The New Worker
Get Connected, Be Flexible and Stay Motivated
Looking for a job? Starting a career? Things are different today than they were even three months ago! Finding a job or developing a career requires us to think about work differently. The changes employers have made to address the COVID-19 pandemic will change the way we do work forever.
Here is what you can do to make yourself more marketable and more attractive for career advancement.
1) Get Connected – Yes, developing professional networks have always been important. However, today these networks need to be virtual and well established on LinkedIn, Facebook, Zoom, Teams and Twitter. These traditionally social platforms are now social and business platforms that allow people to connect with opportunities. Is your LinkedIn profile up to date? Do you have LinkedIn and Facebook pages for your businesses? Are you routinely posting client relevant information on social media platforms? If yes, great! If not, start now!
2) Be Flexible – The ideal job for you may take some time to develop. Think of your career as a lifetime journey with many jobs along the way - until you reach your career aspiration. In today’s job market, remain flexible in the jobs you are willing to take. Find opportunities to learn new skills, take classes or enroll in an advanced certification program. The job you have today will likely not be the job you have in a year or two. Taking on jobs that engage you in the workforce, build collegial relationships and allow you to learn a company or industry will serve you well as you develop your career.
3) Stay Motivated – Our relationship between employer and employee requires both parties to trust each other to achieve the organizational goals. If you are working from home or virtually, be sure you are in constant communication with your manager, sharing progress on assignments and seeking direction of upcoming needs of the organization. Be sure to check yourself and challenge the value you are bringing to the organization and your fellow team members. Today’s worker needs to be self-motivated and work hard to keep engaged with their organization and colleagues.
Prepare yourself now for a new work environment. Fortunately, we are all in it together!