Boost your career within an hour
We all know that we need to regularly allocate some time in our busy calendars to improve our career prospects. I am also sure, however, that we all find it extremely difficult to be consistent and we very often spend this time on something more urgent at that point.
This week I shared with my university students a few ideas on how they can spend only one hour in a way that will significantly help them boost their careers. Here I share some of them with you too. These activities will help you develop new skills, raise your visibility and confidence, prepare for a future job interview, expand your network and/or remove roadblocks on you career path:
1. Curate your personal brand: Most of us do not pay attention to our personal brands and do not create them on purpose. That’s why if you do, you will stand out in your professional network and you will do the same on a job interview among all other candidates. Read my article for personal brand here: Personal brand: Looking for our true selves
2. Update your LinkedIn profile: Strengthen it by publishing an article, post, new skill or certificate that you have obtained. Align your profile with the personal brand that you want to communicate in your professional environment. A strong LinkedIn profile may lead to an attractive job offer.
3. Work with a coach/therapist on removing a limiting belief: In most of the cases we do not take a step out of our comfort zone and we do not progress our careers because of a limiting belief that we have. By removing it we clear our way to our dream jobs. Based on my experience, a coach/therapist needs only an hour to help you overcome it.
4. Ask your manager to take over an action item on his/her priority list: Within an hour you can prepare a presentation/analysis or attend a meeting on his/her behalf. If those are on his/her priority list, they are most probably important and will be challenging for you. Consider it as a stretch assignment which prepares you for the next step in your career path.
5. Participate in a (public) discussion on issues in your field: From my experience, the most valuable discussions are those where representatives from business, politics and academia take part. By expanding your network and raising your visibility, you may receive an invitation for participation in collaborative projects and in defining policies in your field. This may be a stepping stone for your career.
If this one hour is shortly before a job interview that you have, probably it will benefit you most if you spend it on self-care, reflection on your past achievements, celebrating your success or by just spending some quality time with your family and reconnecting with what matters most to you. The positive vibes, self-assertiveness and clear mind will put you on your path to victory.
