order to advance in your career.  Think again.  When you accept a position, the expectation from your boss, the board or whoever is in a leadership role is that you perform to your maximum capabilities.  The powers that be don’t care if you are busting your butt they just care that you are getting results.  The top brass do not much care whether you are liked or respected by your peers, subordinates or colleagues-they just want to see you can make stuff happen.  What you don’t know or perhaps what they don’t teach you in grad school is just because you are smart and can think out of the proverbial box, does in no way entitle or ensure that you will move to the top of the career chain no matter how many degrees you have.

Learning how to manage the hierarchical powers that be and by orchestrating your career the way you would a trip aboard means you have to not only be two steps ahead of the game but you better be in top form if you are going to master your career politics. You can be called a true “career strategist” if you are plotting and manipulating your next move, and are “seizing the opportunity” before your boss has a chance to pour their morning coffee. Making sure you stay alert and aware and block your opponent before they try to move in and take over means you are savvy to career politics.  Every job, every company, every work situation has its own level of politics whether you are leading the company or count yourself among the many foot soldiers who take orders.

Learning how to read the signs of career politics means you are a survivor amidst the political apocalypse that is your work place. Knowing how to take out the enemy, identify your allies and manage the casualties means you are not only ready for the next step in your career but also may mean your time to move up the career ladder is imminent. Here are some words to live by and to turn your career politics into an art form:

“If you want to earn my loyalty then you will have to offer yours in return.”

“I’ve worked too hard to get in arms reach of the prize only to have my hand cut off before I seize it.”

“ How quickly poor grades are forgotten in the shadow of power and wealth.”

“I must not lose my resolve. I will march forward even if I have to do so alone.”

–       Frank Underwood, “House of Cards”

 Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

Follow greenlightjobs on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenlightjobs

And, on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/50


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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Falling In Love With Your Job…..

Valentine’s Day may be be a time to celebrate love, life and the one your with but for some, it’s a time to celebrate all the loves in your life including your job.  It might not seem appropriate to send your boss a Valentine’s card telling him/her how much you love to work at the company, but honoring and celebrating what made you fall in love in with your job in the first place is not a bad way to  celebrate the day.

Your job, like any relationship has its ups and downs.  You may not like the way it looks one day or you are easily tired of the same old, same old year after year.  You may think, “Did I settle?” or, “Maybe I could have done better?” only to once again look lovingly at your paycheck to know, it could be worse or, maybe the grass isn’t as green as I imagined?  Doubts about your job may creep in as they do with any long lasting relationship.  That does not mean it’s time to ditch and run.  You may want to look at the things that attracted you in the first place and rekindle the fire, passion and love you once felt when you drove into the parking lot each morning and longingly walked the hall towards yet another meeting.

Finding and keeping what makes you passionate about your job is not always easy.  There are times when you may have had bad encounters with your boss or co-worker, or you feel unappreciated for your hard work or believe you have been passed over yet again for another more attractive co-worker-“the new flavor of the month.”  Turning a blinds eye to what makes you feel insecure and unloved is one way to tackle your passion or you can engage in activities that ignite the flame you once felt no matter how thick the smoke has become.

  1. Love’s Labor Lost: It may be time to think about the wonderful moments you’ve shared with your job since accepting your first date and make the most out of what you love to do each day.  You don’t have to pretend to like what you don’t but remembering all the reasons why you said “yes” to begin with might start the process of healing your broken heart and make you fall in love with your job all over again.
  2. To Thine Own Self Be True:  Loving yourself more than loving your job is your first step to honoring who you are and what you love. Taking care of yourself, buying yourself flowers each week, treating yourself to a lunch at a nice restaurant once a month or taking needed breaks during the day will help you energize and feel invigorated again.
  3. “Happy Valentine’s Day Every Day’s the 14th”  In the words of “Outkast” feeling like every day is Valentine’s Day makes you believe that you can turn a bad situation into a good one no matter how difficult your current work situation has become.  Remembering that every relationship has it’s breaking point, knowing what’s good in your relationship now and focusing on that will help you get over any doubts you have about breaking up or moving onto something else that you think might be better for you.
  4. How Deep Is Your Love?  Evaluating your trust, respect and admiration for your job and the work that you put into the relationship will make the love grow deeper. Understanding that you have made a commitment to the job at hand and that you need to see it through will help you push through no matter how hard the relationship has been for you to manage. Realizing how much you love what you do will help you.
  5. Breaking Up Is Hard To Do  And when all else fails there is the inevitable feeling that you might have put more into the relationship than it’s worth.  Only you know when you’ve given it all you’ve got and it’s time to turn around.  When you know you’ve tried to make it work no matter what the obstacles, it makes the decision easier if you do decide you have to end the relationship at some point.

Falling in love with your job is no different than falling in love with a person, you go through the same flurry of emotions, you have the same push/pull you do with any other relationship and you are always ready and willing to give it just one more try for the sake of all that you hold dear.  This year, instead of binging on chocolates find something in your job to celebrate and remember the butterflies you once felt when you first said, “I do.”

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

Follow greenlightjobs on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenlightjobs

And, on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/pub/2/abb/50

 


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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DeToxing Your Career

We all have things in our life we need to get rid of.  Whether that includes toxic relationships, situations, or clutter we’ve amassed over the years, there comes a time when you need to purge.  Although maybe more difficult, this holds true for those things that no longer work for you in your career.  I’m not suggesting you get up and quit your job but of course, if it does not feel right than it might be time to make a move.  Knowing when to detox your career of work habits, people and a bad environment makes you more likely to move in a positive direction as opposed to setting yourself up to fail when it comes to making the right career choice for you.

Detoxing your career helps you clear the path ahead to make healthy choices that are right for you.  Taking inventory of what people, situations or work habits that no longer work for you helps making the clearing out process easier.  What do you want from your career that you are not currently getting?  Are there people who are not supportive of your efforts?  Does your work environment foster creativity and trust or do you hate to show up to work each day?  Asking yourself these questions helps frame how you feel about your work vs. what you are willing to tolerate which makes the detox process easier.

When you make a concerted effort to eliminate the things in your life that no longer serves your higher potential you are making a very loud and clear statement that you are ready to take care of yourself.  It’s hard to go to work each day not liking or trusting the people you’ve come to know and work with.  Knowing when enough is enough helps you to make the purging possible.

Taking stock of what you’ve got helps you evaluate what you need from what you are able to lose in your detoxing process.  Here are a few areas you can look at when it comes to knowing when it’s time to detox your career:

  1. Feeling What You Want:  Knowing what you want from your career helps you realize what is no longer working.   It’s really simple when you have strong feelings or dislikes don’t easily dismiss it.  This is a sign that in your gut you know what you want from your surroundings including your work environment.  Next time you get that strange feeling don’t ignore it pay attention and let it speak to you and listen to your own advice.
  2. Setting Positive Goals:  Once you know what you don’t want, it’s easier to outline what you do want and start to set goals that will help you create an execution plan to achieve your career objectives.  Setting positive goals keeps you focused on your career while helping you to eliminate the people or situations that no longer move you forward.
  3. Keeping It Clean:  Picking and choosing from the long list of areas in your life that need to be purged may seem overwhelming but keeping it simple and keeping it clean will make you immediately feel the results of your efforts.  Purging your work environment by distancing yourself and protecting yourself from people you work with helps you begin to clear the path.

Not everything in your career life needs to be purged when you are getting ready to make a change.  But knowing the difference between what makes you happy from what does not is a good start in helping you sort through the many choices and will make your detox process more productive.

Looking for a job?  Find us at www.greenlightjobs.com

Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/lisakayeglj

Follow greenlightjobs on Twitter http://twitter.com/greenlightjobs


Copyright © 2024 Lisa Kaye - HR & Business Consulting - The Career Rebel

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