Career Growth
A collection of 59 posts
From One Path to Another: Creating a Compelling LinkedIn Headline for Career Changers
Your current job doesn’t excite you as much as it used to and now you’re looking for something new? Or you might also be tired of the whole industry itself and want to start working in a completely different field? We know, it might be a bit challenging to get your head around all details worth considering. You’d need to think of the career you want to pursue. Then craft yourself a new resume. Then start prepping for interviews… Learn how to answer the ‘Why do you want to change your career path?’ question But while these things might require your full attention and at least a couple of hours of your day, there’s something else you need to think about that’ll take you less time than expected. Updating your LinkedIn headline. Sure, there are certain things worth figuring out before you create a new LinkedIn headline for yourself. But if we compare the time required to the results expected, it’s worth every second. In this article, you’ll learn: What the purpose of your LinkedIn headline is How having a strong LinkedIn headline can help you get a new job Why your transferable skills matter and how to identify them How the power of keywords in your LinkedIn headline can aid you in your job-seeking process … and more! Let’s go! Understanding the Purpose of a LinkedIn Headline So what exactly is the LinkedIn headline? In short, it’s the first line right below your name on the platform. And like your name, it’s highly searchable. This means recruiters can search for, say, ‘project manager’, and everyone who has added these two words to their LinkedIn headline will come up. This also means that having the right headline can help you stand out in your job search. In fact, it’s become increasingly popular for recruiters to be proactive and get in touch with LinkedIn users who seem like the right fit. And if you’re a fan of networking you’ll find it even more important to keep your LinkedIn headline up to date. In this way, it’ll be easier for people you meet to share exciting opportunities with you if they match your profile. Wondering how to network on LinkedIn? Check out this article for some expert tips and example messages! All this means that if you’re an ex-teacher passionate about finding a career in marketing and you’ve just met an HR manager that can be of help, you need to make a strong first impression. That’s exactly where your new LinkedIn headline comes into play. But wait! No need to brainstorm headline ideas just yet! We’ll identify your transferable skills first. Keeping them in mind when crafting your LinkedIn headline will ensure a more elevated end result. Identifying Your Transferable Skills Generally speaking, there are three types of LinkedIn headlines: The confident one, also known as the ‘one-sentence pitch’ The creative one, where you list your position and your top 3 skills The traditional one where you simply list your job title and employer Having in mind you’re looking to change careers and employers, we advise you to stick to the first two types. Fairly speaking, it’d be useless to state your previous position and employer if they’re not relevant to your career change. But before moving on to writing your new LinkedIn headline, let’s see how you can identify your transferable skills. Actually, what are transferable skills in the first place? Well, these are the skills that you can take from one job to another, and be sure they’ll be relevant. Most often than not, these are soft skills. But if you’re only switching jobs and not industries, then you could expect to have some hard transferable skills too! For example, if you’re a teacher looking to become a career coach, some of your transferable skills might include communication, time management, empathy, and active listening. If you’re a teacher looking to become an administrative assistant, on the other hand, you could have Microsoft Office, bookkeeping, and written communication as part of your list of transferable skills. It’s really job-specific. And if common sense isn’t enough for you to find your transferable skills, you might find it easier to go through some 10-15 job adverts and see what skills are listed on them instead. Then think about the skills you have and if some of them match these ‘new’ skills you’ll be expected to show. Might look slightly time-consuming, but it’s definitely worth every second! Once you have the list of your transferable skills ready, highlight the top 3 priority skills. The easiest way to do this is by checking which of these skills appear most often in different job postings. Just remember that these will change with time, so update your list regularly. Now, after you’ve identified your priority transferable skills, you need to incorporate them into your LinkedIn headline. As mentioned before, the two best ways to do this if you’re a career changer are the one-sentence pitch or the position + 3 skills combo. Let’s look at each of them Option 1: One-sentence pitch for your LinkedIn headline Although it might sound difficult to grasp, the one-sentence pitch is quite straightforward. Check out what we call our easy recipe for success: Just add your desired position, your top 2 skills, and the thing that makes you feel passionate about starting a new career. And don’t forget to highlight only your transferable skills! Option 2: Future position and top 3 skills for a clear LinkedIn headline This option is much more common than the one-sentence pitch formula. Again, you’d need your list of transferable skills. Pick the top 3 highest-priority ones and… you’ll basically have your headline ready. Here’s a success formula for you to use: You can use any graphic dividers you want - even emojis. Just make sure to sense-check if these would be well-received by HR in your dream industry. Using Keywords Strategically As we discussed, keywords work miracles for job seekers like yourself. Using the right keywords in your LinkedIn headline can make your profile easier to find by recruiters and potential employers alike. To begin with, your transferable skills are possibly the best keywords to include in your headline. In addition, we advise you to add the role you’re looking for. Remember when we mentioned that if you add, say, project manager, to your LinkedIn headline, your profile will come up every time someone searches for the words ‘project manager’? And although this depends on your location and the filters the person has added, it’s still a great opportunity to boost your profile’s visibility. Now, if you want to stand out from all other people with the same keywords in their LinkedIn headlines, you need to act strategically. Do your research. See what keywords people in your desired role are using. Are they relevant for you? Can you use them to brand yourself for your new career? As an aspiring software engineer, for instance, you could check what keywords experienced software engineers have as part of their LinkedIn headlines. Surely, you don’t want to sound boastful and appear more experienced than you actually are - as this risks making the wrong first impression. But getting some inspiration from others and using it the right way can definitely work well in your favor. Takeaways: The best LinkedIn headline for career changers So, are you ready to bring your career to the next level? Let’s go back and highlight the main steps: Make a list of your top transferable skills Choose one of the three most popular LinkedIn headline formulas Do your research and find the best job-specific keywords to include And remember, crafting an eye-catching LinkedIn headline is the easiest part of your career-changing process. Once you’re done, you should start thinking about your resume. Use our easy-to-use resume builder if you want to create a job-winning resume in minutes! And in case you need professional guidance, you can always count on our career counselors. They will help you prepare for even the toughest interview questions recruiters have for career changers!
Negotiating a Salary Increase for a New Job: What to Expect and How to Ask
We live in interesting times. The cost of living has been steadily increasing, but at the same time, not all employers have decided to give their employees the pay raises they need. That’s why the idea of looking for a new job to get that well-deserved pay increase seems like a great solution. And even if you have other reasons to look for a new job beyond the purely financial bit… We know you’d still fancy a higher salary. In fact, half of the workers who decided not to quit their jobs in 2021 faced at least a 1.7% decrease in their earnings due to inflation by 2022. At the same time, people who decided to change their jobs faced an average of 9.7% salary increase. The urge to want more is only human. But there are several factors you need to take into account when negotiating a salary increase for a new job. What is even considered ‘a normal salary increase’ for new jobs? Does that depend on the field, your skills, the level of seniority, or the location? And even if you know exactly how much more you want to be making in your new job, is that realistic? What’s the best way to deal with a hiring manager who thinks you deserve less? We’ll answer these and many other questions. By the end of this article, you’ll know: Whether it’s okay to state your salary expectations in the first interview How and when to negotiate a higher salary increase Whether salary increases depend on skills and experience What to do if faced with a lower counter-offerDeciding on Your Salary Expectations Surely there are plenty of factors you need to take into consideration when preparing for a job interview. Some of these may include body language, having answers to common interview questions, and even making sure you know everything you need about the company. But when it comes to the salary, you should base your expectations on several factors: The level of your skills and whether they are required for the position you’re applying for How many years of experience you have The country and city you’re looking for work in The level of the position you’re applying for As a rule of thumb if you’re applying for a junior position, you shouldn’t expect a huge salary even if you have plenty of experience and are confident in your skills. However, if you have the necessary experience for a mid-senior position but are much more skilled than you think other candidates are, then it’d be worth basing your salary expectations on that. And if you’re applying for a job in a smaller or bigger town - you guessed it, the salary might respectively be smaller or bigger. But still, most times it all comes down to the company budget. Usually, companies try to fit in a designated range - say, if the average annual salary for a junior software engineer in New York is $98k, then a possible range might be $95-105k. So even if you’re an ultra-hard-working junior software engineer with brilliant experience and crazy skills, chances of getting an offer above $105k might be low. However, in addition to researching what the average salary for your job and location of choice is, you might also want to gather company-specific information. Websites like Glassdoor, PayScale, and SalaryExpert can provide a bit more detail on the salary you could expect. Getting in touch with industry experts could also help. And don’t worry if you don’t know any people that match this description yet. You can reach out to them on LinkedIn or go to different industry-specific social events and discuss this matter in person. What’s more, some other factors worth considering when thinking of your salary expectations are bonuses, benefits, and stock options. For instance, many startups can’t afford to offer huge salaries and try to compensate their employees with stock options. Other employers, on the other hand, have decided to offer out-of-the-ordinary benefits, such as birthday bonuses, office massages, longer holiday leave, or team events. It really is a company-specific matter. And with the right amount of research and industry insight, you’ll be able to be prepared ahead of the interview. But how do you negotiate once faced with an offer? Let’s see… Planning your negotiation strategy Once you’ve decided how much you want to make on your next job, it’s time to start preparing for the actual salary convo. First and foremost, you have to remember that it’s the recruiter or hiring manager who needs to bring up the salary topic. Don’t try discussing the salary on the first interview, Or the second. Wait until it comes up naturally in the conversation and you’re sure you want the job. Otherwise, the recruiter might think you only want to join the company to get a pay raise. Then, it’s time to set a salary range for yourself. Know what’s the lowest you would settle for. And make sure to stick to a range that really meets your needs. It’s a bad idea to say you’d be happy with anything between $60k and $120k, if you really want to earn $75k, for instance. Third, don’t share too much about your salary history too early in the application process. While applicants are able to conduct research about the average salary they could expect, most hiring managers want to know exactly how much you were making before. If this topic comes up in the first interview, think of it as just a screening question. Answer politely, but don’t give too many details. And if you’re faced with a lower counteroffer, don’t worry. That’s the best time to discuss bonuses, benefits, and stock options. If the salary is non-negotiable, you could always ask for more paid vacation leave days or better benefits - such as meal vouchers or life insurance. But in case this doesn’t satisfy your requirements, don’t start looking for a new offer straightaway! Instead, think about the long term. What are the growth prospects? Is this offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? Many times, really competitive jobs are competitive not because of their salary, but because of the opportunities that follow after. For example - if you’re looking for an entry-level job in a venture capital fund, the offer you get might be disproportionate to the work you’ll be expected to do. But since every hiring manager knows how competitive VC jobs are and how much it takes to get one, the chances of this one position skyrocketing your career are quite big. So choose wisely! Sometimes, it’s worth accepting a lower salary offer - it all depends on the nature of the job, your preferences, and your career goals. Finalizing the offer Once you’ve received the actual offer, you need to know how to finalize it. First and foremost, you should insist on getting the offer in writing. That’s the only format in which an offer is considered official. Then, make sure that all compensation factors are included in the written offer you receive. Unfortunately, some employers break their initial promises. So don’t sign anything you don’t agree with. But what happens if you decide to decline the offer? What’s the best way to do this? Well, you need to make sure you’re polite, even if the offer seems too low for your skills and experience. In addition, always express gratitude for the hiring manager’s time and consideration. Find some more tips on how to decline a job offer in this article! And if you’re still not certain of your approach, remember that talking to an expert can always help. Our professional career counselors can support you in building the right negotiation strategy and getting the offer you deserve!
First Job Jitters: How Long Should You Stay at Your First Job?
Your first job is an amazing opportunity to learn, grow, and set goals. All this - for free. Even better - you get paid monthly for your time. However, we live in the era of social media. We are constantly bombarded by people living according to the latest get-rich-quick trends. What’s more, there seem to be endless opportunities - working from home is not enough when you can work from a beach in Bali or get paid for posting your OOTD on social media… You know the drill. But don’t let these trends fool you. There are other things that should be considered before you make the decision to quit your first job. For instance, the value your first job brings to you or the impact it has on your life. Let’s dive deeper! Step #1: Understanding the value of your first job Your first job can have an immense impact on your life. Depending on the job you choose, your life can take surprising turns. Let’s imagine you’re a management graduate. You can choose to work in consulting, where you’ll face frequent travel and long working days, but also get promoted at least every couple of years. Or you can choose to work as an analyst in a small private company and have a better work-life balance but also less exposure to growth opportunities. Or you can go in a completely different direction - work as a waiter or waitress in a beach bar in Costa Rica, chasing sunsets, but with no linear career path in front of you. The possibilities are endless. And depending on the choice you have already made, the value of your first job can differ. So, start by assessing whether your first job is in an area you want to grow in. If it is, then it would be worth staying at it for at least 6 months or even a year. In this way, you will reap multiple fruits. More specifically, you will: gain valuable experience that will help you find a good second job build a professional network that can serve you in the future learn the ins and outs of the specific field or industry, thus becoming a real expert. And while it’s normal for you to want to earn more, be more, and know more, it’s worth staying in one place in order to dive deeper into the sea of industry knowledge. Your future employer will value this. However, if your first job is in an industry in which you don’t see your future self thriving, then it may be time to go for something else. Once you’ve understood the value of your first job, it’s time to look at how satisfied you are with it. Step #2: Assessing your job satisfaction Take a pen and a piece of paper and reflect on the following questions: Do you feel motivated to do your work? Are there enough things that inspire you about your job? What about your daily responsibilities - are they related to something that piques your interest, or do they make you feel bored? Do you feel like you belong in your team? Do the company values resonate with you? And if you really care about your own values - do you feel like you can share and discuss them with other team members freely? Lastly, what are the opportunities for growth within the company? Can you expect to grow and move up to more senior positions, or are you doomed to be stuck in one role for a while? In addition to answering these questions, we advise you to also think about your own dreams and desires. It’s not a bad thing if your current role inspires you and you enjoy it so much, you want to stay there for years and years - even if there are no prospects for growth. However, if you want to grow to a new position, but are having second thoughts about your development opportunities within the company, then treat this as a red flag. Another thing to consider is related to the skills you need and also the skills you acquire in your job. Is your current job providing you with enough experience? Do you see yourself growing, both as an individual and as a professional? Are you learning new things and mastering new skills? In short, you need to determine whether your current job is aligned with your career goals. If it’s not, it shouldn’t take you long before you make the decision to start a new job hunt. And regardless of whether you’ve made the decision to quit your first job already or are still trying to figure things out, considering the current job market is a must. Step #3: Considering the job market and your career goals Once you’ve assessed your job satisfaction and measured it against your career goals, it’s time to research what other opportunities the job market holds for you. Make sure to always have the long term in mind. Even if your job is not something you’d like to do your entire life, staying at it for a bit longer can benefit your career in the long term. Realistically speaking, if you’re very early in your career and it’s only been a couple of months since you started your first job… Then finding a new one might prove to be more difficult than we’d like it to be. But it all depends on the job market. If there are multiple junior roles open and you believe you’d be a great fit for some of them, then quitting your current job might look easy… Yet, it’s worth remembering - the inspiration that comes with starting a new job is great, but you need discipline to smash your career goals. And since you’re contemplating leaving your first job, it might be useful to know that you’re not alone. To be precise, 72% of Gen Z employees and 66% of millennials share that they’re considering a career change in the next year… Compared to only 30% of baby boomers. It’s obvious - career trends change. But the importance of smart, well-thought-out decisions is ever-lasting. If you’re still wondering whether it’s time to start looking for a new job, talking to your manager or mentor might help. Step #4: Talking to your manager or mentor Discussing your concerns with your manager is a good idea. It can help you get a better understanding of what your future would look like if you stayed in the company. What’s more, taking the time to share more about your career goals will align your vision with the plans of your manager. For instance, let’s imagine you want to put more emphasis on work-life balance, but at the same time can’t escape the routine of early mornings and late nights at the office. You might love your job but struggle because of this one factor. In this case, communicating your desires with your employer might help. It’s worth the shot. And if your doubts are related to slow career advancement or low pay, you might still want to bring this up. Asking for feedback on your performance will prove your curiosity and willingness to learn to your employer. If you get positive feedback, then it’d be only natural for you to ask for a promotion or a pay raise. Just keep in mind that in most cases, this opportunity would be entirely dependent on the company’s financial situation. If you know things are not going too well financially, then asking for a raise might leave a bad taste in your manager’s mouth. So think twice before bringing this up. And if you’re lucky enough to have a mentor to talk to, do this! Getting advice from a more experienced other is always a good idea. Step #5: Making a decision Once you’ve understood the value of your first job, assessed your satisfaction with it, considered the job market, and talked to your manager, it’s time to make a decision. If you’re still unsure what to do, make a list. Weigh the pros and cons of staying and leaving your first job. Write down all the things that you love, like, and even hate. See which of the bad ones you can tolerate and which of the good ones outweigh them. Consider your other options carefully. Talk to your friends, family, and maybe even a past teacher that knows you well enough. Look at the situation from all angles. And don’t wait until you’re ready. And remember - there is no perfect timing for the decision to quit. Staying and leaving might be equally scary. How long should you stay at your first job: the conclusion Feeling valuable at your job is the most important thing to some. To others, it’s a high wage that keeps them motivated. And it might be the case that you’re one of the people who need to have a proper work-life balance. So if the rule ‘stay at your first job for a year’ doesn’t resonate with you, don’t follow it. Have your own unique recipe for success. Just make sure to assess your situation thoroughly before making a decision. And if all this examination has led you to the decision to quit your first job, then it’s time to craft a job-winning resume. Having only one job to list on it might look tricky. But that’s exactly when our career counselors come to the rescue! Book a call and get help with building your resume, finding suitable jobs, and landing an interview! Yes, it can be as easy as it sounds.
Stay or Go: Navigating the Gray Area of Quitting a New Job
You went through a long application process, passed several interviews and possibly a task, just to find out that your new job is not the best match for you. Maybe your new manager is not as cool as they appeared to be in the interview, or maybe your colleagues are a bit more passive-aggressive than you’d like them to be. Or it might be the case that the company is great and you love the job, but your partner has to relocate, and you don’t have the option to work remotely. Whatever the reason may be, the thought of quitting a new job can be overwhelming. No one wants to go through the job-searching process several times a year. And how will you even explain your short stay at your last job to recruiters? In order to make things a bit less complicated, we have selected all the factors you need to consider before quitting your new job. In this article, you’ll learn: How much time you should give your new job Whether the company culture is important enough to influence your decision What the most common signs it’s time to move on are If communicating with your current employer is actually worth it … and more. Let’s start! Top 5 factors to consider before quitting your new job Leaving a company you’ve just started working for is a decision that requires careful consideration. In most cases, you wouldn’t want to base your decision on the general “you either like it or you don’t” rule. The reason for this? It’s normal to feel weird during the first couple of months. It’s a good idea to give yourself at least 8 weeks before making a decision in order to get used to the new processes and faces. The first factor worth considering would be whether the job fits your skills, experience, and motivation. Factor #1: Job fit Is the nature of the job what you imagined it to be? It might be better, but it might also be worse. We know it, it’s not always easy to assess whether the job would be the right fit for you before you take it. But since you’ve already joined your new team, you can get a better idea if the job fits you. Here are some questions worth asking yourself: Do I use my full potential or do I feel too comfortable? Am I challenged to think outside the box and grow? Do I use my job-related skills? Does this job meet my career goals? Once you’re done, it’s worth looking at the bigger picture. Time for assessing the growth perspectives. Factor #2: Growth opportunities What’s the structure of your team? Teams with a flatter structure are nice because everyone gets to have their voice heard. However, being part of a flat structure means having fewer prospects for career growth. Teams with a strict hierarchy, on the other hand, are more inclined to linear, steady career growth. However, personal opinions are less often valued here. If you’re not sure what the structure of your team is, it’s worth asking your manager about the growth opportunities for your position. In fact, growing in your job could mean taking on more responsibilities, learning new things, working on projects you feel passionate about, or getting regular salary increases. But having in mind that you’re new to the job, it’d be useful to remember that not all growth opportunities could be obvious. So when in doubt, ask your line manager. You can also check their work history on LinkedIn and see how long it has taken them to grow within the team. Just keep in mind that growth is individual, and simple research like this one might not represent opportunities 100% accurately. Factor #3: Company culture According to a study by Harvard Business Review, company culture is inextricably connected to leadership. However, it is also greatly dependent on the ways employees relate to each other in group settings. And that’s why people have recently started paying more attention to it. Another important factor that shapes culture is the values shared by people in the company. These may include discipline, integrity, diversity and equality, loyalty, and accountability to name a few. Depending on the values a company chooses to stick with, the work environment and processes may be affected. For instance, if a company has put discipline on a pedestal, it might provide less space for creativity and risk. And if it stands behind diversity and equality, you should expect that no discrimination will be tolerated. A good way to get to know what your new employer’s values are is by digging into the company website or checking public announcements in the media. If you find that the company values don’t really fit with yours, make a mental note of that. Depending on your own views, this realization may be a turning point. And if you’re the more practical type, it’s time to assess the way compensation and benefits can affect your choice. Factor #4: Compensation and benefits It’s no secret that a good compensation and benefits plan can attract the right talent and make them stay. So don’t worry if you deem these two to be important factors for your decision. In fact, it’s normal to have your wage define at least some of your feelings towards your employer - after all, it’s easier to be happy when you know you’re valued. Just make sure to keep benefits such as longer annual leave, food vouchers, office massages, and remote work in mind! Factor #5: Work-life balance It might be the case that your compensation is top of the market, but you don’t have any work-life balance. In general, having a proper work-life balance doesn’t just mean not working 24/7. It also means being able to enjoy leisure time without checking your email constantly. Last but not least, it includes having the energy to do nice things for yourself and your family after work. Fairly speaking, you’re expected to have at least a relatively good work-life balance if you’ve only been in the company for a few weeks. It might be a red flag if training and orientation activities take up so much of your time, that you’re not able to enjoy time off work properly. Carefully assessing these 5 factors is a must, but let’s not forget that timing is also crucial when it comes to making the right decision. How Long to Give a New Job? Shift shock - that’s what 72% of new joiners have experienced when changing jobs. It’s the feeling you get when you realize that the company or position doesn’t match your expectations. It’s common for gen Z and millennial candidates to experience shift shock because they have higher expectations and lower patience levels. However, this phenomenon can affect you even if you’ve been around for longer. And if you ask us, there may be a link behind this and raising employee dissatisfaction. That’s why we advise you to give your new job the standard probationary period - 3 to 6 months. Take enough time to get used to the work processes, your teammates, and your manager. Of course, the factors we discussed above may shorten or extend this timeframe. Another thing worth remembering is that you should always set realistic expectations. Don’t be the person who says “if they don’t promote me in 3 months, I quit”. And if you’re not sure whether your expectations are realistic - communicate them with your line manager. Ask them what they think. Seeking feedback is always a good idea. Still not sure what to do? 5 signs it's time to move on If you’ve weighed the pros and cons of your new job but are still not sure whether it’s time to go, here’s a definite list of things to look out for: Persistent unhappiness or dissatisfaction If you lack motivation and are generally dissatisfied with your job - it’s time for something new. You don’t want this lack of happiness to spill over to other aspects of your life, right? Lack of opportunity for growth Although you might think it’s too early to worry about your career development… it’s not! If you want to become a manager or head of the department, but all your teammates have been stuck in their positions for the last 3-5 years, then save yourself some future disappointment and start looking for a job that matches your career goals! Incompatible company culture Regardless of whether you’re working in a small NGO or a large multinational corporation, company culture is something you’ll face every day. It’s intertwined with the ways you communicate in your team, the feedback you get, and the impact your work has in general. So if you have doubts about the compatibility of the company values with your own, we advise you to assess carefully the impact this might have on the future you. After all, we might not be able to influence the values instilled by our families, but we can choose the ones held by our employers and coworkers. Unsatisfactory compensation or benefits There are people who treat compensation as a lesser priority than culture or growth opportunities, for instance. And truth be told, if you’re learning new things, having fun at work, seeing plenty of opportunities for development, and feeling that your voice is heard, you might devote little attention to whether they’re paying you a top-of-the-market wage. But if you’re unhappy and feel undervalued, then low pay may become the top factor that influences your decision to quit. Chronic work-life imbalance The notion of quiet quitting - or choosing life over work and doing only what you’re required to do - is here to stay. It would only be normal for employers to start recognizing this. So if you’re regularly required to work overtime and are struggling to make time for yourself, family, and friends, then what you’re facing might be a chronic work-life imbalance. This is really a red flag, given you probably started your new job not so long ago. Think whether you would be able to compromise your personal life and most importantly, whether it’ll be worth it… The next steps… If assessing all these factors has led you to the decision to quit, you’re not alone. Our career counselors have helped thousands of people prepare for the next step. It doesn’t matter whether you need someone to help you craft a job-winning resume and cover letter, or you would prefer to get professional advice as part of your interview prep. Book a call with our experts and skyrocket your career! Life’s too short to waste time in a job that doesn’t fit you. And if you need another tiny push in the right direction - take our free quiz!
How to Explain Being Fired on a Job Application: Tips and Strategies
Talking about why you left your previous job when you were actually fired is obviously no easy thing. You need to be mindful of the language you use, even if you’re still angry at your previous employer. You also need to show there was a lesson for you to learn from that situation, and that you are now stronger than ever. But let’s take a step back. Should you even mention you were fired on your resume? Build your resume using a job-winning resume builder The short answer is no. The long answer is no, because your resume is the place to showcase your skills, talk about your achievements, and prove you’re the best candidate. How to write a great resume for a job in 2023 - all you need to know But what if the application asks you to provide a reason for leaving your previous job? Something more - what if the hiring manager asks ‘Why did you leave your previous job?’ during the interview? Should you just brush it off and say you’d rather not discuss this? No. Instead, you should have an answer that shows your positive attitude and readiness to keep on growing. Sounds complicated on the surface, but we’re here to help! In this article you’ll learn: Why it’s important to be honest when faced with the ‘Why did you leave your previous job?’ question How to explain the situation in a clear yet concise manner How to emphasize the positives of being fired (yes, there are positives!!) Let’s get started! Be honest, but strategic Lying in a job application is never a good idea. Mainly because if you lie to your prospective employer once, the risk of falling into a rabbit hole and telling more lies is huge. And you can’t build a successful partnership based on dishonesty. But also because hiring managers might want to hear the other side of the story and connect with your previous employer. In both cases, being honest is your safest bet. However, this doesn’t mean getting into too much detail about your previous manager, your former colleagues’ work ethics, or the things you didn’t put much effort into. After all, you want to be strategic, right? And being strategic means presenting things in a way that benefits you. So instead of explaining what made your old job a nightmare, focus on the lessons you learned. For instance, let’s say you were part of the digital marketing team of a medium-sized company. You were able to take on lots of work and always got the job done perfectly. That’s probably why other teammates and your manager were asking you to do things you weren’t supposed to and put an unbelievable amount of pressure on you. You didn’t know how to say no, which led you to the verge of burnout. You got into a fight with your manager, called them incompetent and lazy, and got fired. Now, we advise you to skip the name-calling part. Remember what we said about being strategic? An excellent way to phrase this in a more positive way is to say that the workload and lack of clear processes and structure put huge pressure on you. You could also say you didn’t get your manager’s support when you expected and needed it the most. And then you’d need to focus on the lesson - to propose process changes when you see the opportunity to do so and to be more assertive when asking for help. See the difference? That’s what we call honest but strategic! In this case, you’ll present yourself as a strong, open-minded individual, who is not afraid to ask for support when they need it. What a dream! But what should you do if the reason that got you fired was actually a mistake or a performance issue? Well, it’s important to state that as well. But also to show you’ve taken the necessary steps to fill your knowledge gaps and gain new skills. In addition, keep in mind that it’s always best to avoid blaming others. Even if they really were to blame. Instead, we advise you to take responsibility for your actions (or lack thereof, actually). If you feel like it, you could also share your thoughts on how you expect moving on from this past situation to help you deal with challenges in the future. But don’t let yourself get into a loop of providing too many unnecessary details. Let’s see why! Be brief and to the point Your future employer doesn’t need to know all the details. In fact, we advise you to discuss the reason for being fired only if you’re asked. Avoid the words ‘I was fired’, use more neutral phrases such as ‘let go’, ‘role termination’, or even ‘mutual separation’ if relevant to your situation. This will help you manage the negative connotation often associated with the word ‘fired’. What’s more, it will elevate the tone of the conversation to a more formal one. And being concise and to the point is the perfect way to lead a formal conversation. So, share the reason why you were terminated from your job (e.g. bad culture fit) and summarize the experience you had in one sentence. Then, talk about the lesson you learned. Here’s an example to better illustrate this: Let’s say the reason why you were fired was linked to underperformance. You weren’t motivated to do well and struggled to meet targets because the job was fully remote, and your kids were at home most of the time, which meant you couldn’t concentrate. Now, instead of making excuses and blaming your kids or the company’s work-from-home policy, you could simply state: My previous job wasn’t a good fit because I had to work from home. I am a passionate team player who is much more productive when sharing my workspace with like-minded individuals. See how this explanation gives enough context without overcomplicating things? If the job you’re applying for is not remote, this can work miracles. But don’t expect to come up with a response like this one on the spot. Even if you’re a natural, it’s always better to practice. Maybe even consider rehearsing this exact interview question with a friend or a mentor. Why? Because you should be well-prepared for this stressful question in order to tackle it in the best way possible. There are also certain techniques that you could use before the interview to make sure you’ll remain calm, confident, and professional… even when faced with the ‘why’ question. Some examples include meditation, breath work, visualization, or even sweating the stress out with a short run. You decide! Just remember that being well-prepared minimizes the possibility of stress and poor performance. Key takeaways: Explaining you were fired on a job application Let’s face it - if you don’t have any expert advice to turn to, being fired in the past can ruin your job application. But with the right kind of help, you can make the reason for leaving your previous workplace work in your favor. Just remember to be: Honest Strategic Brief and to the point There’s no point in lying. And yet, your potential boss doesn’t need to know all details. Otherwise, you risk appearing as someone who lacks professionalism. And one last thing - having a good answer to the ‘Why?’ question prepared in advance is crucial. You can rehearse with a friend, a mentor, or yourself in front of the mirror. Plenty of options! If you feel like it, you can always count on our career counselors for expert guidance. Reach out to them if you need help crafting a job-winning resume or prepping for the next interview. And don’t forget - you can use any experience to your advantage!
How to Set Work Goals: Tips and Strategies for Effective Personal and Professional Goal Setting
Has anybody ever asked you, “Where do you see yourself in five years? “The only way you can answer this question, other than by having a magical crystal ball, is by setting goals for yourself. By setting smart goals, ones that you can assess and create key performance indicators for, you can turbo charge your professional development. Ultimately, you have the power in your own hands to achieve your goals, but before you break out to a cold sweat, you should know that any large school that anyone has ever accomplished has been completed by breaking it down into small, bite-sized goals. To put a person on the moon, small goals had to be achieved. If, each day, you’re getting better and better, each day you’re hammering out small goals, eventually you’ll be able to tackle those large goals. in this article, we will look at why having goals is important, and how to: Identify the objectives of your goals. Break down large goals into smaller, bite-size tasks Create an action plan to achieve goals Regularly monitor your progress Ways to motivate yourself and stay accountable Celebrate little victories and big achievements If you have so many goals floating around your mind, but just don’t know how to make them tangible, speak to a career counselor from Enhancv. They’ll help you analyze your goal-setting process, helping you to assess your career goals, and find ways to live them out. Why Set Professional Work Goals? Professional goals are important because, if you are committed to the role that you have in your organization, you will want to grow. You might choose to turn your greatest weakness into a strength. You may be interested in increasing cognitive abilities, interview skills or public speaking skills, or you might have a few personal goals that can fit into your career path. Consider this: Each professional skill that you add to your skill toolbox can make you a more sought after candidate for new positions. As you set more goals, successfully attain skills, and achieve success, you may notice that on your next employee performance review, your boss will rave about all the new things that you’ve learned. Identify Your Objectives for Professional Development Growth can only be achieved by goals which can be analyzed, assessed, and reworked. If you don’t track them, then unfortunately you’ll never be able to achieve them. In order to do that, you need to identify the objectives of your goals. SMART goals SMART goals are an acronym, standing for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Let’s look at those in more detail: Specific: This is a goal that has a specific outcome. It’s not a vague goal, but has a unique purpose.Ask yourself, “What will I accomplish by setting the goal and what actions will I take to achieve it?” Measurable: In order to achieve success with your professional goals, you need to measure them. Just like in the scientific method, any innovation that’s ever been accomplished has had set parameters to reach those goals.Ask yourself, “How will I gather data to assess whether I’m reaching my goal? What are some ways that I can quantify the steps that I take to reach my goal?” Achievable: You can come up with any list of goals, but if they’re not achievable, then they mean nothing. You’re just setting yourself up for failure if the goal that your setting is outside your scope. For example, let’s say that you're terrified of public speaking to where your blood pressure shoots through the roof when you even think about it. It may not be a good idea for you to set a goal of hosting your own TED Talk.Instead, aim for something more achievable, but getting the courage to speak up in a meeting.Ask yourself these questions: “Can I actually complete this goal? Do I have all the resources at my disposal to complete it?” Relevant: Some goals are great, but they don’t really fall into line with your overall career aspirations. This is where you need to assess your overall goals, to define the guiding principles for goal-setting throughout your five-year plan.Ask yourself, “Does this goal fit with where I’d like to be in my professional and personal life in five years?” Time-bound: Most people are procrastinators. They say they’re going to get something done, but they keep pushing it off, until finally they run out of time to actually do it. If you want to actually accomplish your goals, you’ve got to set specific time frames to meet your goals.Ask yourself, “How long do I want to work on this specific goal? What’s the maximum time that all ‘mini goals’ will take me?” Smart goals actually help you create specific, easy-to-follow goals. Break Down Large Goals into Smaller Tasks It’s important to break down large goals into smaller tasks because identifying smaller tasks can give you real tangible goals to work towards. You can have large, amazing goals for yourself, but if you don’t break them down into easy-to-digest tasks, then you might not see your dreams become a reality. Strategies for breaking down large goals into smaller tasks Reverse engineer your goal: Start with the big goal. Maybe it’s wanting to work on your public speaking skills. But that’s way too vague. So maybe it is being able to deliver a 45 minute presentation with no notes. That might seem like an enormous task, but reverse engineer it by looking at what you’ll need to do to get to that next stage.If you want to lead a 45 minute presentation without notes, you’re going to need strategies to memorize your notes. You may need to deliver a couple of presentations in a modified setting, where you use both a combination of notes, PowerPoint, and multimedia tools to create a seamless presentation. Map out the practical ways to reach your goal: Assign yourself real tasks to work on getting better at what you’re doing. Let’s go back to the example above. In order to achieve your goal of being able to deliver a 45 minute presentation with no notes, you’ll need to get some practice reps in. How are you going to do that?Well, maybe sign up for a public speaking course at a local community college. Or, find an organization that teaches public speaking skills, like ToastMasters. Even ask a family member or friend to listen to a presentation that you’d like to lead, helping you to move away from using notes.Next, maybe you’ll stick to cue cards instead of a full set of notes. On your cue cards, maybe you’ll make a bullet point for every paragraph that you would present. This will allow you to internalize your speech better. Make a list and check it twice: Last, make a list of mini tasks to work on. If you’d like, you can even make it into a checklist so that you can scratch out each mini goal that you do. The simple task of crossing off a minor task may give you the motivation to complete your goal. Create an Action Plan on How to Set Work Goals Your action plan is almost like a contract with yourself, whereby you promise to complete the goals within the set time. If you use some of the information gathered above in the strategies for breaking down larger goals, you’ll already have the bare-bones basis of an action plan. Here’s how you can add a little more to your action plan: Think critically about your professional goals After you’ve broken down one large goal into many tiny tasks, go through the list of tasks that you have and ask yourself if you need to complete each one. For example, let’s say you want to reach that goal of being able to do a 45 minute presentation without notes. One of your tasks on that list is to head over to a local comedy club and sign up for an open mic night. However, the night before the open mic night, you can’t sleep a wink and you are so stressed out about the prospect of standing in front of a group of people and telling jokes. Don’t be afraid to cross things off your list that you don’t feel comfortable with. Some of your tasks might not line up with overall aims of the goal. Write them down Make sure whenever you’re setting goals to write each one of your tasks for your goal. All of your personal development goals should be written down, so that you can get a good overview of your goal achievement once you’ve completed the process. You may only complete a certain amount of the tasks that you have for yourself, and yet still complete your overall goal. Assess the progress you’re making throughout While you’re going through all of your goals, assess your progress. Consider each of the tasks you’ve completed and ask yourself if those tasks have helped you to get one step closer to your goal. For example, imagine you end up going to the comedy club for an open mic night. Ask yourself after that night is over, “Did this task really help me achieve my overall goal, or was it a waste of time?” Stay Motivated and Accountable Did you know that there is a huge swell in the amount of people going to a gym right after New Year’s? The reason for this is that people make New Year’s resolutions to lose weight at the start of the new year. The only issue with this is that most people don’t end up sticking with their goal, and a vast majority of the people who sign up for gym memberships quit in February. If you want to complete a career development goal, you need to be motivated. Check out some tips below to learn how to stay focused and keep yourself accountable: Create a support system around you through friends and family One of the best things you can do is to enlist the help of friends or family members to keep you accountable. Have a friend or family member check in on you from time to time to make sure that you are completing your tasks for your overall goal. Also, you can have a few of your friends actually get involved in the tasks that you’re working on. As mentioned above, if your goal is to increase your communication skills in order to do a 45 minute presentation without the use of notes, ask a friend or family member to sit in on one of your presentations and provide feedback. Change your environment to meet your goals In order to reach some goals that you have, change your habits. If you have organizational goals, then one of the first places you can start is by organizing your office and making sure that everything is ready to use. Even some of your professional development goals can be tied to regular daily habits. For example, if you would like to increase employee engagement and team collaboration within your organization, you might have to start by simply thanking people for the work that they do. You might not notice this about yourself, but you rarely say thank you to people. Start by thanking the barista who gives you your coffee in the morning, or the mailman who drops off your mail. Become a more gracious person. Celebrate Achievements and Learn from Setbacks Treat yourself when you succeed It can be an amazing feeling when you complete one of your goals. And even if it’s a very minor goal, you should still treat yourself when you succeed. Maybe it could be as simple as buying yourself your favorite dessert. But if you’ve completed a major milestone, maybe treat yourself with a bottle of champagne. Also, share your achievements with your support group, because they’ll be proud of you for all the work you’ve done. If you’re happy about something, excited about the work that you put in, then share that with the people that you love. Redefine your goals when you fall short Every single person on this earth has failed at some point in their life. What really matters is not when you fail, but what you do to affect change in your life. Ultimately, you have two choices: 1. You sulk when you don’t reach her goal, or 2. You pick yourself up and try again. Conclusion Every goal that you make affects your personal and professional development. In order to really affect change in your life, break down your large goals into small, bite -sized tasks, which you can easily handle. Create a map for yourself where you like to assess your progress along the way. Include people in your journey, so that they can celebrate it with you when you succeed. No matter what professional development goals you have, it’s always a good idea to have somebody in your corner to help you with them. You should speak with a career counselor from Enhancv, as they can help you redefine your career progression. Have you come up with a to-do list to reach your goals, and celebrate with you when you succeed?
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