How to Propel Your Career in 10 Minutes

Guest
post by Dr. Dawn Graham:

1. Stay active
   on LinkedIn. As technology advances,
   social media is becoming increasingly critical to careers across all
   industries. In minutes each day, you can stay in touch with your contacts
   and build new ones by posting (or sharing) insightful articles, joining
   online discussions, inviting people to connect, or endorsing others.
   Maintaining a consistent online brand will ensure you stay top of mind
   with your network and keep you “in the know” about what’s happening in
   your field.




2. Subscribe to
   an industry blog. New information and ideas are
   constantly generated and shared in all professions. These bite-size
   articles take only a few minutes to read on the train or over lunch and
   will sustain your marketability, which is critical to both your present
   role and potential future positions.




3. Walk the
   halls. With a packed work calendar, it’s tempting to interact
   with the same few people, eat lunch at your desk, and skip the monthly
   birthday celebrations. But small interactions with colleagues go a long
   way in building trust and deepening relationships, which will ultimately facilitate
   future interactions. If you work in a large organization, strive to meet
   colleagues outside your department, to learn what they do. If you’re
   remote, travel to the main office for town halls, special events, or
   occasional staff meetings.




4. Ask for
   feedback. Plain and simple, feedback is a gift. Welcome it with
   open arms. Since many shy away from providing constructive criticism, proactively
   seek it out and be specific as to how others can assist you. For example,
   before your next presentation, ask a colleague to note at least one thing
   you can improve, such as a bad habit (e.g., swaying, reading slides
   verbatim, talking too softly).




5. Meet people
   outside the office. We’re
   typically drawn to familiar faces at networking events, children’s team
   practices, and/or weekly worship services. Going forward, introduce
   yourself to at least one person you don’t know. Be curious, and aim to
   find commonalities. You’ll instantly broaden your contacts, and you never
   know who you might meet. Everyone has something to teach you. Everyone.




6. Read your
   local biz journal or daily newspaper.
   Okay, print media has gone the way of the fax machine. However, spending a
   few minutes each weekday familiarizing yourself with current events
   expands your perspective and makes you more conversant and interesting. If
   it’s more convenient, subscribe to an online news channel to receive a
   daily roundup of the latest headlines. For many, the hardest part of
   networking is finding something to talk about, so the more you know, the
   more topics you’ll have to choose from.




7. Peruse job
   openings. Even if you aren’t currently
   searching, remaining informed about what skills, experiences, and
   knowledge employers are looking for in your role/industry. Periodically
   evaluate how you measure up to current job requirements, and update your
   resume and LinkedIn profile to reflect your latest accomplishments at
   least once a year (or more often). Sometimes the best opportunities in
   life come along when we’re not looking. Make sure you can be found.




8. Help others. Building goodwill with your network will be invaluable
   in your career, and these opportunities are everywhere. Assisting someone
   could be as simple as providing an introduction, offering a word of advice,
   or sharing a resource. Take a few minutes to slow down and notice When you
   can serve someone else.




9. Pay attention. In most cases, it’s rare to be completely blindsided.
   Usually, red flags precede a layoff, major leadership change, merger/acquisition,
   or other career upset. When we keep our heads down, we miss the signs.
   Tune in to watercooler talk, recognize any increase in closed-door
   meetings, understand potential implications of a hiring freeze or budget
   decreases, and pay attention to project delays. While none of these may
   indicate a major shake-up on the horizon, taken together, these signs may
   indicate you need to start sharpening your interviewing skills.