Take Your Career Into High Gear With These Top 3 Tips

Whether you’re actively on the hunt for a new opportunity, or you’re planning to take the next step in a year or two, one of the biggest mistakes you can make is to overlook the chance to realign your personal brand with your career goals.

When recruiters search for talent, the most common feedback they hear from employers is that there are skill gaps in leadership, communication and strategic thinking. Organizations now realize that soft skills are vital to top-performing teams — but top talent with strong soft skills is hard to find.

Here are the top 3 things you can do to avoid sitting on the sidelines:

1. Refresh your personal brand

Social media is more powerful than ever and in today’s digital climate where people Google each other before interviews, investing in your personal brand on and offline is a must. As Shelly Lazarus, the former CEO of Ogilvy and Mather explains, it’s all about style — “not just what you say, but how you say it.”

Remember you already have a brand but it’s important that you take control of it. Take stock of what people can find out about you, on and offline, and be mindful of what you are putting out there. Be authentic and refresh your style by giving it focus. Jeff Bullas, one of the top Social Media Influencers of 2021, lists four steps to begin refreshing your personal brand:

• List your passions
• Discover the sweet spot at the intersection
• Describe your tone (witty, inspirational, etc.)
• Write a 20-word mission statement that distils your purpose

If you aren’t sure where to start, find some inspiration by reading a book related to your field or career goals, learning a new skill or taking a class, or signing up for a conference that you know will bring major networking opportunities with charismatic leaders.

2. Find a career mentor who can hold you accountable

Advice columnists and experts often suggest that the benefits of finding a career mentor usually revolve around networking, helping you set goals or personal development. But what is overlooked or understated is the value that a career mentor can bring when it comes to holding you accountable for achieving your goals and making sure changes stick.

Before you go on the hunt for a mentor, it’s important that you clearly define:

• What it is that you want?
• What are your goals and objectives?
• What changes are you looking to make to achieve your professional goals?

Once you know what you want, find a mentor who will check in with you regularly and provide you with the support you need to stay on track. When you have someone who will hold you accountable for making changes or achieving your goals, you are much more likely to succeed.

3. Refine your soft skills

Listen more. Talk less. Under promise. Over-deliver.

To advance in your career or keep up with the fast-paced environment of today’s business world, you can’t just rely on your expertise. Companies are now realizing that they can train new hires on their systems and workflows, but it’s not easy and sometimes nearly impossible for a company to change an employee’s attitude or way of thinking.

The Harvard Business Review listed the top soft skills organizations are looking for, they are:

• Having a goal-centric mindset
• Collaboration skills
• Communication skills
• Learning skills
• Troubleshooting skills
• Playfulness

There is no better time than the present to develop your soft skills. Focus on improving the soft skills that are highly sought after — enroll in a leadership seminar, or take a class. Investing in your soft skills now will lead to a big ROI later.

Remember, kick-starting your career isn’t about fast-tracking it to the leadership table — it’s about refreshing your brand, your goals, and your soft skills so that you are relevant, professionally polished and are ready to confidently take on the next challenge in your career.

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