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You are in control of your career growth (even if you don’t feel like it right now!). 
 
These blog posts are about getting you in the driver’s seat of that growth so you can create a meaningful career, get paid better, and have more work / life balance. 
 
Whether you took the traditional pathway society laid out of “education, internship, job” — or if you “fell off” at some point and now feel stuck because you don’t have a degree or the “right” degree —  I’m going to teach you about ways to get a better job, switch roles or industries, and get promotions.

Take Charge of Your Career

You are in control of your career growth (even if you don’t feel like it right now!). 

These blog posts are about getting you in the driver’s seat of that growth so you can create a meaningful career, get paid better, and have more work / life balance. 

Whether you took the traditional pathway society laid out of “education, internship, job” — or if you “fell off” at some point and now feel stuck because you don’t have a degree or the “right” degree —  I’m going to teach you about ways to get a better job, switch roles or industries, and get promotions.

Let's face it - finding work that energizes you can feel like searching for a unicorn….
 

 
With all the mundane, soul-sucking jobs out there, it's no wonder that people feel burnt out and unfulfilled in their careers. 
 
Whether you're looking to switch industries, start your own business, get remote work, or transition to a better position that you find fulfilling… 
 
There are a few key skills that can help prepare you for these transitions. Here's what you need to do to find a meaningful job:
 
DETERMINE WHAT YOUR VALUES ARE
 
Self-knowledge is incredibly powerful and the only true way to get yourself on the right path and in the right job. 
 
Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and what truly motivates you can help you make better career decisions and find opportunities that align with your passions and values.
 
So let's talk about your values. 
 
Yes, I know it sounds like some cheesy motivational speech, but hear me out. 
 
What matters to you? What gets you fired up? Is it environmentalism? Social justice? Helping others? 
 
Whatever it may be, make sure that your potential job aligns with those values. Because let's be real, nobody wants to work for a company that goes against everything they stand for.
 
ADOPT AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET
 
An entrepreneurial mindset is not just about starting your own business - it's about taking ownership of your career and approaching challenges with creativity and innovation.
 
This means taking ownership of your career, setting goals, seeking out opportunities to learn, being willing to take calculated risks and step outside comfort zones, and taking initiative to make things happen. 
 
By being proactive you will create your own opportunities and develop the skills and confidence needed to build the career that you truly want.
 
LEARN NEW SKILLS
 
Learning new skills can significantly enhance your chances of finding a meaningful job. Not only does it demonstrate your willingness to learn and adapt, but it also enables you to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving job market. 
 
It is essential to identify the skills required in your desired industry and start acquiring them through online courses, workshops, Youtube, and networking events. Websites like Udemy, Coursera, and Skillshare offer thousands of courses on a wide range of topics, from programming and web development to marketing and design. 
 
When you develop new skills, you will have more confidence in yourself and your abilities, making you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. 
 
Additionally, learning new skills can open up new job opportunities, leading to a more fulfilling and rewarding career.
 
2 universal skills that are worth staying up to date on…
 
Digital skills: In today's digital age, having strong digital skills is essential for most careers. Whether it's social media, digital marketing, or coding, having a solid understanding of technology can open up new career opportunities.
 
Communication skills: Effective communication is a critical skill for any career. Whether it's communicating with clients, coworkers, or customers, being able to clearly articulate your thoughts and ideas is essential.
 
NETWORK LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT
 
And I'm not talking about awkwardly handing out your business card at a networking event... 
 
 
No, I'm talking about reaching out to people in your desired field, setting up informational interviews, and actually building a genuine connection with them. Networking should never feel like a one-way street. Building genuine relationships takes time and effort, and it's important to approach it with a mindset of giving as well as receiving. This means taking the time to learn about the other person's interests and goals, and finding ways to support them in their own career journey.
 
But why bother, you may ask? 
 
Well, for starters, networking can help you stay up-to-date on industry trends and new job opportunities. Plus, having a personal connection to someone at a company can often give you a leg up in the application process. They can vouch for your skills and experience, and sometimes even provide valuable insider information on what the hiring manager is really looking for in a candidate.
 
So, put yourself out there, make connections, and see where it takes you. Not only will this give you valuable insights into the industry, but it could also lead to potential job opportunities. And hey, at the very least, you'll have some cool new contacts to add to your LinkedIn.
 
DON'T SETTLE
 
The world we live in often promotes the idea that success is measured by how much money you make. This can lead many job seekers to settle for a job simply because of the pay, without considering whether it aligns with their values or goals… 
 
However, there are many reasons why settling for a job just based on pay can be detrimental in the long run.
 
Firstly, a job that doesn't align with your values can quickly lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. If you're spending a significant portion of your life doing something that doesn't bring you joy or fulfillment, it's likely that your mental health and overall well-being will suffer.
 
Secondly, a job that doesn't provide growth opportunities can be a dead end. Sure, the pay might be good, but if you're not developing new skills or taking on more responsibilities, you may find yourself stuck in the same position for years with little chance of upward mobility. This can be frustrating and unfulfilling in the long run.
 
Thirdly, the quality of your work can suffer if you're not passionate about what you're doing. A lack of interest in your job can lead to a lack of motivation and commitment, which can have a negative impact on your performance and potentially harm your chances of future career opportunities.
 
In short, while a good salary is certainly important, it's not the only factor to consider when searching for a job. Taking the time to consider your values, goals, and the potential for growth and fulfillment can help you find a job that will provide not only financial stability but also long-term satisfaction and a sense of purpose. Don't settle for a job just based on pay - you deserve more than that.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
Finding work that energizes you isn't easy, but it's definitely worth the effort. By aligning your values, adopting an entrepreneurial mindset, learning new skills, networking, and prioritizing fulfillment over money, you'll be well on your way to finding a career that actually excites you. And hey, if all else fails, there's always the option of running away and starting a new life in Bali. Just saying.

Whether you're looking to switch industries, start your own business, get remote work, or transition to a better position, these tips can help you find the path to a meaningful career.

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Discover Your Path to a Meaningful Career: Tips for Finding a Job Aligned with Your Values and Goals

Let's be honest, the idea of a side hustle can be daunting. You don't want to waste your precious free time on something that's not going to be worth it. But fear not, dear friend, because with a bit of self-reflection and research, you can find a side hustle that's not only financially rewarding but also aligns with your lifestyle and goals.
Assess your interests, goals, and skills
When considering a side hustle, it's important to think about what you enjoy doing, what your long-term goals are, and what skills you have that can be monetized. Make a list of your interests, both personal and professional, and think about how they could translate into a side hustle. Consider what you want to achieve through a side hustle, whether it's financial freedom or pursuing a passion, and how that aligns with your long-term goals. Finally, evaluate your skills and determine which ones could be utilized in a side hustle.
Understand that you are uniquely qualified and can learn to do anything if you're determined
Don't let the fear of not having the right skills hold you back from pursuing a side hustle. Remember that you have unique experiences and talents that can be leveraged in many ways. Additionally, if there's a specific side hustle you're interested in but don't have the necessary skills, don't give up. There are plenty of resources available online, such as courses and tutorials, that can teach you the skills you need to succeed.
Invest in building new skills
Building new skills is an essential part of finding the perfect side hustle. Consider taking courses, attending workshops, or finding a mentor to help you learn and develop new skills. This will not only increase your chances of success but also make your side hustle more enjoyable and fulfilling.
Research different side hustle options
Once you have a list of potential side hustle ideas and have assessed your skills and interests, it's time to research different options. Look for side hustles that align with your goals and values, and that have potential for growth and profitability. Research the competition, pricing, and demand for your services or products.
Evaluate how much time you're able to give
Before committing to a side hustle, consider how much time you're able to give. Be realistic about your schedule and how much time you can realistically dedicate to a side hustle. If you have a full-time job, family obligations, or other commitments, you may need to start with a part-time side hustle and gradually work your way up.
Consider financial potential
Finally, consider the financial potential of your side hustle. While money shouldn't be the sole motivator, it's important to ensure that your side hustle has the potential to provide a sustainable income. Research pricing and demand for your services or products, and consider the time and financial investment required to get started.
Action Checklist:
Brainstorm a list of potential side hustle ideas
Assess your interests, goals, and skills
Research potential side hustles thoroughly
Invest in building new skills
Evaluate how much time you're able to give
Consider financial potential
Start taking action towards your chosen side hustle
Finding the perfect side hustle takes time and effort, but with these steps, you can narrow down your options and find the right fit for
 
DON'T FALL IN LOVE WITH A FIRST DRAFT
 
It's easy to get excited about a side hustle idea and dive headfirst into it. But before you do, take a step back and consider other options. Brainstorm a list of ideas and research them thoroughly. This will help you avoid jumping into something that isn't a good fit or has limited potential.
 
 
 
First and foremost, you need to consider what you want to get out of your side hustle. Is it purely for financial gain, or do you want to explore a new hobby or skill set? Maybe you want to gain experience in a new industry or build a personal brand. Whatever your goals, make sure they align with your values and are realistic.
 
Take a moment to reflect on what you want to achieve. What skills do you have that you can monetize? What are your passions and interests? Are you looking for a creative outlet or a way to earn extra income? Once you have a clear idea of what you want, it'll be easier to narrow down your options.
 
ASSESS YOUR INTERESTS, GOALS, AND SKILLS
 
When considering a side hustle, it's important to think about what you enjoy doing, what your long-term goals are, and what skills you have that can be monetized. Make a list of your interests, both personal and professional, and think about how they could translate into a side hustle. Consider what you want to achieve through a side hustle, whether it's financial freedom or pursuing a passion, and how that aligns with your long-term goals. Finally, evaluate your skills and determine which ones could be utilized in a side hustle.
Once you have a good idea of your goals, start researching different side hustles. There are countless options out there, from freelance writing to selling handmade crafts. Look into the different requirements and time commitments for each option to see what aligns best with your lifestyle.
 
CONSIDER THE FINANCIAL POTENTIAL
 
Of course, one of the biggest draws of a side hustle is the extra income it can provide. Take a look at the potential earnings for each side hustle you're considering. Are they worth the time and effort you'll need to put in? Consider not only the potential earnings but also the expenses involved in setting up your side hustle.
 
EVALUATE YOUR AVAILABLE TIME
 
One of the most important things to consider when choosing a side hustle is the time you have available. Don't try to take on too much and burn yourself out. Be realistic about the amount of time you can dedicate to your side hustle each week and choose an option that fits into your schedule.
 
TAKE ACTION AND TRY OUT DIFFERENT OPTIONS
 
Once you've done your research and evaluated your goals, skills, and time commitments, it's time to take action. Try out different side hustles and see what works best for you. Don't be afraid to adjust or change your approach as needed.
 
ACTION CHECKLIST:
 
Reflect on your goals and skills
Research different side hustle options
Consider the financial potential
Evaluate your available time
Take action and try out different options.
 
FINAL THOUGHTS
 
Remember, finding the right side hustle is all about taking the time to reflect on your goals and evaluate your options. With a bit of effort, you can find a side hustle that not only provides extra income but also aligns with your lifestyle and interests. So, go forth and hustle on!

Discover how to find the perfect side hustle for your lifestyle and goals!

Finding the Perfect Side Hustle: A Step-by-Step Guide

Applying for a new job is an exciting time. It's a chance to start fresh, explore new opportunities, and learn new things. But it's also normal to feel a little self-doubt. After all, you're putting yourself out there and facing the possibility of rejection…
 
We've all had moments in our career journey where we've felt under-qualified or unsure…
 
It's not fun to have self-doubt, but if you can push through… it'll be a big opportunity for personal growth and development.
 
"I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that's how you grow. When there's that moment of "Wow, I'm not really sure I can do this," and you push through those moments, that's when you have a breakthrough." — Marissa Mayer
 
Learn to overcome the challenge instead of avoiding it. Here are five tips for pushing through self-doubt and getting the job you want:
 
1. Don't be afraid to ask for help
When you're feeling unsure of yourself, it's important to reach out to your network for guidance and support. Talk to friends, family, mentors, or colleagues who can offer helpful advice. Sometimes all you need is a little reassurance from someone who believes in you.
 
2. Focus on your qualifications
Instead of dwelling on your doubts, take some time to focus on your qualifications and accomplishments. What makes you the perfect candidate for the job? This is your chance to sell yourself and show off your skills.
 
3. Embrace the challenge
Another way to push through self-doubt is to embrace the challenge instead of avoiding it. When you're feeling unsure, take a deep breath and remind yourself that this is an opportunity for growth. This is your chance to step outside of your comfort zone and learn something new.
 
4. Learn from your mistakes
Nobody's perfect. We all make mistakes. But it's important to learn from them and use them as an opportunity to grow and develop as a professional. When you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize if necessary, and make sure you don't make the same mistake twice.
 
5. Be your own cheerleader
In moments of self-doubt, it's important to boost your own confidence. Remind yourself of your accomplishments and what makes you unique. Write down your goals and visualize yourself achieving them. Remember that you have the power to create your own reality. With enough determination, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.
 
By following these tips, you'll be able to increase your confidence and show the hiring manager that you're the perfect candidate for the job!
 
Self-doubt is a normal part of the career journey - but it doesn't have to hold you back from achieving your goals. These are the moments that will help you become the best at what you do.

It's not fun to have self-doubt, but if you can push through… it'll be a big opportunity for personal growth and development.

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Don't think you're good enough for the job?

Today I want to tell you the story of one of my nieces and how she made a jump in her career that resulted in not only increased earning potential but also better opportunities to advance her career. 
 
Her story is a great example for how you can do the same with your career! 
 
The funny thing is, she never had to quit her job to make this happen…I actually just mentored her on how to get a better job in a different area of the company she’s with. 
 
So today I’m going to explain to you how you can do thesame thing. And if you really don’t like the company you are with, I explain at the end of the post how you can still use this method to get a better job with an organization that’s a closer fit to what you are needing.
 
Over the past few years, I've watched my niece as she's progressed inside of the organization that she works at. With COVID, and everything going on with the economy, there are now all new kinds of situations and opportunities for you as an employee – if you are willing to reach for them. And so I wanted to use her as an example to help you understand a few core things that will help you drive your career path forward. 
 
There's a few really solid learning takeaways you can get from her example that I'm going to run through based off of her story. 
 
First, she is a phenomenal example of following my movement of the diamond of moving from the expense side of the equation over to the revenue side of the equation of a company
 
If you don’t have any clue what I’m talking about when I say that, you need to go read this blog post I did recently: Be More Deliberate with the Career Path That You Are On! 
 
In that blog post, I talk all about how companies value different job roles in their organization differently. (Employers view certain areas of their company as “expenses” and other areas as “assets.” You need to understand this, and which side of the company your job role is on – if you are going to increase your earning potential. Make sure you are working on the correct side of the “value diamond” of the company: doing the job roles that your employer values the most! And if you aren’t currently there, you want to figure out how to move over to that side of a company/type of job role so that you can propel your career forward.)
 
My niece started off with the company she works for doing customer service. 
 
I remember talking to her about it, hearing about what kind of structure this company was using (in my opinion – it could use some improvement..). Their sales reps were out making promises, and as a customer service rep,  it was her job to fulfill those promises. 
 
A lot of times what the sales team were saying “yes” to, in order to close the deal, were not always things that could be easily delivered, or delivered on time, or delivered at all, to the customer. It was really creating kind of a bad situation, and a really crappy experience for her as an employee. (If you work on the delivery side of the equation, almost everybody has at least a story, if not consistent storylines with that experience!)
 
Now the world we live in isn’t perfect or fair, especially the world of work, but let’s be honest, if a sales rep says something to a potential customer – it should be something the company/product/software (whatever it is the business does) can REALISTICALLY DELIVER. Don’t tell a potential customer your software can track things that it flippin doesn’t. Don’t pretend your product is so awesome that it can do x,y, and z when you know z is still under development…
 
Now, the advice I gave her was NOT to justify what the sales reps were doing, because obviously they were making promises beyond what was capable of being delivered to the customer, but I kind of had to say to her (my niece): “If ya can't beat em, join em.”
 
I just explained to her from my perspective, like while you do provide this great level of customer service, and you do have all this knowledge about how to make things work well for the customer – all of which make you a great customer service person (or, in other words, an “implementation person” or “a delivery person”) you actually could use that same knowledge to jump sides over into the sales world. 
 
[Okay, I’m going to unpack that last sentence, but first I need to say something about “sales.” When I use that word, a lot of people think “ugh, why would I want to do sales?” But the problem with taht thinking is that most people have this idea in their mind of some random dude knocking on their door trying to talk them into buying something they don’t really need or want. When the reality is, many sales roles are NOTHING like that. 
 
Think of it this way, there are company’s out there that have developed incredible products and services that are the solution to a ton of people’s problems –whether business to business or business to customer – and that there are actually people (businesses or individuals) actively looking for those solutions. THOSE are the people that sales departments are targeting as future customers, and it feels golden when you (as a business) help solve their problems. Okay.. back to what I was saying.]
 
So I explained to my niece, that while she'll have to learn all the ins and outs of being a great salesperson, which there are about a million and a half different books that you could read on this, on the topic of how to be great at sales (*Way of the Wolf: Straight Line Selling is one of my favorite ones, or The Greatest Salesman in the World). But more importantly, once she achieves that jump, she will have so much knowledge about what actually can be delivered to customers and how to explain it the right way, she will have substance, not just style. 
 
And so she proceeded to make that jump, she watched for her opportunity, she applied for the sales job. And she moved from delivery implementation (her specific role in customer service) over to the sales side of the equation, increasing her value to the organization – *perceived value – and increasing her closeness to the point of closing the deal (the business receiving that first revenue) therefore, she SUBSTANTIALLY increased how much money she makes over the last few years. 
 
(*Remember that your “value” to an organization doesn’t have to do with how good of a worker you are BUT rather how “valuable” you are thought to be by the employer. The employer typically determines your “value” to the business by how close you are to the processes of helping generate more revenue for the company. That’s why she could get a significant pay increase by becoming a sales rep – sales people are the ones responsible for bringing in new customers – thus increasing revenue DIRECTLY. Their efforts DIRECTLY translate into more money for the company.)
 
Her making this move over at the company has allowed her to buy a newer car and a house and all kinds of things that somebody in their mid 20s, who didn't graduate from college would love to have, but would not actually have if they'd stayed on the opposite side of the equation over there on that “expense” side. 
 
And so today's big takeaway is that the exact pathway, generally speaking, will be easier for you to take inside of your current organization (my nieces case, make that jump from support into sales –  from the right side of the equation to the left side: the revenue generating or product side of the equation) 
 
There are two reasons it’s easier to do this kind of transition with your current organization:
 
1) You'll already have credibility with the employees there that you're a hard worker that you know what you're talking about.
 
2) You'll already have relationships there with the people who influence your ability to switch job roles.
 
For example, you can interact with the salespeople who have been handing you deals, with the sales manager, with the HR personnel. 
 
You can approach the HR person or the sales manager and say, “Hey, I'd like to make this jump over into this area.” 
 
You'll be able to engage some of the people doing the job you want to move into. Whether it's on break, at lunch, via zoom, just randomly after hours, on a weekend at a company party. You can draw out of them information by asking things like: “Why did you do this job? What makes you good at this job? What kind of things would I need to get good at to be able to get good at this job?”
 
And then take those proactive steps of how to actually learn about or accomplish the kinds of things they tell you. So in my niece's case: if the sales team uses a certain CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) like HubSpot or Salesforce, go out and get training on it! Watch videos on those softwares. Don't expect the company to give the knowledge and training to you. Because in your current role, you don't need that knowledge. Therefore, your employer is not going to pay for you to get it or try to drive that knowledge into your head. 
 
Instead, go out and find it. Start with YouTube, work back from there to *Udemy or an online course. Go to the websites of the software. Have the software that your team uses on a day to day basis, go look for their own training, their user training, any certification programs that are out there. And it will allow you to start building out your resume, have the tools and the knowledge. 
 
There's also knowledge and books on the topic of sales. But there's also certifications on sales that you can go out and independently get. Again, looking at the types of sales processes and approaches that those people use in your organization that will allow you to make that jump.
 
Once you've made the jump, and you're now in that role for six or 12 months, you'll now have that experience on your resume that you could then jump to a different company if you wanted to!
 
But that really is kind of the core pathway and the core steps of (and a storyline of) how somebody moved from the delivery side of the equation over to the demand side of the equation, and has now dramatically increased her compensation because she dramatically increased the perceived value that she is generating for the organization in alignment with what the organization values and needs to drive its engine of growth – which is revenue. 
 
Thanks so much for reading this today! You're going to see some upcoming stories as I document out the good and the bad of what this jump over into that area looks like and kind of where she's at now as we come out of COVID.
 
[*those book links and the Udemy link above are affiliate links, meaning if you end up deciding to buy the book or purchase a course and you use the link we shared with you, Amazon or Udemy thanks us for helping you find out about it through them, by giving us a small commission.]

How you can switch sides of your company to increase your earning potential and career opportunities.

Simplifying career advancement and opportunities

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Advancing Your Career Isn’t as Complicated As You May Think

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To get your next awesome job opportunity (A.K.A. level up your career) you need to know about that opportunity! 
 
These blog posts teach you how to create a successful job search strategy and the tactics you need to connect with other professionals in your desired industry. This approach helps you be the first to know about open positions and become an employee referral.
 
There are hidden job opportunities and pathways to get to them that have already been created. I’ll show you how to find the best ones!

 

Job Search

To get your next awesome job opportunity (A.K.A. level up your career) you need to know about that opportunity! 

These blog posts teach you how to create a successful job search strategy and the tactics you need to connect with other professionals in your desired industry. This approach helps you be the first to know about open positions and become an employee referral.

There are hidden job opportunities and pathways to get to them that have already been created. I’ll show you how to find the best ones!


Job Search Articles

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YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING ABOUT JOB APPLYING ALL WRONG!
 
You might not know a ton about me... but I know a ton about hiring. 
 
Over the last 20 years, I have pretty much been eating & drinking hiring.
 
I built a company (ApplicantPro) that helps over 10,000 companies with their hiring processes. This means that I've got an insider's view into the process of how they are going about it... and how you can better navigate it.
 
and this is my biggest job seeker takeaway from the last 20 years...
 
Most people are going about it the wrong way.
 
THAT'S WHY I CREATE THESE COURSES AT REFER.IO
 
So my goal is to be your coach, your guide, your secret weapon when it comes to getting a job.
 
I've broken this course down into 5 main steps.
 
#1 Do you understand what's going on with getting a job?
#2 Do you have the right strategy?
#3 Are you applying in a way that will get you noticed?
#4 Are you prepared to crush the Interview?
#5 Are you following up to close the deal?
 
So... buckle up and let's jump right in.
 
HERE IS A QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT THIS COURSE WILL COVER:
 
This first article gives you a quick rundown of some of the things that are covered!
 
"Unlocking the Job Market: A 10-Day Blueprint to Finding Your Dream Job"
 
Providing you with a blueprint to help you find your dream job. We'll be introducing a new way of thinking about the job search process and providing you with tips and tricks to navigate the job market.  CLICK HERE TO KEEP READING…
 
"Swipe Right on Your Dream Job: How Dating Can Help You Get Hired"
 
Exploring the analogy of dating to the job search process, including how finding the right job is similar to dating and how referrals can be powerful in the job search process. We'll also provide you with tips on how to identify where you want to end up in terms of business area, industry, size of company, and job role.
 
"Navigating Job Boards: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"
 
Discussing the pros and cons of job boards, how to use popular job search platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor to find job opportunities, and how to research potential employers.  Tips on how to search for jobs and how to apply to jobs on these platforms and why it's important not to rely solely on job boards and the importance of finding a job but not applying to it.
 
"Creating a Standout Profile: A Key to Unlocking Your Dream Job"
 
Taking a step back and assessing where you are now in terms of your job search. We'll be providing you with a worksheet to identify Your style, substance, and systems and tips on how to align your skills and experience with your desired job. We'll also be giving you an understanding of how to create an effective profile that stands out to employers.
 
"Making Connections: The Power of Referrals in the Job Search Process"
 
The importance of networking in the job search process, including tips on how to identify people in your network who are currently doing the job you want, have done the job in the past, or are connected to someone who is or has done the job. 
 
"Speed Dating for Jobs: The Power Steps to Unlocking Your Dream Job"
 
Introducing our power steps to unlocking your dream job, including creating an effective profile, increasing your proximity to potential employers, plugging in to the right groups and networks, and persist in your job search. 
 
"Creating an Eye-catching Profile: The Key to Unlocking Your Online Presence"
 
Diving deeper into the power step of creating an effective profile… including tips on how to create an eye-catching profile that stands out to employers and how to use your online presence to your advantage.
 
"Increasing Your Visibility: The Key to Unlocking Opportunities"
 
Discussing the power step of increasing your proximity to potential employers including tips on how to increase your visibility and how to make the most of your networking opportunities. 
 
"Swiping Right on the Right Connections: Unlocking the Job of Your Dreams"
 
Tips on how to identify the right groups and networks and how to engage with them effectively. 
 
"Persist and Progress: The Key to Unlocking Job Success"
 
Tips on how to stay motivated and focused, how to handle rejections, and how to make the most of every opportunity. 
 
"Ace the Interview: The Key to Securing Your Dream Job"
 
Tips on how to prepare for an interview, how to answer common interview questions, and how to make a great impression.
 
"The Art of Follow-up: Unlocking the Job of Your Dreams"
 
Tips on how to follow up with potential employers, how to craft a personalized follow-up message, and how to use follow-up as an opportunity to build a relationship with the company. 

Applying

If you are going to secure your dream job, you need to be on a company’s radar. 

Instead of wasting hours of your life applying online, let me show you effective ways to optimize your resume and make sure it gets seen by the people who matter (the ones who actually make the hiring decisions).

Improving your approach to applying will lead to more interviews and getting better job offers at companies you want to work for!

Applying like a Genius Job Hunter

How to make sure your application materials and public image are making the best first impression with potential employers.

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How to Brand Yourself for Job Search Success

You're smart and you know it, but your resume doesn't reflect that. 

It seems like every time you apply for a job, your lack of an Ivy League education or big company experience keeps you from getting the respect you deserve.
 
You need a way to showcase your brilliance and knowledge without going back to school and spending 10s of 1000s of dollars and multiple years of your life doing so…

You're not alone. Many talented individuals are finding themselves in the SAME boat. So today we have a shorter-term solution that will help you to stand out…

Writing a book is the best thing you can do to get hired, get promoted, and grow your career. 

I started a podcast - check it out!! In this first episode, I’m talking with the one and only Chandler Bolt - an investor, advisor, CEO of Self-Publishing School & SelfPublishing.com, and author of 6 bestselling books including his most recent book titled “Published”.

We’re super lucky to have Chandler on the podcast! He’s a really cool young guy who has been very successful in scaling his business over the last few years - Self Publishing School has been on the INC 5000 list as one of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in the US for the last 3 years in a row. But Chandler’s story to success is super inspiring and I think some of you are gonna be able to relate to his starting spot…

Chandler wasn’t a good student. He had ADHD with C grades and actually ended up becoming a college dropout... 

Not exactly the ideal idol for success, right? However, just because Chandler wasn't a good student who went the traditional route through school, didn’t mean he couldn’t find another road to success…

Chandler found an alternative and perhaps more effective way to market himself to land him jobs he otherwise probably wouldn’t qualify for - this led him to be the successful entrepreneur that he is today.

Writing a book is an alternative path that WILL help your career growth success - whether you’re trying to get promoted in your existing industry, or trying to get a completely new career. Here are some of the benefits that we talk about on the podcast:
 
1. Makes you stand out.

Writing and publishing a book will help you to stand out. When hiring managers are looking over resumes of applicants - they're looking for someone who stands out from the rest. And a book is a big way to do that. Bigger and better than a resume because it’s proof. 
 
2. Gives You More Authority. 
 
The root word of authority is author, you can't spell the word authority without the word author. Writing a book will help to establish your credibility in whatever industry you’re pursuing.
 
3. Helps You Get Promoted.

If your book is on topic with what your company does, that’s PROOF that you have expert knowledge on that subject, and your superiors will likely think of you when a higher position opens up. If your book does well, it could also help bring in customers and prospects/leads for your company. 
 
4. Pushes You to Grow: 

Writing a book will help you to grow your personal brand, improve your resume and experience, and increase your knowledge on whatever career topic you write about.

So obviously there’s the “I’m not an expert and I’m not a writer… so what do I do?” concern. 

Listen, your book doesn’t have to go viral for you to reap the benefits of adding “published author” to your list of accomplishments and skills on your resume.

Another thing - you don’t have to be an expert to write a book. Most customers are going to buy your book because they want to walk the same journey that you did. Because it’s relatable. And so it's a different type of credibility. It's just as valuable and it takes away that “I'm not an expert” doubt, and boils it down to this: “Are you curious of what you could accomplish, and are you willing to act?” 

Everybody in the world is a dummy about something, and wishes they knew it better. You just have to know one more thing than the average person to become “the expert”. So just walk the journey with them. 

If you want to learn EXACTLY HOW TO WRITE AND PUBLISH YOUR OWN BOOK to increase your credibility as a job seeker… Chandler is your man!!! And he's got an incredible book about it that you can buy… 

I'm gonna give you links to Chandler's blog and content resources below - make sure to check them out!! He's just a great all-around guy who gives amazing advice and has an inspiring underdog story of where he started to where he got to, and know you guys are gonna love his content.
 

SELF PUBLISHING SCHOOL PODCAST 
FREE TRAINING FROM CHANDLER
SUCCESSFULLY WRITE AND PUBLISH BOOKS

So to sum it all up… When maybe the “normal” default path just doesn't feel like the path you want to walk... There are actually ways to get to the same if not better spots in life by taking a different path, the road less traveled. Writing a book is a great alternative way to go about getting to where you want to go.
Lots of awesome podcast content coming soon! So make sure to subscribe! Here's the link on spotify to check it out!

New Podcast who dis... Ryan launches a new podcast talking about alternative paths to take to move up in your career with CEO and Author Chandler Bolt. 

Moving up in the job ranks is hard to do... But Chandler has some reasons why writing a book might be the best thing you can do to further your career. 

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Writing a book is the best thing you can do to grow your career.. with CEO Chandler Bolt

I recently wrote a blog post called, “Be More Deliberate with the Career Path That You Are On!” I received a lot of interesting feedback from that post, so i decided it is probably more than appropriate that I provide some added insight and help with the “how.”
 
In the post I told you it is soo important to know which side of the business you work on. Are you on the side of the equation that helps generate revenue or are you working in departments that are seen as “expenses” for keeping the business running?
 
This alone, determines your long term ability to increase your earning capacity and potential.
 
People want to know “HOW Ryan, do I get myself over to the other side?!” 
 
“HOW do I get my employer to REALLY value my contribution--enough so that they WANT to pay me more??”
 
Well my friends, you are in for a treat. Let’s answer these questions!
 
To Get to Where you Want to go, you Need a Map
 
When is the last time you got lost in one of those mega huge shopping malls?
 
You remember looking for the food court, or the restroom, and being like, what in the heck--navigating this place is NOT an intuitive experience!
 
So finally, you give in and ask a security guard where the nearest map is. They walk you over to it (because clearly you look befuddled) and point to that big star that says, “You are here.”
 
Sigh of relief!
 
Now that you know your approximate location, you are confident your toddler is no longer going to pee their pants.
 
Only thing is, how do you get to that bathroom--ASAP? Are you closest to the stairs, the elevator, or the escalator? Or ideally, is there a bathroom ON YOUR LEVEL that you can get to QUICKER?!
 
To get to where you want to go, you need to know exactly where you are to begin with, and you need to know the quickest path forward for your circumstances. 
 
One more quick analogy to really drive home what I’m about to say…
 
You are planning a trip across the country. 
 
Depending on your circumstances, it may be smarter or wiser for you to take one form of transportation over another. 
 
Maybe your bank account is running low, and a ticket on the Greyhound is going to make more sense for you than 1st class on an airplane. Or, conversely, maybe your wife is 8.5 months pregnant and taking a flight isn’t recommended, even if you can afford it.
 
So it goes with planning out YOUR pathway to your better career.
 
I don’t know every constraint, challenge, or need that affects why one pathway would be better than another, but I do know that everyone's journey requires them to answer these three questions:
 
Where are you?
Where are you trying to go?
*What is the most appropriate course of action for your circumstances to get you there?
*Number 3 then gets broken down into manageable steps, spread over a period of time that is REALISTIC for your life situation. Jet planes vs. road trips vs. train rides all depend on your constraints/needs.
 
1.Where are you?
 
What is your current job title? What is your current salary? What skillsets, knowledge, or education do you currently have that qualify you to do this job?
 
2. Where are you trying to go?
 
What is the future job title you are wanting? What future salary range are you wanting to make? What date would you like to be in this position by (realistically, for your circumstances)? What skillsets, certifications, knowledge or education are required to get you here?
 
3. What is the most appropriate course of action for your circumstances to get you there?
 
The first question I want you to answer for me, which will determine every following choice you make from here on out is: “Am I capable of getting into this position/new job role with the company I presently work for?
 
If you work in customer service but you know your company is always looking for good sales people, can you naturally transition yourself into that position? 
 
Do you like the company you are with enough to stay with them at least six months to a year after making that transition? If it is easier on you to do this (vs. finding a new company/job), I’d definitely encourage you to stay with them and figure out the necessary steps to make it happen.
 
Depending on the hierarchy and type of management, you can feel out if/how to approach a conversation with them about this, but recognize that they might not be happy with you if you are “too good” at your present job function and they would have to replace you.
 
Judge whether going to a new company and working your way up is smarter for your situation...
 
Depending on what type of organization you are with and the culture of that organization, they may be the kind that wants to keep good employees and as a result offer programs and ways to help you gain further skills and certifications if you are willing to make a time commitment to them--if they help you get X certification, you will stay with them for X amount of years.
 
If the answer to my earlier question is a hard “No,” then from the way I see things, you really have two main options:
 
1) You stay there because of the current stability of the paycheck while you use your spare time (evening, weekends, etc.) to do what is necessary to get the skills and credentials needed to get yourself a position with another company.
 
Or…
 
2) You leave as soon as you can to go and work for a company that can and will provide you the opportunity to move into the position you are wanting, over time. 
 
Typically pathway number two means taking a temporary cut in pay and status, but they may be a company that is growing quickly and if you get in soon enough you will be able to work your way up the ladder sooner than you’d think.
 
Technically, there is an option #3, and that is doing work you are qualified for with a different company that provides more freedom and flexibility of schedule, in which case you would be able to stay with them for a time while you gain the necessary skills and credentials to transition out of there. 
 
Once again, only you know what would be best for your circumstances. I realize that few people are in a position financially to be able to go back to school full-time and take on a bunch of student debt, that is why I preach gaining skills through places like Udemy, Hubspot Academy, and W3Schools, even Youtube tutorials, depending on what job title and industry you are wanting to get into.
 
Step 1: What are you going to do TODAY?
 
After you have answered for yourself questions 1,2, and 3--and you know for sure whether or not your current company is going to provide the opportunity for either a) your career growth or b) your temporary stability, you then need to move on to creating your action plan. 
 
I DON’T want you to get so bogged down by the details that you don’t actually do anything (this happens to too many of us when setting goals or trying to make a change!!!), I just want you to pick the quickest and easiest thing you can do NEXT! 
 
What is the thing you can literally commit to RIGHT NOW?! 
 
NOT next Wednesday! I’m talking right F….flipping NOW!!!!
 
Is it signing up for the certificate through Udemy and blocking out two hours a week after the kids are in bed to work on it? 
 
Is it driving over to the local technical college and talking to the person who can tell you about the program and get you enrolled? 
 
Is it calling your old friend from high school who currently works for a company that is growing and needs people who want to grow with them?
 
I’m a big believer in Stoicism. Focusing on and making the effort towards the things that I do control, not waiting for the perfect circumstances to line up for me before I take an action. To not fear the potential of “failure” for things not looking or turning out as “perfect” or as great as I would like. 
 
Because you know what happens when you wait for the stars to align, for your kids to be out of the house, for your savings account to hit a certain number? 
 
You can end up waiting for days, weeks, months--that compound into years--until on a perfectly good (normal level of stress) morning you wake up to the realization that you could have made effort to get what you wanted years ago! Because you finally wake up to the fact that your circumstances are still not aligned enough for you to make a big change happen. 
 
Here is a little secret of the universe: big changes are composed of SMALL, little, consistent ones made over large courses of time. How do you think the grand canyon was made?
 
It took Leonardo Da Vinci seven years to paint the Mona Lisa--a painting with the networth of more than 850 million dollars--which he believes he never finished.
 
If you want to start a business, transition your career, lose weight (whatever it is!) what is the one thing you can do today (the ONE step, the ONE brush stroke on the canvas) that puts you on the path one step closer to it? 
 
Today (freakin TODAY!).
 
Small, actionable steps.
 
Current research tells us that the reason why the majority of new year's resolutions fail is because people don’t set manageable goals. If your goal is too massive, or you didn’t start small enough, you set yourself up to feel perpetually frustrated.
 
Ok...thanks for letting me pep talk ya!
 
Step 2: What are you going to do AFTER Step 1?
 
Okay, so you did Step 1. 
 
What is the next, most logical step to take? Can you take it right now?
 
This...my friends...is exactly how the pathway forward looks/works.
 
Maybe it sounds too simple to some of you, but legitimately, you have to create an adaptable plan. Starting a business, changing your career, anything of this nature (going into the unknown) requires flexibility and allowing the steps to evolve one at a time. 
 
I recommend you create an account with Indeed or Linkedin as an “employer” and you search out resumes of people that have your job title somewhere in their past work experience. Find out what they are doing now, and you may even feel to reach out to them and find out what steps they took to get there.
 
I will go into greater depth on this in an upcoming blog post!
 
Step 3: What is the next logical step after Step 2 that points you in the direction of  your end goal? 
 
Now do that!
 
You probably think I’m being crazy facetious, but honestly, THIS is the road map to getting yourself where you want to go!!! I’m just trying to drive that home without sounding like too much of a jerk.
 
Depending on your new chosen career/job title, once you have obtained the necessary skillsets, certificates, credentials, etc., you may need to build some physical proof (the “experience”) of using them.
 
This could be as simple as a web portfolio or as “big” as finding a local business to use your skills out on, possibly pro bono. In our Facebook group (if you haven’t joined yet, come check it out! We are just getting going again with things there) I have a video I did a couple years ago about how to change into a new profession. It is worth watching--I go into a lot more depth about these principles. 
 
So there you go. This is a super general idea of “how” you build a road map forward for yourself to get away from point A and make steady progress to point Z. Don’t be overwhelmed by steps B-Y, they will happen!
 
Let me know if there is anything I can help you with on your pathway forward. Wishing you all the best!

Transitioning means doing the step by step process to get from where you are at to where you want to be. This is me helping put that in the simplest terms I can for those who feel stuck.

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HOW to Transition into a Better Job

Ever wonder why your job doesn't get paid as much as others at your company? Let me unpack that for you and WHAT you CAN DO about it!

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Be More Deliberate with the Career Path That You Are On!

QUIT SLEEPWALKING THROUGH YOUR  LIFE!!!!!!!!
 
Did that wake you up?
 
If it didn’t, please read and really try and digest this quote by Seneca, a Stoic philosopher:
 
“You are living as if destined to live forever; your own frailty never occurs to you; you don’t notice how much time has already passed, but squander it as though you had a full and overflowing supply — though all the while that very day which you are devoting to somebody or something may be your last. You act like mortals in all that you fear, and like immortals in all that you desire…
 
How late it is to begin really to live just when life must end! How stupid to forget our mortality, and put off sensible plans to our fiftieth and sixtieth years, aiming to begin life from a point at which few have arrived!”[*]
 
He said that some 2,000 years ago, but it still rings just as true today.
 
It also brings me perfectly to what I want to talk to you about today.
 
It is this concept of...waiting...for some future point in time to start making effort towards getting what we really want. 
 
It is saying, “One day, I will ________.”
 
You fill in the blank with whatever you desire: change my career, go back to school, get started on that certificate I want, lose the twenty pounds. You name it. 

What if you switched the order you’ve been saying those two words? 
 
What if “one day” became “day one?”
 
Instead saying, “Day one: today I’m going to get up and go jogging.” “Day one: today I’m going to start that Udemy certificate and work on it for an hour instead of Facebook.” ETC!
 
You know…
 
The challenge I see with planning to start “in the future” to work towards getting something you want is...it may never come.
 
None of us are promised tomorrow, and if the words “one day” are common in your vernacular, I would have a serious heart-to-heart with yourself about the reality of time and how much of it you truly have.

What can you afford to keep putting off until the finite tomorrows are all gone?
 
The problem is that life is trying to let you know that you are putting off the changes you want to make, and if you can’t hear (aren’t paying attention) to the subtle ways it’s trying to speak to you, it will have to get louder. 
 
Oprah Winfrey refers to this as “life’s whispers,” the universe throwing little pebbles at your heads to get your attention. [*]
 
When life has to get louder inorder to get our attention--now that’s when it has to start throwing bricks!
 
Which would you rather have hit you--a pebble or a brick?
 
Some of us don’t wake up until…
 
We get a shocking medical diagnosis or our spouse tells us they are leaving us or we get fired or we find out our kid is doing drugs or a pandemic hits and we are like, what in the?
 
What you don’t make time for today, you sure as hell-o will have to make time for tomorrow.
 
If tomorrow comes...
 
I had a friend growing up whose mom got cancer. She had a note that she put on the fridge, it said something to the effect of “Make time to be well today or you will need to make time to be sick tomorrow.”
 
Do you want to keep waking up on autopilot--EVERYDAY?!
 
Until BAM!
 
“One day,” it hits you LIKE A BRICK TO THE HEAD?
 
Where to Buy a BoroCoat® Steel Umbrella
 
When the universe starts raining metaphorical bricks to get everyone on autopilots’ attention, you want to have ALREADY had your wake up call AND put an action plan in place.

I recently had a friend's daughter reach out and ask me to help her brainstorm ideas for her graduation speech. I told her, if I were you, I’d focus on the concept of “one day” versus “day one” when it comes to goal setting and working towards our dreams.
 
As kids, we all had people setting goals and deadlines for us. But as adults, bosses that are true mentors are rare, and if we don’t take the time to create a vision/goals for ourselves, and designate someone to be accountable to in reaching them, we will lack direction in our lives. 

And sadly, we may wake up “one day” TOO LATE to course correct..
 
When it comes to getting what you want, you need to think about it like the monkey bars.
 
Remember on the playground as a kid you could be at one end and see everything ahead of you, which depending on your upper body strength could feel really overwhelming, but if you instead just focused on doing one bar at a time, you would find that the momentum would swing you forward till you eventually reached the end.
 
Just focus on the one thing.
 
What’s one thing you can do today?  It doesn’t have to be huge! In fact, if it is huge, I’d tell you you are going about this all wrong.
 
Setting too big of an action to take...we all know what that leads to: our little (not so LITTLE), BIG friend named “Procrastination.”
 
There is a killer Ted Talk on this and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. Inside the mind of a master procrastinator by Tim Urban. He describes what happens to ALL OF US (because we all are guilty of procrastination) when a deadline starts approaching. 
 
He says that we all have in our minds two main characters: a ”Rational Decision Maker” who is trying to steer the ship of our decision making everyday, and a monkey who loves to distract us. 
 
Guess what the monkey’s name is?
 
“Instant Gratification Monkey.” 
 
There is really only one thing that can truly control Instant Gratification Monkey, and that’s “The Panic Monster.” 
 
The Panic Monster is always asleep in our minds, that is, until a deadline starts approaching.
 
Then it’s like an alarm goes off by his bed! The Panic Monster wakes up fully alert so he can scare off the primate.
 
Only problem, if there isn’t a deadline…the Panic Monster never wakes up to chase off Instant Gratification Monkey! 
 
What is the secret to not procrastinating away our time on this earth from working on the areas of our lives we so desperately want to improve...? 
 
Here are the 5 Rules on “How to Stop Procrastinating” …according to Ryan Kay:
 
        1.  ALWAYS start small.  Get good at doing small. 
When it comes to behavior and changing behavior, there is such a thing as creating momentum. 
 
A large reason why a lot of New Year’s resolutions fail is because people set too large of an expectation for themselves right off the bat.
 
Starting small helps you create momentum (even if it is only a little bit). The reason this works is it gets you in some kind of motion TOWARDS your goal.  This little bit of effort primes the pump to get you doing BIGGER and HARDER things as you naturally become more ready. Because you are already in motion!
 
In child psychology, if you want kids to do something hard, you have to prime them for it by doing smaller and easier things first. (We are all really just grown-up “big kids" when it comes to motivation…)
 
          2.  Set deadlines! 
 
Be as realistic to your circumstances as you can, and tell somebody about the deadline.
 
          3.  Report back at regular intervals on your progress to someone: accountablilty. 
 
          4.  Keep momentum! 
 
If you fall off the train, get back on as soon as possible.
 
          5.  Use reward and punishment.
 
Our brains love reinforcement. Celebrate and treat yourself when you are making consistent effort and progress. No treats when you fall off the bandwagon!
 
Without swinging yourself into motion on the very first monkey bar, you are likely to remain stuck on one side of the playground for eternity. (thats kind of a long time. No thanks.)
 
Basic physics lesson here, an object in motion will stay in motion.
 
Newton's first law of motion:  “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.” [*]
 
When we wait around feeling like we don’t have the power to do the things we want, we are that “object at rest.” We are essentially saying to the universe, “One day I will…”
 
While you might come up with all the different crazy things that you need to do, that you need to check off a list inorder to get to your dream, the most important thing that you can focus on is just today, just to make this one decision when it comes to what you want. 
 
Are you going to keep saying, “One day, I’ll go do this”? Or are you going to say that today is day one for my dream, for my goal?
 
Instead of getting mired down in all the excuses of things that you need to do before you actually DO ANYTHING. 
 
What you need to do is pick one thing, the most likely action that will just get you moving. 
 
The most important thing is just to grab that next monkey bar and pull yourself forward a step, to get active!
 
Because the number one predictor of success in life isn't genius. It isn't whether you have the biggest dreams or anything like that. It’s not if you're the smartest person or not. It is about how quickly you can get active! 
 
Can you stay active, day after day after day? Getting 1% better each day, making 1% progress each day. Just making some type of progress that will put you in the position where you can be lucky. The truth about luck is it is more about being prepared. 
 
Part of life is skill, and part of life is luck. If you want to be lucky--then get active, building the skills, prepare! But most importantly, get active towards something that will deliver you towards, or progress you, or create momentum towards, accomplishing even just the first step or the first part of your goal or dream.
 
That’s my two cents!
 
Try living towards your desires as if you are mortal (your time on this planet is finite) and leaning in towards your fears as if they can never truly hold you back.
 
“If you never try, you’ll never know what you are capable of”!
 
Steve Job says that the way he makes big choices in life is by asking himself one question in the mirror every morning. Perhaps reading his words will help you fully understand why YOU don’t have time to waste:
 
“When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: ‘If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right.’
 
“It made an impression on me. And since then, for the past 33 years, I've looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?’ And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
 
“Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. 
 
“Because almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. 
 
“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” [*]

Instead, you need to start saying,  “Today, I will.”

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WAKE UP!!!! No More Saying “One Day, I Will...”

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."
 
I know you’re probably rolling your eyes and thinking “wow Ryan thanks for the daily dose of cliches”.. But hear me out!! Because when you're looking for work, “building a door” instead of waiting for the right opportunity is some pretty powerful advice! No one who finds success ever did so by sitting back and waiting around idly hoping something good would come their way… If you’re not happy with the job that you’re in, then it’s time for you to create your own opportunity.
 
You may remember a recent post I wrote called Are You Feeling Lost or Stuck on Your Career Path?, where I gave 3 suggestions to help you get “unstuck” from a job that you don't like or a career that isn't checking all of your boxes when it comes to your occupational needs. Just as a refresher.. those 3 suggestions were:
 
Know Yourself
Be open to trying out jobs
Adopt a growth mindset
In that post, I mentioned several ways that you can use those suggestions to start moving down a better path.. But TODAY I want to dive a little deeper into “being open to trying out jobs”. We’re talking about MOVING OVER in your career journey. 
 
What do I mean by ‘moving over’ in your career?
 
Making a horizontal career jump means that you are switching to a new job that’s on the same level or rank as the job that you currently have. The shift can be within the same company, or to a different employer - both potentially being very beneficial depending on your needs and circumstances.

Moving over, or making a horizontal career shift, seems less glamorized than a vertical move up... It usually doesn’t come with higher pay, status, or title. But not all career advancements are about climbing up! Horizontal job shifts can be incredibly rewarding, especially if you are looking to stay at the same company but snag a different role, OR if you’re wanting the same job that you have but with a different organization. 

Covid has definitely put a big stall on career advancements, but if these tips resonate with your current circumstance, you can bypass the economic freeze and slide into a job position that will help you to grow.
 
How can a horizontal job shift be beneficial to you? 
 
1. Move over to develop your skills (that will qualify you for bigger promotions)
 
Well for one, if you eventually want to land a higher role but don’t have the skills to qualify you for that position.. Then a horizontal shift in jobs is going to be a HUGE proactive step to bridging your skills gaps. Let me give you a prime example of “moving OVER to eventually more UP” from one of my current employees...

Jen had worked in customer service for 3 years, and although she really enjoyed the people she worked with and the company she worked for... She was starting to feel burnt out in her current position. She aspired to move up into a higher paying role, but the problem was.. she had 0 experience in management. 

So instead of gunning for a title, she decided to take a horizontal job leap accepting a position in our sales department. This sales position allowed her to develop new skills! She learned how to better communicate 1-1, how to be more persuasive, how to genuinely listen, deal with rejection, and work smarter not harder. 

6 months after being in sales... Another position in the company opened up! And guess what Jen did? She took another horizontal shift and accepted a role in the accounting department where she learned the behind-the-scenes business side of the company...

A full year after shifting jobs, and with a whole new set of skills, Jen applied for an open management position and was very excited when she snagged the role (with a nice upgrade in pay) because her experience made her a very QUALIFIED candidate. Moving over and gaining more knowledge and experience in those different roles gave her the tools needed to eventually move up in the company.

Even if you don’t aspire to move vertically within your organization, you should always be striving to upskill. Making a horizontal job switch is a smart move to further your experience and knowledge.
 
2. Become more visible
 
Changing jobs and working on different teams will help you get to know more people in more places. Meaning not only will it help you to expand your social circle by working alongside different coworkers, but you’ll also be able to work under other supervisors and management - making it a lot easier for you to network.
 
3. Career Contentment
 
There are few things that are worse than feeling like you’re an absolute slave to the job that you wake up to go to every day. Your life is in your hands! So if you dread waking up and spending your precious time at a job that you’re burnt out from... Guess who's the only one who has the power to change that? Yep, YOU. 
 
Moving over can literally refresh your life by switching to a position that makes you excited to actually come to work. Prioritize your happiness and make a job switch if you’re burnt out from your current occupation.
 
What steps should you take to move over in your career?
 
If your goal is to eventually move up…
 
You first have to determine what your ideal higher-level position would be and self-assess what skills you lack that you would need to have to land that job. Then with those needed skills in mind, you can strategically figure out which horizontal career shift makes the most sense to be beneficial to you in the long run.
 
If your goal is to spice things up and get out of a job you're burnt out from…
 
Then talk with your supervisor. Share your thought process, professionally communicate your feelings and goals, and ask what other positions there are that are currently available. Then choose one that checks the boxes for you that your current position does not.
 
If there aren’t any open opportunities to move over in your company…
 
Make the decision to do what’s best for you! And if you decide to find a similar position at a different company, then you’ll need to start job hunting. Email us for help finding open positions! (and refer us to a friend if you know that they need help finding job openings too). 

If you’re not happy with where you’re at in your career journey... It might be time for you to BUILD A DOOR and create your own opportunity to move over in your job.

Not all career advancements are about climbing up! Horizontal job shifts can be incredibly rewarding, especially if you are looking to stay at the same company but snag a different role, OR if you’re wanting the same job that you have but with a different organization. 

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Making a “MOVE OVER” In Your Career

In a recent post I wrote called How To Know If You’re On The Right Career Path.. Or Not, I asked you to see if any of these 5 red flags resonated with you:
 
1. If you're not happy with your job, but don't know what to do instead
2. If you have a hard time waking up for work in the morning, or dread going into work every day and feel like it's just a waste of time
3. If your company doesn't seem to appreciate all that you do for them and there's little opportunity for growth
4. You've been thinking about quitting for a while now but haven't done anything yet because of fear or uncertainty
5. Your friends and family are constantly asking if everything is okay at work and why you aren't satisfied with what you're doing anymore
 
What did you do after reading that? 
 
Were you like, “Holy freakin crap, Ryan! You are describing my life!” Then you quit your job and started putting all your waking hours into job searching?
 
I’m all about getting yourself out of a draining or bad situation, but I’m also about strategy. 
 
The strategy doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective either. 
 
A conversation that I don’t know if anyone ever had with you, that I’m kinda (umm, a bit more than kinda) pissed off at society for not doing with our kids, especially as they grow up and try to pick jobs and careers,  is asking people if they are actually doing value-driven work. 
 
If what they are choosing to do for work--so many friggin’ hours of their waking life--actually aligns with or supports what they really care about in some way--directly or indirectly.
 
What do I mean by value-driven work? 
 
This is my definition:
 
Making sure that what you are doing every day supports and aligns with what truly matters to you. If creativity is something you value, but you are stuck behind spreadsheets (which can have creativity!) but you are adding numbers all day--your work life (which boils over to your life-life) is probably gonna suck!
 
If you value family, but you never see them because your job is so demanding that you work crazy long hours, you ain't gonna feel so great about your situation. 
 
Here is the thing about defining your values... 
 
They are the beliefs you hold about what equals a good life to YOU. No one else can tell you that.
 
What I find frustrating about most exercises that are designed or meant to help people identify their values, they don’t take into account life experience, and how our internal impulses and instincts actually tell us what we value and don’t value ALL THE TIME. Sadly, if we’ve been dissatisfied for a long time, we suppress that, but nonetheless, our insides are still sending the messages--just reread that above list of 5 things…
 
Ok, here is the real way you need to go about finding your values so you can make sure you are not on an endless hamster wheel of spinning around at the same thing that is leaving you feeling some level of hollowness.
 
Ask yourself these questions:
 
On the movie screen of my life--what have been some of the climaxes/highlights? 
 
Get specific, what experiences left you feeling super pumped, happy, proud, satisfied, fulfilled, or energized? (These could be recent or experiences that happened years ago.) Think about this in all aspects of your life (things you’ve done at work, school, and in your personal life). The experiences don’t have to be big or grandiose either.
 
Was there a specific need or desire that was being met?

 
Once you’ve written a few experiences down, take a look at them and write what values you were honoring in each experience. (If you aren’t familiar with values, it is okay to look at a list to pick the right words, but remember that you are the only one who knows what the right word is. Here is an example of some common values.)
Next, I want you to do the opposite…

When were some of the times you got really angry, felt frustrated, drained, or like you really didn’t want to do something?
 
Write down about those experiences and why you felt that way. 
 
What need or desire was being neglected or pushed aside?

Now identify what value was being dishonored or suppressed.
 
Scott Jeffrey is a coach that does an activity similar to this with his clients, only he takes it further with more steps that help you reduce down your values to 5-10 core ones (this makes things more actionable and brings a lot of clarity for making decisions about work and life). I HIGHLY encourage you to do his ENTIRE 7 Steps to Discovering Your Personal Values.
 
Knowing your core values will empower you to make the right choices about what job to take next, as well as setting actionable value-driven goals for the changes that need to be made--to do more meaningful work, and find more satisfaction and fulfillment in your everyday life. Once you know your core values…
 
Define what success means TO YOU.

When we are young, we get an idea from our parents, teachers, friends, society, the media, and other sources about what it looks like or means to be successful. 
 
They wrote a script for us.
 
Maybe that script was to pick a really secure line of work. Maybe that script was to make a certain amount of money every year. Maybe that script was driving the nicest car and living in the biggest house in your neighborhood.
 
Ridiculous that most of us don’t actually get asked to define what success means for us or what it looks like in a job. What you value (and don’t value) helps you solidify what a successful life looks like for you. 
 
Go ahead and take a minute to write down your best definition of what it means to you to be successful in work and in life. 
 
Note: you don’t need to hold back when you do this. It will not be graded.

Places to start:
 
How much money do you want or need to make to live your definition of a good life?
What lifestyle do you want to sustain?
What kind of work/life balance do you want/need from a career? 
What kind of people do you want to work with and for?
What type of tasks would make you happiest to work on?
What kind of subject matter would make you happiest to focus your energy on?
What kind of benefits package and time off do you want?
What kind of work environment would you thrive in?
There is power in taking the time to do this.  I’ll share with you a small example (your life will be a bigger example!) but back in middle school, for some class, we were asked to write about our future careers. I was pretty out of touch with what I wanted to do with my life (how many teenagers REALLY know?). The only thing I remember writing down was how flexible of a schedule I wanted. I got pretty specific--I wrote what times of day I did and didn’t want to have to work and that I wanted Fridays off. 

Funny thing is, I forgot about that “list” of criteria until something recently triggered the memory. I realize looking at my adult working life now, that I brought that list into reality. Sure, I actually really like working as an adult (because I found what I can define as meaningful work for myself). But honestly, if I really still wanted Fridays off like my teenage self--I could make that happen.
 
It is important to recognize what kind of mental noise is affecting our career decisions.

Sharon Belden Castonguay (a career counselor) gave a Tedx Talk about  The Psychology of Career Decisions. She spoke about how the scripts that others write for us about our careers need to be examined. She said that “a script is deeply personal, but we also must learn not to just follow it to the letter. We must learn to understand it and question it. Your script is iterative and like any writing process, it’s likely to be messy. I urge you to embrace that messiness. Own your story and don’t let others write it for you, and know that this process has always been messy.”
 
She goes on to say, “I submit to you that most people do not make career decisions rationally but rather based on deeply-held often unconscious biases that they received from their social surroundings. They’re highly influenced by their parents, their peers, their local communities, and they internalize a lot of these biases that they see around them and they...also tend to internalize messages that they are receiving from their local and national cultures particularly around personal identities like gender, race, religion, or socioeconomic status, and will tend to either embrace or foreclose on options accordingly.

“Particularly if they anticipate barriers for success. And let’s acknowledge that a lot of people do face barriers to success particularly along the lines of gender, race, religion, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, but this is exactly why I think self-awareness is so important because [it] can...help us not internalize these biases that are coming from culture.”

I hope that you and EVERYONE can stop listening to the scripts that make us feel like we can’t have the kind of success we want!!!!
 
If you are feeling brave...try this
 
Milton Glaser, a famous graphic designer, did an exercise with a class some years ago where he told the group “to envision the life that they could have if they pursued everything that they wanted, with certainty that they would succeed.
 
In this “Five-Year Plan”, the students were assigned to:
 
Dream big
Not edit themselves
Be careful what they wished for (because it might just come true…)” [*]

Here is an adaptation of this exercise:

My Life: Five Years From Now 

Take out a piece of paper and write out what an entire day of your ideal life looks like, five years from now (the minute you wake up, including who is next to you, all the way to going to sleep at night). 
 
This is your ideal life. This is what your life looks like if you let yourself dream big. If five years sounds too soon, do it 10 years out.
 
This exercise will help reveal exactly what you value and what success means to you. 
 
What do you do with this information??
 
Use the information these exercises uncover to help yourself start getting the necessary skills to move away from what isn’t fulfilling you--and to find a job that is meaningful FOR YOU. That transition can be made at any pace you need for your circumstances. 
 
Years ago I read the book called “Well-Being,” by Tom Rath and Jim Harter. They are part of Gallup and a study that spanned 150 countries. They discovered what makes people's lives thrive. 
 
They said there were five core elements that people need to work on to have a meaningful and thriving life: Career Well-Being, Social Well-Being, Financial Well-Being, Physical Well-Being and Community Well-Being. They define Career Well-Being as “how you occupy your time or simply liking what you do every day.”
 
I’ll never forget one important discovery they made: if you don’t like the work you are doing, you need to do everything in your power to make sure you are not doing it more than 20 hours a week--or it will adversely affect your overall well-being. They also found out that if you improve one aspect of your well-being, it has the power to help you increase all other aspects of your well-being.
 
Start “leveling up” your career! Be willing to expand your job search criteria!
 
If you’ve been limiting yourself to one industry or type of work, start expanding yourself out. Check out online certificates that are very affordable and don’t require going back to school (debt + time) for a degree. I really like Udemy, Hubspot Academy, and W3Schools. You can learn things like web design, digital marketing, project management, how to start a business, graphic design, programming, and hundreds of other marketable and transferable skill sets.
 
These skills can prepare you to do things like switch industries, start your own business, get remote work, and make a transition to a better position that you actually find fulfilling!

Self-knowledge is incredibly powerful and the only true way to get yourself on the right path and in the right job--doing meaningful work--whatever that looks like for you. 

How to make sure your job search is leading to more meaningful work FOR YOU

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Are You Looking for More Meaningful Work?

 
The world is ending. Well, at least according to the media and your Facebook feed. But don't worry! You can still advance your career during the pandemic.
 
The pandemic has put a lot of things on hold, not just your family’s yearly vacation to Disneyland, but it’s also most likely put a real damper on your job and income. Maybe you were even looking to advance your career when covid hit and put a pause on your job growth opportunities! It’s been a rough road for employees, especially those eager to grow in a time of crazy uncertainty. But the good news is that the economy is trickling forward, and the window for career growth is opening up.
 
Every day and every small habit matters when it comes to advancing in life, so you need to make sure that each day counts towards working on advancing your career. Here are 4 tips to help you MOVE UP the career ladder during a worldwide pandemic:
 
Tip 1. Develop a Game Plan and Start Building Your Skills
 
The first step to moving up in your career during unprecedented times is creating a clear understanding of what exactly you want to achieve. Simply wanting to move up the career ladder won’t build you any momentum, or give you any further credibility to do so. As an employee who wants to advance, you need to have a comprehensible road map of WHAT areas you need to grow in and HOW you’re going to develop those skills. What higher job position are you working towards? What skills and qualifications do you currently have? And where do your skills fall short? Once you determine what you still need to learn in order to advance, you can then make a very direct game plan to build those skills. 
 
There are a million different resources available on the internet that are FREE to take advantage of. You can find free courses for almost anything - from coding, to marketing, to data analysis, etc. All it takes is a google search! Some websites with low cost or free courses include: Coursera, Udemy, YouTube, Alison, or LinkedIn. 
 
Tip 2. Self-Development
 
Besides working on your skills, make sure that you are also working on your self-development. Having confidence and leadership attributes are key to setting yourself up to land higher job positions. Companies don’t just want someone who can do the job, but someone who has the right attitude, personality, and skill set combo. 
 
For self-development, invest your time listening to podcasts, reading books, meditating, watching YouTube videos, or other media that will teach you, inspire you, and guide you to become your best self. Don’t forget that investing in yourself, is also investing in your professional development as well.
 
Tip 3. Create Your Own Opportunities
 
The best way to find new opportunities? Create them! You can ride on the excuse that the world has all but stopped turning to avoid taking the next steps towards your job growth goals.. But the reality is that there are still big breaks to take advantage of! You just have to do the work to create them.
 
Creating opportunities starts by networking. Getting to know your colleagues can help get you in the right position and in front of the right people for career promotions. Networking is powerful, so don’t be shy to reach out to people in higher roles within your industry! Make sure they know what you have to offer, and ask for their feedback or recommendations on how to climb the ranks in your organization. The more people you network with, the more chances you have to learn from different individuals and grow your skills based on their feedback. It also sets you up for being the go-to person to be put on new projects or openings. 
 
Don’t just keep your goals and ambitions to yourself, network to ensure that your colleagues know that you are ready to take on a bigger challenge.
 
Tip 4. Accept More Work
 
Employees can make themselves indispensable to their company by taking on more tasks, projects, and duties. 
 
The pandemic likely caused your workplace to abandon less time sensitive projects while they ensured the more pressing and vital assignments. Which means, if there’s an overwhelming workload and you’re in the market to move up in your career; those “paused projects” are big opportunities. Offer to take on the projects that have been delayed for the last year! That kind of proactiveness demonstrates company loyalty and concern, and is sure to make an impression. If you take on more tasks with gusto, no one will be able to stop you from getting ahead. 
 
Even if there are no visible gaps in your work, be proactive in inquiring about what else you can do to help your company get back on their feet after taking a hard blow from 2020’s storm of events. Employees who are willing to take on more responsibilities, are not easily forgotten. 
 
So stretch your neck out and volunteer to take on more assignments. Because being stagnant won’t help you to grow in your career.
 
The world is ending, but at least you can advance your career! This is the perfect time to re-evaluate your job and find a more satisfying position! Know what position you want and what skills you need to learn for it. Invest in your personal growth, developing leadership-like attributes. Then create your own opportunities by networking with the people that can help you get to the top! And finally, be proactive in the workplace instead of waiting around for change by taking on more tasks or responsibilities. So go ahead; take some initiative and make it happen for yourself.
 
Your Friend,
 
Ryan Kay
 
P.S - Send me any questions if this has sparked ideas for how to get started advancing your career as we head into an uncertain future together!

The pandemic has put a lot of things on hold, not just your family’s yearly vacation to Disneyland, but it’s also most likely put a real damper on your job and income.