By Christie Mims*
Right now you are probably feeling pretty positive.
The seasons are changing, you are in your autumn/winter routine, and things seem okay.
Sure…you don’t really like your job, but that’s okay!
You’ll just get another one and things will be fine, right?
Wrong.
March can be the month for career mistakes. As you get ready for autumn, make sure to avoid doing these.
Treating your career like underdone spaghetti:
Have you ever thrown spaghetti against a wall hoping it would stick?
A lot of people treat their careers like spaghetti.
They throw ideas or jobs or opportunities against a wall hoping that the next thing will be better.
As you can imagine, this approach does not have tremendous success.
Frankly, your career is worth more than a packet of pasta.
I know autumn can bring an energy bounce as you contemplate your next step, and I encourage you to make sure that you are making conscious decisions about what to do next.
Sit down and think about everything you want and need in your next job (and also in the one after that).
If you aren’t sure what you want, start by spending some time day-dreaming about your ideal workspace and perfect day.
What does your desk look like? What kind of work are you doing? Where are you doing it? What’s your job title?
It sounds a little cheesy, but it’s hard to have success if you have no idea what you want to do next.
Make networking your last priority:
I know, March can be especially busy. The kids are back at school, things are hectic.
So, most people de-prioritise their networking.
Please don’t do that. Now is a wonderful time to have a seasonally flavoured autumn beverage with someone old, or new, in order to keep your community warm and your job possibilities open.
There’s a reason we have the saying: “Out of sight – out of mind”.
You never know when someone will have the perfect job opportunity for you. Why not spend a little time putting yourself (and your career) back on the radar after the summer.
Everyone is back from vacation, the conference season is in full swing, and people are thinking about work, and not about the beach.
The benefit of that? Many organisations are in hiring mode before they slow down again during the winter.
So now is your time. Open your email and send a few messages.
Focus on your winter break, not on your present situation:
The year goes by so fast, so don’t forget you are in the prime conference season.
Certification programs and other interesting events are happening, and it’s a great time to get out there and add a new skillset to your arsenal.
So take a second now and think about one useful new skill or learning you can add to your resume this autumn, and sign yourself up for a class, a program, a conference, or a new book.
*Christie Mims is the founder of The Revolutionary Club. A Forbes Top 100 Website for careers. She can be contacted at the revolutionaryclub.com
This article first appeared on Christie’s blogsite
