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Week One: Professional Story & Legacy
Week Two: Professional Development
Week Three: Brand

Is January flying by for you like it is for us? It won't be long before we start the transition to Spring (or Autumn if you're in the southern hemisphere). What a great time to evaluate and start exploring what you want the next season in your career to look like. 
 
Before we get this week's challenge rolling, we're going to risk sounding like a broken record and recommend setting a reminder on your calendar for every 90 days to review your professional development and progress.
 
What’s so special about that timeframe? Think back to what you were doing or what was happening in life three months ago. Take TheCareerCue crew for example. We were getting ready for Halloween and had yet to launch a single podcast. In less than 90 days, we've launched the 30 Day Challenge and have published our 24th episode!

You'd be surprised at what you can achieve in what seems to be a short period of time. Make sure you don't let too much time pass before you do a pulse check on the direction you're heading. Small adjustments on a regular basis are easier than a major overhaul once every couple of years.
 
With that said, let's kick off with Week Four focusing on Evaluation and Search.

Who Are You?

We've all been guilty of meeting someone new at a party or at a networking event and shortly after saying our names, we declare what we do. Often we bundle our identity into the job title as shown on our business card (or our LinkedIn profile). It's certainly the quickest way to complete the introduction phase of a conversation, but is that who we are?

We're not recommending that you share your entire life story and career aspirations to the next person you meet at a professional event, but we would like to suggest taking some time this week to explore what it means for you to achieve true job satisfaction.

• What are your priorities (personal and professional)?
• Do your core values align with your job, company, or industry?
• Are you on track to what you envisioned your professional path to be or did you take an unintended detour?
• Did the detour result in a more fulfilling experience or do you feel like you need to reconnect to your original track?
• What are some of the significant personal and professional milestones in your life and career so far?

Sandra Fischer, author and creator of Relationship Reveal™, coaches clients on staying connected with what matters most for them. Listen in as she offers great advice on how you can start to get to know yourself better in life and career, starting today.

Job Search: Get Unstuck

Applications, networking, informational interviews…you can find yourself having a full-time job trying to find a full-time job!
 
Whether you're just starting to dip your toe into the job search pool while in your current role or are in between roles, Erin Ewart, Owner of Erin Ewart Consulting, has a ton of great tips on how to keep your search moving forward.

It doesn't matter if you have a full eight hours a day available or only 30 minutes after dinner to dedicate to job search, take some time this week to create a structure that works for you and your goal of securing that new gig. Start by budgeting time for the following tactics:

• Checking/responding to email
• Reviewing application status
• Networking
  • In-person
  • Online
  • Introduction requests via your existing network
• Online development opportunities
  • Classes/Webinars
  • Professional certifications
  • Evaluation tools
• Identify which part of the process you continue to reach and find challenging to progress beyond

Check out Erin's episode for more actionable insights on how to break through the job search roadblocks.

The Confidence Factor

Life was going along great and then something changed, unexpectedly or not. We've all been there. Whether the change is exclusive to your professional life or is also impacting your personal life, engaging in a job search in the midst of a challenging life stage can feel incredibly overwhelming.

Lora Poepping, President of Plum Consulting & Coaching, reassures us that it won't feel like that forever. The job search services Lora and her team provide also includes assisting clients in focusing on what makes them good at what they do, how to message their value to prospective hiring managers, and setting realistic expectations.

This week, start with some core advice from Lora to rediscover your marketability and shine bright through your job search.

• Write down your previous and current successes and practice saying them out loud
• Identify and research the industries, organizations, and/or roles that you want to target
• Start drafting your message for prospective employers:
  • What you have done
  • What you can do
  • What you will do
• Identify a realistic timeline to find your next role (eg., six weeks for high-demand roles; up to six months or longer for more niche roles)
• Surround yourself with people who give you energy, avoid others that do not

Lora and her team specialize in job search strategies and recognize that everyone's path is unique. Listen to her episode on your commute and get started on filling your confidence tank now.