My original plan for #featurefriday was to share a blog or instagram page of interest, but I decided to try something different.
I stumbled upon this interesting article from the Huffington Post. Its geared towards women in their 30s, but I think that most of this article, if not all, can be applied to people of all genders and ages. I've included key points of the article below; please check out the entire article for the rest.
1. Create an Action Plan.
"Your top priority at this stage should be knowing what you want to achieve. To do this, Lundberg said that you should create a list of your top three personal values. Then ask if these values are reflected in your career and your lifestyle today. “If not, you can go about setting goals that are aligned with those values, and then creating an action plan to achieve those goals,” she said."
2. Negotiate your Pay.
"The key to asking for you want is preparation. “Okay, you may deserve a promotion, but what is promoting you going to do for the company?” said Barry Maher, author of “Filling the Glass: The Skeptic’s Guide to Positive Thinking in Business.” “When going for that promotion, be ready to articulate the business case for giving you the job. How are you going to make the company more profitable, save money, increase efficiency or productivity?” Also, prepare yourself before asking for a raise or negotiating pay for a new job by knowing what you’re worth. Websites such as Salary.com and Payscale.com can help you see what others in similar positions are earning."
3. Position Yourself for Advancement.
"Not only should you be willing and ready to negotiate for a pay raise or promotion, but you should also be taking steps throughout the year to position yourself for advancement. Maher recommended that you send a short note to your boss at the end of each week to keep him or her apprised of everything you did during that week"
4. Brand Yourself.
"Some women might not realize that they need to brand themselves. “It’s one of the most important things you as a 30-something, career-minded woman can do,” said Kim Davis, senior vice president of human resources at national insurance and wealth management broker NFP. By branding, Davis means identifying yourself by more than just a job title. You should think about how you want to describe yourself and what you do before you interact with others — whether it’s during a job interview or at a social event."
5. Create Opportunities by Networking.
'It’s important for women to take advantage of networking opportunities through organizations such as your local chamber of commerce, the National Association of Female Executives, or LeanIn.org, which offers peer support “circles” in cities across the country...Don’t just reach out to people in your field. “By the time I was 34, I realized that I made a number of connections in different industries [and] that I could easily utilize my network to build a financial planning practice,” said Shannon McLay, founder and president of The Financial Gym. “I built my business without making one cold call thanks to that network.” '
6. Find a Mentor.
"In addition to networking, women also should seek out successful people in their field or the field they want to pursue for guidance...Mentors can show you what steps they took on their path to success and help you make connections with other successful people."
7. Figure Out What Makes You Happy.
"By your 30s, you might have discovered that you’re not satisfied with your career and would like to make a change...The problem for many women, however, can be figuring out what will make them happy. Brown recommended identifying things that excite you and give you energy, how you would like to pursue what you love and which conditions need to be in place in the work environment that keep you out of stress. Then look for job opportunities that allow you to spend the bulk of your time on your interests and use your natural strengths in an environment that caters to your needs."
8. Advance Your Education.
"Census Bureau data shows that those who get a master’s degree earn, on average, $1,300 more per month than those with just a bachelor’s degree. It’s important to figure out the payoff for going back to school to make sure it’s worth the investment. Factor in how much you’ll need to borrow, lost earnings and benefits during the years you’re in graduate school, and how much your income will likely increase with an advanced degree."
9. Take More Risks.
"To advance your career and get ahead, you might have to take a few risks along the way. And it’s best to do that while you’re younger before other responsibilities — such as family obligations — make it tougher to take risks."
10. Stop Being Your Own Worst Critic.
"Your top priority at this stage should be knowing what you want to achieve. To do this, Lundberg said that you should create a list of your top three personal values. Then ask if these values are reflected in your career and your lifestyle today. “If not, you can go about setting goals that are aligned with those values, and then creating an action plan to achieve those goals,” she said."
Comment below and let me know your thoughts on the article! Have any career advice that they may have missed? Please share!
PS - I have copy and pasted pertinent pieces of the original article for this summary. Please check out the original article to read it in its entirety.
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