[The Ripple Effect] Successful Job Keepers & Seekers
Published: Fri, 06/14/13
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Welcome to June's issue of The Ripple Effect! Hope everyone is well and enjoying the unofficial start of summer. Hard to believe school is over for many children already!
The past two months I've had the pleasure of working with some of my favorite coaching colleagues on a great emerging leadership development program. I think part of what makes this work so enjoyable is the time I get to spend with fellow-coaches and the relationships that we have all formed while working together for the past 18 months. Do you have some great colleagues who you love to spend time and work with? Doesn't it make all the difference in creating a fun and energized work environment?
Below is a photo of me along with two of my coaching colleagues from last month.
Suzanne, Andria & Julie, 2013 Recently, many of my clients have been focused on what they can do to "stand out" and ensure they are being the best they can be to continue to grow in their careers. This month's article focuses on that topic - the key traits of successful job seekers and keepers.
I hope you enjoy it and, as always, feel free to pass this along to whomever you feel will benefit and keep spreading those positive ripple effects!
Best always,
Andria
Have you seen our recent blog posts?
Key Traits of the Most Successful
Job Seekers and Job Keepers!
Whether you are looking for a job or trying to keep the one you've got, there are some key characteristics that are consistently portrayed by those individuals who have success in both areas: landing and keeping a job. If you're currently looking to get hired or simply desire to hang onto and continue to grow in the job you already have, the following are some things to consistently practice so you have success in both landing and keeping a job.
First, build and sustain a strong network of supporters. Someone once told me that opportunities come through other people and the more I thought about that and my life and career as well as that of my clients, the more I realized it's true. Building relationships is critical to those seeking a job and those looking to keep a job. When you have solid sustainable relationships with those in your field of influence, it ensures that others know you, who you are, what you're about and your capabilities. This not only enables them to help you when you need a job but also when you are already within an organization - your internal network of supporters will be the ones who advocate for you. Next, you want to have a good amount of self-awareness and self-confidence.
Self awareness is about recognizing that we're all not great at everything; it's knowing what you're good and where you need to develop to help support you in your career objectives. Do you know your strengths and development opportunities? Can you articulate them and do you know what you need to do to improve? If not, you want to find out. Talk to people you've worked with and seek their feedback so you are aware and can work on your development. Doing this also helps build your confidence.
The other thing to consider is how confident you are in your ability to leverage these strengths and develop yourself so you can reach your career objectives, whether it's finding a new job or growing where you are. To build your self-confidence, step outside your comfort zone, take a leap, and rally your supporters around you. That's also why building relationships is so important - it supports your ability to develop a high level of self-awareness and confidence.
The next key trait of successful job seekers and keepers is strong communication skills. Communication skills are more than just what you say - it's also about how you're communicating with your tone, stance, demeanor. You want to have confident body language as well as a self-assured demeanor when you are both looking for and trying to keep your job. Another big aspect of communication is listening... how well do you listen? Do you make eye contact and use engaging body language (head nods, expressive face)? Not only is listening a key communication skill but it also helps support building relationships because when you fully listen and engage others, it continues to develop stronger relationships. Strong communication skills demonstrate confidence, which goes back to the second key trait referenced previously.
Finally, to successful land and keep a job, you want to have a proven track record of success. You will most likely be assessed throughout your career based on your performance and on your track record. Those who successfully get new positions have a proven track record of success and are able to articulate and demonstrate this through references and other types of documents. How do you prove your track record? Keep track of and document what you've done; share your successes with mentors and advocates. When you share your information with others, they can be advocates for you. This is not about bragging but about doing things well, in a visible manner, so others are aware of your performance. Volunteering and leading projects or fundraisers that are successful are great ways to get recognized for your leadership or project management skills.
Do things that get you recognized so that others naturally see your successes. At the same time, don't be afraid to share your accomplishments. Be proud. Be confident and know that you have had countless successes in your career and that this is information worth sharing!
This month's developmental tip: Review the key traits of successful job seekers and keepers and start honing in on those where you may need to put more effort. Pick one or two that need some attention and make a commitment to focus on those in the coming month.
Andria Corso is the founder of C3 Coaching and Consulting. an Executive Leadership and Career Development Coaching and Consulting firm. C3's mission is to help our clients reach their highest potential. Read more about C3 here or contact us to find out how we can help you and your organization reach your greatest success. Contact information: Andria L. Corso ~ 888-432-4245 Connect with Andria & C3 at:
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