Always be ready for your next career move

If you don’t want to be caught off guard in your career, you have to always be ready for your next career move.

It can be already too late if you’re out of a job. So, to get ahead of this situation where you’re unemployed, what you need to do is be on the constant lookout for your next move.

Should I really be “always” ready for my next career move?

No matter how secure you feel in your current position, no matter how much you love your job. Or your colleagues. Keep your eyes open and don’t get too comfortable.

A company can switch directions, they can have massive layoff rounds, and you can be affected. So, you better be ready for your next career move.

Should I job hunt all the time?

No, because that is not the point. There is a difference between being ready and actually searching for work actively.

Be “job search ready” and having a strategic approach to your career. That way, no matter what happens, you’ll be prepared and you’ll find your next role more easily.

So, let’s see what can help you be ready for whatever life throws at you, professionally speaking.

Being ready for your next career move by having an updated LinkedIn profile

LinkedIn is a digital gateway to professional opportunities, remember that. It’s such a powerful platform and you have to learn everything about it, if this first sentence doesn’t make sense. An outdated LinkedIn profile puts you at a disadvantage when compared to other professionals here.

Update your profile regularly, e.g. whenever your position changes and you get new responsibilities, when you obtain a new certificate, when you want to share an accomplishment. LinkedIn is the place to talk about these things. Show you’re serious about your job, profession, and your career.

Being ready for your next career move by thinking of your resume as an evolving document

When was the last time you went over your resume? Chances are, when you were applying for your current role. Well, most people do this and it’s not a good approach.

Traditionally, resume is considered to be the “necessary evil”, a document that you reluctantly prepare (or pay others to prepare it for you, like people pay me) when you are backed into a corner.

Now, a better way of thinking about your resume and a strategic way to think about it is: consider it to be a dynamic reflection of your professional journey, rather than a static document you remember you have every now and again.

Similarly to your LinkedIn profile, what you want to do with your resume is – keep it updated!

If you were transferred into a new team, if you got new responsibilities, if you did a rotation, if you did something that’s not exactly standard for your role – write it down. Maybe there are things you can’t or don’t want to share on LinkedIn but you can keep a record of those things in your resume as it’s not a public document.

Be next career move ready by conducting quarterly revisions

We all know that companies review their goals all the time. Usually on a quarterly basis, and you should do the same.

Regularly check in with yourself, create goals, and approach your career strategically.

Here’s an idea how you can do it:

1. Set a self-development goal for a particular topic and complete it in 3 months. This can be reading a book, completing a course, or watching educational YouTube videos. The point is to gain new knowledge or skills, or deepen/broaden your existing ones.
2. Create a “pros” and “cons” list for your current role, and see how much you actually like being where you are. In order for this to work, you need to be honest.
3. Check out what jobs are out there and try to find at least 3 that you like. This way, you won’t be completely oblivious to the movements on the job market. And yes, I know 3 months is a lifetime, but it’s better to do this check-ins quarterly than not at all, which is what most people do!
4. Learn about the company you’re with, no matter how long you’ve been with them; there’s always more to learn. This can be as simple as finding out what other departments are out there, what the value of stocks is, what job openings are there within the company, follow people from the company on LinkedIn and see what they’re talking about, engage in meaningful interactions with them. This is especially useful for those who love the company, but are getting a bit antsy in their positions.

Conclusion

You never know what’s coming next and there are no secure jobs anymore. Companies lay people off all the time for various reasons, and if that happens in the company where you work, you’d better be ready for your next move.

Keeping records of your career progress and regularly reviewing where you’re at allows you to stay in control. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you’re relearning everything about your journey. Instead, be proactive, reflect on your achievements, stay in touch with how you feel, and remain aware of what’s going on in the world around you.

If you need assistance with any of the above, feel free to get in touch using the form below and we’ll help you out. You can also check all the services we offer, as well as our step-by-step resume writing guide right here.

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