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Navigating a successful career requires more than just skills and experience—it demands effective utilization of career tools that empowers you to make informed decisions, enhance your professional growth, and achieve your goals. These tools encompass a wide range of resources designed to support you at various stages of your careers. Lets cover some of them.

??Professional Networking Platforms:

You are already using one. These are online spaces where individuals can connect with colleagues, mentors, and potential employers. They facilitate the exchange of ideas, industry trends, and job opportunities. You can use generalized platforms, or industry specific platforms. See how others have made the transition through their careers, see how your industry is changing and what skills you may need, and find a like minded community.

??Resume Builders:

Take these with caution. I personally see these as a guide, rather than a tool. A simple docx single column layout is always best.

However, these online platforms and templates can help you simplify the process of creating a compelling resume. They can offer guidance on formatting, language, and content to make a strong first impression to potential employers.

??Skills Assessment Platforms:

Use these to identify and evaluate your skills, strengths, and areas for improvement. It may provide valuable insights where your personal skills align with career goals and identify gaps. (note – be cautious about what evidence lies behind them and what they may be selling).

??Job Search Engines:

These can also be networking platforms. They aggregate job listings from diverse sources, offering a centralized hub for job seekers. You can usually filter opportunities ( industry, location, and job type). Get to know the ones in your industry, your country, and your language.

??Career Development Courses:

There is now a wealth of online learning platforms that offer courses, webinars, and certifications to enhance professional skills. Some are better quality than others. These may cover technical skills or soft skills crucial for career advancement.

??Interview Preparation Tools:

You can see common interview questions, industry-specific scenarios, and effective communication strategies to help you build confidence and prepare thoroughly for job interviews.

Don’t forget that a lot of the preparation will be your own research into the company across a variety of sources.

??Personal Branding Resources:

Personal branding has become a bigger component of networking and industry and I predict will continue to grow. Optimising your online presence and having social media strategies can help you standout from the crowd as an expert in your field – the right person to hire. It will help you to network. It doesn’t need to be very complicated. Talk about what you know. Know where and when to post, and align this content with your career goals.

??Salary Research Platforms:

These websites provide insights into salary benchmarks for specific roles, industries, company size and locations (Location is key). You will be better able to negotiate fair compensation based on industry standards.

??Portfolio

This is where you can bring all of the above together.

A career portfolio is a comprehensive and organized collection of documents, artifacts, and evidence that showcases your professional achievements, skills, experiences, and qualifications. It serves as a tangible representation of ?career progression and capabilities. They can typically your resume, work samples and projects, professional achievements, educational credentials, skills inventories, letters of recommendations, endorsements and thanks, professional development (formal and informal), career goals and objectives, voluntareer and community service, professional memberships, personal statement and career summary (very useful for writing cover letters in a hurry). You can include viual elements such as charts, graphs and milestones.

Collated this all in a digital or analogue format? Now you are ready for career progression, negotiating a raise, applying for a new role, or career transitions.