by Fabianna Mueti | Feb 10, 2020 | Career Happiness, Succeeding where you are
Do you ever wonder about the things you could be doing that are sabotaging your career? We compiled a list of 5 things we have seen drag people behind in realizing their full potential. If any of these represent you, get out of your own way, now! Or at least, try to.
1. Procrastination – We’ve all been guilty about procrastinating on different things pertaining to our lives. However, when you’re constantly procrastinating on matters to do with your career, you may be digging yourself into a hole, given how it influences a big chunk of our lives. If you’re finding yourself; postponing updating your CV, updating your LinkedIn, reaching out to person A that might connect you to person B or not going to X networking events like you wrote down in your career resolutions, you need to re-evaluate why this is the case and make necessary changes. This article offers insight on why we procrastinate and how we can stop
2. Not investing in your personal growth – The world is constantly changing; technology is evolving every day, organization needs are changing, and adaptability remains a KEY prerequisite in thriving in today’s workplace. Further, investing in personal growth increases your self-awareness and advances your ability to know what you need at different stages in your career. Investment is not always synonymous with money, it could mean investing your time to take up a free online course, listening to a podcast, reading an article, and so forth. With the speed at which we’re now able to consume content, make sure you’re also setting aside time to consume content that will further your career development.
3. Refusing to get out of your comfort zone – Resisting change, because you’re comfortable with what feels familiar to you can greatly stagnate your skills and knowledge. Meaningful career development calls for uncomfortability; getting that promotion requires you to put fear aside and talk to your boss, changing jobs requires you to approach strangers on LinkedIn and ask for help, feeling stuck may require you to work with a Career Coach and so forth. Often times, our career development is hinged on us taking the first step.
4. You’re always blaming external factors – Do you find yourself often pointing fingers at others or external factors when things are not going great in your career? Have you received a couple of warning letters and still feel like it was unfair? Do ALL your job applications get rejected at a certain stage and you blame XYZ? Sometimes, it’s critical to look at ourselves inwardly and ask how we are failing ourselves from succeeding. Maybe you’re not very good at receiving feedback and acting on it to self improve, or maybe your interview skills are not great and you don’t answer interviewers questions adequately thus the consistent rejections at that stage. Read our article on how 5 ways you can become accountable at work. Hopefully, you gain some insights that apply generally as well.
5. You’re afraid to ask for help – If we’re being completely honest, pride is up there as a reason as to why people don’t ask for help when it comes to their careers, and other things. That, in addition to comparing ourselves to the achievements of our peers, thus being afraid to seem weak in front of them. Career progression is full of complexities, and often at times, we can’t do it alone. We need a support system, an accountability partner, and networks that can connect us with other networks that can help us push our dreams a step closer. If you’re job hunting and are afraid to ask for help, here is an article we wrote about how to ask for help when job hunting and what not to do.
If you saw yourself in any of the above points, or all of them, know that it’s never too late, and you can still take charge of your career. If you’re confused and don’t know what to do first, reach out to us today!
Sign up to our Career Coaching Program and transform your career, with the right tools and support.
by Fabianna Mueti | Feb 6, 2020 | Career Happiness, Job hunting, Job Search
We want to play a game today; called truth or truth. Ever seen those adverts on local newspapers with a photo and caption ‘So and So no longer works here?’ We shall never know the real issues that earned them a moment of fame on a local daily, but we know that type of publicity is likely to negatively influence their future career aspirations. Whoever sees the advert (and many managers and recruiters do), makes a mental note somewhere ‘to not recommend this person’.
Similarly, as a job seeker, there are several actions and behaviors that are likely to push your profile into a ‘to not recommend list’ otherwise referred to as the “Blacklist”. The following are the ways in which you can fall into this trap, so read on to see why;
1. Making countless applications – We’ve touched on this before. While this may seem like a harmless habit because you’re trying to give everything a chance, it may not sit well with most recruiters/hiring managers. Throwing in your application, for all and any jobs an organization puts out, even when you do not meet core criteria is not advisable. What you’re essentially doing is communicating that you have no regard for the needs of the organizations at this point in time. We understand it’s difficult to get a job; believe it or not, it breaks our hearts to disqualify candidates all the time. So try as much as you can to apply for jobs that are closely related to your background, to avoid getting blacklisted.
2. Being self-entitled, and arrogant – We are well aware that most people dislike recruiters or people in HR. Ha! To some extent, it is true that we inform who should be considered or not, in a position. However, it is also true that part of the accountability falls on the job seekers themselves. Being arrogant to a recruiter; which we have often experienced, automatically puts you in the red zone. Feeling entitled because you’ve maybe had many years of experience, and ignoring other factors such as your culture fit within the organization, and how your exposure fits into the current stage of the organization does not serve you.
3. Being dishonest – This could vary; lying about your past work experiences by exaggerating your successes, the role you held, your age and past successes is a valid reason to have a recruiter blacklist you. This is why we insist that you clearly understand the role before, and practice integrity before you put yourself in a precarious position, where your lies are debunked, and you ruin your reputation. Background checks and referral calls will eventually unearth any lies.
4. Badgering the recruiter/hiring manager – It’s fairly okay for you to check in with a recruiter after, say two weeks of silence, if they had promised to get back and they haven’t, or if the hiring manager had scheduled a phone call and he didn’t call. However, consistently checking in with the recruiter or hiring team every other day is a bit too much and unprofessional. It’s even worse when you’re calling at ungodly hours. Please understand that recruiters/hiring managers are human too, and sometimes the lack of communication could be as a result of an impromptu change in the company, which they are also figuring how to communicate. To be on the safe side, always ask when you should hear from them, so there is no room for assumption.
5. Dropping out of the selection process unjustifiably – Picture this; you’ve gone through a rigorous selection process; done phone interviews, in-person conversations, take-home tests, and so forth. The hiring manager has expressed a strong interest to want to give you an offer, and then you just drop out of the selection process and don’t provide a valid reason. It’s unprofessional and leading. We understand switching jobs can be scary, but we advocate that you communicate any fears or doubts as early as you can, to avoid such outcomes and maintain a good working relationship, who knows what the future holds?
Read our blog post on the ways you are sabotaging your job search to learn more about the traps you should avoid.
by Fabianna Mueti | Jan 27, 2020 | Career Happiness, Mapping and Transition, Self discovery
For most people who feel stuck in their careers; whether it’s being in a job they don’t like, job applications making little to no progress, or, wanting to switch careers and not knowing where to start, it can seem daunting to want to ask for help. And this can lead one to question their abilities, sense of worth and suffer from imposter syndrome. This is where a Career Coach should come in.
Jobs and careers occupy a big chunk of our lives, so it’s critical that we invest time, and sometimes our resources to figure out what we can’t seem to do on our own, that is impeding us from progressing further, or feeling fulfilled.
So we compiled a list of reasons as to why you need a career coach:
1. Tailor-made solutions – Sure, Google is great, but the articles you’re reading are unlikely offering solutions tailored to your needs, personality, and maybe, current confusion, and they may not define your problem as you’d like. A Career Coach exists exactly for this purpose; to help you define your challenges, provide you with clarity, and help you map out what you want to do. Not only that, but working with a Career Coach provides you with an opportunity to get real-time feedback on the progress of action steps agreed upon.
2. Increased self-awareness – Because Career Coaches use a variety of tools to assess your needs and help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, interests, goals and so much more, the result is an increased awareness of self, which enables one to make informed decisions about their jobs and careers.
3. Improved accountability – Because life can get really busy, or, procrastination can get in the way of progress, a Career Coach helps you to become more accountable to yourself. With agreed-upon action plans, whether it’s revising your CV, creating an elevator pitch, looking for volunteering opportunities to transition careers, and so forth, it’s hard to avoid accountability when you’re investing to improve your current situation.
4. Honest feedback – Most of us ask for career advice from family, and friends because it’s easier and cheaper to do so. A career coach tells you what you NEED to hear. A friend may look at your CV and tell you it’s great, a career coach will look at it, and point out 10 mistakes. Why? Because that’s their expertise, and their opinions are not biased; their role is to point out your inconsistency, dismantle some of the myths you may have about jobs and careers, and pretty much give you a reality check of what needs to be done. Who wouldn’t want that?
5. Build confidence – Unless you were not intentionally invested in your career coaching sessions, it’s hard to not build up your confidence as a result. One of the key roles career coaching plays is to identify some of the fears you have around pursuing your goals and providing you with the information and tools to conquer them and help you get out of that comfort zone. Career coaching helps you introspect, ask yourself difficult questions, and face some of your fears that bar you from achieving your potential.
Have you worked with a Career Coach before? What was your experience?
If not, at edge, we have a number of Career Coaching Programs that aim to answer some of your most pressing career queries and provide you with the tools to navigate these challenges. If you’re interested, please email us at happycareers@edgeperformance.co.ke.
Get a sneak peek our career coaching by watching this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvRnyw8_D7Q
by Fabianna Mueti | Jan 27, 2020 | Career Happiness, Job Applications, Job hunting, Job Search
Have you ever wondered if the reason you get regrets after interviews may be because you’re utilizing WRONG advice about how you should conduct yourself in interviews?
A lot of us have been exposed to different tips from different people about different areas in our lives, most, of course, have the best intentions. However, it’s critical that one has a sense of discernment when it comes to certain things; job interviews are one of them. Because let’s be honest; job interviews are a GREAT determining factor of whether or not you get employed at the organization you applied for.
So here are 3 misleading “tips” told about job interviews:
1. You should not reveal your weaknesses to the interviewer/turn your weaknesses into strengths – *insert beep sound*. No one is perfect. A recruiter/hiring manager NEEDS to be aware of what learning opportunities they should create for their potential future employee. Otherwise, you’re exposed to the risk of them finding out later when you do work that is subpar that may lead to your termination. HONESTY is always the best policy.
2. Your responses should be “short” – Yes, interviewers don’t want you to go on and on about your life history. What they are looking for is concision; they want to hear ALL relevant details about how your past experiences relate to the job you applied for, why you’re motivated to join the organization, and what makes you a good culture fit, among other things. Giving very brief responses may seem like a good thing but it hurts your chances because it leaves the interviewer/hiring manager with little information to make an informed decision about your profile. We like to recommend using the STAR method as it ensures an interviewee answers questions systematically.
3. Don’t ask questions as that shows you were not prepared – We can’t count the number of times we have asked candidates during interviews if they have questions and received a “not at the moment” response. We’ll be blunt; not asking ANY question at all is not a good thing, and NO, interviewers don’t think you’re not “prepared” if you ask questions. Here’s an article that bluntly explains why it’s important to ask questions and the do’s and don’ts!
If you would like to learn more about how to prepare for an interview, please read this article we wrote last year about how to get ready to succeed in an interview.
Our Career Happiness Center contains all the tools and information you need to address some of the career challenges you may be facing; job hunting, packaging yourself, transitioning careers, and succeeding where you are!
by Fabianna Mueti | Jan 27, 2020 | Career Happiness, Self discovery, Succeeding where you are
First and foremost, Happy New Year! 2020 has been dubbed as 20plenty, and we don’t know about you, but here at edge, this is the year we’re manifesting our visions, so please, get on board!
Now, we all know that a new year is seen as an opportunity to start on a clean slate and making new year resolutions is a part of that. Some people prefer to make goals, instead of resolutions. Whatever term you decide on, having career resolutions or goals should be included in your list.
If you haven’t already, please read our article containing 8 questions you need to ask yourself before the year ends as you do last year’s career reflections before proceeding to read the rest of the article.
To guide you, we will outline below 5 introspective questions you should ask yourself when making these goals/resolutions:
1. What distractions hindered me from achieving my career goals last year, and how can I change that this year? Think about what you wanted to achieve in your career last year. What are the small, and even big things that prevented you from taking the required action to get there? Was it spending too much time on your phone? Going out too much, thus not finding time to update your resume? Were you clouded with self-doubt? Whatever the reason may be, note them all down and think about how you’ll get rid of some of these distractions that are not serving you.
2. What new skills and knowledge do I want to acquire this year? If you’ve been employed for a while, think about the next level you want to achieve in your job, or career. Even if you’re thinking of switching careers; what are the required skills and knowledge that will propel you to get there? Research online and by asking industry experts what you need to do. There are plenty of virtual courses online that you can utilize as a start, volunteering on weekends and so much more. If you just entered the job market or are job hunting, now is a good time to identify your strengths and figure out what contribution you want to add to an organization, or even start your own venture. Tools such as the 16 personalities test or the Sparketype to help you develop self-awareness that is useful in identifying what areas you’re good at.
3. What changes do I need to implement to improve my current situation? Admittedly, this could cover a wide range of things. Are you employed but looking for a new job? Are you in a hostile work environment and want out? Looking to transition into a different career? Wanting to get promoted this year? Whatever the case, none of these things can happen if you don’t intentionally put in the work to make these changes happen. Don’t just sit around and hope that something “comes up”. Hope is not a strategy. Solutions may range from; customizing your CV to fit different jobs you apply for, working with a career coach to help you identify what career path you want, reading up on what makes a good job application, updating your LinkedIn profile, and reaching out to recruiters for help; read our article on the right way to ask for help when job hunting and what not to do as a guide. As always, Google is your friend, you may be one search away from transforming your life!
4. What am I most afraid of? Aaah, fear; the biggest enemy of progress. In 2020, we’d like to call upon you to befriend your fear. Have you been in a comfort zone for far too long? Do you feel like you’re in survival mode? I think we can all agree that that is not an ideal way to live. Are you afraid of asking for a promotion? Leaving a job that you don’t like because it feels familiar and change is daunting? There’s a saying that goes; “Change begins at the end of your comfort zone”. If you’re not sure what it is that you’re afraid of, please consider working with a career coach who will help you articulate your fears and help you make the right steps to transform your career.
5. When I look back at 2020 in January of 2021, what are the things I should be proud of? If you’ve been able to address the above questions, it should be easier to come up with milestones you want to achieve in 2020. List them all down, and come up with a way you want to track your progress. And if you hit a milestone, reward yourself.
We hope you found the above questions useful. We have plenty of resources on our Career Happiness Center that you can refer to when making your 2020career goals and resolutions. Please dive in. If you need additional assistance to get you out of a career rut, reach out to us through happycareers@edgeperformance.co.ke.
