25 Amazing Things You Can Do This Weekend to Advance Your Career

Interested in improving your career? The truth is, you and I both know there is always room for improvement. Always! No matter where you are in your career or job search, there are steps you can take to move forward - don't get stagnated if you stay the same for too long!?

You might be looking forward to kicking back, relaxing, and taking some time to enjoy yourself with the weekend just around the corner.?You're not the only one, after all.?If everyone else spends 48 hours watching Netflix or watching sports, you can set this time up to be an advantage to improve yourself.?

This weekend, while taking a break from your job, give your career a boost. Try these 25 simple yet amazing things you can do to advance your career online and offline any weekend. ?They don’t take too much time but will reap huge benefits now and when you’re ready for the next step in your career.?

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Things to Do Online to Supercharge Your Career

?1.????Set Updated Career Goals:

Where would you like to be in one or five years? What skills and experiences will help you achieve that? Updating your career goal is about deciding where you want to head in your career, and the steps needed to achieve career success.

?SMART GOALS: A popular acronym can help you write effective goals. Try the SMART system for your career goal.

?Specific – Aim for a specific, concrete area for your goal or steps. For example, “create five job alerts in LinkedIn” vs. “Look for jobs online”

?Measurable – To determine if your goal is measurable, ask questions such as: how much? How many? How will I know when it is accomplished?

?Attainable – The best way to attain goals is to plan out the steps carefully and give yourself enough time. Describe your plan for achieving your goal. List the actions that follow each other. Based on where you are now, is your goal realistic? A challenging goal needs to be attainable, too.

?Relevant – A relevant goal is one that really matters to you and to the end result. Is it worthwhile? Is this the right time? Does your goal relate to other efforts or timelines? Does it require additional skills or training?

?Timely - Setting a time frame for your goal provides clarity and makes your action more urgent. When do you want to begin? When do you want to complete each step?

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2.????Create a Professional Development Plan:

A professional development plan documents the goals outlined above.?The plan defines the required skills, competency development, and objectives you will need to accomplish in order to support continuous improvement and career development.?A good article you can read from indeed.com is called, “How To Write a Professional Development Plan (With Examples)”?Professional development plans should be reviewed on an ongoing basis throughout the week, month, and year.

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3.????Set up Google Alerts:

The tool is free, useful, and is offered to anyone on the web by Google. Keep track of your own online presence and keep a close eye on the topics and searches most relevant to you and your career with Google Alerts.?You can monitor real-time mentions, media coverage, new content, and more with just a few key Google Alerts without paying for an expensive monitoring service.

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4.????Search for New Career Opportunities:

Focus your search on companies first instead of job boards.?Looking at your dream company, or their competition is important to ensure you don’t miss a direct opportunity to have your cake and eat it.?Many companies allow you to register for their job posting website and create a direct alert from them on openings.?Once this is done then move onto the job boards.?

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Some great job boards are:

·??????LinkedIn

·??????Indeed

·??????Google Careers

·??????ZipRecruiter

·??????CareerBuilder

·??????Monster Jobs

·??????Snagajob

·??????Talent.com

·??????The Ladders

·??????FlexJobs

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5.????Clean up your inbox:

Time to clean out your email to ensure you are ready for the new alerts you setup.?You can’t afford to put this work and time investment in and risk missing something important.?Clear out the clutter from your inbox so you can stay on top of your new activities. Unsubscribe from newsletters you rarely read and combine your favorite subscriptions.?Once you begin to receive eMails for your newly created alerts begin to create eMail rules to move similar items into grouped folders.?Here are some very professional free videos from Microsoft on How to Organize Your Inbox.

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6.????Modernize & Update your Resume:

A resume is expected to be a concise document, often, just one page in length. This means each bullet point and every word needs to be purposeful, supporting your submission. Remember, it’s human nature for people to pay more attention to the beginning of the document than the end.?Ensure you place the most important information at the top third of your resume document. ?Be sure to begin by removing your oldest positions that do not add value to the roles you are applying for.?The next important item is to update your most current skillsets.?Now we want to replace wordy paragraphs with bullet points showing value-added benefits.?Did you take an online course? ?Are you able to present to a large audience??It may help to write down all the items you worked on with your last project.?This is a good outline to begin writing with.?Also, remember to change the format to a more modernized resume as it will help you stand out against the crowd.?

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7.????Update & Optimize your Social Media Profiles:

We are living in, “The New Norm” which is far less face-to-face and much more dependent on technology.?It is very important in today’s competitive climate to ensure you have updated and enhanced social media profiles.?Many current employers and managers look at Social Media Profiles prior to making a decision on a candidate.?Make yours look professional and trustworthy.

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8.????Ask for an Online Testimonial:

An online testimonial is a document of recorded statements that supports your level of expertise, experience, and credibility. They can be written by old Managers, Supervisors, or peers.?Online testimonials are very important today and are meant to position you as a viable candidate in the job market for an opening you seek.?Make sure you ask for plenty of testimonials, but not all at once.?There is nothing sadder than an online social media profile with 12 testimonials, all the same week and from a long time ago.?Instead, spread out your ask over time and ask people in real-time while working on important projects.?When you receive a compliment is time to ask for the endorsement.

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9.????Create Online Posts:

Photos are often the first thing people notice about your profile. Always use a high-quality image and use an editing app to adjust the lighting and remove any blemishes.?Links to important relevant information is another way people will remember you.?Videos are all the rave in 2022 and very good for SEO.?I personally like to write articles like this one.?It’s long enough to weed out the people who don’t care about this subject and draws in the people who do care.?The hope is I bring a lot of value add to people and they remember me for it.?Once I write an article I share it on Social Media and Blogs.

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10. Research compensation:

It is always important to know how much your skills are worth. Skills value changes over time.?Some skills are valued high and then lower and vice-versa.?Is your role on an incline or decline with regard to demand??What are the skills worth today??This way you have the facts you need for salary discussions and don’t blow a big conversation on the last question of the interview.

11. Join a LinkedIn group:

LinkedIn Groups provide a place for professionals within the same industry and with similar interests to share, insights and experiences.?LinkedIn groups also allow you to ask for guidance, as well as build valuable connections. ?Extend your network by joining and contributing to a group related to your field. Post a question or share your expertise.

12. Discover a New Application:

The COVID-19 pandemic has added much fuel to the world’s expanding reliance on smartphones.?A new trend we are also seeing is wearable technology.?This is driving the growth of mobile applications at a frenetic rate. Mobile app development has been much bigger and faster than in years past. The rise of 5G networks is now being incorporated into the mobile application marketplace.?In fact, it is now a $693 Billion dollar market.?Simplify your professional life with apps that will save you time and make you more productive. Take your to-do list to a whole new level or check out the latest organizing tool.?Check out these articles as a good starting point.?The Best iPhone Apps for 2022, by PC Magazine; and The Best Android Apps for 2022, also by PC Magazine.

13. Follow People & Businesses on Twitter:

Twitter has become an indispensable tool for career development and networking. Packed with breaking news, practical tips, and networking opportunities, it’s a great place to get ideas and promote your work.??Most businesses, corporations, and celebrities understand the impact Twitter has made on their brand, which is why they use this social platform.?Reach out to a thought leader or follow up with a colleague you sat next to at a fundraiser last week. Re-tweet some of their posts.

14. Like a company on Facebook:

Maybe you dream about working for Microsoft, Google, or The NY Post. Like them on Facebook today so you’ll receive updates about their activities and have more to talk about if you land an interview.

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15. Learn something new:

Your career success depends on your willingness to learn something new.?Interestingly, the best path to self-improvement is also to learn something new. According to a study conducted by global staffing firm Robert Half, 84% of HR managers reported their company is open to hiring an employee whose skills can be developed through training.??When you want to improve your work-related knowledge and skills, you’re more likely to, enjoy your work while earning a raise or even promotion.?Indeed has an article called, 20 New Skills To Learn to Advance Your Career, which is a terrific read.

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16. Build a personal website:

Building a personal website goes beyond hosting an online resume at a unique yourname.com url.?Instead it is a digital asset which shows an employer you learned a new skill which connected your online asset to your online presence.?It adds SEO to your searchability, meaning those looking for someone with your precise skills.?TopResume has a wonderful article called, Why You Should Create a Personal Website ASAP, which you may be interested in.

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Things to Do Offline to Supercharge Your Career

?1.????Update your Fashion & Look:

Remember the old saying, “Dress for Success”??Research shows that your appearance strongly influences other people's perception of your financial success, authority, trustworthiness, intelligence, and suitability for hire or promotion. And, because perception is often reality, what you wear not only communicates who you are in the minds of others, but also influences your level of career advancement. ?MsCareerGirl.com gives advice in The Many Ways Improving Your Style Can Change Your Life.?When was the last time you tried a new hairstyle? Book an appointment at a popular salon or visit a makeup counter for some new tips.

?2.????Join a Professional Organization:

Building and maintaining a robust professional network is one of the best ways to advance your career.?Find a group, attend a networking event and become a full member.?Set a goal for how many professional events you want to attend in the coming month or over the next year. Show up with an agenda for what you’re looking to accomplish, whether it’s meeting new clients or learning about recent regulatory changes.?My favorite professional organization is BNI.?I have had much success with this International Group at a local level.?Click here to find a local chapter near you.

3.????Become a Professional:

Sell your items at a neighborhood boutique or offer logo design services to small businesses. Undercharge for your product or services during this time to get your item into potential brand ambassador’s hands.?Your hobby could provide income while you build up your professional portfolio.

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4.????Rehearse your Elevator Pitch:

An elevator pitch is essentially a short summary of who you are, what you're interested in doing for work, and why you're qualified for the position that you're seeking. Introduce yourself in a way that makes others eager to learn more. Come up with a memorable statement about what you do and who you do it for.?To come up with the perfect elevator pitch I suggest reading, How to Create a Winning Elevator Pitch, published at Flexjobs.com.

5.????Cultivate Career Advisors:

Feedback from others provides the information and encouragement you need to leverage your strengths. Invite your former boss out to lunch or ask a friend to rehearse a job interview with you.

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6.????Send a Thank You Note:

If you have ever been on the receiving side of a handwritten thank you note you know this is something special.?Nobody does this anymore so by writing thank you notes you stick out from the crowd as someone special.?Someone who takes the time to thank others makes them feel appreciated.?Appreciation is scarce these days so receiving it in a sincere form such as a handwritten note goes a long way.?For more information read, Complete Guide to Writing Thank You Notes

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7.????Volunteer in your Community:

You can improve your career prospects by helping others. Participate in a park cleaning program or organize a car wash to raise money for your children's school. Besides gaining experience, you'll meet new people. ?A lot of times, I combine my networking events with my nonprofit fundraisers, such as Diabetes Foundation events.?Diabetes Supplies for the Foundation is the entry fee to my event.?This is a great way to connect the community with businesses.?Business partnerships that advance a common goal bring people together in unexpected ways.

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8.????Host a Networking Party:

A Networking Party is an organized gathering for people to engage with one another and build valuable professional connections.?A weekend Networking Party can provide opportunities for attendees to engage and connect with other individuals for similar purposes.?In-person, Networking helps you feel a deeper emotional connection to your work and other people in your field.?Pick a date and invite 8-10 people to your Networking Party.?Choose a theme below as they all work well for a small weekend Networking Party.

?Networking Party Themes:

·??????Fishing Trip

·??????Golf Outing

·??????Poker Game

·??????Speed Networking

·??????Wine Mixer

·??????Dinner Party

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9.????Read a book:

Below is a list of books that you should read to advance your career. Each one focuses on a different set of skills, beliefs, or values that are important to turning into a well-rounded person at work, and in your own personal life. They’ll motivate you, inspire you, and help you shake up a stale work routine.

?·??????Think and Grow Rich – To change your mind set on money.

·??????Maximize Your Potential - If You Want to Take Your Career to the Next Level

·??????Mistakes I Made at Work - If You Want to Be Fearless

·??????Moving the Needle - When You’re Feeling Stuck in Your Career

·??????Thrive – To Learn Work-Life Balance

·??????#GIRLBOSS – Discover Unconventional Success

·??????The HBR Entrepreneur’s Handbook – For Starting a business

·??????The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - To Develop Better Work Habits

·??????Linchpin - How to Become Vital to Your Workplace

·??????Talk Like TED – Learn Public-Speaking Secrets

·??????Find Your Why – Book of Inspiration

·??????Indistractable – Best for Millennials

·??????The New Rules of Work – Learn How to Navigate the Modern Workplace

·??????Who Moved My Cheese – Change and Finding Comfort in Discomfort

·??????Pivot – The Only Move that Matter is Your Next One

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Final Thoughts:

Return to the office on Monday knowing that you’ve enhanced your credentials and prepared yourself to take on greater challenges and responsibilities. Building your brand, strengthening your relationships, and learning new information will help you to map out your career path and move successfully ahead.

For more informational articles like these be sure to visit my blogs linked below.

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