career goals

I Love My Job…I Hate My Job…I Love My Job…

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First off, your job and your life are separate entities. You can love your job and you can enjoy what you do and still be successful. You can even only mildly enjoy it, but if you take it seriously, you will be successful because you understand how important it is. That being said, what would you assess as your level of “love” for your current job?

Check out the infographic below. Maybe you aren’t as unhappy as you might think. And if you start applying yourself more at your work, you may start gaining more skills and experience, making you the perfectly skilled candidate for that new job you have been thinking of.

Of course, your level of “love” for your job might still be pretty tepid. If this is the case, contact us to get started with Creative Talent Management. Search our open positions and let us help you secure your next great position.

11 Things That Prove You Love Your Career [Infographic]

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Navigate the Job Search Process: Explore Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

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Advancing your career doesn’t happen in one day. But professionals in a variety of fields can improve their skills and knowledge by participating in Continuing Professional Development (CPD). Through CPD, opportunities abound in a variety of channels. Learners set objectives for themselves (e.g. specific skills to be learned or practiced) and afterward participate in self-reflection of the progress they’ve made.

Advancement in your industry might require a myriad of skills. Some are concrete and visible actions, while others are more subjective. CPD offers opportunities to hone these skills whether they require more physical or mental capabilities.

maze-navigating-job-search

Soft and Hard Skills
It is no doubt easier to measure hard skills (physical tasks) over soft skills (e.g. time-management, creativity, etc.). But job performance improves with both kinds. The desire to broaden your horizons illustrates workplace adaptability. And the very notion of wanting to participate in CPD is itself an indication of workplace and skill growth potential.

Sharing is Caring
Volunteering might be an excellent CPD option for someone wishing to change careers. Donating your time can get you in the right places at the right times. Additionally, you could also be the individual offering up the CPD to others. Showing others the ropes is a great way to stay fresh yourself.

Go for the Freebies
Online learning has taken off the last few years. This means that professional development can be had off and online. Check out YouTube and udemy for free (and paid) courses in numerous fields and subjects.

Legit CPD
Independently-guided CPD might not quite be intensive enough for some learners. To help with this, formal CPD is offered through organizations, associations, and companies. Offering staff these opportunities gives employees a chance to build deeper professional-to-professional relationships and interactions.

All learning might be the same to some people. But formal CPD takes the usual rote approach to a new impactful level. The information gleaned from these interactions is immediately at a higher more usable level. Learners can see the information in action.

Did You Read that Somewhere?
Absorb the literature within your chosen field. Such information is often written by those right in the thick of the industry themselves. Consider publications, articles, trade journals, and news. Stay up to date with new business practices, innovative technologies, and the right skills to learn to put you at the top of the applicant pile.

Don’t Forget to Reflect
CPD is not just about absorbing a few bits of information from professionals. For CPD to truly be effective, the learner must be active throughout the entire process. Reflection is critical to successfully improving your skill and knowledge base. Use the exercise to grow, both career-wise, emotionally, mentally, and educationally.

Enhance Your Career with CPD
Use CPD to gain an edge in your field. Find a mentor, enroll in an online course (independently or through official channels), read, volunteer, research, and more to improve your knowledge base and skill set. Organize it yourself or seek out professional opportunities. Either way, become an active learner in your future endeavors. Reflect on the knowledge gained and use it to take you where you want to go.

Enhance Your Career with the Right Community of Professionals
Contact an experienced recruiter at 800.338.4327. Simplify and expedite your job search or posting process the moment you need it with Creative Talent Management.

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Snag that Promotion Today

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handshake-business-promotionIt is human nature to always want a bit more (i.e. more money, higher social standing, better position or more responsibility). But wanting these is only part of the equation. You might even feel ungrateful because your current position isn’t really terrible, but you have an underlying feeling that where you currently are in your career isn’t quite enough.

You might have your eyes on a higher position or on another job. Regardless of your aspirations or perceived inadequacies in your job, consider the following tips to help you achieve that promotion.

Stay Positive
Thinking of rising above your current position while continuing your current workload is a daunting task. It sounds like a motivational speech; but it really is critical to maintain a positive outlook while in your current setting. Promotions don’t go to Debbie Downers. Constant frustration at work takes your mind off current performance and pulls you further back from successfully completing important projects.

Quick Put on a Happy Face Tip? Try calming yourself by taking a few moments to reflect—in the morning and then in the afternoon. Take some deep breaths or take a quick walk outside to clear your head.

Find Someone Who Actually Knows What they are Doing
Seek out someone in your own company (or through a friend at another company) who has gone through all these career-enlightening experiences before. You can find a mentor through both formal and informal avenues. Above all, seek out someone who likes, trusts and believes in you already, and who you can really talk freely with (i.e. not a stranger). Conversation runs both ways. A mentor needs to feel that he or she can offer up constructive criticism as well as helpful advice.

Quick Find an Expert Tip? When searching for a mentor, it is also helpful to seek out higher level professionals. People at higher levels have obviously been there longer which means they likely hold greater insight into the company overall.

Be Your Own Advocate
When you are on the path to a promotion, you need to be the one who is doing most of the pushing. Also, if you are the one behind a successful project, own up! It can be intimidating to step up, especially if someone else steals your thunder, but make sure you receive credit where credit is due.

Quick Get Yourself Noticed Tip? Track your projects and accomplishments. By specifically writing them down, you will be able to freely discuss them during promotion opportunities.

Do it for Free!
Well, maybe, not really work for free, but showing your desire to take on more responsibility illustrates to senior staff great potential. But of course, you probably already have plenty of actual paid work that fills up your time. Finding other projects to work on can help you develop other pertinent skills.

Quick Way to Volunteer Tip? Research potential volunteer opportunities within your own section as well as outside your department. Use these as chances to compare skills needed for these projects and compare with those currently utilized with existing projects.

Be a Never-Ending Learner
Improve your business know-how and show your employer you are serious about a promotion. Employers always want the most qualified individual to fill a position. Be that prime candidate by participating in a variety of learning outlets.

Quick Knowledge-Gaining Tip? Seek out seminars, conferences, and online courses to enhance understanding of your industry.

Ready to Snag?
Creative Talent Management has a range of open positions available right now. Your next opportunity is closer than you think. And your next promotion is even closer when you team up with CTM. Get started today by calling one of our experienced recruiters at 800.338.4327.

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8 Questions Your LinkedIn Profile Should Answer

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Employers really do look at your LinkedIn profile. It should not be left to gather dust bunnies and cobwebs. It can be your first impression to a potential employer and you don’t even know it. Employers want to be able to find out certain bits of information about you without really having to do a lot of work.

Ask yourself these 8 questions to see if your LinkedIn profile hits high marks on the impressive scale.

1) What is Your Current Job Title and/or Position?LinkedIn Icon

This sort of seems obvious. Employers need to see your current employment details. Make it your headline on your profile to snag their attention even earlier. Also, make sure that your job title properly reflects your abilities. Think about how you describe yourself when you meet new people or discuss career-related topics. This might offer you a chance to reflect and truly express your skill set.

2) How Do You Back Up Your Job Title?

This is your chance to be as thorough as you can. This is where you present your background and qualifications. List locations, companies, titles, as well as your responsibilities. Also, try not to be too general. Since you won’t be in front of the employee offering commentary, you have to fully explain everything in your profile – for them to read, and not make them guess.

3) Are You a Strong Writer?

All of the above sections of your profile will be for naught if your writing is stinky. And if your writing skills are stinky, any potential employers will immediately see this and immediately click right on through to another candidate’s profile.

How can you instantly improve your profile? Check spelling, remove slang, or texting language, and overall poor grammar.

4) What Tools Do You Know?

Don’t just tell, show! It is critical to explain all of the software programs you have basic to advanced skills in. List tools, software programs, computer systems, and more that contribute to your experience. Also, add in how experienced you are with each tool.

5) How Do You Sell Yourself?

No one is going to sell you but you. How does your profile market your brand? Or does it? Your LinkedIn profile needs to tell employers what makes you different. This is where your creation of a tagline helps you stand out from the crowd. Also consider adding logo or design elements if you are graphically-inclined.

6) Are You Active?

Creating your profile and then letting it linger won’t help your career chances. It is important to show that you are active on the platform – through who you follow, post, etc. Make sure you stay in-the-know in your field, so it shows employers your desire to be ever-learning and gaining industry knowledge.

7) Do Others Think You Are Awesome Too?

Scoring recommendations for your skills, or be able to include quotes about your performance are strong additions to your profile. Some people may automatically offer these to you, while it is perfectly acceptable to ask trusted individuals to provide them to you.

8) What Are Your Famous for?

Don’t forget to include when you were tops! Maybe you won an award, or you raised sales or increased revenue for your company. Share the love! Tell employers through your profile. Because they aren’t going to just stumble upon it accidentally.

Polish up that Profile

A stellar profile needs a bunch of stellar opportunities. Let Creative Talent Management help you find your next opportunity. Get started today by calling one of our experienced recruiters at 800.338.4327.

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Change Your Career this Year With a Few Simple Steps

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Making the BIG change is well…a BIG step in life and a super BIG emotional and physical change as well. But deciding not to change simply because it takes work shouldn’t hold you back. Start now and start taking steps to change your life, change your job and get yourself into a better career!

Use this handy guide and go whole to parts as you decide on your overall goal…eventually shifting to meeting with others who share similar aspirations for support…then planning…and ultimately achieving what you want.

How to Change Your Career this Year Infographic

Source: www.classycareergirl.com

Ready for Your Career Change?

Creative Talent Management would love to meet you and help guide you to your next great position. Anytime is the right time. Take advantage of the opportunities we have to offer you. CTM has numerous technology and creative positions available for you to apply for. Your next opportunity is closer than you think. We are your source for expert talent managers. Get started today by calling one of our experienced recruiters at 800.338.4327.

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