Review Your Highlight Reel: A Guide to Unlocking Your Career Potential

"Know your strengths and take advantage of them." - Greg Norman, World Golf Hall of Famer, "The Shark"

Do you ever cringe when someone you know settles for the first offer they get, regardless of what it is? I know I do. It's like waving the white flag before the battle even begins.

Many job seekers fall into this trap, believing that in a tough market, they should snatch up anything that comes their way. But let me be clear: settling is a futile endeavor, a complete waste of your time and potential.

Pursuing your dream job isn't just a lofty idea; it's the smartest move you can make. You might think it sounds unrealistic, but hear me out: Targeting the job that aligns best with your skills and interests is your best shot at not only getting hired but also thriving in your career.

Unfortunately, most job seekers approach this all wrong. They place their hopes on job boards, follow misguided advice, and send out resumes like a desperate quarterback throwing Hail-Mary passes.

But here's the truth: You hold the power. You need to make hiring managers choose you by showcasing your strengths and crafting a compelling narrative.

So, how do you determine what your dream job is?

Set the Bar High

Too many people endure years of unfulfilling work before discovering what truly interests them. They remain stuck. Just as athletes strive for excellence, so too must you aim for the pinnacle of your aspirations.

Refuse to settle for mediocrity; instead, hone in on what ignites your passion and fuels your ambition.

Instead of passively browsing job descriptions or seeking validation from others, set the bar high.

If you were an athlete, think back to your playing days. Did you shy away from challenges? Or did you embrace them, knowing that's where you shine brightest? Just as you honed your skills on the field, now it's time to leverage those strengths in your career.

Play to Your Strengths

We've all seen athletes who excel in their respective sports due to a unique talent or skill set. As a job seeker, you must adopt a similar mindset.

That's where the Personal Strengths Tracker comes in. The PST, a tool I advocate, facilitates this process by guiding you through an introspective journey to uncover your core competencies and your most valuable skills, and leveraging them to build your personal brand.

Rewind the Tape

Start by reflecting on your proudest achievements, those accomplishments that had a positive result, and left you completely satisfied. What moments left you feeling fulfilled and successful? Whether it's leading a team to victory or overcoming challenges on your own, these experiences hold valuable insights into your strengths and capabilities.

The first step is to list at least 15-25 of these accomplishments on a piece of paper. They can be work-related, sports or philanthropic, academic, or even a fantastic sandcastle you built as a child. Just start listing them!

Recall moments from your past that showcase your skills and achievements. From leading a group up a mountain to navigating through life's challenges, each accomplishment reveals a facet of your character and abilities.

Don't underestimate the significance of these experiences; they're the building blocks of your career story.

Dig Deep

As you review your list of accomplishments, pull out the top 7 or 8 of them, and delve into the core elements that contributed to your success.

What skills did each achievement require? How did you feel when you accomplished your goals?

By identifying these key components, you'll uncover patterns that point toward your ideal career path.

Applying these common threads as an integral part of your job search will guarantee success in your next venture!

Remember, through the Personal Strengths Tracker, we'll pinpoint your most formidable abilities and mold them into the bedrock of your professional brand.

You’ll be equipped to tackle the job market with confidence, armed with a clear understanding of what sets you apart.

In future newsletter articles, we'll translate these insights into actionable steps for identifying the right job opportunities for you.

So, grab your pen and paper, and let's embark on this journey together. Remember, your dream job is within reach—you just need to know where to look.

Career and business coaching is what I do. If you're not truly fulfilled, excited, challenged and being rewarded for what you are doing now, I'd be happy to offer you some tips and strategies to get you on track asap.

Even better, bring me on as your coach, and you'll be getting opportunities that you truly want and aspire to within the first month of working with me, and your networking and personal brand marketing skills will elevate to new heights.

Send me a note at [email protected] and we'll have an intro call and see where it leads. I have a very strong suspicion you'll be thrilled with what you hear! Let's do this!

Let’s Do This!

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Your Opinion on Networking

Making connections in business is critical to your success, (it's possible I've mentioned that before!) and meeting others who know the right people to connect you with is an essential component of growing your network.

Attending networking events can be a drag (have you ever been to those "tell us in 2 minutes what you're selling" meetings on Zoom?) - but the Win Again Clubroom platform is revolutionizing virtual networking because of the “live event” experience it simulates, and the ease with which you can meet others and take your businesses and careers to a whole new level.

Since launching our exclusive Win Again Clubroom back in May 2020, we've hosted over 160 events, featuring incredible guest speakers, collegiate athletic conference events for student-athletes, two-day professional conferences, job fairs, and yes, even a speed-dating event (that was hilarious, a story for another day!).

We've also created over $1.75M in business deals and collaborations, and it jumps every month!

If you are not among the impressive entrepreneurs, athletes, brand ambassadors, marketing experts, sports industry executives, media personalities, authors, speakers and other amazing people who have attended previous events, I'm offering you one free month of membership in the Win Again community ($97 Value) if you invest just 45 seconds answering a few questions in this survey.

If you are one of the 1000+ people who have attended one of our Clubroom events, I'm also offering you one free month of membership in the Win Again community ($97 Value) if you invest just 45 seconds answering a few questions in this survey.

Or skip all this survey stuff - do yourself and your business / career a favor and Join the Win Again community today, you'll be thrilled you did!

You will have the opportunity to meet our fantastic speakers and other Win Again members and guests in the incredible Clubroom!

Your network will grow and become more valuable, you'll be able to share your expertise with your fellow members, and learn a bunch along the way.

See you in the Clubroom!

Read more about it here: https://www.winagainacademy.com/the-clubroom

30 Seconds with Mark

Just ask.

Whether you are an athlete or not it can be very challenging to change careers.

Which is why it's important to reach out to people and talk to them about what they do that may be similar to what you want to do.

And don't react to what other people are telling you.

Don't let them decide that you should be in sales or real estate or something that you don't want to do.

Think about what you're good at and what you bring to the table.

So, get out there and start asking to find the career that makes you fired up!

Go get 'em!

Be sure to check out the Win Again YouTube channel for more quick tips!

Win Again Assessments

Are you ready to launch a new chapter in life, and need the guidance, tips and strategies to truly catapult you forward?

Then let's partner up!

I'm certified in offering valuable assessments that feature Axiology, the study of values.

Wait until you see how they highlight not just your strengths and how to leverage them, but also some of the things that you could use some work on.

Ask to see a sample report, you'll be amazed at how thorough and accurate they are!

Whether you are a graduating student, a seasoned professional, a retiring executive or member of our military, or a current or retired athlete, there are assessments that fit your background and future careers and businesses.

Check out a few of the most valuable and insightful assessments here: https://www.winagainacademy.com/assessments

Reach out to me directly at [email protected].

WIN AGAIN! - The Job Search Playbook

WIN AGAIN! The Job Search Playbook, is filled with over 150 pages of my proven WIN AGAIN methodology, where you’ll discover how to define your true identity outside of being an athlete, plan your path towards an ideal job and business and work towards it.

You’ll turn strangers into allies and grow your network as you position yourself for meetings and interviews, negotiate offers, and anticipate your prospective client's or employer’s needs.

WIN AGAIN helps you transition from the playing field to the boardroom. Yes, there’s competition in the corporate world, but you’re used to competing.

You’ve already got an edge!!

You can join the WIN AGAIN social media pages, its LinkedIn Group, Facebook page and follow on Twitter to be able to access exclusive content just for you.

ABOUT ME

Combining my passion for sports and a desire to help others succeed, I founded Win Again, where current and former athletes can discover their identity beyond sports, develop the structure needed to succeed again, and receive the tips, strategies and actionable advice that allows them to WIN AGAIN and be elite in their next great career.

Over the past 20+ years as a business advisor and career coach, I have guided athletes and executives, holding them accountable during their transition.

The Win Again Clubroom events, "Make Your Mark" podcasts, and MYM Live webinars highlight athletes who are making a positive impact post-playing career, and my book “Win Again!” is a job search playbook for athletes, equipping them with strategies needed to land their ideal job or boost their entrepreneurial ventures.

As a graduate of Colgate University and a longtime Manhattan resident with my wife, kids, and Duke, I enjoy playing ice hockey, softball and golf, along with the guitar and piano.

Reach out to me anytime and let me know how I can be of service!

If you've read this far, many thanks for sharing your time with us at Win Again and have a great rest of your day!

Thanks to our Win Again partners!