Thinking of a Career Change or New Job?

By: Kaisha McCrea, MBA, ACC – Founder and CEO of Growing Perspectives®

As we prepare for the end of the year, this remains a good time to pursue your career goals and aspirations. Are you thinking of a career change or trying to land a new job? I recommend you routinely share your resume and network throughout the entire year as you consider new jobs or career transitions.  This article is to provide additional support during the final months of this year.  I have some good news for you that these final months of the year are still a good time to maintain your job search and networking efforts. Here are few reasons why the next few months can be critical and promising for your career transition.

·  During this time of the year organizations are assessing their needs for the new year and may have more clarity on their immediate needs for 1Q of the next year or for the new year.

·  People may be more available as most of their key objectives have been completed earlier in the year. They may have more time and focus to speak to you. I would recommend using these discussions to inquire about additional connections & opportunities that may be aligned with your skills and experiences. I would suggest asking for specific resume feedback from key contacts within your resume before this time of the year if possible.

·   Some people may decide to reduce their networking and job seeking efforts during this time. This can increase your visibility based on less people applying for certain positions and increase the likelihood of visibility on you and your interest & applications.

·   Remaining active during these final months of the year can further express your interest in the field, job and commitment to your job search. It can further highlight your efforts based on your presence.

·   There are several opportunities to network during the fall and end of the year that can create new connections and insights. Some of these opportunities are holiday parties, conferences and fall gatherings to meet new people, reconnect with people and organizations,

These are a few benefits and advantages of continuing to network and pursue your career transitions during the final months of the year. These unique factors can help you to successfully extend your network, insights and increase visibility during these few months to be more competitive in your job search.

The final months of the year are an ideal time for you to focus on updating your resume and LinkedIn profile. I recommend being intentional about who you share your resume with proactively when pursuing your next job or career transition. As you review your resume, be sure to include and identify skills from your military experience that can be transferred to civilian jobs and opportunities. I would recommend sharing your resume with others in your network and asking for their feedback during your job search throughout the year. Be specific and ask if your transferable skills are relevant to the jobs, you are considered and if they would suggest any additional updates.

Seek input from others on ideal opportunities to consider and be open to pursue roles similar if not exactly the job you desire. Ensure your resume and LinkedIn profile accurately reflects your expertise, key experiences and accomplishments.

The final months of this year are an ideal time for you to keep the momentum of your job search or desire for a career transition. Remember the tips shared above and maximize these opportunities during this time to increase your visibility, maintain your activities and further extend your network to successfully transition jobs or careers.

If you determine you would benefit from additional career or leadership coaching to support your job search or transition, please contact us at Growing Perspectives Career Consulting at www.growingperspectives.com. We can also be reached at Info@growingperspectives.com and 804-601-8530. We would enjoy working with you to support your career goals and successful job & career transitions.

About Kaisha McCrea, MBA, ACC, she is an ICF certified Leadership, Career & Executive Coach, Author and Consultant is based in Midlothian, VA. She is the CEO & Founder of Growing Perspectives Career Consulting, with over 20 years of corporate experience and an active leader in our local community. To contact her please email Kaisha@growingperspectives.com .