Career Connectors

Connecting professionals in career transition with hiring companies and quality resources

Subscribe Here

Career Advice Blog

12 Strategies for Incorporating Professional Development into Your Daily Routine

by

To help you incorporate professional development into your daily routine, we’ve gathered twelve strategies from CEOs, Career Coaches, and other professionals. From setting aside time for online courses to establishing goals to enhance skills, these insights offer a variety of ways to make learning a part of your everyday life.

  • Set Aside Time for Online Courses
  • Maintain a Lessons-Learned Journal
  • Begin the Day with YouTube Training
  • Subscribe to Actionable Newsletters
  • Learn One New Thing Daily
  • Break Professional Development into Small Tasks
  • Read Industry-Related Articles Daily
  • Utilize Commuting Time for Learning
  • Jot Down Your Daily Wins
  • Implement Layered Learning Daily
  • Reflect on Your Career Trajectory Daily
  • Establish Goals to Enhance Skills

Set Aside Time for Online Courses

I personally set aside just 30 minutes every day for short, concise lessons from online courses, which often take about a week to cover. This routine allows me to learn and improve specific skills without overwhelming my schedule. 

Having consistent, daily engagement helps reinforce my existing knowledge and also introduces me to new tools and techniques. Besides, the flexibility of online platforms means I can adapt my learning to my immediate needs, ensuring that my time spent is directly beneficial to my professional growth.

Bayu Prihandito, Certified Psychology Expert, Life Coach, Founder, Life Architekture

Maintain a Lessons-Learned Journal

Keeping a lessons-learned journal is a simple way to incorporate professional development into your daily routines. It’s about maintaining a record of what you learn from everyday life. 

Part of my professional development and ethics as a coach involves reflecting on my journey with clients by focusing on the things that work well and those I need to improve. If we learn from our successes and failures, we avoid repeating the same mistakes and can take full advantage of growth-teaching opportunities. 

Reflecting can sometimes be an uncomfortable experience, but by being honest with ourselves, we build our self-awareness and self-confidence, lower our stress levels, and keep ourselves accountable for our actions. 

Keeping a lessons-learned journal allows us to actively shape our future, maximize our personal and professional potential, and implement better practices.

Emily Maguire, Career Consultant and Managing Director, Reflections Career Coaching

Begin the Day with YouTube Training

As a Career Advisor and a Professional Growth Specialist, I can see the value of committing to regular professional development. 

One strategy that I have found extremely useful and motivational is to start the day with a training video from YouTube. There is a ton of industry-specific content available, and the deeper you dive, the more useful information you will always find.

It’s a daily commitment that ensures you stay updated with industry trends, gain fresh perspectives, and fuel your enthusiasm. 

The flexibility and convenience of YouTube’s extensive content library make it an excellent choice. I like to take notes and set clear goals so that I can maximize the benefits of this routine.

I have learned so much about new software, technologies, best practices, and personal development, which has kept my professional knowledge relevant in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

By adopting this routine, you can stay locked on a path to success in your professional journey.

Katharine Gallagher, Professional Growth Specialist- Education, Career, Recruitment, Productivity, Business, katharinegallagher.com

Subscribe to Actionable Newsletters

Sign up for a few no-BS newsletters that give you actionable tips and inspiration. It’s like micro-dosing for professionals. You’re on your phone throughout the day anyway, which is why newsletters are perfect for daily professional development. 

The key is not to sign up for too many—you want to get something out of them without it feeling overwhelming. Be selective about your email newsletters, making sure you get a balance of information, action, and inspiration. This helps you stay motivated enough to read and act on the insights.

Personally, I love the Saturday Solopreneur and Marketing Millennials, and I’ll be launching my own newsletter on freelancing in the near future.

Alli Hill, Founder and Director, Fleurish Freelance

Learn One New Thing Daily

Strive to learn at least one new thing a day. This does not need to be formalized learning. Look to your colleagues and peers and learn something about the way they accomplish their tasks. Is there something you can implement as well? Ask the question you’ve been wanting to ask in a meeting or with your supervisor. What is holding you back from asking? That fear will only hold you back from growth. 

Professional development is not just about adding knowledge and tools to your toolkit; it’s about getting uncomfortable, admitting when you don’t know something, and learning from those experiences.

Megan Blanco, Career Coach, Adjunct Faculty, Employer Relations Liaison, Relationship Development, University of Central Florida

Break Professional Development into Small Tasks

It can feel challenging to carve out the time needed for professional development. Rather than looking at professional development as a momentous task, consider breaking it down into bite-sized pieces you can complete in a single sitting each day. If you already have a daily morning or evening routine, you can then incorporate these small tasks into it.

For instance, if you want to broaden your network, you might set the goal of reaching out to one person in your network per day. Similarly, if you’re working on your resume, you can set the goal of writing one bullet point per day. These small daily actions can add up quickly, particularly when it comes to your professional development.

Dr. Kyle Elliott, Founder and Tech Career Coach, CaffeinatedKyle.com

Read Industry-Related Articles Daily

I suggest subscribing to a trusted, industry-related publication and reading one article or piece of content daily. To make it even easier, subscribe to their newsletter to receive trending industry news. Reading the entire publication at once isn’t necessary, but taking five to ten minutes each day to learn something new about your domain will add up over time.

Kelli Anderson, Career Coach, Resume Seed

Utilize Commuting Time for Learning

I use my wasted commuting time to listen to industry podcasts or audiobooks. This gives me at least six hours every week for uninterrupted professional development. In fact, in today’s world, it is easy to be a well-read professional. Just turn off the music or talk radio and turn on a Malcolm Gladwell audiobook.

I’ve actually found myself, at times, sitting in the office parking lot jotting down great ideas about marketing or leadership development.

The major side benefit, by the way, is that I always show up to the office in a good mood, no matter how bad traffic was on the way in. This simple technique works so well that I bought my entire staff an Audible account. When one of us listens to a great book, we recommend it to other team members.

Doug Staneart, CEO, The Leaders Institute

Jot Down Your Daily Wins

To seamlessly add professional development to your daily routine, start by writing down your daily wins.

Whether you have just two minutes or half an hour for reflection, jotting down your small achievements will boost your confidence and motivation.

For example, finishing a project report before the deadline or learning a new phrase in a foreign language may seem like small wins. However, putting these wins down on paper transforms them into tangible evidence of your progress and capabilities. Plus, it’s a fantastic way to see how far you’ve come and tweak your goals along the way.

The best part is that this simple practice flips your perspective. It moves your focus from any hiccups or setbacks and redirects it toward the continuous journey of growth and self-improvement. This positive shift in perspective helps you cultivate a positive outlook on your path and encourages a more optimistic and resilient mindset as you go after your professional goals.

Ana Colak-Fustin, Founder, ByRecruiters

Implement Layered Learning Daily

Every day, amidst the hustle, I dedicate 20 minutes to what I call “layered learning.” It starts with five minutes of reading industry news or a chapter of a book, followed by 10 minutes of skill practice, which could be anything from a new software tool to leadership exercises. 

The final five minutes? Reflection. I jot down what I’ve learned, and how I can implement it. It’s brief enough not to disrupt my day but consistent enough to make a real difference over time. Think of it like brushing your teeth—a short, daily habit that leads to long-term health, but in this case, it’s the health of your professional growth.

Alex Stasiak, CEO and Founder, Startup House

Reflect on Your Career Trajectory Daily

I think that it’s important to both reflect and look for feedback wherever you can find it, even if it’s not something that you can obtain daily. However, reflection on your career trajectory and your overall development is crucial as a daily process.

Wendy Makinson, HR Manager, Joloda Hydraroll

Establish Goals to Enhance Skills

Establish specific goals aimed at enhancing your existing skills. This may encompass undertaking new responsibilities, overseeing a team, or engaging in leadership-development programs. 

By concentrating on refining the systems you are currently involved in or optimizing existing tasks, you can systematically foster your professional growth within the parameters of your daily work routine. This targeted approach ensures that your ongoing development aligns with your current responsibilities, making it a sustainable and effective part of your daily professional life.

Kimberley Tyler-Smith, VP of Strategy and Growth, Resume Worded

7 Ways Volunteering Can Boost Your Job Search Strategy

by

To provide you with the best strategies on how to use volunteering as a job search tool, we’ve gathered insights from seven professionals, including HR Managers and CEOs. From leveraging remote volunteering for a resume boost to establishing a personal brand through speaking engagements, these experts share their top strategies. Dive in to discover how volunteering can be a game-changer in your job search journey.

  • Leverage Remote Volunteering for a Resume Boost
  • Volunteer in Care Roles for Medical Careers
  • Try Mentorship for Networking and Updates
  • Fill Skills Gap and Build Relationships
  • Use Volunteering for Efficient Networking
  • Explore Roles through the Short-Term 
  • Establish Personal Brand through Speaking Engagements

Leverage Remote Volunteering for a Resume Boost

During the pandemic/lockdown, volunteering options were harder to find. I discovered a website, Catchafire.org, that makes it easy to not only find remote volunteer opportunities but also allows you to sort by area of expertise. I found several opportunities that allowed me to leverage my HR skills and, at the end of the day, helped two organizations that aligned with my personal passions. 

I gained experience worthy of adding to my HR resume—creating policy, an employee handbook, developing a recruiting process, and applicable forms/templates, and more. This not only benefited my actual resume but also boosted my confidence in creating these processes from scratch, with no budget, and a quick timeline—no doubt adding value and skill.

Ali Aguilar, HR Manager, Envisionit

Volunteer in Care Roles for Medical Careers

Job seekers wishing to start a job as a doctor, or a profession allied to medicine, are actively encouraged to volunteer for care roles in the community. This can range from early-life nursery positions to end-of-life care homes. Doing so helps individuals understand the “human” behind the patient, typically leading to more compassionate care. 

Moreover, volunteering for end-of-life care helps potential medics appreciate that we can’t solve every medical problem. At the end of these volunteering roles, many medics go on to deliver an even better quality of service, which benefits us all.

Geoff Newman, Founder, Starget.co.uk

Try Mentorship for Networking and Updates

While seeking employment, I decided to volunteer for mentorship programs within my industry. By mentoring newcomers, I not only gave back but also stayed updated with the latest challenges and perspectives in the field. This involvement led to interactions with other mentors, many of whom were in influential positions. 

Their recognition of my dedication and expertise often translated into job recommendations and introductions to hiring managers. Through mentorship, I inadvertently built a network that actively supported my job search.

Gil Clark Jr., CEO, GH Clark

Fill Skills Gap and Build Relationships

While volunteering can be rewarding and bring meaning to your life, it can also support and speed up your job search. For instance, if you’re looking to fill a skills gap, you might volunteer your time and talent to a nonprofit organization. Importantly, you’ll want to add the experience to your resume and LinkedIn profile, and then highlight the transferable skills you gained through volunteering.

Another benefit of volunteering is that you can broaden your network, which can be particularly valuable if you’re targeting jobs in your local community. Depending on the organization, volunteer roles can even turn into paid employment opportunities, so be sure to build relationships with both fellow volunteers and employees.

Dr. Kyle Elliott, Founder and Tech Career Coach, CaffeinatedKyle.com

Use Volunteering for Efficient Networking

Volunteering is one of the best strategies to put your foot in the door and enter the career path you plan to pursue. If you use this opportunity to do efficient networking, your chances of getting a job in the field increase dramatically.

Attending sector events and getting to know other professionals firsthand is an excellent networking tactic for a novice, as it can help you make critical connections in less formal circumstances. Remember to follow up after the meeting once you exchange contact information with valuable entrepreneurs or entities. Do not omit this step; it is an excellent, yet easy, method to make yourself remembered and distinguish yourself from the rest of the aspiring professionals.

Commitment and a professional attitude are the first and most crucial steps to effective networking. Be professional and reliable in your endeavors, and the word about your dedication will spread.

Martyna Szcześniak, Community Expert, MyPerfectResume

Explore Roles through the Short-Term 

Volunteering is one of the best ways to gain an understanding of whether you want to explore a role further, and it’s typically done on a short-term basis. This means you’re not “stuck” within an actual role or industry that you do not want to be a part of and may struggle to leave due to it actually being your career.

Tracey Beveridge, HR Director, Personnel Checks

Establish Personal Brand through Speaking Engagements

One effective way to use volunteering for job search is by volunteering as a guest speaker or panelist at industry-related webinars or events. This positions you as an authority in your field and helps you establish a strong personal brand. 

Attendees and fellow speakers may include potential employers or network contacts who can lead you to job opportunities or provide valuable insights for your job search. It’s a proactive strategy that combines your expertise with networking in a virtual setting, enhancing your chances of finding the right job.

Gregory Rozdeba, CEO, Dundas Life

12 Top Tips for Preparing for a Panel Interview

by

Preparing for a panel interview can be a daunting task. To help you navigate this process, we’ve gathered twelve invaluable tips from top Recruitment Consultants and Career Coaches. From assessing the company culture to managing multiple interviewers’ dynamics, these professionals share their best advice and the challenges you should anticipate.

  • Assess the Comp any Culture
  • Adjust to Personalities
  • Conduct Mock Interviews, Prepare for Follow-ups
  • Try the Crystal Extension for Chrome Browsers
  • Prepare Powerful Examples
  • Be Aware of “Hot Buttons”
  • Address Your Role from Three Points
  • Handle Rapid-fire Questioning
  • Maintain Your Composure
  • Look into LinkedIn Profiles
  • Manage Multiple Interviewers’ Dynamics

Assess the Company Culture

Preparing for a panel interview involves more multidimensional research than for interviews with just one person. You should obtain the names of each interviewer on the panel and do research on their roles, as well as how they may interact with the role for which you’re interviewing. You need to think more broadly about your potential relationship with each of them in your future role. 

This is a great opportunity to assess the culture of the company. Observe how they interact with each other, both verbally and nonverbally. Are they kind and respectful? Do they share eye contact and smiles? Is there tension or awkwardness? One challenge to expect is some of them may give intimidating body language that makes you more anxious. Try instead to focus on the most positive and encouraging person on the panel; pretend they are your personal cheerleader and allow them to boost your confidence and poise in the interview.

Linda Evans, Career Coach, Launched by Linda

Expect Unexpected Questions

One tip I recommend to all candidates I work with is to check out the backgrounds of the people you will be speaking with. This not only gives you a frame of reference to understand the questions that they will ask, but also allows you to demonstrate during the interview that you did your research. That research can show that you care about the position and it isn’t something that you are doing for the sake of it.

A challenge to expect is interviewers asking you unexpected questions. I once had an interview that asked me about my greatest failure, and let me tell you, that wasn’t one I was ready to talk about. In these instances, don’t be afraid to ask the interviewer if you can have a moment to think about the question. This demonstrates thoughtfulness on your part and allows you the time you need to answer the question to the best of your ability.

Hunter Lux, Recruitment Consultant, SciPro Global

Adjust to Personalities

When going into a panel interview, the first thing that I always recommend asking is who you will be interviewing with. This allows you to find out and learn a bit about their role in the organization and relevant information about their background. Not only does this allow you to prepare for the interview, but knowing how many members will be on the panel and the various seniority and background levels of the interviewers tends to make you feel a bit more at ease as you enter the conversation. The challenge that I see both young and senior professionals struggle with during panel interviews is being able to shift between the various personalities of your interviewers. In most cases, the personalities are all different, and you must adjust your responses to meet the various perspectives and personalities while maintaining consistency and engagement throughout the interview.

Megan Blanco, Career Coach, Adjunct Faculty, Employer Relations Liaison, Relationship Development, University of Central Florida

Conduct Mock Interviews, Prepare for Follow-ups

To prepare for a panel interview, it’s always beneficial to do your research and anticipate potential questions, especially those related to the specific role you applied for. Conducting a mock interview and practicing with others, such as friends, family, or a career coach, can be helpful. These individuals can provide real-time feedback on your responses and assist you in making necessary revisions. 

A potential challenge to prepare for is follow-up questions that ask for specific examples. As a former hiring manager, it was observed that interviewees often failed to provide specific examples. Therefore, ensure you’re ready to provide further detail as required.

Anna Treesara, Founder, Tutor, and Career Coach, Tutoring Tree, LLC

Try the Crystal Extension for Chrome Browsers

Panel interviews may have just a couple of interviewers or, in some cases, up to five or six. The interviewers will have different styles. Some may want fast responses and the big picture; others may be looking for detail, analytical thinking, and judgment. Researching your multiple interviewers’ backgrounds and their preferred communication styles will help you deliver your answers in ways that best satisfy them and enable them to understand and appreciate the value you can offer. 

A useful tool is the “Crystal” extension for your Google Chrome browser. With a single click, this will run a highly accurate DISC personality profile on the person to enable you to understand their preferences, energizers to use, and drainers to avoid. Used in conjunction with their LinkedIn career history, you’ll discover how to deliver your answers differently to impress and appeal to different members of your interview panel.

Sam Waterfall, Founder and Executive Career Coach, Obvious Candidate

Prepare Powerful Examples

Investigate the interviewers. Understanding their roles in the company will help you adjust your replies in a way that resonates more with them.

Then, bring powerful examples to the table—read the job description carefully and prepare in advance three to four good examples that you can share to demonstrate that you have the required soft and hard skills (don’t improvise this part).

Interact with all of them, even if you feel more connected to one specific person. Remember that all the interviewers are evaluating you.

If the panel interview is online, watch out for the same things you would care about in a one-on-one interview: have a professional background, connect on time, test your webcam and microphone beforehand, and dress accordingly.

By following this advice, you will increase your chances of landing the job for which you are interviewing.

Juliana Rabbi, Career Coach for Remote Jobs

Be Aware of “Hot Buttons”

You want to gather as much information about each of your interviewers as you can to understand their “hot buttons.” Besides researching each person via an internet search and their social media history, see if any of your first- or second-degree connections know them and ask what information would help prepare for an interview.

it’s hard to “read the room.” Try to be aware of the dynamics happening during the interview. If someone seems more skeptical about you, you might want to give them more attention when answering to win them over.

Shelley Piedmont, Managing Director and Head Coach, Career GPS, LLC

Address Your Role from Three Points

Know your audience. When preparing for a panel interview, it pays to know who you’re facing and what their needs are. 

For example, the HR person on your panel wants to ensure workplace fit. Do you demonstrate the core values of the organization? The hiring manager will want to know you can get the job done. What examples can you share that demonstrate you can fulfill the responsibilities listed on the job posting? The senior leader/executive wants to see how you potentially fit into the larger picture. How can she use your technical and soft skills to advance the company’s and/or division’s agenda?

Your challenge is recognizing each panelist has different needs they want fulfilled. Look at your role from three points of view: near-term, mid-term, and long-term. By addressing each, you’ll pass the panel interview challenge with flying colors.

Laura Barker, Career Coach, Laura Barker Coaching

Handle Rapid-fire Questioning

Preparing for a panel interview can be greatly aided by researching each panel member beforehand. Understanding their roles, areas of expertise, and professional backgrounds can provide valuable insights into the questions they might ask. This knowledge allows for tailoring answers to resonate with each panel member, increasing the likelihood of a favorable impression.

A challenge with panel interviews is the potential for overlapping or rapid-fire questioning. Multiple interviewers may pose questions quickly or simultaneously, which can be disorienting. Remaining composed under such circumstances is essential. Taking a brief moment to gather thoughts before answering, and if needed, politely asking for clarification on which question to address first, can be beneficial.

Thorough preparation and a poised demeanor can lead to better performance in panel interviews.

Geoff Newman, Founder, Starget.co.uk

Maintain  Your Composure

When you set up the interview, ask the recruiter if you can receive a list of the names of everyone with whom you will be interviewing. Do your due diligence by researching who these folks are, what their backgrounds are, how long they have been at the company, and any connections you may have in common. 

If there is a common network connection, ask them to put in a good word on your behalf prior to the interview! A challenge will be maintaining nerves (practice helps with this by doing mock interviews with a coach) and ensuring you make good eye contact with all present. Whether in-person or online, make an attempt to connect and smile with each person participating.

Nikki Ryberg, MHRLR, CPRW, GCDF, Career Coach, Ryberg Group, LLC

Look into LinkedIn Profiles

As a career and leadership coach, the best guidance I can offer for acing panel interviews is to research each panel member as extensively as possible. Understand their roles in the organization and their backgrounds. You can do this by viewing their LinkedIn profiles. You can also ask the recruiter ahead of the interview for this information. This knowledge can help you tailor your responses to align with their interests and priorities. 

The greatest challenge in a panel interview is addressing the diverse perspectives of the various panelists due to their unique focuses, concerns, and positions on the team. Providing answers that satisfy all members can be difficult. To navigate this, aim for concise responses that find common ground while aligning with the broader interview objectives.

Dr. Sophia Carter, Principal Leadership and Career Coach, Kewanee Coaching

Manage Multiple Interviewers’ Dynamics

One valuable tip for preparing for a panel interview is to thoroughly research each panel member. Understanding their roles, backgrounds, and areas of expertise can help tailor your responses and questions accordingly. This not only demonstrates your genuine interest in the panel but also allows you to engage with them effectively during the interview.

However, one challenge to expect in a panel interview is managing the dynamics of multiple interviewers. Each panel member may have different priorities, questions, and expectations. Balancing your responses to address the concerns of each member while maintaining a coherent and concise narrative can be challenging. 

It’s crucial to stay composed, address each question with clarity, and ensure that you maintain eye contact and engage with each panel member equally. Practicing beforehand with a mock panel or a trusted friend can help you refine your skills and navigate this challenge successfully.

Joe Mankowski, Career Coach, Husson University

8 Effective Follow-Up Strategies After a Job Search Networking Event

by

To help you make the most of your networking opportunities, we asked eight top professionals, including CEOs and Presidents, for their best follow-up strategies. From sending a personalized thank-you email to extending an offer of assistance, these leaders share their top tips on how to follow up with someone you meet at a job search networking event.

  • Send a Personalized Thank-You Email
  • Contact Quickly with a Call to Action
  • Express Gratitude in a Personal Note
  • Initiate a LinkedIn Connection
  • Provide Value in Your Follow-Up
  • Offer a Solution to a Challenge
  • Propose a Meet-Up for Further Discussion
  • Extend an Offer of Assistance

Send a Personalized Thank-You Email

A preferred method to follow up with someone met at a job fair is to send a personalized thank-you email within 24 hours. This email should express gratitude for their time and insights, reference a specific point from the conversation to show engagement, and suggest a future meeting or collaboration to keep the connection alive.

Nathan Brunner, CEO, Salarship

Contact Quickly with a Call to Action

One major mistake I see professionals making is contacting people they met at events weeks later, or even months after getting acquainted with them. There’s a high chance the new people you meet will forget you if you don’t contact them soon enough. Ideally, send an email or text message on the very next workday. Introduce yourself and mention where you met them to help them remember you. It’s best to drop in something from the conversation you had with them. 

Tell them you had a nice time meeting them, and follow up with a CTA, such as, “I am hoping to discuss XYZ more, can you tell me when you’re free?” Or, “Here’s a link to the project I was talking about that you seemed interested in. Would love to know what you think.” Anything that encourages them to respond is good enough.

Anjela Mangrum, President, Mangrum Career Solutions

Express Gratitude in a Personal Note

As soon as possible after the event, send a personal thank-you note or email thanking them for taking the time to meet with you and discuss your prospects of finding employment in your field. Make sure you mention something specific from your conversation so they remember who you are.

Roksana Bielecka, Community Manager, ResumeHelp

Initiate a LinkedIn Connection

My preferred approach to following up after networking events is to simply send a LinkedIn request. No additional text, no pitch, just a connection request on LinkedIn, and then I wait to see if it gets accepted. 

If my request does get accepted, then I reach out via InMail and begin a conversation, knowing that they are open to conversation. Of course, if they reject my connection request, then I know that they wish to be left alone and I do not bother them any further. 

I like this approach as it’s a low-friction way of making that initial follow-up and gives the other person a simple way of ending the conversation early, without either party investing too much time. Additionally, I find that people are far more likely to continue conversations via LinkedIn than email, as it reinforces the professional nature of the conversation.

The text provided was already in good shape with proper American punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and hyphenation. No changes were necessary.

Oliver Savill, CEO and Founder, AssessmentDay

Provide Value in Your Follow-Up

In the intricate dance of professional networking, the follow-up is as crucial as the initial introduction. One method that proves effective at Ignited Results is the “Personalized Value Proposition” approach. 

After meeting someone at a networking event, it’s recommended to send a tailored email within 48 hours. This email should not only express gratitude for the interaction but also offer something of value. It could be an insightful article related to their industry, a tool that has benefited you, or even an introduction to a mutual contact that could be beneficial. 

The key is to ensure that the follow-up is not merely a formality but a continuation of building a meaningful professional relationship. By offering genuine value in your correspondence, you not only stand out but also lay the foundation for a lasting professional rapport.

Jon James, CEO, Ignited Results

Offer a Solution to a Challenge

In my journey as a lawyer, I’ve come to realize that successful networking goes beyond handing out business cards. The secret sauce is the follow-up. Now, I’m not talking about flooding someone’s inbox with brochures or dishing out a string of “hope to hear from you soon” messages. 

Nope—it’s about finding a challenge they mentioned and offering a solution. That could mean sharing resources, linking them to someone who can help, or providing some solid advice based on your own experience. By doing this, you’re doing more than keeping the conversation going; you’re making yourself reliable and indispensable.

Alex Freeburg, Owner, Freeburg Law

Propose a Meet-Up for Further Discussion

One thing you can do is ask for a time to meet up. Offer a coffee date if you live near the same location, or if you’re not, request a video or phone call. You might even want to phrase it as an opportunity to carry on a particular conversation you had at the networking event. 

For example, you could say, “I would love to continue our conversation about the best practices in engineering. Could we meet next week and talk more over coffee?” Make sure not to wait too long to ask, however, as the opportunity could fizzle out.

Bill French, Sales, USA Borescopes

Extend an Offer of Assistance

Offering help is indeed a great way to follow up with someone you meet at a job search networking event! It is wise to first offer assistance while establishing a networking connection before requesting a favor. Help the contact if you are able to in any way. 

You can get in touch with them and inquire if there is anything you can do to help, whether it is by providing resources, putting them in touch with the right people, or giving them guidance based on your own experiences. It might help strengthen the connection you formed during the event and demonstrates your sincere interest in assisting them as they grow professionally.

Khunshan Ahmad, Founder, EvolveDash

8 Significant Ways Self-Assessment Tools Inform Career Transition Decisions

by

To provide you with comprehensive insights on how self-assessment tools can inform a career transition decision, we’ve gathered eight expert opinions from career coaches to founders. From gaining self-awareness for strategic decisions to identifying core competencies for career transition, these professionals share their unique perspectives and practical examples. Dive into their wisdom to make your career transition smoother and more informed.

  • Gain Self-Awareness for Strategic Decisions
  • Leverage Unique Talents with Self-Assessment
  • Harness Insights from Enneagram and Myers-Briggs
  • Explore Career Options with Objective Measures
  • Guide Career Paths with Emotional Intelligence
  • Discover Interests and Preferences with Consistency
  • Reveal Natural Aptitudes with Strengths Assessment
  • Identify Core Competencies for Career Transition

Gain Self-Awareness for Strategic Decisions

If you’re at a pivotal point in your career, self-assessments can help gain a deeper sense of your strengths, passion, values, and work style. 

They can also offer new ideas or career avenues you may not have initially considered. Even if you have completed a self-assessment before, there is value in retaking them. Possessing strong self-awareness is a powerful tool for making more informed, strategic, and aligned decisions.

Kathryn Metzger, Career Coach, Discovery Career Planning

Leverage Unique Talents with Self-Assessment

The right self-assessment tool can effectively inform a career transition decision by allowing individuals the opportunity to explore what they naturally do best. Self-awareness is empowering and is core to the decisions we make. 

When we know ourselves better and understand our unique patterns of thinking, feeling, and interacting with the world, we can make smarter, more intentional choices about our future. This knowledge allows us to lean into our unique talents and avoid areas of potential weakness, setting us up for greater success.

Jodi Johnston, Career Coach, The Women’s Resource

Harness Insights from Enneagram and Myers-Briggs

We live in a culture where silence and introspection are marginalized. We take in so much stimuli every day that to genuinely quiet the mind and engage in self-reflection is the equivalent of Sisyphus continuously pushing the boulder up the hill. 

This is where self-assessment tools come in. Rather than sitting in silence until the answers come to us, we can hack the system a bit by answering a series of questions that then spit out insights about us we may not have noticed before. Using self-assessments like the Enneagram and Myers-Briggs can be extremely helpful in bringing our strengths and weaknesses front and center, allowing us to address them with direct action to move ourselves and our lives forward. 

If you don’t know who you are, you don’t know the special ways you bring value to a work team—and neither will they in the interview because you haven’t practiced pitching it. Self-discovery should be the foundation of any career transition!

Lauren Daly, Academic and Career Coach, College Hacked

Explore Career Options with Objective Measures

Many people know what they don’t want to do, but are unsure of what they want to do next, or are afraid to say it out loud for fear that others might judge them and their idea badly. 

A good career assessment offers an objective measure that gives someone ideas for career options they may never have considered. An assessment can provide a beginning for exploring alternatives. It did for me when I was considering a change from recruiting!

Jeff Altman, Global Job Search Coach, The Big Game Hunter, Inc.

Guide Career Paths with Emotional Intelligence

Self-assessment tools, especially those rooted in psychology, offer a mirror to our inner workings. For someone considering a career transition, these tools can be invaluable. Let’s take Emotional Intelligence (EI) as an example. 

Through my work in mental health and personal development, I’ve seen how understanding one’s EI can guide their career paths. If someone scores high in interpersonal skills but low in analytical thinking, they might reconsider a move to a data-heavy role. Instead, they could explore positions that leverage their relational strengths. 

By grasping these insights, one can make informed career choices that align with their innate abilities and passions, ensuring a more fulfilling and productive career trajectory.

Bayu Prihandito, Psychology Expert, Life Coach, Founder, Life Architekture

Discover Interests and Preferences with Consistency

Self-assessment tools are exactly that—to inform. With that said, this only works if the assessment is taken with a “shoes-off” mentality, meaning there is no “ideal” role in mind. Remove “who you wish you were and want to be,” but rather focus on taking the assessment based on where your true interests and preferences lie. 

The other key component is consistency, and taking various assessments to understand overarching themes and where skills and traits interact. Once this information is gathered across several assessments, the strengths, areas of interest, and transferable skills are narrowed down, thus providing a sense of direction for a potential career transition.

Megan Dias, Career Services Coach, Parsity 

Reveal Natural Aptitudes with Strengths Assessment

Self-assessment tools can be a game-changer for someone considering a career transition. For example, taking a strengths assessment test could reveal that an individual has a natural aptitude for strategic thinking and problem-solving. 

Armed with this information, someone stuck in a routine administrative role may decide to transition into a strategy or consulting position. It’s this kind of tailored insight that can make the difference between continuing in an unfulfilling job and making a move towards a role that can bring both success and satisfaction.

Juliet Dreamhunter, Founder, Juliety

Identify Core Competencies for Career Transition

Let’s say you’re in a marketing role but are contemplating switching to project management. A self-assessment tool could help you identify core competencies between these roles. It might reveal that you have excellent organizational skills and a powerful ability to work with cross-functional teams—traits essential for project management. On the flip side, it could also show you areas where you might struggle. Maybe you have low scores in stress tolerance, a critical skill when juggling multiple project timelines.

Just knowing this information can help you make a more informed decision. Perhaps you’ll decide to take a course on stress management or start off with a less demanding project management role to build up your resilience. In this way, self-assessment tools don’t just show you who you are; they give you a roadmap to becoming who you want to be in your next career phase.

Gordana Sretenovic, Co-Founder, Workello ATS