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Getting 2020 off to a GREAT start!
Dear Readers,
I wish you all a wonderful holiday season and the best of career success as you move into the new year, the new decade of 2020!
What is the best I can offer to you for this new beginning??
Here are three tips which most professionals wish they had done all along.
Start now…
Keep Up with Your Network:
- I’ve written before the astounding fact that over 70% of jobs are gotten through one’s professional or personal network. That means most of the important job connections you will make come from people you already know. That means you should pay attention to this community and let them know how much you value them. Check in with them from time to time. Many of them might be in your LinkedIn community. That means you need to keep your LinkedIn profile updated with any new career activities, achievements, promotions, changes, etc. Update and have your resume always ready for opportunity. And it really pays to write personal notes or even emails to all in your community. Wish them a happy holiday, remember their birthday or career anniversary. In working with hundreds of career coaching clients I would say that at least half of them regret they didn’t keep up with colleagues and friends from their past. Time passes quickly and the connections you make are invaluable both for career opportunities and for social connections as well.
2. Communicate Achievements and Aspirations to Your Manager: It is so vital to communicate well with your boss. They are not mind readers. It is so valuable for them to get periodic updates from you about your achievements, your aspirations and your ideas. Some companies require monthly status reports, even weekly. Some do not. But make it a regular habit to communicate with your boss. If you are ambitious and looking for a promotion or raise, tell them, and then ask what steps you need to take to reach your goals. So often bosses are taken by surprise when an employee is disappointed they did not get a promotion or a raise. Do not assume your boss knows that! Have a one on one meeting to discuss your goals. Start out with your achievements and contributions to lay a groundwork for credibility and proven performance. Then state your goals and ask how you can best reach them. If you are looking to earn another degree or take classes in your field, discuss that with your boss. Communicate!
3. Do Great Work! I know this should go without saying, but having been a corporate manager for decades, I will tell you that employees sometimes don’t follow through on what they say they will do. Make sure you are reliable and you are meeting all of your deadlines and doing your work thoroughly. If you are delayed or have a problem, it is vital that you let your boss and or your team know that asap!!! There is nothing like coming to a team meeting and learning that a few of the members did not follow through on their roles and responsibilities. Again, bring up your performance with your manager and ask her/him how you are doing? Be open to constructive feedback, correct any misunderstandings that may have occurred. Do what it takes to be the best performer you can be. Set new goals.
This is a new decade. In 2020 give some thought to improving your work performance. Communicate well, keep you with your network and do GOOD WORK! Onward in your career success, Coach Joan