I know that New Years is supposed to be the annual new beginning. However, I feel it far more in fall than in winter. I think after so many years of school starting in the fall, it still gives me that “new beginning” feeling. I fully embrace this feeling by taking this time of year to make some improvements and changes. Here are five ways IÂ like to boost my career in the fall (and you can, too).
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Reach out to friends from school
In honor of the start of school, reach out to your friends from school! The older you get, the more authority and influence your peers have. Stay in touch with them as you all grow professionally. It’ll provide you with infinite opportunities and allow you to help your friends, too. Who knows! Maybe you can collaborate and create something amazing! Professional benefits aside, it’s never a bad idea to reach out to old friends and reconnect.
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Join a weekly class or a club
Now is a superb time to join a club or start a class that meets weekly. This will keep you out of the house while you may otherwise resort to staying inside, hiding from the cold weather. More importantly, you can learn a skill and meet new people! A language class, a computer skill class, or a networking group are all examples of groups to join. There’s no shortage of options with online and in person improvement courses, either. The industry is booming.
My favorite websites and resources to find such courses are included in the workbook at the end of this post.
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Update your resume and LinkedIn
Treat yourself to one of Starbuck’s infamous fall beverages while you have an honest date with your resume. Even if you’re not currently on the job hunt, it’s never a bad thing to have a current and polished resume. It’s also becoming more and more accepted to have a less traditional and more creative resume. These can help you stand out and reflect some of your personal style and vision. I recently created a second resume. Now, I have both I have a traditional and creative version. Go through and proofread. You should update any new accomplishments or skills. Then, stick that on LinkedIn and your personal website (if you have one).
Grab my resume update checklist at the bottom of this post.
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Create a personal website
If you don’t have one already, now is the time. You don’t need to be unemployed or a freelancer to have a personal website. They’re great for everyone to have. I much prefer this to my LinkedIn profile. Having your own website gives you a chance to express your style and showcase what you’re most proud of. Because it’s yours, you don’t have to fill in pre-constructed content. A personal website is something you can link in all your social media platforms. You can stick it on the top of your resume and put in your e-mail signature. The possibilities are endless.
Read my entire post on how to create a personal website here.
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Host a fall networking event
Organize a holiday networking party for those in your career field and age group. You can organize a happy hour, a fall picnic on the weekend, or host one at your home if you have space. You don’t need to be well-known in your field to do this, anyone can do it! Websites like Meetup and Eventbrite are great, easy and free platforms to get the word out. If you get a big enough group, it’s worth reaching out to the venue that you’re hosting at and see if they will give you a group discount. This is something you’ll want to do as early on as possible, but, yet, since the holidays generally fill up venue opportunities.
If you are interested in hosting a networking event, grab our free event planner for young professionals below.
