When your dream job falls short, how to find plan B

 

Regardless of what made you fall out of love with your dream job, these steps will help you bounce back and find your new passion.

We're taught from a young age to go after our dream jobs. Study, plan, prepare, work hard and one day you'll reach your goal.

But what happens when reality doesn't live up to your dream?

If you're experiencing disillusionment with your own dream job, you're not alone. As your priorities change, it's natural that your idea of what constitutes the perfect job will too. Working at a tech start up with bean bag chairs and an endless supply of coconut water may have seemed like the end all in your twenties, but as you get older more vacation time and good health insurance for your family may take priority.

Regardless of what made you fall out of love with your dream job, these steps will help you bounce back and find your new passion:

Overcome disappointment

Letting go of a dream is tough. It's important to take time to recover emotionally after a career dream goes up in smoke. To help expedite that process, take time to reflect on what you've accomplished, everything you've learned and how much you've grown since you first started.

Just because you've decided this isn't your dream job doesn't mean the experience wasn't valuable.

Revamp your resume

After reflecting on how much you've grown, write it all down. Take the time to update your resume with all your experiences and accomplishments. You put in the work, you deserve to brag about it.

Consider what went wrong

To avoid making the same mistake at your new job, you have to figure out why your dream job fell flat. And boredom isn't an answer. Consider these five factors as a starting point: Opportunity for advancement, learning and development, compensation, company culture and work-life balance. Identify which areas didn't meet your needs and apply that filter to your new job search.

Do your homework

Take the time to understand what your skill sets and experience is worth in the current job market. Sign up for email alerts on job boards such as CareerBuilder to get an idea for what type of work is available. Doing so will allow you to benchmark your current role, career outlook and company culture against the rest of the industry.

Don't jump ship too quickly

Making sudden, rash career changes is never a good idea. Instead of taking the first new job that comes along, pick a favorite skill set and look for opportunities in your current role to build up that area of expertise. For example, if you enjoy social media and are considering making a move into a digital marketing role, volunteer for social media projects to build your portfolio. Just because you aren't happy at this job doesn't mean you can't use it to boost your own clout.

Remember, it's often better to stay 12 to 18 months at a position to show stability. So unless you are miserable at your current job, hang in there and prepare yourself to make a positive step forward.

7 Types of People Who Never Get Ahead at Work

 

If your professional growth is lagging, you may need to look in the mirror.

We all like to think of ourselves as all-star employees, but here’s a reality check: While some workers appear to be riding an escalator to the top of the food chain, there are others whose professional growth simply isn’t what it should be. If you don't know how to get ahead at work, chances are you may be one of these seven employee archetypes. These tips can help you make some moves.

The Self-Doubter

Your level of self-confidence may be what’s holding you back and stymying your professional growth. Your insecurity and lack of self-worth can have a big impact on your career.

If you frequently doubt yourself at work, you’ll need to silence your inner critic and stop apologizing for your perceived mistakes. If you’re a self-doubter, catalog your accomplishments so you can see with your own eyes areas where you’ve been successful. Gathering hard evidence of your career wins can improve your confidence.

The Gossip

No one likes a gossip, but rest assured, every office has one. Spreading rumors about your co-workers, though, can have big repercussions. Gossiping at work damages relationships—it doesn’t build them.

Nobody is going to trust a notorious gossiper, which means your reputation in the workplace will suffer. Stepping out of the office gossip mill altogether will enable you to mend relationships with any peers you’ve offended.

The Hypersensitive One

People who know how to get ahead at work have likely had plenty of direction, and not all of it positive. Have trouble accepting constructive criticism? You’re far from alone, but constructive feedback is meant to help you, not hurt you—and it can be a valuable tool for your professional growth. Therefore, you need to develop a thick skin.

Quite often hypersensitive people are their own worst critic, and that can make it difficult to take any feedback they get and make a positive change. So, like the self-doubter, you’ll need to learn how to silence your inner critic, really listen to what the other person is saying—however uncomfortable it may make you feel—and create an action plan for how you’re going to utilize the feedback you received.

The Follower

If you look more to other people to guide you than you look to yourself, you’d better believe that your boss is going to pass you over for a promotion in favor of the very co-workers you turn to for guidance.

Consequently, getting ahead is about establishing yourself as a leader—regardless of whether or not you’re in a management position—since displaying leadership skills helps you gain visibility within an organization, which can lead to more opportunities for promotions.

Your best approach is to create opportunities that will help you stand out from your co-workers instead of following them. To gain exposure, consider assuming a leadership role on a committee at your organization. Getting on the speaking docket at industry conferences can also help you distinguish yourself from your peers.

Need to build up your confidence first? Start speaking up during team meetings and offer to be the lead on a project. Don’t fade into the background.

The Underachiever

Just getting by may be working for you, but to further your professional growth, you’ll need to step up your performance. The key to improving the quality of your work is to get constructive feedback from your boss about identifying problem areas. Figure out why you’re not meeting your expectations.

If your boss takes more of a hands-off approach to management, you’ll have to actively solicit feedback from him or her in order to go from underachiever to top performer.

The Know-It-All

A know-it-all is the first person to weigh in on what the monthly budget should be, how many articles to post on the company blog, or how to deal with a difficult customer. However, they can also be extremely difficult to work with because they don’t like receiving feedback, and they think they have all the answers.

Sound familiar? Read the room. Before you give your opinion, pause and actually listen to what others are saying. Moreover, be open to collaboration and considering other people’s opinions.

The Doormat

Tired of co-workers and bosses walking all over you? Letting your colleagues treat you this way can make it challenging to get tapped for a promotion, even if you’re the most qualified person for the job.

But here’s the hard truth: Most office doormats are at least partly responsible for their doormat status. Identify the reasons why you’re getting pushed over—do you avoid tough conversations or let others take credit for your work?—so that you can start changing those behaviors.

Know When to Seek Other Job Opportunities

Knowing how to get ahead at work includes knowing when to get out of a bad job. Feel like you’re being passed over time and time again due to no fault of your own? Let Monster help you embark on a job search for free and find an employer that values your contributions.

#work #jobs #careeradvice #careers

Best certifications for jobs needed in today's market

 

Certifications are written proof of your skills. They show you have dedication to a profession and know the tools of the job. Here, we give you the top 4.

While many companies look at education during the hiring process, hiring managers also check for various certifications to understand how experienced a candidate is. A certification might replace a level of education, or it could serve as an added bonus to convince employers to hire you. While many certifications require several months of studying — and might even cost a few hundred dollars — they're often viewed as a faster and more affordable option than returning to school.

Here are four certifications to advance your career:

Google Professional Certificates

Google has partnered with Coursera in a program for job seekers to gain the job-ready skills needed to launch careers in IT Support, Data Analytics, UX Design, Project Management, and IT Automation. Students can learn at their own pace, requires no experience, and find a path to in-demand jobs.

OSHA Training and Certification

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the United States Department of Labor enforces safety regulations within companies. They ensure that employees aren't put in dangerous situations and hold companies and supervisors liable for safety violations. OSHA offers multiple training courses that are relevant to different job fields. A few of these courses include:

• Machinery and Machine Guarding Standards
• Cranes in Construction
• Shipyard Employment
• Excavation, Trenching and Soil Mechanics
• Power Press Guarding

CompTIA A+ Technician Certification

Technology is one of the best industries in America right now. There are hundreds of thousands jobs that need to be filled, but not everyone is well-versed in computer programming, troubleshooting, and even the right terminology. CompTIA A+ Technician certification is a good place to start if you want to break into the technology field but don't have a formal computer science education.

Graduates from this certification will be able to troubleshoot computers, laptops, operating systems, and mobile devices. They will typically become Support Specialist (44,313+ jobs) or help desk technicians and can then work their way up the career ladder through additional on-the-job training. The test typically costs $200 and requires a performance-based element along with a written exam. For many professionals, the cost of the exam and time spent studying is worth it as opposed to re-enrolling in college and getting a technology-related degree.

QuickBooks Certification

Intuit's QuickBooks is one of the top accounting software platforms on the market. Even if you work as an accountant (11,083+ jobs) or bookkeeper (17,485+ jobs) for a company that doesn't use this platform, you're probably going to use one that has similar capabilities.

Getting certified is no easy task. There are two online exams that you can take — a basic exam and an advanced one — both of which require a great deal of training, studying, and practicing. This is why employers actually look for candidates that are QuickBooks certified: it proves the employee's commitment to their profession. It also serves as insurance that a new hire is trustworthy and actually knows what they're doing. If you're an accounting associate (38,539+ jobs) or an auditing clerk, it's possible to use this certification to prove you're ready to advance in the company.

How volunteer experience makes your resume stand out

 

If you want to shine as a job candidate, lend a helping hand.

Mr. Rogers once said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

Like most things he said, it’s 1) as comforting as a warm sweater and 2) absolutely true. As the pandemic spread across the world, helpers volunteered to deliver groceries, organize fundraising campaigns and work at vaccine centers to beat back the virus. They didn’t do it to enrich themselves; they did it because it was the right thing to do.

But they did gain valuable volunteer experience, and it deserves a place on their resumes. Hiring managers are also looking for the helpers and the unique skills they can provide in the workplace. Here are some ways volunteering makes you a better job candidate.

You’ll learn new skills and hone old ones

Volunteering is a great way to learn new skills for free. Are you interested in the legal system? Practice your soft skills and gain inside experience by becoming a volunteer advocate for children who have experienced abuse. Add your volunteer experience to your resume and highlight your communication and problem-solving skills. Or, if you’re part of the recent boom in trucking, use some of your free time to deliver life-saving blood products to local hospitals.

Using your specialized skills to help others will stand out to employers (and make Mr. Rogers proud). And if these opportunities don’t sound like a good fit for you, don’t worry—you can use services like volunteermatch.org to find the right volunteer opportunity.

Be open to possibilities

Volunteering is an opportunity to apply your skillset to a new set of challenges. Maybe you don’t think your retail experience has anything to do with healthcare, but volunteering at a triage vaccine site and using your communication and organizational skills to protect people from COVID might change your mind. This is the era of skills-based hiring, and volunteering allows you to explore how your skills can make a difference beyond your last job or even your industry.

You’ll close those resume gaps

The pandemic has changed the way we work, and resume gaps aren’t going to raise a hiring manager’s eyebrows like they once did. But if you’re able to volunteer in your downtime, you can demonstrate your work ethic and flex your professional skills by helping your community.

Add your volunteer experience to your resume, including a detailed list of the duties you performed and any concrete examples of your accomplishments. How many meals did you serve? Did the kid you tutored pass that math test? What skills did you use to get the job done? Give hiring managers specifics that can tell a story.

You’ll meet new people

“Howdy, neighbor!”

Volunteering allows us to build community with people we might not encounter otherwise, and every new connection could lead to new possibilities. You could make valuable professional contacts or even lifelong friends. The woman volunteering with you at the food drive whose hands move so fast they blur? She could teach you something about time management and organizational skills. The photographer taking photos at the volunteer animal shelter? He may take photos of your team for your office’s website in the future. Who knows? You might even meet your next boss.

You’ll get to know your community

Every call for volunteers is a sign of your community’s needs. By volunteering, you’ll learn what’s missing and how you could contribute professionally.

While volunteering to deliver groceries to elders, you might notice a shortage of home health aides in your neighborhood. If you’ve always been the nurturing sort, add that position to your job search.

Or maybe you’ll learn that local businesses need better apps to direct people to their services. Have you thought about learning the skills necessary to become a software developer?

A deeper understanding of your community will give you a deeper understanding of your role within it, regardless of where your career path leads. It turns out Mr. Rogers was giving us good career advice all along. If you want to be a good candidate, start by being a good neighbor.

5 signs your career is stuck in a rut

Think you’ve hit a dead end? Here’s how to tell—and what you can do to pick yourself up.

If you hate your job, it’s a pretty clear sign that you need to find a new one. That being said, every person’s career has a lull period or two, which is different from feeling stuck in a career that's going nowhere fast. Knowing how to tell if you’re stuck in a rut is what’s crucial.

“There are ebbs and flows in everyone’s career,” says Jodi Glickman, career coach and author of Great on the Job. “Everyone has parts of their job that they don’t like. Sometimes we’re working on a crappy project. Sometimes we’re working with a bad client. But I think there should always be a portion of your work that you enjoy doing and find rewarding.”

Here’s the good news: A record-high 34% of U.S. employees are actively engaged at their jobs, according to Gallup’s annual engagement survey. Yet that still leaves the remaining 53% of workers in the "not engaged" category.

As Glickman pointed out, though, there’s a big difference between hitting a natural slowdown and an actual career rut. Need a little help with that? Here are five telltale signs of career stagnation. 

1. You no longer feel challenged

“In a knowledge economy, which is the economy that we live in, if you’re not continually pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone, you’re going to become obsolete or irrelevant because the world moves very fast,” Glickman says.

Maybe you’ve been doing the same tasks for too long, or maybe you’ve outgrown your role. Whatever the reason is, if you feel like you’re just coasting along, you need to ask yourself why you’re bored. “Depending on your position, you may be able to create new challenges for yourself in your current role,” says Chicago-based career coach Judi Lansky.

2. Your performance has plateaued

If you're feeling stuck in your career, take inventory of how other people view your efforts. Pay close attention to feedback you receive from your boss, especially during performance reviews. If you’re consistently only “meeting expectations,” you’re not growing in your career, says career and life coach Anna S.E. Lundberg. “Is that how you want to live your life? Sort of average, things plodding along but with no passion, no excitement, no real feeling of fulfillment?” Lundberg says. (The answer to those questions should be a definitive "no.")

3. Your salary has flatlined

In an ideal world, you’d be getting a nice salary increase every year. But here’s the cold-hard reality: Not everyone who deserves a raise gets one, says Robin Pinkley, management professor at Southern Methodist University and co-author of Get Paid What You’re Worth. It could be your fault if you’re among the almost two thirds (63%) of workers who have never asked for a raise, a recent PayScale survey found.

But regardless of why your salary has flatlined, if you haven’t received a raise in more than two years, that's cause for alarm. “If your salary is not keeping up with inflation, you’re getting screwed,” Glickman says. “If new hires are making more than you, that’s another reason to be worried.”

4. It’s been 4+ years since your last promotion

Reality check: If you’ve been in the same position for that long with no promotion, then it’s probably not going to come, which is a sure indicator that your career is stuck in a rut. Nonetheless, if you’ve been passed over for a bigger title that you feel you’ve earned, you need to figure out why you didn't get it, says Whitney Johnson, author of Disrupt Yourself: Putting the Power of Disruptive Innovation to Work.

Perhaps your boss doesn’t know you’re interested in moving to a new position, or maybe you need to learn a new skill or two to climb to the next step on the ladder. This calls for a frank conversation with the person above you to find out exactly what it would take to get ahead. If you found out that there’s no opportunity for growth, you need to move on, Johnson advises.

5. You’re excluded from important meetings

Are you being left out of meetings you used to be part of? That’s a red flag. “The fact that you’re being excluded means you’re not being involved with making key decisions, which is always a bad sign,” Lansky explains.

Similarly, if you’re not being tapped to work with important clients that you used to work with in the past, you need to find out why you’re getting brushed off. It may be because your employer needs to put your skills to use on something else, or it could mean you’re slowly getting phased out of your job, in which case you’d want to start looking for a new gig pronto.

Shake things up

When you’re feeling stuck in your career, you could very well be in the wrong job. You owe it to yourself to make a change. So if you have a passion you’ve been dreaming of following for years, now may be the time to make it a reality. Could you use some help taking the first step? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your resume—each tailored to the types of jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you can get job alerts sent directly to your inbox to cut down on time spent looking through ads. Monster can help you shake things up.

Resume Buzzwords to Include and Avoid

Thinking “outside of the box” probably won’t get you inside the interview room.

Sure, you’re a hard-working innovator with excellent communication skills—unfortunately, so is nearly every job applicant you’re competing with, at least according to their resumes. It’s time to break from hackneyed resume buzzwords that carry zero weight in the eyes of a recruiter or hiring manager.

Check out this list of resume buzzwords and phrases you should avoid on your resume, along with some tips on how to better use that precious real estate on your job application materials.

Hard Worker

What you think it says: “I’m dedicated to doing my job well.”

Of course you’re a hard worker! Even if you aren’t, it’s not like you’re going to admit otherwise on your resume. Instead of stating the obvious, prove it. Provide concrete examples of how you go the extra mile.

Better buzzword: Include the word “achieved,” and back it up with examples of what you’ve accomplished. For example, you could say, "Achieved sales goal for three consecutive years with a reduced staff." This shows that you, and your staff, are hard-working while you avoid saying so directly.

Creative / Outside the Box / Innovative

What you think it says: “I come up with good, new ideas.”

When it comes to resume buzzwords, these three tend to produce the most sighs. If you could actually think outside the box, you’d be able to phrase it without resorting to a cliché. These trite descriptors can actually undermine your case if you don’t back them up with specifics.

To really show off your creativity, share examples of how you developed and implemented new ideas or processes. If you work in a creative field, such as advertising or web design, pursue industry awards, which can serve as outside validation for the uniqueness of your work.

Better buzzword: Include the word “created.” It shows that you’ve produced something new and original.

Excellent Communicator

What you think it says: “I know how to talk and listen to people to get stuff done.”

Rule of thumb: If you have to tell people you are something, you likely aren’t that something. You must embody a trait for people to take notice. Instead of dropping in this meaningless phrase, provide examples of how your communication skills led to specific positive outcomes.

Better buzzwords: Use the words “listen” and “improve” to indicate how your actions made the company better. Example: 'I listened to my customers’ feedback and used that information to create a streamlined process that improved efficiency by two hours.'

Responsible

What you think it says: “I'm in charge of this.”

Your resume is no place for vagueness, and writing “responsible” on your resume—as in, “I was responsible for xyz”—leaves it unclear exactly what role you played.

Get specific about the level of authority you had. If you managed the project, say that. If you launched it, say that.

Better buzzwords: Hiring managers prefer more specific words, like “managed” or “directed,” with details about your contribution. And use numbers to make your accomplishments stand out. Metrics, data, or any kind of stats help recruiters and hiring managers see the impact you made.

Expert

What you think it says: “I’m the best at this.”

There may be portions of your job that you know so well, you can do them with your eyes closed—but that doesn’t mean you get to claim “expert” on your resume. True experts don’t need to proclaim their elite status; instead, they let their well-earned reputations on the job speak for themselves.

Better buzzwords: Use action words, such as “published” or “delivered,” to demonstrate your professional clout. Focus on your years of experience and training, and give examples that show off your authority. For example, “Published 10 articles in industry magazines,” or, “Delivered keynote address at three industry conferences.”

Skip the Resume Buzzwords and Do This Instead

Make your resume appear fresh and contemporary, while also making sure it says something that hiring managers consider valuable. Want to make sure your writing efforts are paying off? Upload your resume for free to Monster. We can help connect you with awesome recruiters. Generate buzz without fizzing out.

#resume #resumebuzzwords #buzzwords

Job Termination and Your Resume

 

No matter how you left, you need to present the best accomplishments you made at the job to prospective employers.

Your employer just let you go. You need to find another job, but how should you address the termination on your resume? It depends on whether you were laid off versus fired, but a few rules apply across the board.

First, consider that the days when you signed on with an employer and stuck around until retirement are gone. The latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics suggest the average worker’s tenure with one employer is 4.2 years. Employers are more understanding when they see job changes than in past, but concern persists on how to explain it on the resume. Here’s how to handle it.

Don't Mention It

A resume should present your qualifications in a positive light. Including details of a job loss—particularly if you were fired—is not going to do you any favors.

No matter how sour your termination and interest in telling your side of the story, the resume is not the place for gory details. Let the resume do its job of opening doors, and you can explain the situation at job interviews.

Don’t Fudge the End Date

If your job is officially over, resist the urge to keep the position listed as “to present” on your resume, giving the impression that you’re still employed. The job termination will eventually come to light and hiring managers might think you tried to mislead them.

Explain a Layoff in Your Cover Letter

If your termination was due to a layoff rather than a performance-related issue, consider mentioning it in your cover letter. You can write something like this:

As you may have read, (company name) announced a round of layoffs, and my position was eliminated. My performance has consistently been rated as outstanding, and I am looking forward to repeating my record of success for my next employer... 

Focus on Your Accomplishments

Your resume should impress potential employers by highlighting your accomplishments and value proposition on your resume. Even if hiring managers are wondering why you left your job, your resume should be strong enough for you to receive interview invitations.

When updating your resume, it can be difficult to put your emotions aside and write a compelling description for the employer that let you go. But this is exactly what you need to do.

If you're stuck, seek the opinions of former colleagues who respect your work and ask about your performance. They might remind you about accomplishments that you took for granted or forgot about.

Here are questions to consider regarding your performance:

• Did you take on responsibilities outside your original position scope? Did you juggle multiple projects while maintaining the highest emphasis on quality?
• What were your strongest contributions to your employer? In what ways did you excel at your job, and how did your employer benefit from having you on board? Specific, measurable outcomes have the biggest impact.
• Did you go above and beyond the call of duty? How did you contribute to bottom-line results?
• What types of challenges did you face? What did you do to overcome these challenges? How did your performance benefit your employer?
• Did you implement processes or procedures that improved efficiency? Were you known for fast or accurate work output?
• Were you part of a team that was recognized with awards or accolades? Did you receive positive commendations by your supervisors (or clients, customers, vendors, co-workers, etc.)?

Help Your Resume Get Seen

Whether you were laid off versus fired, it's completely understandable if you don't feel 100% confident about your resume, given the circumstances. Once you're ready to get out there, let Monster take over. Upload your resume for free and we'll help you connect with top recruiters. Don't be discouraged; take action and start on the path to a great new job.