Building YOUR Career in a Dog Eat Dog World
1.) BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL NETWORK
The following steps help people build their network to locate resources to enhance their careers:
- Offline Networking
- Creating a presence on professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Facebook
- Purchasing a card scanner to keep track of the contacts you meet at networking events
- Create an industry blog, make yourself an expert at something relevant to your career (so that you’ll be known as a “go-to” person for that topic)
- Always send an email to people you meet later that day or the next day, so that they can remember you and can keep you in their database
2.) INITIAL STEPS TO ENSURE THAT YOU WILL DO WELL AT YOUR JOB
- Research
- Understanding and knowing the communities that you are serving
- Building your contacts
- Know your resources
- Meet everyone internally and externally
3.) APPEARANCE
- Professionalism and dress is important. It’s the “first impression” people get when they see you each day. It makes me feel good about myself.
- I recommend purchasing staple items such as suits and mixing in colorful blouses and accessories such as bracelets and earrings. You have to show off YOUR style, even if you have to wear suits every single day.
4.) SALARY NEGOTIATION STRATEGY
- Understanding what the market rates are for your position within the industry that you work for and ask for 20 - 30 % more. The worst that employers can do is say “that’s too high, let’s negotiate.”
- Be humble yet confident. Make sure that employers realize that you are grateful to be there and that you will be a very dedicated and loyal employee should they offer you the job, but also let them know what you are worth by talking about what you (can) bring to the table outside of the basic line items within the job description. You’re an asset to the team and you have to let that shine.
5.) BORED? UNDERPAID? WHAT DO YOU DO?
Communication is key. An employee needs to hold a one-on-one conversations with their boss and ask for more challenging projects and responsibilities. Once she/he proves themselves and does exceptionally well on these projects than the employer will give her/him a raise or they will have to ask for one based on concrete, positive results and metrics that were produced during a specific time period and presented to the employer.
