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2017 – The Year to Give Back!

Mountain Landscape in Colorado Rocky Mountains, Colorado, United States.

One of the best things we can do for ourselves, and our careers, is to share our time and talents to do some good in the world. Volunteering enhances our professional resiliency and increases our personal life satisfaction. Here are 5 reasons to make ‘giving back’ a priority in the coming year.

Expand Your Network

Serving on boards, volunteering for a non-profit, and supporting fundraising events connects us to new people who share similar interests. In time, these acquaintances can turn into professional alliances. When we volunteer, we have a chance to put our talents to use and show our skills in action. This leads to high-trust relationships with people who can then speak to our qualifications or refer us to new opportunities with real conviction.

Build the Resume

Volunteering helps us look good on paper. We can minimize gaps in our work history by showing that we have remained active and involved during transitions or layoffs. We brand ourselves when we include volunteer experience on our resumes. We also differentiate ourselves from other candidates who have similar skill sets but lack community involvement.

Skill Development

Think about what you have to offer and what you hope to gain in terms of skill development when you consider a volunteer opportunity. Sometimes we volunteer because we want to be considered for full time, paid positions within the organization. In other cases, we plan to take the skills we gain from volunteering and put them to use in our regular jobs. Yes, we give back for the sake of giving back but we can also be strategic in terms of what we want to develop in ourselves.

Career Exploration

If you are considering a career change, volunteering is the perfect way to test the waters before jumping in with both feet. You get first-hand experience and valuable insights into what it takes to be successful in a new industry. This can help you avoid a costly career mistake. If you do find a match in your new field, you will have developed great experience and connections to help you make a successful transition.

Good Vibrations

Volunteering often leads to feeling a sense of purpose and belonging in the world. If we are a bit stale in our careers, volunteering can reignite a sense of passion. It feels good to give back yet we all need support from time to time. When we are in a career transition, it can be psychologically easier to reach out for help if we have made it a priority to be of service. In giving to others, we can create good karma for ourselves.

Keep in mind that finding the right volunteer opportunity can be challenging. Start by considering what issues call to you. What are you curious about? Do you want to work locally? Or, do you yearn to support national or international issues? What talents do you have to share and what new skills do you hope to gain?  How much time can you devote given your other commitments?

Use this online resource:  https://www.livecareer.com/quintessential/volunteering to learn about possible areas of interest. Your local library also offers resources to help you research non-profits, foundations, and giving organizations such as Rotary International.

The new year is a perfect time to envision a brighter future for yourself and for the world. It is a time to set goals and seek out rewarding experiences. One thing I know for sure is that as you serve the world, you will also be doing yourself a whole bunch of good. Happy New Year!

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Attitude Adjustments and Job Satisfaction

Are you ready for some good news? Job satisfaction is the highest it has been in over a decade!

Earlier this year, the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported that a whopping 88% of employees are satisfied at work. While overall job satisfaction spiked, employees also reported a slight increase in engagement.

SHRM’s extensive research measures 43 aspects of job satisfaction and 37 factors associated with employee engagement. The key issues related to satisfaction in the 2016 survey included respectful treatment of employees at all levels of the organization, compensation, benefits, and security.

You can read the full report here. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/trends-and-forecasting/research-and-surveys/pages/job-satisfaction-and-engagement-report-revitalizing-changing-workforce.aspx)

For years, surveys have reported dismal levels of job satisfaction in the workforce. So, what has changed? And, why bother sharing the good news? SHRM’s 2016 survey is noteworthy and the information it provides can help organizations as well as employees increase satisfaction and engagement.

In terms of what has changed, there are subtle and powerful shifts happening in how people think about work and life. We are gradually moving away from the belief that we need to find one true passion in order to be happy and fulfilled. Despite well-meaning advice from talk show hosts and self-help gurus over the past two decades, finding one’s passion isn’t all that easy!

And, the pressure to do so often causes stress and anxiety. Letting go of the need to find a singular purpose for being on the planet and linking that to a specific career path allows us to reconsider what it means to be satisfied and fulfilled. Rather than feeling like failures for not having found a passion, many of my clients feel a sense of relief to learn they could be equally happy working in a variety of positions or industries.

The quest to find one’s passion has been replaced with a more realistic goal of exploring different ways to put our key skills to use. We have known for years that job satisfaction increases when people use their strengths or unique super powers for 70 to 80 percent of the work day. Most people are satisfied to be paid a competitive wage to do work that they enjoy. That is meaningful and fulfilling in and of itself.

Another shift I see occurring is that people are no longer expecting any job to fulfil all of their needs. Work is an important part of who we are but it is not everything. Employees who are most happy and fulfilled at work are also committed to taking care of their personal needs and desires. This can include volunteering in your child’s classroom, pursuing creative hobbies, unplugging from email after hours or getting to the gym five days a week.

One reason people are making more conscious decisions about work/life integration is because the job market is less tight. Rather than feeling stuck, people feel empowered to seek out opportunities that are a better fit not only in terms of the skills they want to use but also in terms of value alignment and culture.

Let’s give credit to the organizations that are committed to creating positive work environments in an effort to retain talent. It is also important to recognize that job satisfaction is closely related to how content we are in other parts of our lives. Career is just one slice of a much bigger pie. No matter how you cut it, the goal is for work and all the rest of your life to be equally delicious.

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Time for Your 2016 Career Tune Up?

Most of us schedule an annual physical with our doctors and we get our teeth cleaned every six months. We even change the oil in our cars about every three thousand miles. But, when it comes our careers, we expect things to keep humming along without much care.

Our careers require regular maintenance too! Without proper attention, even the most successful careers will begin to sputter and eventually breakdown. A few warning signs that you are past due for a professional tune up include having a dated skill set, a complacent attitude at work, or a dwindling network.

The following career maintenance activities will help ensure you find success in 2016 and beyond:

Scan the Horizon

People who thrive in their careers are not just heads down at work. Every so often they look up to assess what is on the horizon in their industries. They stay abreast of any new technologies, certifications and specializations that will be needed in order to remain competitive.

I often suggest clients look at a few postings for the kind of work they are doing now. Many are surprised to find that they barely qualify for their own jobs! Attending industry specific conferences and being active in professional organizations are two ways to ensure you remain up to speed on what’s new and next in your field.

Deepen Connections

Having a strong personal and professional network is key to our career health as well as our overall wellbeing. Networking need not be an awkward job search ploy. No one wants to be contacted by a long lost colleague only when they need help finding a job. Don’t be that person!

A key part of a career tune-up includes nurturing relationships inside your company, within your industry, as well as across the community. Join a relevant Meet Up or become part of a lively networking group. Volunteer. Take up a hobby. Schedule regular lunch dates with coworkers, colleagues, and friends.

Be helpful to others and give of your time and talents. When you do this authentically, it will be much easier to ask for help without feeling uncomfortable. Always assess the quality of a professional relationship before asking for assistance. In other words, don’t expect more from someone than the relationship warrants.

Create a Master Résumé

Many clients come to me with résumés that are ten or twenty years old. It then takes considerable time and effort to update and target the document. You may be unable to meet an application deadline or you may lose a contract opportunity because you could not apply in a timely manner.

Creating a master résumé that outlines your professional history can keep you nimble in today’s job market. A master résumé should include career highlights from positions held in the past 10 to 15 years as well as key accomplishments from your current position.

Having a continually updated résumé makes it easier to quickly target an application packet for specific positions. Being able to quickly articulate the value you provide can also help you justify a raise or negotiate a better job offer. A master résumé can also be used as the foundation for updating your online profile.

Career planning and management can be complex. We have many more jobs over our lifespans and each career decision we make shapes and impacts future opportunities. Seeking out career counseling to set yearly goals and create an action plan can be just as important to our wellbeing as scheduling an annual physical.

If you have been coasting along without much thought to what is next in your career, now is the time to take proactive steps to ensure you are ready for your next professional venture. Here is to your success in 2016 and beyond!

 

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Job Search in a Funk? Maybe it’s Time to do the Hustle!

The search for a position that aligns with your career aspirations sometimes takes longer than expected. At what point do you consider taking a stopgap job or doing a side hustle to earn some extra money? And what are the pros and cons of doing so?

First, it’s important to understand that there are some key differences between these two alternatives. If we are completely honest, a stopgap job is one that you would never accept if you were gainfully employed in your desired industry. The bottom line is that you take a stopgap job because you need additional income.

The best kind of stopgap measure is a temporary or contract position in your field. This allows you to expand your network and keep your existing skills sharp. You may even be able to add a few new accomplishments to your résumé. Another plus to this approach is that it you can get an inside look at different organizations and workplace cultures.

Unfortunately, many stopgap jobs are menial and don’t offer much in the way of professional development. A good example of this is the laid off software engineer who ends up in an orange apron selling wares at the local home improvement store.

However, even this may be better than isolating at home. Unemployment can take a toll on one’s self-esteem. Stopgap jobs, even those below your area of expertise, offer human interaction and the routine of going to work. Many job seekers stay more focused and upbeat when they have some money coming in and a reason to get out of the house each day.

It is important to consider how the stopgap job will look on your résumé. It may lessen gaps in employment but it may erode your professional image and detract from your larger career goals. One of the biggest challenges is to remain committed to your search for a professional position.

Rather than taking a stopgap job, you may consider creating additional income through a side hustle. Scott Balster, principal at Employtown and creator of the Side Hustle Muscle Movement, helps people create abundant lives with full-time work and side income. Balster believes that side hustles offer job seekers and those already employed a chance to increase earnings and find greater personal and professional satisfaction.

There are always individual considerations but side hustles typically add to your professional image and toolbox rather than detract from it. You might think of a stopgap job as a Band-Aid. A side hustle, on the other hand, is curative and nurtures our personal and professional wellbeing.

Side hustles are a great way to gain the training and expertise we need to be more competitive in the job market. Side hustles can also allow us to dip our toes in new career waters without giving up our steady paychecks. They can be the bridge to a new full-time career or they can always remain “something extra” we do on the side.

According to Balster, “Job seekers who focus on creating side hustles typically find themselves partnering and interacting in new ways with other professionals. The process of creating and implementing a side hustle naturally expands a job seeker’s network and can lead to discovering employment opportunities they were not finding through traditional job search processes.”

Balster adds, “Side hustles also increase the value we bring to our day jobs. Many of my clients have full time jobs. They are looking for increased job satisfaction as well as additional income. As they create their side hustle, they often bring greater energy and a renewed sense of creativity to the workplace.”

Balster believes this is because through creating a side hustle we strengthen what he refers to as the idea muscle. “The more we tap into our creativity and solve problems, the more we build the idea muscle. This leads to having greater confidence and success in everything we do.”

Balster offers a list of hundreds of side hustle ideas to fit your lifestyle and he also provides templates and coaching to help people get started in various side businesses. There are endless ways to create a side hustle that matches your talents, needs, and goals.

You can teach what you know, offer a service, consult in your industry, or invent and sell a product. You may decide to rent vacation property through an online site. Side hustles can be born of hobbies or they may be an extension of what we do in our day jobs.

We all know people who have side hustles. I recently met a schoolteacher who imports and sells coffee grown on a small farm in Costa Rica. He is supplementing his income and creating a fair-trade business model that supports rural farmers in developing countries.

Another colleague sells medical devices by day and does professional photography on the side to nurture her creative spark. An accounting manager in my neighborhood started a seasonal sprinkler blowout business to help his young son gain business skills and save for his college education.

Jobs have become more temporary and transient in nature and yet we still yearn for and need some amount of stability in our lives. Side hustles are a great way to take more control over our destinies. Balster says, “Ideas are the currency of the future. The process of generating ideas and building a profitable side hustle helps us create our own sense of security and avoids being completely at the mercy of employers and the economy.”

Stopgap jobs can ease financial pressures but this approach can sometimes be a slippery slope leading to a downward spiral in our careers. Side hustles, on the other hand, expand our horizons and tend to increase our marketable skills.

Managing our careers has become more complex than ever. What would you do if you lost your job tomorrow? Maybe it’s time to do the hustle.

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Career Trends and Predictions for 2015

Top 10 Workplace Trends and Predictions for 2015

 As one year winds to a close and another one is about to begin, it makes sense to consider what is on the horizon. Whether you are actively looking for a job, managing a successful career, or planning on doing some hiring, the following trends and predictions can help you prepare for the year ahead.

  1. The death of HR gatekeepers

Here is some good news! HR professionals who act like fire breathing dragons when dealing with job seekers will meet their own demise in the coming year. As companies continue to vie for top talent, HR gatekeepers will need to transform into friendly, welcoming brand ambassadors for the organizations they represent.

  1. Résumés? You still need one but…

Referrals are the number one way to land an interview. It really is about “who you know.” But, even if you know the right person, you still need a résumé to move through the hiring process.

Your résumé must be targeted, accomplishment based, and offer a compelling story of where you have been and where you are headed. In 2015, look for more infographic résumés, video résumés, and links to online portfolios as candidates take steps to set themselves apart from the competition.

  1. It’s all about social media

The vast majority of recruiters are conducting stealth searches to connect with passive and active candidates. It is likely that a recruiter will have viewed your LinkedIn profile, looked you up on Facebook, noted the number of followers you have on Twitter, reviewed your industry-related posts, and read your personal blog before even making contact.

Most of us have no clue that we are being passed over by potential employers due to a lackluster or problematic online image. A recent LinkedIn survey found that 55 percent of recruiters have reconsidered a candidate based on what they discovered when digging deeper. In 2015 having a “complete” LinkedIn profile will not be enough. This is the year to embrace social media and create an “awesome” and active online presence.

  1. Internships on the rise

More companies will offer exceptional internship programs to brand themselves as employers of choice and to afford them access to top talent. And, it won’t just be college students seeking these opportunities. People in their 30’s, 40’s, 50’s and beyond will seek internships when transitioning to new careers or to stay competitive in their current fields. Along with the increase in internships, I sincerely hope that more forceful employment laws will curb the exploitation of unpaid interns in the workplace.

       5. Mobilize your search

Starbucks was one of the first employers to create a mobile app allowing job seekers to find and apply to open positions right from their phones. In 2015, this trend will continue. More employers will optimize their websites or create mobile apps in order to engage with busy candidates and make it easier for them to apply. If you are in search mode, expect to put your smart phone to good use.

  1. Generational tensions increase

A recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder showed that 38% of the workforce is currently managed by a millennial. This generation will soon be the largest segment of the workforce. One issue is that young managers show a strong preference for hiring other younger workers. This can leave older workers feeling alienated and squeezed out of the workplace.

Yes, baby boomers are retiring but many older workers plan to keep working past typical retirement age. Companies can benefit from a multi-generational workforce that plays well together. I predict (okay, hope!) that the coming year will bring an increased focus on succession planning, generational training, and mentoring programs that foster generational respect and cooperation.

  1. The career path less traveled

Whether by default or by choice, people are stepping out of traditional roles to work more independently. Automation, outsourcing, and the trend towards hiring contractors and consultants have forced many of us to look at alternative ways to earn a living beyond the full time job. Freelancing a service or running a small business is no longer the rare exception and that trend will continue to grow.

  1. Skill gaps resemble the Grand Canyon

The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently reported 47 million job openings while over 50 percent of employers say they cannot find the talent they need. A key issue is that education and training are not keeping up with changes in the workplace.

To close the skills gap, there will be an increased interest in vocational programs that lead directly to bright outlook jobs. Beware, however, of those for-profit schools that cost an arm and a leg. Check out more affordable certificate programs offered through community colleges that are supported by businesses and that include on the job training as part of the curriculum.

  1. Millennial women tackle equality

Pew Research recently reported that millennial women ages 23 to 34 are earning 93 cents for every dollar earned by men in the same age group. Woo Hoo! It is not equal pay but it is a huge improvement when you consider that the pay gap was 33 percent in 1980. This is a trend to watch!

    10.   People will be job hopping like crazy

Employers need to make engagement and retention a priority! People want to do work that matters. They crave flexibility, the right mix of perks, and a workplace that is fun and stimulating. Workers who are unsatisfied at work are going to hip-hop right out the door in search of better carrots.

I feel optimistic about the year ahead. I also believe that those of us who do not continually adapt and manage our careers will struggle to keep up with the changes. May you find greater meaning and joy in your work and in your life in 2015. Here is to a prosperous and happy New Year!

 

 

 

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