Small steps are often overlooked in this speed crazy world where everything must be fast, needed now and the faster you achieve your goal the better. And you cannot really say slow is better and that some things take time in this age of speed. If you do, you are at risk being looked upon with scornful eyes. How you dare even suggest that, they say.1. Small Steps, Not Giant Leaps
Well, I am here to tell you to take small, steady steps. I am sure you want success fast. The faster the better, right? As I get older, I am not really sure if there is a finish line. Because if there is a finish line, what then? I tend to see career or life as a series of marathons now. So, take little steps instead of one giant leap. There is no such thing as a giant leap to career success.
2. Distance is a Series of Small Steps
You must remember that distance can be covered by a series of small steps. It can also be covered by a flutter of fast paced sprints. But the difference is, if your finish line is finite - then well, you know the type of stamina you need in order to cover that distance. Do you? That is an important question.
When I first started working, I did not know where I will be 17 years later. You may have a general idea but life takes you on many surprises. Do not be shocked this race you are participating in takes many forms and detours.
I am in favor of small steps as it allows you to cover a greater distance while conserving energy and being able to enjoy the view at the same time!
3. Patience
Sure, easier said than done. Patience some say is an over rated virtue. I am not sure I agree. You need lots of patience on your journey to career success. And if you buy into the small steps philosophy then you will need even more patience. Things take time to reveal themselves to you. Especially good things that appear bad initially.
4. Keep Walking
So long as you keep walking, there is no stopping you from where you want to go. The image of Forest Gump running comes to mind. Of course that is an exaggerated example but do imagine, if you take small steps and do not stop, how far can you go in the span of time you have? People who think about sprinting do not know that you can run out of stamina before the finish line reveals itself. Worst of all, the finish line they imagine for themselves is actually a mirage. Then what?
5. It’s Okay to Detour
When you take little steps, it is okay to take a detour. Such is life and such is work too since work is a big part of life. So, it’s okay to explore a little. Make wrong decisions and learn from it. Most times, what we like, what we are good at, and our talent does not reveal itself when we do the safe thing. It rears it’s head when we least expect it.
6. Potholes, Humps and Uneven Surfaces
It is also easier to navigate the road when you take little steps. Especially one that is filled with potholes, humps and uneven surface, which appears to never end. But it’s okay, because when you take small steps you begin to understand the character of these roads.
7. Who Knows What’s Ahead
You don’t. At best you have an inkling of what you want and you pursue it. The secret is so long as you take small steps, conserve your energy and be patient, eventually the finish line will be worthwhile.
That is how it is; you make a decision and take a risk. Who knows where all your effort to plan, to act upon the plan will take you? But with small steps you know you will get there.
Yun Siang Long, or Long as he is popularly known, spent 16 years in 3 multinational ad agencies where he also trained people in areas of career management.Read more » articles by this approved career expert | Click here » if you’re a career expertImage from Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Small steps are often overlooked in this speed crazy world where everything must be fast, needed now and the faster you achieve your goal the better. And you cannot really say slow is better and that some things take time in this age of speed. If you do, you are at risk being looked upon with scornful eyes. How you dare even suggest that, they say.1. Small Steps, Not Giant Leaps
Well, I am here to tell you to take small, steady steps. I am sure you want success fast. The faster the better, right? As I get older, I am not really sure if there is a finish line. Because if there is a finish line, what then? I tend to see career or life as a series of marathons now. So, take little steps instead of one giant leap. There is no such thing as a giant leap to career success.
2. Distance is a Series of Small Steps
You must remember that distance can be covered by a series of small steps. It can also be covered by a flutter of fast paced sprints. But the difference is, if your finish line is finite - then well, you know the type of stamina you need in order to cover that distance. Do you? That is an important question.
When I first started working, I did not know where I will be 17 years later. You may have a general idea but life takes you on many surprises. Do not be shocked this race you are participating in takes many forms and detours.
I am in favor of small steps as it allows you to cover a greater distance while conserving energy and being able to enjoy the view at the same time!
3. Patience
Sure, easier said than done. Patience some say is an over rated virtue. I am not sure I agree. You need lots of patience on your journey to career success. And if you buy into the small steps philosophy then you will need even more patience. Things take time to reveal themselves to you. Especially good things that appear bad initially.
4. Keep Walking
So long as you keep walking, there is no stopping you from where you want to go. The image of Forest Gump running comes to mind. Of course that is an exaggerated example but do imagine, if you take small steps and do not stop, how far can you go in the span of time you have? People who think about sprinting do not know that you can run out of stamina before the finish line reveals itself. Worst of all, the finish line they imagine for themselves is actually a mirage. Then what?
5. It’s Okay to Detour
When you take little steps, it is okay to take a detour. Such is life and such is work too since work is a big part of life. So, it’s okay to explore a little. Make wrong decisions and learn from it. Most times, what we like, what we are good at, and our talent does not reveal itself when we do the safe thing. It rears it’s head when we least expect it.
6. Potholes, Humps and Uneven Surfaces
It is also easier to navigate the road when you take little steps. Especially one that is filled with potholes, humps and uneven surface, which appears to never end. But it’s okay, because when you take small steps you begin to understand the character of these roads.
7. Who Knows What’s Ahead
You don’t. At best you have an inkling of what you want and you pursue it. The secret is so long as you take small steps, conserve your energy and be patient, eventually the finish line will be worthwhile.
That is how it is; you make a decision and take a risk. Who knows where all your effort to plan, to act upon the plan will take you? But with small steps you know you will get there.
Yun Siang Long, or Long as he is popularly known, spent 16 years in 3 multinational ad agencies where he also trained people in areas of career management.Read more » articles by this approved career expert | Click here » if you’re a career expertImage from Shutterstock
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