Ready for a New Career?
Changing your career trajectory is an exciting prospect. It is also a little bit scary for some people. Leaving the comfort of one job for another is almost like stepping into the unknown. If you are wary about your next steps, this is a good place to start. Ground yourself and calm your nerves by taking these proactive steps to help you on your next career adventure.
Create an Updated Resume
Your resume is your calling card for any new position for which you are interested in applying. An old and outdated resume will not cut it in today’s digital world. With artificial intelligence involved in the hiring process, any resume needs to be up-to-date and include the necessary keywords to make it past the AI gatekeepers.
Use the best resume format to get off on the right foot with your job search. Having a template will make the job application much easier for you. This is especially helpful if you will be applying for many different positions. That way, you can enter your basic resume information into the base template and then alter it for every subsequent job application based on the keywords within the job description.
Hone Your Interviewing Skills
Interviewing is not a natural talent. It takes patience, time, and a lot of preparation. If you find the idea of sitting across the table from one or more interviewers or facing a screen during a video call unappealing and daunting, then you need to practice your interviewing skills.
Not only will practice help refine your answers to standard questions such as “What is your greatest weakness?” or “What part of our company’s mission statement resonates with you?” but it also gives you a chance to be in the moment, almost as if you are rehearsing for a play.
Dress the Part
What you wear does not always matter, but in an interview, it does. Even if you can only afford one suit, shirt, and a decent pair of shoes, that is ok. All you need to do is keep it clean and neat for each interview. If you can, invest in a few shirts to change things up when you get a second interview. Also, having one or two suits is ideal, especially for these situations.
Beyond that, it is crucial for you to be clean, neat, and have your clothing pressed or steamed. Polish your shoes and make sure your socks, pantyhose, or tights are run-free and do not sag. In addition, make sure you have enough time to do your hair and makeup, if that applies to you. Going into an interview looking like you just rolled out of bed shows a lack of effort and interest on your part, and companies do not appreciate that.
When you are ready to head down a new career path, take a breath. This is an exciting time. You get to expand your horizons and reach for something you really want to move your career and your life forward. All it takes is the right resources, some planning and preparation, and you will be on your way.
Share in the comments below: Questions go here