Uncover Your Next Career Opportunity

Uncover Your Next Career Opportunity Maybe youve said to yourself in recent weeks that After the New Year, Im going to start looking for a new job/career/freelance opportunity. The start of a new year represents a fresh start on the goals and intentions we have in mind to change things up for the better, and a departure from the mindset of pushing things to the back-burner. So its time to move on but to where? When I work with a new client, its important for me to get into your head, find out whats going on professionally and personally, whats eating at you about your current situation, and where do you see yourself wanting to go next? Believe it or not, its very common that people are just unable to answer that last question, the where do I want to go next? one with complete confidence. Usually Ill get bits and pieces what industries they like, what kind of company culture appeals to them, examples of specific companies they think theyd fit into, but not so much the big picture itself. Everyone has an idea of the type of company they might want to work for but what do you want to do there? You cant sell yourself and your value until youre able to answer that question. When youre stuck on the What next? questions, and feel like youre floating from job description to job description, hoping that something both piques your interest and speaks to your skills sets, trying employing an exercise I refer to as Your Non-Negotiables. These are the individual building blocks that make up the foundation of a job or career that youll find both satisfying, and that you thrive in. First, list your top 5 Must Have Non-Negotiables the aspects of your job or career that you know have to be there in order for you to be happy. Things I need to have in my next role to be able to thrive: Work-life balance A small office environment that allows me to wear multiple hats Client-facing responsibilities Room for growth within the company Opportunity to build upon my presentation skills Then do the same thing with your top 5 Must Avoid Non-Negotiables. These are the aspects that maybe youve experienced before, or know for certain will hinder your performance, your satisfaction, and your ability to thrive. Things I absolutely wont tolerate in my next position: Large corporate structure Companies within finance or healthcare sectors Any type of sales-focused responsibility More than 25 miles commute Organizations with no philanthropic involvement Understanding the most basic core values that you need to honor in order to thrive in your role will not only serve as a roadmap for helping you find the right types of opportunities for you, but it will also help you avoid the urge to apply to anything and everything you seem qualified for. If you have the flexibility and ability to do so, hold out for the right position, one that speaks to not only your best professional talents and attributes but your personal values as well. In doing so you significantly increase your chances of success! RELATED LINKS: Want to Stand Out from the Crowd? It Starts With a Killer Resume Read This:  Rebranding Yourself for a New Career (When You Lack Experience)