Today we have a great guest post from my career partner, Miriam
Salpeter on how to use your time well during a career transition.
With over 10 years of experience, Miriam’s mission is to
encourage, enlighten and empower job seekers for success. Don’t launch
your search without her toolbox of up-to-date tips and support.
Miriam’s clients gain confidence, clarity and job search know-how!
Transitioning? How to Use Your Time Well
By: Miriam Salpeter, M.A.
Career Action Coach
If you are in the midst of a career transition, it’s easy to let hours, days and weeks pass by before setting up a strategy that will help you succeed in your hunt. (Hiring a coach can give your search a turbo boost!)
Volunteering is one great way to use your free time. Here are a few additional tips to consider if you want to propel your plans forward:
If you haven’t started, dive into social media and Web 2.0 applications! Yes, this can take some time if you are going to do it full force. But, you have time, so go for it! Start searching for blogs in your niche. Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop list is a perfect place to find blogs in an array of topics, but you can certainly use Google to find current information in your field of interest. Spend some time researching and exploring. See if you can identify the stars in your field. Use online mechanisms to connect to them!
How? Post smart comments on their blogs. See if they use Twitter and follow them. Make sure that you are using LinkedIn effectively. You may be amazed at how quickly you can connect and “befriend” people online.
Consider authoring a blog. If you are a strong writer, there isn’t a better way to influence your Google rankings and demonstrate authority in your subject matter. If you have the time, why not try? You have nothing to lose.
Stop and think about what you really want to do. Use your time to assess yourself, your goals and plans for the future. How often are we forced to take a moment to really think about the future? This is your chance. Do you like the way your life is going? Are you happy with your path? If not, consider a coach to help you figure out a new direction.
Learn a new skill. Have you been thinking about taking a class in something that will help you with your job? Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit? This may be a good time. Doing something new and learning a new skill is good for your attitude and will help you in multiple ways.
There is so much information and opportunities to learn new things online for free. High-profile and talented people are offering free teleclasses, webinars and seminars all of the time. If you plug in, you’ll learn about these opportunities and benefit from them. Take advantage of your public library as a resource for information. Check in with the librarian for information you might be missing!
Don’t wait until you have an interview scheduled to prepare for the interview! Do you know what you’ll wear to an interview? Does it fit? Is it clean and pressed? How about your shoes? Do they pass muster? Don’t wait until you’ve been searching for two months and get a call for an interview tomorrow to look in your closet!
Once you have an outfit ready, start planning and practicing what you will say in an interview, in a networking situation…Use your time to get ready. Consider contacting me to conduct a mock interview so you will know what skills you can improve. If you are prepared, when you start pulling in opportunities, you won’t panic!
Of course, much of your “free” time will be taken up with job hunting. Don’t forget that many of the activities listed above are part of your job hunt. I would be remiss if I didn’t specifically mention that networking (in person and online) is key – spend more time doing this than searching for online postings. Make sure your resume and materials are top-notch and use your time to prep for everything you will need.
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Hallie Crawford
Career Transitions Coach
