Whether you’re actively job searching, considering a future change, or highly satisfied with your current job, taking care of your career should be part of your goals for 2016. But never fear, investing in your career development doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming.
Whether you have 20 minutes or just 5 minutes, here are 3 fast, easy, and meaningful things you can do today to strengthen your career.
Have 20 minutes?
Do a fantasy job search
You know how some people browse real estate listings just to fantasize about a new life and more square footage? It’s a great idea to do the same with jobs.
Click to your job board of choice (Indeed, LinkedIn, CareerBuilder) and search for jobs similar to yours—or a step or two up from your current job. Spend a few minutes reading through posts that catch your eye. This will sharpen your understanding of the job market and sought-after qualifications.
Have 15 minutes?
Tweak Your LinkedIn profile
How long has it been since you looked at your LinkedIn profile? Often, we set it up, then let it gather dust. Right now, take a few minutes to log into your LinkedIn account, click on Edit Profile, and make at least 2 changes.
It doesn’t matter what you change. Update your headline. Add a bullet point about recent accomplishments. Tweak a job title. Add a skill.
Chances are, once you’re logged in, you’ll see an item or two that needs a little freshening up.
Bonus: Many job seekers find themselves somewhat ham-strung when it’s time to job search. Their outdated profile needs work, but giving it an overhaul would alert current colleagues that they’re jumping ship. Proactively solve this problem by making smaller, regular updates over time.
Have 10 minutes?
Create Your Professional Hit Parade
This is one of the most powerful pieces of career development advice—and it couldn’t be easier.
Open a new Google doc, type the year and quarter (i.e., “2023 Q4”), then write a few lines about your recent workplace accomplishments. Took a training class? Finished a project? Got a complimentary email from a manager? Jot it down.
Then open your calendar and set a recurring reminder every quarter to open this document and brainstorm a quick update. Then next time you’re updating your resume, completing a performance review, or compiling a case for a pay rise, you’ll have plenty of data to draw from.
Have 5 minutes?
Update Your Resume
A professional resume is one of the best investments you can make in your career. Studies show that professionally-written resumes boost your earning potential by as much as 32%.
Visit us at Upword Resume for a custom, recruiter-approved, ATS-friendly, keyword-rich resume that will open doors for your career.
And if you’ve already used Upword Resume, it may be time for an update. Take advantage of our Resume Tailoring service to keep your resume up-to-date and aligned with your current career goals.
