MSEJ Spring 2020 | Page 4

You’ve decided that you want to make a change in your career, but how will you get there and what will you do to stand out? Setting yourself apart from the crowd can feel impossible when you are getting ready to apply for a new job, or even a big promotion, especially if you have been out of the workforce for a period of time. Here are a few ways to help you take that next step in your career.

Set a Timeline.

When do you want to be in a new role? Is your current role satisfying enough for you to be able to travel down this road while still working, or are you utterly miserable to the point you need to switch roles now? Think about the long term, the future of where you want to be and create target dates; one date for when you want to be applying to jobs, and one for when you want to be in your new role. Once you know when you want to get things done by you have to get to work!

Research.

You know what you want to change in your position, but what does that entail? Sometimes, your skillset and knowledge base need to expand in order to reach the full potential you have. So start by researching the role(s) that you are looking at applying for, what qualifications do they require or even prefer that you have? Make a list of these skills and tackle them one at a time.

Network.

Networking seems like such an overused term, but it truly is the number one way to get a job, so why not use it to your advantage.

Taking your Career to the Next Level

Written By: Phylicia Vallier