The moment you’re old enough to get a job, you’re asked, “What is your career plan?” Sometimes, you don’t know what job you want to do for the rest of your life. Other times, you try a career and discover it’s not what you want.
How do you find the perfect career-related job, or start a new career without spending thousands of dollars on training?
If you’re thinking about changing careers in order to earn a higher income and keep up with rising costs, consider these tips:
Assess your financial situation.
How much do you have in savings? How much debt? Should you borrow money to pay expenses while you work to get your career back on track? It may be wiser to take the first job you find so your expenses are paid while you continue to search for better opportunities.
Look for options to develop your skills while working.
Can you use your current skillset to get a job that gives you opportunities to develop new skills that are a stepping stone to a different career?
Build a professional support network.
If you look around, you’ll find some positive online communities that share career resources and job opportunities. It’s also a great idea to attend in-person networking events and get to know people who can introduce you to companies or tell you about job openings.
Work with a mentor.
A career coach or someone with more experience than you in an industry or field can guide you. They can point out what you need to work on, steer you away from making potential mistakes, and share important wisdom with you.
Build your skillset.
Take free or paid courses that build your skills and qualifications. Read books. Join mastermind groups. Share your knowledge with your portfolio.
Build a portfolio.
Share your expertise online. Blog or post articles or advice on your website or LinkedIn profile. This approach is especially useful if you don’t have actual job experience in the field you’re interested in. For example, if you’re interested in a career in graphic design, you can start building a portfolio of your work on your own website.
Starting your career and changing careers are tough. By investing in yourself and creating networks, it’s possible to start a new career or change careers with effort and time.
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If you’re an extrovert and love to travel, a week-long, expenses-paid business trip to a resort town is paradise. If you’re an introvert, “team bonding” and “hanging out all day with your coworkers” sounds intimidating.
There’s a reason you love remote work. You’re in the safety of your own world and most communication takes place via DMs through your fingertips. Going from rarely seeing your coworkers to seeing them all day?😲Let’s not think about it.
But here we are, at our annual remote team, in-person get together. As you prepare for your first company meeting, consider these tips if you’re with your coworkers in person for the first time. If you’ve read part 1, continue with part 2.
Tip 4 Start a routine if your days are not routine
The daily routine of remote workers, especially those who work from home, is a little different from those who work on-site at an office. If you work in person, you’re accustomed to following a routine before you leave home, when you’re at the office, and before you leave the office.
If you work from home, it’s not a big deal if you don’t have time to pack your lunch. You can scrounge around to see what you can find in your kitchen. If you feel too hot or cold, you can take a few steps to get to your bedroom and do a quick outfit change.
When you’re working for a week in person, you need a whole new routine. You may need to bring your laptop because you can’t leave it at your home office. You have to remember to bring any critical medications because they won’t be just a few steps away.
Before you go on your trip, take notes about what you’ll need to bring. Once you’re at the hotel, write notes or set reminders on your phone to remember what you need to do or what you need to bring to your first meeting. These tiny points will help your day to run more smoothly during your work week away from home.
Tip 5 Prepare to challenge yourself
Challenge yourself. Always. This is a powerful goal, whether you work in person or remotely. You’ll have many opportunities to challenge yourself, whether it is to have long conversations, try treetop excursions, sample new food, go on a scavenger hunt, or make a presentation in front of a group.
Extroverts love to meet new people, so hanging out with your teammates from breakfast to bedtime is fun. You have an abundance of opportunities to get to know your coworkers.
For introverts, being with your teammates for several days can be exhausting. You’re socializing with almost complete strangers, making small talk, or diving deep into topics such as family. You’ll need to be your extroverted self.
No matter how social you are, there is something new to try. It’s a chance to work and have fun at an all-expenses paid vacation.
Tip 6 Nurture those connections
Now that you’ve had the chance to connect with your teammates in person, keep the connections going. Follow up on conversations you had during your get-together. Ask your coworker if they checked out that TV show you recommended.
Depending on how much you enjoyed socializing with your coworkers, you might find it lonely to return to working on your own. Or you might enjoy returning to working on your own again. It’s a bit of an adjustment for remote workers to go from working alone, to being surrounded by your coworkers all day, and returning to solitary work again.
On the bright side, you’ll have made new connections or deepened relationships with coworkers you work with regularly. Your family and friends will also be excited to hear about your working vacation!
Key Takeaways
Spending several days with your coworkers can be a fun experience. It’s a chance to meet them in person and leave the house to go to work. If you’re an introvert, seeing your coworkers all day could be overwhelming, but following some tips can turn this trip into a memorable working vacation.
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One way to travel to new places for free: travel for work. All expenses are paid and you experience a new city or town that wasn’t on your bucket list. Of course, you may not be traveling under ideal conditions – you’ll be seeing your coworkers all day – but you may also find surprises.
If you’re dreading spending breakfast to bedtime with your coworkers, here are five reasons to look at the experience in a positive light.
1 Experience new places
When you travel for work, you see places you wouldn’t otherwise travel to because you couldn’t think of a single reason why you’d like to go there. For example, going to a small town can be a shock if you’re from a big city with plenty of nightlife. You could find yourself going to the downtown core to do some sightseeing, only to find the place deserted by 7 p.m.
On the upside, you could find yourself in a tiny village where the tourist highlight is the local coffee shop. If you dare to hike behind the school, you could find yourself in a wooded area, knee-deep in snow while taking in post-card views. You could run into wolves running next to people’s pet dogs or risk falling into a hole in a frozen lake while Skidoos pass you by.
2 Bond and see a new side of your coworkers
When you travel to a new place, you could be with your coworkers from morning until night, more than the usual eight hours a day. As you converse over breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you learn more about each other’s family, hobbies, and opinions. Learning about a coworker’s weekend adventures can be more entertaining than talking about work all day.
If you stay in the same cabin or housing, you also discover each other’s evening routine as you have tea together and chat. If you’re staying at a place without TV or internet, evenings can be entertaining or dull, depending if you prefer reading on your own or chatting with your coworker.
3 Learn technology skills
If you’re fascinated by TV shows where the main character has to create gadgets and solve problems on the fly, working in a new environment could give you a similar experience.
Your usual IT person isn’t around, so if you can’t find a file or your computer doesn’t connect to WiFi (even after you learn the WiFi password), you start to push the boundaries of your computer skills. Or you talk to your computer and beg it to please cooperate for once.
4 Practice speaking and networking skills
When you travel for work with coworkers, the experience is great for extroverts but nightmarish for introverts. You’re constantly socializing: talking with your coworkers during meals and meetings, networking with new people such as the host, the client, and anyone they introduce you to.
During the day, you may be making presentations or conducting meetings and negotiations. In the evening, the host may become your tour guide and show you around the city. One memorable occasion was when I had dinner at a heritage home. We toured the house with its collection of unique door knobs, a clawfoot tub, and rooftop view.
5 Test your navigational skills
Starting from the moment you land, you’re searching your way through the airport to find your luggage and hope it’s also arrived safely and not lost during the connecting flight. Then you need to figure out how to find the transportation that will get you to your hotel while reading a map that is in your second language.
In the evenings, you could ask the hotel concierge for a map of the city so you can explore it on your own or with a coworker. You might find yourself at a pop-up market on a cobblestone street, or hiking through the woods in your office clothes.
Key Takeaways
Traveling for work can be a memorable adventure. You’ll face new challenges in an unfamiliar environment and experience new places and meet new people. When you return to the office, you may be relieved to see your coworkers for only eight hours a day again, or you might have new topics to discuss when you meet at the water cooler.
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Facebook can be as powerful a tool for finding work as LinkedIn and Indeed, whether you’re searching for a job or looking for your next client. Facebook communities (or groups) are a source for job opportunities, career trends and advice, and professional support.
Like searching for the ideal job, your search for the Facebook groups that are the right fit for your needs requires a time commitment and research. Here are some tips for finding career-related Facebook communities that offer the best benefits for your job search and career development.
Tip 1: Search Keywords Related to Your Career
The search for Facebook communities that fit your needs is proactive and reactive. Sometimes Facebook suggests groups you might be interested in based on your past searches and comments on Facebook pages.
Another way to find communities is to type keywords related to your career and then search “communities”. Facebook will list several groups that it thinks are the best match. For example, if you are a self-employed copywriter, you could search “marketing,” “writing,” “freelance,” or “copywriter.”
Specific keyword search terms may not provide you with as many search results, so broader terms such as “marketing” may give you more community listings.
After creating a list of possible groups, read the community description to see if it fits your needs. Is it a group for copywriters to provide advice to other copywriters? Is it a group that allows job postings or self promotion of what you do?
How many members are in the group? How frequently do group members post in one week? Larger groups with active members and frequent posting generally have more value than groups with a handful of members and one post a month.
Finally, check the group’s location. A group may have members from all over the world, or it may focus on a particular country or city. If you are searching for jobs in one location, a group for a specific city may be a better fit. If you’re interested in remote work, a group with members from around the world may be the group you’re looking for.
Tip 2: Look for Career Advice, Job Postings, and Best Practices
The best Facebook groups for career opportunities have three features.
First, the group offers job opportunities that are vetted. The moderator(s) check that the job posting seems legitimate, with the salary (or salary range), name of the company, description of the role, and contact person listed. In some cases, a minimum wage (for the industry) is required for post approval to ensure the job meets wage standards.
Second, the group members are supportive. Members ask for advice on various topics, such as dealing with a bad client or boss, checking that their work contract is legit, suggesting improvements to resumes, and other career-related questions. Supportive members offer their advice in a constructive, insightful, and non-judgemental way.
Third, the group conversations are monitored by the community monitors. They check that people don’t spam other people’s posts (such as advertising a bitcoin opportunity when the poster asked for advice on a job situation), giving unwanted opinions on a poster’s situation, or DMing (PMing) a poster without permission.
Some Facebook groups with thousands of members have received positive opinions from members who have been happy hiring people from within the group (after getting their resume or portfolio).
Group members also refer each other after seeing posts and replies from other members over time. For example, if an accountant is repeatedly recommended in a group – that person is likely someone people should consider working with.
Tip 3: Connect with People in the Same Industry
Facebook communities allow members to get to know each other over time. This is possible with LinkedIn groups as well.
Local Facebook groups have in-person events where you can network with local business owners in the same group or industry. Nation-wide or international groups often have virtual events with the opportunity to network and listen to presentations on business topics.
These events are a great way to find a future employer or client. Attending regular events builds relationships, and people become familiar with what services or products members offer. Over time, people may refer members to potential employers or customers. These referrals are as effective as references.
Tip 4: Update Your Profile for Your Job Search
Think of your Facebook profile as a resume. When connecting with potential employers or clients on Facebook, you want to be presentable. Your profile photo can be a casual snapshot of you hugging your cat.
However, you may want to draw a boundary between casual and too revealing. You may want to avoid publicly sharing some of your photos. What photos you would consider private depends on the job you are applying for and how much of your private life you want to share with professional connections. Use your discretion. Some people are very private and don’t like to share family photos with strangers.
Others like to use their Facebook accounts to promote themselves and what they do. For example, they may post a photo of a convention or work event that they attended. Or they may post updates on upcoming events where they will be presenting or post a product their company is selling.
If you’re going to be active in Facebook communities for professional connections, check what you’re sharing publicly. What you’re comfortable sharing depends on how public you want your life to be.
Key Takeaways
Facebook is a less formal way to connect with people for potential job search opportunities to find work, connect with people in the industry, and get advice from people already working. Many people have commented that they have found jobs and clients after connecting with members in Facebook groups.
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Garages and basements, not tall glass buildings, are are the birthplaces of business legends like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and Apple. Startups may have humble beginnings, but they have the potential to grow into multimillion-dollar corporations with the right combination of people, goals, and financing.
If you’re starting a startup company, you’ll need to consider these eight tips to increase your chances of launching a successful business. First, let’s begin with defining what a startup company is.
What is a startup?
A startup is a company in its beginning stages. It’s founded by entrepreneurs and funded by banks, grants, the company founder, and possibly the entrepreneur’s families and friends.
Unlike a small business, a startup’s goal is to grow fast because there is a large market for its product. Many startups are tech companies for this reason.
It’s not surprising for startups to begin in someone’s basement or garage, with boxes of products stacked in the home and the CEO’s desk in the garage.
One of the key ingredients that will take a company from this humble beginning to rapid growth is leadership.
Startup Tip 1: Strong Leadership
Having strong leadership and a talented team are two of the most important ingredients in a startup. The CEO and the management team develop the company’s mission and vision and inspire the team to keep going, even in the darkest times. In the beginning, a startup will experience some rough ups and downs.
The leader is responsible for ensuring that roles and responsibilities are assigned to team members, and everyone is held accountable for their tasks. The leader also sets team goals and clarifies what will happen if those goals are not met. For example, will they need new goals if the original deadlines were not realistic?
Having strong leadership is key to a startup’s success. Without a clear vision for the company, a startup could drift like a lost ship blown from one direction to another, achieving little.
Startup Tip 2: Talented Team
A talented team will take the startup to the next level. What roles will each person have? Each team member should be assigned roles and responsibilities depending on their skills and expertise.
If someone has accounting experience, they can recommend the best software at an affordable price to begin tracking financial transactions, for example. Someone with HR experience can begin formalizing work contracts and policies for benefits and work hours.
The upside of a startup is the vast expanse of unexplored territory. Company rules have not been established, and decisions need to be finalized about software and communications systems. The team can choose how the company is managed.
The downside is that if the team doesn’t make these decisions to organize how the company is run, chaos and frustration can set in quickly, and team members will quit.
When finding people for a startup, choose talented people who can help get the company organized and running efficiently as quickly as possible. It’s their job to spot what needs to be done to help the leaders and the team to reach company goals.
The management team absolutely must clarify the plan for the company. What are the goals for the first month? How about goals for the second and third months? Without a clear plan, the startup is like a group of people showing up at a vacation spot with no idea what they want to do there.
After time has passed for a milestone, the company needs to assess whether the goal was met or missed. If the team fails to achieve the goal, such as having $1000 in sales for month 1, then the team needs to assess what could have gone wrong. What do they need to do differently? How could they improve?
When the team has a plan and clear goals, it’s easy to tell if they were on track with their goals or if they need to change direction to meet objectives.
Startup Tip 4: Established Culture
Establish company culture from the beginning. The management team leads by example in terms of how they treat others. When a team member works hard, do company leaders acknowledge that person’s contribution to the company?
Do company leaders take the time to get to know each team member personally? Do they know the names of a team member’s spouse, pet cat, or favourite ice cream flavour? Or does the startup staff only hear from management if they fail to complete a task?
When the company leaders set a positive and supportive environment, and not a negative one, then the entire team will also follow the example and support each other.
How much runway does the startup have? Before getting into business, the founder will have looked for financing from various sources, including company stakeholders or board members. However, how long will the funding last before the startup can no longer afford to keep the lights on? Some companies may have as little as $25,000 to begin the founder’s dream.
The amount of funding will affect how much the startup has to invest in product development, customer fulfillment, marketing, and paying staff salaries. When the funding runs out, what plan does the startup have in place to keep the business going?
Startup Tip 6: Protecting Intellectual Property
Intellectual property is like a vital piece of the company that you cannot give up. Intellectual property could be what makes the company stand out from the competition and what makes its product one-of-a-kind. Having this information stolen would be like losing an arm or a heart.
One way to protect intellectual property is by asking all staff to sign contracts about the use and distribution of this information.
Startup Tip 7: Learning from Mentors and Brands
It is rare – perhaps non-existent – for a startup to be the only one of its kind in the marketplace. The startup could learn from successful companies in the same niche and award-winning brands in the same industry. How are these established companies finding and keeping customers? What is their strategy?
In addition to learning from successful companies, startup team members could learn from a mentor or two. This person has experience with startups and running companies in that industry and functions as an advisor whenever the startup team has questions about running the business.
Startup Tip 8: Networking and Promotion
Any member of the startup team can attend networking events to form relationships with business owners interested in their product or working with their startup. They can also attend events such as conferences and conventions to find opportunities to tell potential customers about their business.
Other ways to promote the startup include creating informative content about its purpose and products on its website and social media, and building relationships with industry leaders. For example, if the startup sells medical devices, they could reach out to leaders in the medical field to tell them about the startup and create awareness of what they have to offer.
Key Takeaways
Running a successful startup depends on many key factors, starting with strong leaders and a talented team. The first year, especially the first few months, will be difficult, with many decisions to make about even the simplest things, such as where the team should hold meetings.
Proper planning is important and expecting the unexpected is crucial. Success won’t happen overnight, but having a clear plan and goals are the first steps.
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Vanya Wryter Consulting Services 