The current economic uncertainty is a perfect breeding ground for indecision and paralysis. And it has never been more important to be decisive then now! If you’ve been imitating the ostrich, here are a few action steps you can implement today …
––Adopt the “self–employed” mindset
If you haven’t read the great book by Cliff Hakim, “We Are All Self–Employed,” I highly recommend it. Log onto Amazon and order it or stroll into your local Barnes & Noble and begin reading. Those folks who embrace the “self–employed” rather than “other–employed” mindset will proactively control their careers rather then reactively respond to someone else’s control, whether that someone else is a CEO, Board of Directors, or investor group.
As finance executives, you understand the concept of managing your career the way you manage your company. Understanding though is different then doing. Create a 3–5 year career management plan and then work daily to execute your plan.
––Get visible
Linked In, Facebook, Naymz, Ziggs, Zoom Info, Twitter … to name a few of the “must” places you can create and maintain visibility. Begin today! If you would like a copy of my article, “5 Easy Ways to Beef Up Your Linked In Profile,” send me an email with “Linked In article request” in the subject line.
A quote pulled from the 2008 Recruiting Landscape report published by Zoom Info says, “Savvy recruiters know that the best hires come from candidates whose web presence speaks to their contributions to their companies’ success – not those who are likely to respond to a job ad.”
To be viewed as the “best,” creating a branded, visible presence is critically important. The people who need to know about you are already visible on the Internet and they are hunting passive, top–talent!
––Begin networking
Networking is time–consuming … and one of the most effective things you can do for your career. If you have been so busy working in your job to the exclusion of working on managing your career, today is the day to re–connect with at least one person and then add 10–15 minutes of networking time to your calendar as a daily appointment. With all of the online social networking outlets available, squeezing in 10–15 minutes can happen before dawn or at 11:30 at night … from the comfort of your home. The ROI will be well worth the effort.
So tell me, now that you’ve made the decision to read this post, what action step will you take today?