If managing a career transition were an Olympic Event,
would
you know how to compete?
I watched in great
anticipation as snow boarders danced in the air and skiers swirled around
curves this past week. I found myself trying to analyze exactly what one had to
do to increase speed or height or balance. Amazing feats left me in awe.
What does it take to
"stand out" ...to get a gold or silver or bronze?
These were my
conclusions.
To be a medal winner (or
to qualify as a contender) you have to
- be willing to fail...with the world
watching!
- engage in rigorous, time intensive
preparation and practice.
- set priorities.
- monitor progress
- study the environment (the slopes, ice
composition, etc.)
- use the best tools (skis, snowboards)
- be distinctive - perhaps in style,
personality, history, experience
- be supported by others committed to your
goals
This is exactly what it
takes to compete in today's job market.
In my job search teams
and workshops, I can't help noticing what makes the difference between the
strong contenders and the not-so-strong. It's so obvious.
A comparison to the Olympic contenders:
Willing to fail: The strong contenders know that when they make
that phone call to a company decision maker or send an email requesting an
appointment or seek information from a networking contact or submit a letter of
interest ...that they may not get the desired results. they also know that they
may not handle the phone conversation as well as they would like... they may
mess up...but they do it anyway.
Rigorous preparation: They increase their success rate by researching
and practicing.
Setting Priorities: When
I look at their Action Plan for the coming week, the events are scheduled based
upon those activities that are most likely to get them down the slope in
the fastest time.
Monitor Progress: They keep good records (a tracking sheet of each week's accomplished objectives and those not accomplished; a list of contacts, follow up and next steps.
Watch for my next post
on the last four bullets - perhaps the most crucial and, typically, the least
developed.
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