by: Tina Kashlak, PHR www.resumewritersink.com
The economic blues will be green with envy with a solid strategic plan in place to increase your marketability if unemployed, retain leverage in your existing position or open new doors if change is suddenly placed upon you.
I often speak on the importance of 'owning your career' and 'seeing yourself as a commodity’ with the goal of growing your brand into a profitable business. This holds true during the toughest of times. Now more than ever you need to make smart decisions to catapult yourself towards your goals.
Designing your plan can be simple. I strongly believe, 'less is more' as it will create a strong foundation.
Begin by creating two areas that need attention. Your personal self and your professional self are listed below with critical questions that you must answer. Get a sheet of paper and get busy.
Personal Self
What am I doing that is working well? (health, exercise, home, self, relationships, kids, pets, hobbies, etc.) Target your top 3 strengths with a 1-2-3.
What have I been neglecting? (health, exercise, home, self, relationships, kids, pets, hobbies, etc.) Choose as many that apply. Target bottom three with a 1-2-3
Choose your #1's from both your strength list and bottom list. You now have your personal plan set.
Sample:
I am great at...
1-Cooking healthy meals
2-Taking care of my pets
3-Spending time with my kids
I need to work on...
1-Working out/fitness
2-Taking care of my home (specifically the lawn)
3-Home repairs
Once you select your top and bottom areas, put a weekly plan in place. By strengthening areas that come naturally to you, you will become even more proficient and look forward to the rewards that you gain by accomplishing these tasks on an ongoing basis. By making small improvements on your challenge areas, you will begin to gain confidence and start feeling better about yourself. Before long, your challenge will become a strength taking on the #3 spot in the "I am good at..." bucket. In short, the challenge will have been promoted.
Build in an extra 2 hours per week into the the event that you want to focus on; 1 hour per event. Start out slowly by spreading the hour out over the course of a week. By dedicating 10 minutes a day (Monday-Saturday) on this event, you will be setting a new pattern towards a goal that you have been putting off. Within 30 days, you will have made significant progress in your personal strength and personal challenge.
So you say...this is basic. YES...IT IS!!! It is so basic that we often forget to break our professional challenges down as simply. Let's take a look at how this same formula can and will work on your professional brand.
Professional Self Sample:
I am great at:
1-Meeting People
2-Organization
3-Strategic Planning
I need to work on:
1-Confidence
2-Time Management
3-Stress Management
As you did with your personal self, do the same with your professional self. If you are a good at meeting people (socially, while running errands, at church, etc.) make the most of each interaction. If people flock to you naturally, think about how you can make the connection by creating an elevated sense of credibility in letting folks know what you do for a living. Invite people to join you in your social networking pages on the internet. WHAT???? You aren't on LinkedIn? Now's the time to join!! (www.linkedin.com) If you meet someone at the gym because you are now spending 10 minutes a day on the treadmill, suggest that you link in. Take your strength to the next level.
As for your professional challenge area...your confidence will increase 10 fold by making small daily adjustments.
This method is simple, easy to use and effective. Before long, you will begin to see positive results in both aspects of your life; personal and professional. This will give you the upper hand in the workplace and likely be seen as a commodity. If you are seeking employment, this method will give you the extra push that you need in reaching out for assistance in marketing your best talents to land a position.
I firmly believe in the adage, "when the going gets tough...the tough get going"!!
(Part one of a three part series)
Turning your Strength into a Cash Earning Business During the Economy!!!
I am great at:
1-Meeting People
2-Organization
3-Strategic Planning
I need to work on:
1-Confidence
2-Time Management
3-Stress Management
As you did with your personal self, do the same with your professional self. If you are a good at meeting people (socially, while running errands, at church, etc.) make the most of each interaction. If people flock to you naturally, think about how you can make the connection by creating an elevated sense of credibility in letting folks know what you do for a living. Invite people to join you in your social networking pages on the internet. WHAT???? You aren't on LinkedIn? Now's the time to join!! (www.linkedin.com) If you meet someone at the gym because you are now spending 10 minutes a day on the treadmill, suggest that you link in. Take your strength to the next level.
As for your professional challenge area...your confidence will increase 10 fold by making small daily adjustments.
This method is simple, easy to use and effective. Before long, you will begin to see positive results in both aspects of your life; personal and professional. This will give you the upper hand in the workplace and likely be seen as a commodity. If you are seeking employment, this method will give you the extra push that you need in reaching out for assistance in marketing your best talents to land a position.
I firmly believe in the adage, "when the going gets tough...the tough get going"!!
(Part one of a three part series)
Turning your Strength into a Cash Earning Business During the Economy!!!
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