Intend To Land Before The Holidays Hit What You Should Be Doing Right Now!

Intend to Land Before the Holidays Hit? What You Should Be Doing Right Now! Holidays by Jim Lukach of Flickr   I am in as much denial as you that it is August already! My nieces and nephew in Georgia had their first day of school today and one of my Midwest clients’ kids went back two weeks ago. Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping into the future. Your brain, like mine, may simply refuse to acknowledge that the holidays will be here before you know it, but it is true.   There is always so much to do. “I’ll just wait until school starts and we will settle into our new routine before I think about my job search.” But then, the school year starts, and papers, to-dos, and events start to mount up.   The kids go back to their activities and you realize that things don’t settle down â€" ever! As much as I admire my students for realizing so young the value of hands-on experience through Drexel University’s world-renowned co-op program, year-round 10-week terms demand a lot of their focus and energy. I wonder how they do it. Then, on top of that they have to pass my 1-credit, but very writing-intensive Career Management class in order to graduate. I can see how some of them may have complaints about the added demand, especially when some of them have landed jobs already. However, the point can be made that as much as their education and lives demand of them right now, it is likely not going to get easier. Forming good habits by making time for professional development now will prove to exponentially impact their career and income trajectory throughout their future. My clients already get that; they are the go-getters, the game changers, the disruptors, the thought leaders who invest time and money in increasing their visibility, reach, and impact. They are always looking ahead. September is traditionally the second busiest hiring month. This is due to new job creation and companies needing to give one last push to end the year with maximum profit. According to the BLS.gov, job creation was increasing more going into this summer than it had been in 15 years, but September offers the chance to re-invigorate summertime efforts to fill positions that proved challenging because of numerous stakeholder vacation plans. If you want to get in the mix, you have to be already prepared to strike with a branded résumé and LinkedIn profile that enable you to compete, not just qualify. Of course, this is true for new jobs, too, but the hiring process may still take several weeks to months, depending on the level and process. That’s why, if we are being realistic… The time to start preparing for a change in jobs before the holidays is now. Here is how you start: Step 1: The first step for everyone is Career Discovery, which is an evaluation of what you want to keep and what you want to leave behind, and what you want in your future. This goes for your role, your level of responsibility and impact, your ideal boss, your ideal culture, your ideal income growth, and your overall ideal situation as it contributes to your desired lifestyle. Yes, shoot for ideal first. You can always test the viability of the ideal and add a step or two if it is not obtainable now, but think far ahead before you plan your next step. Step 2: Consider and research what qualifications are needed to obtain the ideal based on those who have come before you. Do some self-reflection, take some assessments, or engage a coach who can help you identify how your natural and acquired abilities lend themselves to such a path. Step 3: Craft a brand that promotes your unique value in relation to the pains, challenges, and initiatives of your ideal target. Step 4: Compose a résumé and LinkedIn profile that tell a compelling story, but that are native to the media. In other words, have a résumé that takes all your special knowledge, skills, experience, and talents and puts them concisely into hard business terms that demonstrate that you are someone who adds tremendous value and fits the organization’s culture. Have a LinkedIn profile that compliments the story, but sounds like you and allows your personality and passion to come through without sounding trite and cliché. These are the minimum steps you will want to take in August if you want to land by the holidays. Sound daunting?   Is it too much to handle? Nah. You can handle it, but you do not have to handle it alone. If you think it would be beneficial to invest ($900 â€" $2000) in an expert partner to help you navigate this process, take advantage of a free 40-minute consultation by completing and sending a needs assessment form and your most recent résumé, even if it is incomplete or not updated.   If the investment is beyond your budget, we understand, and have DIY solutions so that you can still take advantage of my expert advice on the branding process and use tools that help you create your own branded content.