“We are becoming aware that the major questions regarding technology are not technical but human questions.” Peter Drucker, 1967

I had a conversation with a woman named Tina on the airplane recently. She told me that she has been working for her company for 30 years. They are about to go through their third restructuring in 5 years and while she’s given her heart and soul to the company she isn’t seeing a return on that investment. They treat her like a cog. They don’t meet the loyalty she’s shown them. They don’t take the time to know her strengths. So after years of loyal, 12-hour-a-day service, she has a new approach – do the minimum to do a good job because they don’t deserve her heart and soul. “There is no humanness in my work anymore. I will wait until the day they offer me a severance like so many others. They tell me it’s not personal. So I will try hard to no longer bring my full person to work.”

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Making a decision to change isn’t an overnight event. It’s a process.  Paying attention to  signs it’s time to begin the career change process BEFORE you get to the end of your rope is essential. Being able to leave on good terms serves you in the long run. Paying attention to our professional happiness impacts us on many levels – emotionally, financially, personally. Change is not meant to be entered into lightly, but consciously. How many of these three signs ring true for you?

You’ve been saying you need to move on for over a year.

Chances are that if you’ve been thinking about leaving for over a year, it’s time to start exploring. Looking doesn’t mean leaving, it just means looking. Looking smart is also key as you begin to explore. Applying online is just ONE way of looking. In addition to doing some job searching online, it’s critical to start nurturing your network.

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1. Today, your headshot on LinkedIn is one of the most important personal branding tools you have. As more elements of the job search process have moved online, hiring managers and recruiters want to connect a face with a name.
2. There was a time when your resume was everything. Focus on your online profile, because it tells people what you’ve done, and tells them who you are in an authentic and compelling way.
3. Today, that in-person interview comes long after many other qualifiers you need to work through. You likely won’t get to the in-person interview unless you’ve have a person at the company recommend you. So do your research, network with current employees or affiliates of the company and ask for an informational interview.
4. One of the biggest questions job seekers have is “How do I explain gaps in my employment?” That used to be an interview killer. The key to being able to explain the gaps and finding a job is old-fashioned networking. Networking today has moved to the virtual world. Now it’s important to become very good at networking online and to learn how to use sites like LinkedIn to connect with others in your field.

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Managing your career is hard work. How do you choose the right path? Should you change jobs? How do you identify the best career opportunities? More than ever, getting ahead is less about climbing the rungs of a career ladder. Rather, it is like a jungle gym. You need to be flexible and adopt fresh strategies to effectively manage your career in this trickier landscape.

Here are some outside-the-box ways of managing your career and navigating this new world of work.

1. Freshen up your online profiles

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Working for a startup can be a great experience, but it can also be a disaster.

Startups are unlike other work environments you might have came across. They sound thrilling and alluring, and probably a number of them are, but if you haven’t worked for one before and you’re considering giving it a try, there are some things you should consider.

1. Do you believe in the vision of the company?

Working at a startup is a major commitment.  To get through the long hours, pressure, and uncertainty that accompany startup life you need to believe in the mission and product of the company.   Are you trying to solve a real problem in society?  Do you have a product that can help or change the lives of potentially millions of people?  Would you buy the product? Are you trying to help businesses be successful in new and profitable ways?  A successful startup attracts people who share the same vision.  Make sure you do.

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At CoachMarket we have customers that range in age from 18 to 60, and so we have a unique view into how different age groups look for new opportunities, what they prioritize and what they should prioritize but don’t as they think through their next career opportunity.

For career minded professionals in their mid to late 20’s what we see is a lack of perspective regarding how important it is to build a network to serve as a foundation for your long term career success. People connect you to career opportunities, so the more people you know and know well, the more opportunities you will naturally find available to you.

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Click this link to download the infographic.