Keep Your Career Options Open to Be a Success

BIGG success is life on your own terms. But sometimes life throws you a curve ball.

How can you deal with it?

The best way is to prepare for it in advance.

How can you prepare for the unexpected in advance?

By keeping your options open.

Then, if it occurs, you can face the challenge with confidence. So today, we’ll share four keys to keeping your options open.

Listen to this post! Click a player to hear George & Mary-Lynn on The BIGG Success Podcast.

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Visibility

Keep your options open by insuring that people see you doing what you do best.

Is your job “outbound” so you’re clearly visible to customers? If so, capitalize on that relationship. Ask them for a brief note about working with you. It will come in handy at your next evaluation or if you need to look for other work.

If your job doesn’t expose you to anyone outside your company, then work on your visibility. Get involved in your industry. Look for conferences you can attend. Participate in forums and comment on blog posts about your industry. You might even consider starting your own blog to show off your expertise. Volunteer to work for your favorite non-profit.

Networking

It’s amazing how many people who land a new job found it through a referral. It’s also amazing how much business results from our networks.

So why do so many of us pay so little attention to our network until we really need it?

Spend a little time every single day building and maintaining your network.

Going beyond the activities mentioned above to be more visible, do you participate in local opportunities?

Is your company a member of your local Chamber of Commerce? If so, do you attend Chamber functions?

Have you registered on Meetup to find out about local events of interest to you?

Are you on Linkedin?
What about Facebook?
Have you joined any social networking groups specific to your industry?

The contacts you make through these sites will be valuable now. But they may prove invaluable should you be forced to make a change.

Marketing

What makes you unique? How can you communicate that? What opportunities play to your core strengths?

Is your resume up-to-date? If not, there’s no time like the present! For sample cover letters, resumes, job search and interviewing tips, check out Resume Help.

Bridge Plan

Develop a plan of what you would do if you were forced to change jobs.

How will you pay your bills?

Where will you look for a new job?

Who will you contact for referrals?

For what services would you pay (e.g. career coach)?

As you prepare this plan, keep a couple of things in mind:

• You may spot some problems. That’s why you’re doing this now. For example, at what point would you need to find some part-time work or freelance work to pay the bills?

• Plan some recovery time should a change be required. You’re human. It will be emotional. But you’ll feel much more confident having thought it through in advance. And you’ll be able to keep your options open to find the right opportunity for you!

Thanks so much for checking in with us today. Until next time, here’s to your BIGG success!

Direct link to The Bigg Success Show audio file | podcast:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/biggsuccess/00743-10111.mp3

Image in this post from mzacha