As we move forward in reaching our goals, there are other stakes to put in place with the fast pace of life. Stocking these
attributes listed below will keep us built to last, whether we’re operating in a
paid or volunteer situation or managing our lives.
·
A
Little But Good Attitude
The rules and conditions will keep
changing. There will be failures and setbacks. It’s easy to become bitter. Staying
focused and positive is essential to present ourselves well and concentrate
for the best decision-making. There may be times to push through obstacles in our way. Gratitude, for whatever the situation, is necessary as well.
·
Get
It Together—Organizational Skills
Rounding
up all needed documentation, such as résumés (old and new), transcripts,
evaluations, job descriptions, and letters of recommendation may be time
consuming, but it has a huge return on investment (ROI). You don’t want to go
on a fishing expedition when something is needed right away. Next, put them in
some type of logical order. A tracking process to catalog research data, log
phone calls, résumés sent, and networking cards will also be needed. Use
supporting technology in this effort, and don’t forget to record those
passwords for company websites when applying online! The same tactics work for
tracking any financial expenditures, especially for tax purposes.
·
Who
Knows You? References
Have you
‘done good’? Can anyone attest to that? Compile a list of people who’ve known you in a professional
setting, such as supervisors or co- workers. Also include those who can speak
to your character. Include personal friends with a solid background; teachers,
professors, or family friends. Make sure position titles, addresses (e-mail and
postal mail), and phone numbers are current. Contact your references to let
them know of your career plans, especially if you haven’t communicated with
them in a while. The last thing you want is for a potential employer to call a
reference who doesn’t remember you or thinks you’re no longer among the living.
This who-knows-you
concept isn’t just for job situations. Many community and professional
associations may also require references. Due to the worst of human nature
(molesters, scammers, and the like) background checks, of the financial and
character type, are now the norm.
Ensure
that your social media presence reflects an image that’s aligned with who you
are professionally, especially on LinkedIn. Recruiters and interviewers do use
Google to check out prospective hiring candidates. Censor your tweets and
Facebook posts based on the type of opportunities or community positions you
seek.
