Elements of a Career Makeover

There are times in life that one needs a makeover whether it is a fresh new haircut & color, a new wardrobe, or committing to a fitness & wellness routine and our careers are no exception. Managing our careers is an intentional and continuous process whereby we pause to reflect, take stock & inventory on where are at the present moment, gut check to see if what we are doing is in alignment with our aspirational vision, and whether we are moving closer or further away from the target or just plain stuck altogether. The career “makeover” process is an empowering and transformative process that helps you achieve your professional goals and find greater satisfaction in your work while propelling you to take decisive action to make the changes necessary to achieve them.

As professional women, our lives have chapters that will look differently depending upon our season (single without children, living life with a partner, and later with children) that will require different strategies to continue to steer with intention and move as quickly or slowly as the season dictates. This “wash, rinse, and repeat” list are things to continue to keep in your line of sight to “stay on trend” and not lapse into a state of requiring a total overhaul as you continue to work and progress in your roles.

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1.?????? Self-Assessment: Set a regular cadence of checking in on your own progress and status. Start by taking a deep look at yourself, your skills, interests, and values. Consider what you are enthusiastic about and what truly motivates you in your career. This self-reflection will help you identify areas that need improvement or change. I recommend a half-year and end of year touch base. This activity can be as simple as a quick pulse-check at mid-year (from asking how am I doing? Should I stay the course or determine that it is time to make an adjustment?) or blocking out an hour to conduct a fuller deep dive and assessment at the end of the year so that you are poised to shift gears in the new year.

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2.?????? Set Clear Goals: At the start of every new fiscal year in workplaces across the globe, companies set annual targets that are then cascaded down to each and every employee to establish business delivery activities. Every employee should also have their own clearly defined career development goals that are managed in real-time along with the business expectations. These could be short-term and long-term goals, such as gaining a new skill, changing your job role, or advancing in your current field. Ensure these goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Set reminders to add, change, or delete throughout the year while tracking your completion rates of what you planned and committed to do for yourself.

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3.?????? Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile: These are underrated and underutilized advancement tools. Take time to revamp your resume to reflect your current skills, experiences, and accomplishments-this is a living document and is an excellent repository for tracking your success stories. Update your LinkedIn profile with a professional photo, create an engaging headline, and develop a well-written “about” summary that highlights what you are doing now as well as signal your career aspirations. Connect and reach out to peers, colleagues, and leaders to request recommendations and endorsements. At every opportunity when you collaborate with new stakeholders and in cross-functional work efforts, close the loop with LinkedIn connections, and request feedback through the tool to have “voices of validation” to highlight your abilities, aptitude and how others are experiencing you. This is “brand endorsement” and “free” advertising that you can leverage to build and amplify your profile giving others a view into your value while generating greater exposure in the process.

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4.?????? Skills Enhancement: Identify the skills and knowledge you need to achieve your career goals. Look at the job postings of the roles that you are aspiring to which will serve as a benchmark to understand your skill gaps enabling you to be strategic about how to prioritize and plan for gaining this aptitude. This might involve taking courses, attending workshops, earning certifications, or pursuing higher education. Invest time in continuous learning to stay competitive in your field.

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5.?????? Networking: Consider this as an ongoing activity. Understand that this is relationship building and not a “one and done” exercise. Building and expanding your professional network is a necessity that if invested in over time will yield dividends later. Attending industry events, joining relevant LinkedIn groups, and reaching out to colleagues and mentors. Make room and space to get a “little more social” at work and show up with a plan to fully engage and get involved so that others can get to know who you are. Networking can open up new opportunities and provide valuable insights in organic and “by the way” casual mentioning of an innovative approach and suggestion for action or follow up.

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6.?????? Personal Branding: Appreciate the fact that we are all “walking & talking billboards” and that we must be intentional about managing and shaping our brands. Create a personal brand that aligns with your career goals, that is, where you wish to be down the road. Think in terms of having the end in mind, such as a desire to become an officer level executive in the future. With this inspired vision, you will begin to build and shape your brand in accordance with that intention by embodying and growing into those characteristics now. This includes how you present yourself online and offline. Be consistent in your messaging, values, and appearance. Watch and observe those leaders within your proximity and those you admire out in the world. Follow their social media to support your shift and growth positioning.

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7.?????? Job Search or Promotion Plan: If you are seeking a new job or a promotion, create a strategic plan-this is a must do. This should include researching job opportunities, tailoring your application materials, practicing interview skills, and networking with potential employers. Informational interviews are a wonderful way to learn about industries, roles and responsibilities, insights about company culture as well as networking for where you see yourself down the road. If you have a plan that is thoughtfully prepared and maintained, you will not have to rush later to “get ready” for when the moment of opportunity might meet you.

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8.?????? Mentorship and Coaching: Seek out a mentor or career coach who can provide guidance, support, and feedback. Lean into making investments into your own professional development that will support where you need specific areas of development and work on them privately and practice publicly so that your growth is being experienced in real-time and are subtle adaptions. Your efforts will be seamless & fluid and will bolster the impression of your brand as others engage with you. Mentors can help you navigate challenges and support making informed decisions about how to plan for your pivots within the organization.

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9.?????? Work-Life Balance: Consider your work-life balance and overall well-being a “must do” and not an “optional” exercise. A career makeover is not just about advancing professionally; it is also about achieving personal fulfillment. Prioritize self-care and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Learn to set your boundaries around your “clock out” time and when to stop reviewing and responding to email during the week, weekend and even on vacation. Perhaps set your vacation “sights” on those destinations where you cannot take your work phone to ensure that you fully unplug and stay present with the task of enjoying the richness of life and its experiences.

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10.?? Rebranding and Self-Promotion: If you are making a significant career change or reentering the workforce after a break, you may need to rebrand yourself. This could involve a new resume format, a fresh online presence, and a narrative that explains your transition. This can also entail an honest look at how you wish to progress in your career relative to where you are in your life and determine how you want to craft your pivot. Think about whether to go back into the same line of work, promote up, or look for work that is in harmony with your purpose and passion. Depending on the path, the rebrand/reentry plan will need to be in service to the objective. Once this path is clarified, create your 30-60 second “elevator” speech that coincides with your new focus and share with others in your circle and network about what you are striving for and garner the support that you need to help you accelerate showcasing your new “wiser” and “ready” position for what is coming next.

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11.?? Practice Soft Skills: Soft skills are “human connection” aptitudes such as communication, leadership, teamwork, problem solving, and conflict resolution abilities that are as important as technical skills. Women are natural communicators and connectors; however, they must take personal inventory on where their continued development is needed in deepening their communication acumen in order to be viewed as viable when competing for promotional or stretch assignment opportunities. Taking courses such as Crucial Conversations, The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, and Project Management Mastery, as well as leadership courses that will support the shift from individual contributor to people leader will provide tools and frameworks for how to manage cross-functional efforts and leading mixed groups of people. Immediately look for opportunities to incorporate learnings in day-to-day work to lock in and shape your unique approach as you grow into the practice, and “perfect practice, makes perfect” so continue to be adaptable and never stop growing in this domain.

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12.?? Track Progress: Metrics are used to track business deliverables, the same must be applied when it comes to your own professional growth and career goal targets. Chart business accomplishments by quantifying dollars managed & saved, express in percentages, scope of work, courses taken, projects led, and also note your “first’s” as well as document the acknowledgements and recognition that you receive from others. Observe the bold new steps that you take and allow them to serve as reminders to you to show how far you have come. This is an inherit “imposter buster” when you see that your abilities and the things you have delivered on are real and you indeed have earned your seat at the table. Remember to celebrate the large & small milestones and achievements along the way.

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13.?? Seek Feedback: Requesting feedback from colleagues, mentors, or supervisors is necessary. Understanding your impact and your brand perception must come from those with whom you are engaging. Online service providers periodically ask for “2-5 min” of time to survey our experiences along with free form room for comments, so in order to grow, feedback is essential. Make it a casual request about what “more of, less of, or same as” (MOLOSA) might be needed to tighten up or eliminate to be viewed as fully possessing leadership response and accountability acumen. Constructive feedback will help you identify blind spots and areas for improvement and receive whatever is offered to you as a gift that you can unpack and use to support your goals and aspirations.

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14.?? Stay Adaptable: The job market and global industries are constantly evolving. The constants in life are “death, taxes, and change” and embracing a continuous improvement mindset for your career will serve you well overall. Reading articles from the leading business magazines, plugging into professional networks and associations will give you a perspective of what is going on in the work world outside of your company. This global view of the changes in the marketplace will enable you to prepare for shifts and pivots that you may need to make at your present company and will also enable you to keep a balanced perspective about what your company is able to do (or not do) to support your long-range aspirational vision. Keeping your skills sharp and up to date will ensure that you can read the “signs” and are market ready; be keen to embrace opportunities for growth, even if they take you in unexpected directions.

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In summary, a career makeover can be challenging and may not yield immediate results, but it could lead to greater job satisfaction, personal growth, and professional success. Stay committed to your goals and continue to adapt and evolve as you progress in your career. Adopt a positive, grateful, persistent, and patient perspective and remember that setbacks are part of the journey, and every step forward is progress. View your career like an adventure saga that you are writing in real-time that you are contributing a chapter or two to every day. All of your experiences are a part of an overall tapestry that connects your past, present and will serve you in the future and holding an optimistic perspective that it “will all work out in the end” will be the fuel that you need to continue to aspire and grow towards your “Mt. Everest” peak.

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Sheryl Brinkley is a Women's Leadership Pipeline Builder & Sustainer and a Career Acceleration Catalyst Specializing in Hi-Potential & Mid-Level leader progression into Sr. Level & C-Suite positions. She is an Executive & Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness Coach supporting her clients in their holistic self-actualization pursuits while deepening self-awareness for maximal leadership impact.

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