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How To Write a Career Mission Statement For Yourself

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Terkel How to Write a career mission statement

What is your career mission statement? What tip would you offer to someone looking to craft a personal mission statement?
To help you craft your personal mission statement, we asked business leaders and HR experts this question for their own mission statements as examples to help you with yours. From establishing your values to never stop improving, there are several examples of mission statements that may help you craft your personal career mission statement.

Here are seven ideas to help you craft your personal mission statement:

  • Establish Your Values
  • Effectively Communicate It Through Video
  • Lead With Internal Drivers
  • Select Word Choice Carefully
  • Culture Of Empowerment
  • Never Stop Improving
  • Keep It Tangible And Short

Establish Your Values

The short version of my career mission statement is; To be a knowledgeable, trusted, and reliable person who can be counted on to solve problems for my client and do whatever it takes to do right by them. In order to achieve this, I will continue to read articles, listen to podcasts, attend webinars, frequent conferences, and seek out leaders in my field to further understand the field that I am in and become a lifelong learner. A great tip to crafting a personal mission statement is to establish your values, determine what your interests are, and set SMART goals.

Noah Downs, American Pipeline Solutions

Effectively Communicate It Through Video

Make sure that the personal mission statement can be effectively communicated via video. With video interviewing here to stay, it’s important that your mission statement be short, concise, and convincing in a video format. Many employers are automating recruiting tasks to better screen candidates, including initial video interviews. By practicing your career mission statement via video, you can ensure that you’ll be able to handle any interviewing format that lies ahead.

Josh Zywien, Paradox

Lead With Internal Drivers

I learned the hard way that the best career mission statements have to start with how I wanted to feel, contribute, grow, experience, and learn. My early statements often lead with external factors like titles, income, and financial rewards. This often led to feeling empty and unfulfilled in my work. Now, when I focus on what makes me internally satisfied, I find myself exactly in the right seat on the right bus.

Jenn Christie, Markitors

Select Word Choice Carefully

A career mission statement should feature your goals, personal values, and previous success. Most importantly though it should showcase your personality. This statement should serve as a differentiator that enables you to stand out from other professionals who work in the same area of expertise. Select language that evokes emotion or is synonymous with your own vernacular. Using linguistics that people assimilate to you will serve to enhance the connection made between you, your way of speaking and those you communicate with, and the career mission statement. Ideally, you’d like for this statement to easily identify you as the professional being described, without needing to be directly identified.

Tyler Butler, 11Eleven Consulting

Culture Of Empowerment

My personal career mission statement has been to, “Create an environment where everyone is empowered to do their best quality work.” My mission was born from my past experience with poor leadership. Find a passion from your past to craft your future. When I became a leader for the first time I was focused on creating a positive environment to work in. The increased sales and better customer experience were a byproduct of taking care of the team. So ask yourself, what is something you want to change, impact or make better?

Steven Brown, DP Electric Inc

Never Stop Improving

I believe there’s always an area for improvement, no matter what you do. Even if you think your outputs’ quality can’t get better, you can always do it faster, use fewer resources, or scale it. When setting career mission statements, it’s crucial not to anchor them around specific job market conditions. They should be universal, so you can still use them when the economic climate changes.

Michael Sena, Senacea

Keep It Tangible And Short

“To recruit, retain, train, and develop the most qualified individuals, for companies whose products/services align with my values.” This is my personal career mission statement. It is my “north star” that reminds me on a daily basis why I chose this career path and why it intrinsically refuels my motivation to continue. When crafting one for yourself, try to keep it as tangible and short as possible. Some of the most memorable mottos are the shortest ones for a reason. The legendary – “Just Do It”, “Think Differently” or “Open Happiness” just to reference a few. More than two sentences is a no-no in my book. At the same time, it shouldn’t be too vague and abstract. Make it personally relatable – to YOU. Ideally, it’s measurable too, so that your “career compass” has some solid footing to stand on.

Jagoda Wieczorek, ResumeLab

Terkel creates community-driven content featuring expert insights. Sign up at terkel.io to answer questions and get published.

10 Stress Relieving Activities To Practice In The Evening

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stress relieving activities

What is one stress-relieving activity to practice in the evening? 

To help you find the perfect stress-relieving activity, we asked HR experts and business leaders this question for their best evening stress-relieving activities. From disconnecting from your electronics to evening walks with audiobooks, there are several stress-relieving activities you can partake in to disconnect in the evening.

Here are ten stress-relieving activities to practice in the evening:

  • Cooking
  • Spend Time With Your Dog
  • Disconnect From Electronics 
  • Sleep Meditation
  • Puzzles
  • Breathing Strategies
  • Reading
  • Essential Oils
  • Evening Walk With An Audiobook
  • Spend Quality Time With Family

Cooking

Cooking is a fantastic way to relieve stress because it creates a space for you to be creative and nostalgic. Oftentimes, certain dishes can remind you of happy memories and loved ones, especially when the aroma fills your home. For many, this trip down memory lane allows them to forget about the stress of working life and enjoy their time in the kitchen.

Brad Sacks, More Than Gourmet

Spend Time With Your Dog

Spending time and interacting with your pet can help people control the anxieties carried from the day. Whether the evening activity is taking a dog on a walk or providing them with a nutritious and healthy meal, dogs offer the unconditional love that we all can appreciate at the end of a day. 

Carol Bramson, Side By Side

Disconnect From Electronics 

The first suggestion is obvious to everyone, but in my witnessing, very few do it, and that’s to disconnect from all electronics! In my house, there is a hard-line in the sand—7 PM. It’s never broken! When there is any “space,” people fill it with the phone or computer—we get uncomfortable doing nothing. But wisdom loves space! It’s waiting for you to create space so that it can guide you in your life. It’s a journey of choices and decisions. Wisdom wants to help—let it! 

Gregory Drambour, Sedona Retreats

Sleep Meditation

Sleep meditation has become a crucial part of my nighttime routine and has played a big part in helping me quiet my mind for sleep. Like many business owners, I was guilty of not being able to turn my brain off after work and would often try to sleep with projects and tasks running through my head, many of which would increase my stress, followed by the stress of not being able to sleep. I’ve always enjoyed meditation and now use the app Insight Timer to do a short 5–10 minute session (usually guided) as I’m lying in bed—50% of the time, I’m drifting in and out of sleep by the end of it!

Quincy Smith, TEFL Hero

Puzzles

After a long day of looking at a computer screen, there’s nothing I want to do more than to disconnect. I have found that my usual Netflix or TV time becomes less enjoyable after so much screen time, so puzzles are a super easy and cheap way to decompress after a long day. I would recommend getting a fairly easy (or hard, whatever you like best) jigsaw puzzle and work on it a little bit everyday to decompress in the evenings. It’s a great way to spend some time away from a screen and is a mindless activity that is quite relaxing. Along with the joy that comes with finding the perfect puzzle piece, the act of putting the pieces of a puzzle together requires concentration and improves short-term memory and problem solving. It’s a win-win.

Alexis Orth, Markitors

Breathing Strategies

While stress is the organic reaction of the body to safeguard itself, prolonged stress or anxiety can have many long-term impacts, such as sleep deprivation or even sleepless nights. Relaxation strategies can create the body’s own relaxation mechanism during periods of unnecessary stress and anxiety. Deep breathing is both an aspect of meditation and a method of tranquility that you can use at any moment. The purpose is to take deep, gentle, and steady breaths. While there are many formal deep breathing techniques, along with the 4-7-8 system and the breath of the lion, you may begin quite easily. Start by putting your hand on your abdomen and slowly inhaling. Hold your breath for a moment when you feel your stomach rising, then exhale slowly. Different techniques can involve breath counting and changing the breath period before exhaling.

Sylvia Kang, Mira

Reading

Reading is the stress-relieving activity I do each and every evening. Nothing can distract the brain and fill it with calming thoughts more than a good book. Find the book that really connects you. There are books to motivate you to succeed and provide you with fuel; to take you far away from your reality and into an imaginary land; to make you smarter; and so much more. Find the book that engages your brain, and it will help distract from the stresses in your life.

Darcy Cudmore, Darcy Allan PR

Essential Oils

In the evening, a wonderful way to relax from the day’s events is to turn on that diffuser with a drop or two of your favorite lavender essential oil. Filling your space with this aroma can help the stress melt away, and it can even increase your focus as you plan for the upcoming day. Some other oils that are perfect for relaxation include Clary Sage, Sandalwood, Rose, Cedarwood and Valerian.

Travis Killian, Everlasting Comfort

Evening Walk With An Audiobook

My ideal stress-relieving evening activity is to go for a walk with an audiobook playing through my headphones. This has been particularly effective during the last few months of working from home when many of us have found ourselves not moving as much as we usually would. Scheduling an evening walk, even if it’s only for 20 minutes or so, is a great way to at least get some steps in for the day. In addition, for me, adding an audiobook to the mix really allows me to zone out and make sure that I’m not spending my walk dwelling on any work-related issues that arose during the day.

Anna Barker, Logical Dollar

Spend Quality Time With Family

After a long day, there’s no better way to relieve work-related stress than by spending time with my wife, son and daughter. We love the outdoors and enjoy biking, cooking and giving back to charities focused on children and poverty. For any small business owner who doubles up as a parent, I’d highly recommend blocking time on the schedule to practice quality family time in the evening. 

Chris Abrams, Marcan Insurance

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What Career Is Right For Me? 12 Ways To Find The Right Career

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How can someone find what career is right for them?

To help you find what career is right for you, we asked business leaders and HR professionals this question for their best tips. From having a solid understanding of what makes you happy to analyzing your skills, there are several ideas that may help you to find your perfect career.

Here are ten tips to help you find what career is right for you: 

  • Experiment
  • Have a Solid Understanding of What Makes you Happy
  • Network
  • Look At Your Roots
  • Headline
  • Informational Interviews
  • Work Towards a Goal
  • What Did You Enjoy As a Kid?
  • Analyze Your Skills
  • Align Your Passion With a Market Need
  • Seek a Strong Workplace Culture
  • Think About the Impact You Want to Make

Experiment

Regardless of whether you are in college, in the early stages of your career, or you are a seasoned professional, you should always be open to trying something new. This can be through internships, part-time positions, or just freelancing in your spare time. You never know, you might happen upon your dream career!

Vanessa Molica, The Lash Professional

Have a Solid Understanding of What Makes you Happy

In order to find the right career for you, you need to have a solid understanding of what makes you truly happy. Too often, people are hyper-focused on salary or culture and end up working in a great job that isn’t the best fit for them. I would recommend identifying what makes you happy then find a way to make money doing what you love. Working in reverse rarely works!

Elliott Greenberg, Touchfree Concepts

Network

Your dream job could be something you don’t even know exists yet. Until you get out and network and talk to people about the careers they love, you might never find a career that is right for you. This also comes in handy if you are actively seeking a job and are open to any career, surveys show that about 85% of jobs are filled through networking! 

Henry Babichenko, DD,  Eurodenture

Look At Your Roots

I firmly believe in looking to your roots to determine how to move forward and when determining what might be best for you. As the oldest of seven children and growing up on a farm in Danville, Alabama, I learned the meaning of hard work at a young age. I grew up raising calves and feeding them by bottles twice a day. Doing this taught me that when something or someone relies on you, you can’t let them down. This led to me exploring careers where I could advocate for the little guys and serve people every day in my job. These roots and life lessons lead me to practice law and put me where I am today. 

Hunter Garnett, Warren & Simpson

Make a Career out of Your Passion

I have always loved sports but had drifted away from this love when I started my professional career at Procter and Gamble. I started a retail position at a local sporting goods store, to entertain my love for sports while waiting to start my MBA program. Before I knew it, I was moved up and promoted at the store and eventually started my own sports summer camp, Camp All-Star, which I ran with my wife for 16 successful years. 

People always say that you can’t make a career out of a passion, but why not? Identify something you love and research career paths relating to that topic. Doing something you love will ensure that you have found the career path that is right for you. Who knows what you will find! 

Craig Rosen, InterviewFocus

Informational Interviews

Do lots and lots of informational interviews! By sitting down with a variety of people who work in verticals you have an interest in, you can get a holistic understanding of what it really takes to occupy that position. Too often, we think we can find our dream job scrolling through LinkedIn or attending career fairs, but neither of those options gives you an insight into the true day-to-day activities.

Blake Murphey, American Pipeline Solutions

Work Towards a Goal

By working towards your goal you may find your real passion or dream career path along the way. I realized that coming out of college, the chances of starting my dream career as a 21-year old was slim. But if I kept working in the right direction to set myself up with valuable experience, I would get there in time. By setting up a plan or direction, you may find that different experiences will lead you down different paths – and you could find yourself doing something you love, that you never even expected. Set up your plan but allow yourself to follow leads and different directions if the opportunities present themselves, you may just end up in your perfect career.

Alexis Orth, Markitors 

What Did You Enjoy As a Kid?

Most people don’t grow up dreaming about repairing appliances. But for some people, being an appliance technician is the perfect career. For anyone looking to discover the right career path, look to your childhood. Did you grow up taking things apart and putting them back together? If so, maybe having a career in appliance repair really could be up your alley. Take a minute to think about what you enjoyed as a kid, and then think about how those early experiences and interests could apply to your future. 

Alex Belladorsi, Appliance Technician

Analyze Your Skills

Finding the right career path is not an easy task and it takes time and effort. In order to make sure that you’re choosing the right job for you, it is important to start by analyzing your skills. Analyze what you like to do, what you are good at, and what jobs these may translate to. The next step is to consult with friends, respected professionals, and career counselors that can help you evaluate your skills and knowledge and give advice on exploring different career paths. Additionally, a career development professional can show you how to make the process of finding a job easier by giving you professional advice. Internships and volunteer opportunities can then serve to reinforce (or not) your career path and can lead you into a life-long career journey.

Ronald Kubitz, Forms+Surfaces

Align Your Passion With a Market Need

The ideal career is found when a person’s skills and passions align with a market need. To balance this equation, consider how you spend your free time and then look for ways to apply elements of that activity to the work world. Sometimes, it’s an easy match – a creative writer who leverages that skill in corporate communications. Other times, it’s not so clear. 

Tim Toterhi, Plotline Leadership

Seek a Strong Workplace Culture

Sometimes it’s not so much about the actual work you are doing, it’s the company who you are working for. And that comes down to workplace culture – a top priority for today’s job seekers. Forward-thinking organizations are able to communicate their workplace culture in words and deeds. This includes setting clear behavior expectations for all employees and providing the leadership, support, policies and training to foster respect, diversity and inclusion. A strong workplace culture provides the foundation for building a career and successfully navigating the opportunities and challenges along the way.

Andrew Rawson, Traliant

Think About the Impact You Want to Make

Cadence Education has more than 200 private preschools and elementary schools across the United States that are full of people who are passionate about inspiring and educating young children. While many children may grow up aspiring to be a teacher, other career options like preschool director, assistant teacher, or even cook can be options to be involved and make an impact in early education. We’ve found that many people working in the Cadence Education Family of Schools found a nice career fit by thinking about the impact they want to make on the world, and finding an outlet to make that dream a reality. 

Jeanne Kolpek, Cadence Education

Is It OK To Connect With a Potential Employer on LinkedIn? 9 Things To Consider

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Is It OK To Connect With a Potential Employer on LinkedIn? 9 Things To Consider

Is it OK to connect with a potential employer on LinkedIn? Why or why not?

Here are nine things to consider when connecting with a potential employer on LinkedIn:

  • Worst case scenario, you get ignored
  • Create a connection strategy
  • Is your LinkedIn profile up to date?
  • Always add a message 
  • Connecting is one of LinkedIn’s main purpose
  • Consider a thank you note
  • Know who you’re talking to
  • Explain your value and how you’re beneficial
  • Have you spent time cultivating your LinkedIn?

Worst case scenario, you get ignored

The worst-case scenario is the potential employer ignores your connection request. I don’t see a problem with making the connection request. Just know that when you press “Connect” and send the request, there’s a chance the request may be ignored. Try to avoid getting offended if that’s the case, as employers have hundreds of candidates applying to positions who may be doing the same thing. 

Carey Wilbur, Charter Capital

Create a connection strategy

It shows a keen interest in the company’s goals and puts you in a good position to stay in touch with them. It’s a good idea to carefully draft a connection strategy (beyond merely letting them know you’ve applied to an open job). You could engage with their posts, offer new ideas aligned with your career expertise, or like their updates. You can also follow companies on LinkedIn that interest you, which will be apparent to their hiring team if you apply to one of their posted openings on LinkedIn.

Laura Smith-Proulx, An Expert Resume

Is your LinkedIn profile up to date?

Extending a connection request on LinkedIn is like extending the job interview. Just like a candidate should be cognizant of their physical appearance in a job interview, candidates should accurately represent themselves through information on their profile. Before connecting, make sure that your profile contains a “summary” about yourself that reads like an objective statement on a resume. Make sure your headshot is professional, as you’ll be representing the company you’re applying to online. By taking the time to ensure your LinkedIn profile best represents you and your abilities, you’ll be able to continue to make a positive impression on your potential employer. 

Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

Always add a message 

Yes, you should connect with a future employer on LinkedIn! There are, however, a few caveats with that statement such as who you are connecting with, what you are saying, and the position. Only connect with someone who will be looking at your resume such as a recruiter or hiring manager. Additionally, when connecting always add a note. This can be as simple as, “Hi Katia, I have applied to your open recruitment role, and wanted to express my utmost interest and excitement. I would love to connect!”. Additional best practices for outreach includes reserving this only for roles you are truly excited about and that align with your career interests.

Katia Dillon, TechnologyAdvice

Connecting is one of LinkedIn’s main purposes

By all means yes! Remember, one of the main purposes of LinkedIn is to make new business connections. If you have targeted a company for hire and see that a Hiring Manager at that target company is advertising a role that you’re interested in then yes send a request to connect. If you do it in a professional (do not beg) manner then you could earn yourself a close look and possible interview. Certainly, make sure you use LinkedIn to its full potential in the job search!

Ronald Kubitz, Forms+Surfaces

Consider a thank you note

Put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes for a second. She is interviewing not only you but many others, trying to determine who will be the best person for the job and the company. Connecting over LinkedIn before a decision has been made can come off as both pushy and over-confident—like you’re certain that you’ll be the one who’s working closely with the interviewer over all those other candidates. What should you do instead? Write the perfect thank you note. It’s still the best way to follow up and let the interviewer know how much you want the job. If you really want to grow your network on LinkedIn, it’s okay to request a connection with your interviewer, just wait until after a decision has been made.

Mark Christensen, People & Partnerships

Know who you’re talking to

It’s more than OK, that’s definitely a way to stand out from the crowd of resumes. I’m speaking here from the employer’s perspective and I hired many people that showed me the courage to approach me and talk to me. The most important thing is to show interest, know who and why you are speaking to. Personalize your message, show that you understand what the company does and how they can benefit from hiring you.

Tom Winter, Eye One

Explain your value and how you’re beneficial

Don’t connect with a potential employer on LinkedIn unless you have an irresistible offer to help the company. Otherwise, employers might get annoyed with you, which can lessen your chances of getting hired. Before connecting with a potential employer, create a proposal that is beneficial for the company. Doing so establishes your value right off the bat. If you connect with them without any concrete idea, you will be wasting your efforts since employers won’t even waste their limited time conversing with you.

Stephen Light, Nolah Mattress

Have you spent time cultivating your LinkedIn?

It is appropriate to connect with a potential employer on LinkedIn if you’ve spent time cultivating your LinkedIn content and brand and it gives insight to a potential future employer about your professional experience and approach to the position. It will give them access to your recommendations, digital resume, and your interactions and posts. If you’ve made it decently far into the recruiting process, I think it’s appropriate to connect. Also, even if you don’t receive the position, there’s value in keeping the dialogue going, because you never know what the connection will yield.

Eric Mochnacz, Red Clover

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How To Connect People via Email: 8 Professional Introduction Tips

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How To Connect People via Email: 8 Professional Introduction Tips

You likely have received and made an introduction via email. 

Some introductions are great and can lead to valuable connections. Others? Well, let’s just say that the email introduction was “made,” but didn’t achieve the desired outcome of “connecting” people. 


With that said, there’s an unwritten “right’ and “less effective” way to connect people via email. Because much of that etiquette is unwritten, we decided to write it by seeking advice from professionals about their best introduction tips. 

Here are eight professional introduction tips on how to connect people via email:

  • Keep It Self Explanatory
  • Add a Personal Touch to the Subject Line
  • Include Your Name in the Subject Line
  • Mention Shared Interests
  • Make It Fun
  • Research Their LinkedIn Profile
  • Talk To Both Parties Beforehand
  • Make Sure It’s Not One-Sided

Keep It Self Explanatory

Introducing two contacts over email can feel awkward (not to mention the long replies that come with it if they actually hit it off!) but there are some tips and tricks on how to connect people in your network with professionalism. When it comes to the subject line, there is nothing wrong with keeping it self explanatory with a subject like “Introduction to (Name)!” In the body of the email, thank the person you are reaching out to for agreeing to connect with your contact then end it with a compliment to both the parties and let your contacts take it from there! The simpler, the better. 

Henry Babichenko, Stomadent Dental Lab 

Add a Personal Touch to the Subject Line

When crafting a subject line, I think it is important to make it personable. By adding a personal touch like someone’s name, a reminder of where we initially met, or even an emoji, I am so much more motivated and interested to open the email.

Noah Downs, American Pipeline Solutions

Include Your Name in the Subject Line

I often put my last name as part of the subject line. People get so many generic emails that it helps mine to stand out (it helps that I have an uncommon name). If it’s someone I know, they are more likely to open because it looks like it came from me. If it’s someone I don’t know, it helps establish that it’s not just another piece of junk mail.

Rick DeBruhl, Communication Consultant

Mention Shared Interests

When making a professional introduction via email consider what is going to matter most to each best facilitating a meaningful connection. Focus on precision and impact both in the subject line and body of the email. Outline a clear purpose and tie in any personal and professional alignments. Recently, a friend asked for an introduction to a colleague based on mutual professional interests. I knew both had an interest in running, my friend had just finished her first marathon, and I pointed that out in my message. It was a great way to create a connection for them facilitating a more seamless transition into the ultimate heart of their conversation. Strong email introductions quickly create connections and have an impact.

Nadine Mullings, Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation

Make It Fun

The other day I received the best email introduction ever from Brian Burkhart of Square Planet. What made the intro awesome? First off, the quality of the introduction was to a high-level executive. But at the core, the intro was fun! The email mentioned a couple of shared connections, poked fun at some commonalities, and set the stage for a candid and comfortable conversation to take place. Plus, the intro was also specific – which helped us secure a really valuable partnership. Keep it fun, and the connection will naturally mirror the same level of casualness. 

Brett Farmiloe, Markitors

Research Their LinkedIn Profile

Messaging in general is more effective when it is personalized. One thing I do before reaching out to a candidate is to research their profile on LinkedIn to better understand who they are. Once I have a feeling for their background I will usually put their name in the subject line along with a quick overview of why I am reaching out. So if I am looking to fill a Project Managers position my introduction may look something like; “Hello Dana, your experience from [company] is needed.” By personalizing the subject line as well as the message, my goal is to communicate that I want more than just to pitch something.

Steven Brown, DP Electric Inc

Talk to Both Parties Beforehand

When making a professional introduction via email, make sure you include both names in the subject line if you’re including both people on the same email. Be clear that you’re making an introduction. If there’s a specific reason you’re making the introduction, be explicit about what that is. Define some commonality between the people you’re introducing and show why the two of them connecting would benefit them both. It helps if you’ve spoken to them both privately beforehand asking if they’re open to the introduction before sending the combined email.

Jennifer Fulmer, TechnologyAdvice

Make Sure It’s Not One-Sided

Email introductions are easy if you actually know both people and are legit in your reasons for making an introduction. I do these quite often for my friends and business associates and have never found it that hard because I actually know everyone and make introductions that make sense for both parties. I never do an introduction that is one-sided for either party. This makes it very easy for me to use “Email introduction” in the subject line because I want them to know upfront what it is and not have to trick them into reading it. If you are disguising it and hoping they will read it you probably shouldn’t send it.

Ben Walker, Transcription Outsourcing, LLC

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