I got an invite the other day to speak to a transition group. I spoke there a few years ago.
Time ebbs and flows but there are always people in transition. It just that the light of the news doesn’t always shine on them when times are good.
It struck me that many people only think about their career renewal when they are out of work.
You need to practice career renewal constantly but few do today because with low unemployment people think that the good times will continue. Most people have short memories.
However life has taught me that good times can easily fade away and then how fear and pain quickly changes people and causes them to act.
When I am recruiting I see common mistakes that people make that are easy to fix.
I am amazed that people don’t update their LinkedIn profile when they get a new job. Hey I got a new job. I will get to LinkedIn later.
A week later the company get acquired and all bets are off the table.
I am also surprised how few people have a salutation in their contact info when immediate connectivity is the rule today.
Most people treat their LinkedIn profiles as static when it should be dynamic. All your accomplishments and successes should be on your LinkedIn profile. The things you will say in a future interview that you don’t anticipate today.
You should also include your email on your LinkedIn profile so you can be contacted even if folks aren’t connected to you. It is in the section that most ignore called advice for contacting you.
You see in good times many people don’t to hear from strangers but when people are looking for a new job people will talk to anyone.
I am also often surprised when I am connected with people on LinkedIn and want to send them an opportunity that they have multiple e mails in their contact info. Some are e mails from jobs years ago or emails they never check any more.
That’s not the way to be prepared for the future.
When I contact people about an opportunity I often hear I need to update my resume. You can say that in the Old Normal but that doesn’t prepare you for the earthquakes that can occur in the New Normal.
Every Boy Scout will tell you that you have to be prepared.
You can connect with Hank on LinkedIn:
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