October 10, 2018 4 Ways to Gain Experience (When You Have None)
If you are contemplating a career change or looking to expand your horizons, you know that experience is everything. Being able to add that new skill to your resume or LinkedIn profile can make all the difference to many hiring managers.
Or maybe you’re going back to the drawing board—you have finally decided to go with your gut and pursue your passion…even though on paper you’re not technically “qualified.”
So how do you take steps in the right direction? How do you build up your skillset when you’re starting from scratch?
Going back to the beginning seems overwhelming, but the experience you’re looking for can be found in places you might not expect.
1. Zoom Out
Maybe you’re looking at transitioning from a financial analyst to a graphic designer. While that’s an entirely new set of hard skills, don’t forget to consider the transferable soft skills you’ve built up over the years. If you can work to a deadline, communicate effectively with clients and team members and prioritize tasks effectively, you already have the start to a great skill section on your resume.
2. Start From the Beginning
Heading back to school may not be an option, but there are ways to get an education that don’t require a dorm. Look for online masterclasses in a topic relevant to you—check out Udemy, edX, or Masterclass for some affordable or even free options. There are dozens of useful websites out there, full of the type of specialized information you need to jumpstart a new career.
3. Small Steps
The truth is, any career requires some time at the bottom of the ladder. Look into opportunities as an intern or volunteer in your chosen field. See if there are remote or part-time opportunities that you can fit into your schedule. Positions like this will be less about fetching coffee and more about gaining real time in the field.
4. Leverage Your Connections
Though it seems intimidating to make a big change in your life, you don’t need to do it alone. In fact, it will be a lot harder if you isolate yourself. Ask people in your new field about their experiences. Set up informational interviews and ask the experts what steps they would recommend for someone in your position. If you don’t have any personal connections right now, that’s okay. Utilize LinkedIn, or try sending an email inquiry to someone whose career you admire. People are generally willing to share their experience and offer advice. Before you know it, you’ll be the one being asked to share your journey to success in a brand new field!
Don’t let a lack of experience prevent you from pursuing your dream career. I’ve worked with plenty of people who have successfully transitioned from one field to another. Though I’m sure you already have many applicable skills (which can be emphasized in a Functional Resume), it’s essential to gain relevant experience. Get out there with a positive, take-on-the-world attitude and let me know if you need any guidance!
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: career coach Margaret Smith, career transition, gain job experience, gain real life experience, inexperience and the job hunt, leadership coach Margaret Smith, what to do to gain work experience
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- Posted under Changing Your Life, Job Search, Transitions
October 3, 2018 How To Rebuild Trust at Work
So you’ve made a mistake and your relationships are suffering because of it. You may have dropped the ball on an important project, gotten caught in a lie, or failed to follow through when people were counting on you. The possibilities are endless, but the result is the same: your employer, employees, or clients are having a hard time trusting you because of what happened.
Even if you have already apologized endlessly and amended the mistake you made, you may still be feeling reverberations from the incident. You’re facing the unfortunate truth that so many have had to learn the hard way: trust is much more quickly lost than it is built.
How do you begin the process of rebuilding trust? Start with these three steps, and remember to be patient with yourself—trust-building takes time, energy, and a concerted effort.
1. In work, as in life, the first thing to do is own up to what you’ve done. Apologize to the people who were hurt, using language that makes it clear you know where the blame lies. Don’t just say you’re sorry it happened—say you’re sorry for what you, personally, did or did not do.
Accept the blame if it belongs to you. Sloughing it off to the person next to you does not signal that you are actually sorry. Listen to the other party’s grievances and acknowledge their validity without becoming defensive. Make it verbally clear that you not only regret what happened, but you are ready to take action to repair your relationship.
2. Once you’ve made a clear and sincere apology, it’s time to take tangible steps. Be conscious about making commitments and sticking to them. If you say you’ll be somewhere or do something, follow through. The goal is to have people associate you with punctuality and dependability. Turn projects in on time. Follow up on the little things you say you’ll “talk about later.” Give people your full attention when you’re having a conversation. Keep the right things confidential. In short, be present.
3. If you have taken these steps, you have fixed your mistake and proven you are still dependable. In order to actively build a positive impression, look for ways to go above and beyond expectations. Take time to catalogue common goals you have with the person or group you need to rebuild trust with. Think of ways you can demonstrate that these goals are your priority. Go the extra mile on projects—anticipate needs and resolve problems quickly.
Psychologist Paul White says that trust is built on competence, character, and consistency. The truth is that trust takes time to rebuild, but if you intentionally consider the ways you went wrong and what it will take to reconstruct a relationship, you will certainly be in a better place than if you ignore the issue. Let the work you put into your relationships become the new point that defines your personal and professional character.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: earn coworkers trust, Margaret Smith life coach, Margaret Smith Minneapolis career coach, rebuild trust at work, regain trust, trusting workplace
September 26, 2018 Find Your Voice and OWN It
Your thoughts matter.
Do you believe that simple sentence? Have you internalized your worth as both a human being and a key component of your workplace?
I’ll say it again: Your thoughts matter.
Far too often, people feel like their ideas, opinions, or points of view do not mean as much as others’. They feel minimized or silenced. They feel some kind of invisible barrier, holding them back from speaking up.
Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever been at a meeting and decided against speaking up or voicing your opinion? Have you ever felt shut out of a conversation, even though you had something to contribute? Why?
Unfortunately, a few dominant voices tend to rule the workplace. Whether they became the “big players” through experience or by aggressively asserting their point of view, these are the people who do not easily share the floor with others.
So, how do you break in? How do you find your professional voice and speak it?
Start small. Try a few of the following steps and keep building your confidence–and your voice–through intentional actions.
- Practice speaking your mind in one-on-one meetings or informal lunch gatherings.
- Build your confidence before you go into a meeting. Try using Amy Cuddy’s power pose or repeating affirmations.
- Set a concrete goal (i.e. I will speak up at least twice during our next meeting).
- Have a candid discussion with those who shut you out of meetings (they may not even realize they’re doing it!). Don’t be confrontational, be conversational. Present your case by using the D4 feedback model.
- Involve others. If you notice someone else itching to say something, be an advocate for them. Say something like, “It looks like Susan has something to say.” Your gesture won’t go unnoticed and (hopefully) the favor will be returned at some point
- Be prepared and know your stuff! Do your research before walking into a meeting and come prepared to ask at least three good questions (I’m a huge proponent of asking good questions!).
- Keep it up. Even when you’re not feeling especially assertive, keep up your confidence through affirmations, intentional breaks (get away from your desk!), and by practicing good all-around self-care.
Your voice is valuable! It’s time others heard it.
MARGARET SMITH IS A CAREER COACH, AUTHOR, INSIGHTS®DISCOVERY LICENSED PRACTITIONER, FOUNDER OF UXL, AND CO-FOUNDER OF THE TAG TEAM. SHE HOSTS WORKSHOPS FOR PEOPLE WHO NEED CAREER OR PERSONAL GUIDANCE. YOU CAN VISIT HER WEBSITE AT WWW.YOUEXCELNOW.COM
Tags: build confidence, business coach Margaret Smith, find and own voice, find voice work, margaret smith career coach, women confidence workplace, women speak out work, women strong voice
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- Posted under Advice from a Life Coach, Communication, Thrive at Work
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