According to Marcus Buckingham a strength is “what you do that makes you feel strengthened” (any of his books are great reading, by the way!). Guess what that means? A weakness is therefore what weakens/exhausts you! Hence why spending too much time and effort focusing on your weaknesses, even for the purposes of improving them, can be detrimental to your career. And, heck, even your health. Let’s face it – you will only be truly competitive when you compete based on your true and natural strengths. Not on something that does not come naturally and easily to you!

Now, I am not expecting you to tell your manager that you don’t want to focus on improving your weaknesses. Do what needs to be done to improve those areas that your current job demands from you. However, if you are finding that your current job draws too much on your weaknesses, rather than your strengths, then it might be time for a change. A change to a job description that truly focuses on your unique strengths. Especially if you are currently feeling exhausted (remember the definition of a weakness and what it does to you?).

Individuals who are truly successful and leaders in their fields spend the majority of their time playing to and thereby improving their strengths. Do you really think Sir Richard Branson would have become so influential (and rich!) if he spent most of his time focusing on improving his dyslexia? Nope! He delegates what doesn’t come naturally to him and focuses on his key strengths.

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Identify what weaknesses negatively impacts you in your current job/career. Seek advice as to what can be delegated and/or avoided and where something like a specific training course might be all it takes. Then spend as much time as possible focusing on your strengths (even if that means a job or career change).

Can you imagine how much more energy you will have? And how much more competitive and successful you will be? Now go for it!

Obviously there is no guarantee that this approach is going to give you crystal clear answers, but there are a number of pro-active actions you can take before your time off to ensure you actually have something to ‘digest’ whilst away from your usual surroundings and habits.

Actions to take prior to your vacation:

1. Define your issue(s) as much as possible (so much time is wasted on wrongly defined issues (i.e. many times people think it’s their entire career path that’s a problem when the issue is actually just their manager or current company culture!))

2. Sketch out possible solutions/options (with pros and cons)

3. Make an inventory of people (friends, HR, contacts, career advisor etc)  and resources (internet, books etc) to consult about your situation. Consult!

4. Do as much problem solving and thinking as you can ahead of your vacation, so you actually have something to digest whilst on holiday (people often go traveling hoping to ‘discover the answer’ which can be an issue if they haven’t even defined the issue!)

5. Decide to have a proper vacation (no work!) and try not to think about the issue whilst on vacation (at least until the last couple of days). But do look out for answers and ideas that might come to you (one of my ideas came in the shape of a slogan on a mug in a bookstore in Orlando!).

 If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Book a vacation/time off, but remember to use the time beforehand wisely. Even if it’s just a couple of days away, (proper) time off can provide the kind of career clarity that the ‘daily grind’ doesn’t always allow for.

Would you write a speech before knowing anything about the person the speech is aimed at? You get my point. Don’t put your CV together before you have decided what kind of job you actually want to apply for (even if it’s similar) and done your ground work to ensure you know what the CV should be tailored towards (= forward-looking!).

Here are some forward-looking actions you can take before putting together your CV:

• Become familiar with and use the the language/words used to describe the jobs you are after (you can do this by visiting online job boards. You will quickly notice a trend – especially if you print out job ads and highlight the commonalities).
• Ensure you are clear about the most requested key skills, working knowledge and achievements required (this is what you build your CV around).
  
• Be up-to-date with current key terms and issues within your industry (including them on your CV shows you keep abreast).

Taking these future-oriented actions will help you be much more clear about what parts of your past is relevant and what you need to play up/down to ensure the recruiter knows exactly why you are the right person for that job.

If in doubt about what (not) to include, ask yourself: Is my CV a confession of everything I’ve ever done in the past or a clever edit representing where I want to go next?

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Remember that you don’t have to put extensive details about every job you’ve ever done on your CV (past). A CV should be written with the future in mind and tailored towards and reflect the kind of job you want to land next. Now go (re) write your CV accordingly.

1. Volunteer (strategically) to learn key skills & to network

Identify the kind of charities where volunteering will actually help you develop some of those keys skills that you see requested in job ads again and again (leadership, team work, initiative, problem solving etc). Then approach them and offer some of your time. This at the same time also helps you tap into a network of people you might never otherwise have had access to. Did you know that many of the most sought-after graduate employers actually ask their employees to do some charity/volunteer work on a regular basis? A tip is to find out what charities and organisations those companies tend to help and support (they might mention this on their website or you could call and find out). You could be volunteering alongside your future manager before know it!

2. Think outside the box (and outside of graduate schemes/jobs)

Have you noticed how every single graduate seems to apply for the same 20 graduate schemes and then wonder how come they didn’t get selected? There are a lot of people fishing in the same pond (with very similar bait). Whilst graduate schemes are a fantastic option, they are not actually the only way to get your foot in the door of your target company. Or to get started in your field of choice.  I made my way into Morgan Stanley in November 1999, 4 months after graduating (when all the schemes were closed) by applying for a temporary HR assistant vacancy. I worked my butt off, got to know lots of people and made sure the right people knew I was keen to stay. The result was a permanent position and a great start to my (former) HR career. Be creative and think of ways you can add value in a supportive role (even if it’s temporary – few permanent headcounts are given out in the current climate) in an area you want to break into (but try to avoid the classic secretarial roles, if you can). You might also cast your net wider and look outside of the big cities and/or even look abroad for subsidiaries!

3. Yes, you do have a network (or how to get one)!

I often hear graduates complain that their parents are not very well-connected (“my dad doesn’t play tennis with an MP and my mother is self-employed” a grad recently wrote on the Guardian website). Welcome to the new world of work! Getting a job is no longer just about who your parents know and what networks they can tap into and influence. In a way this is good, as it makes for a more level playing field. Also, don’t just think about connecting with other (unemployed) grads, think much broader. Volunteer (see point 1), join evening classes (available for subsidised fee at your local college) to tap into a much broader community and research where the kind of people (and by extension companies) you want to work with spend their spare time and go join them (even if you have to nurse just one drink all night). Once you’ve made the connection, then make sure you follow up by adding them to your LinkedIn or Twitter network and that you keep up the conversation. I even network in the supermarket queue, my local bakery and (of course) online. Just get started and build  your own network.

4. Learn how to use social media to further your career

Social media is any platform that allows you to have a conversation/interaction with someone you might otherwise not have had easy access to before (Twitter, YouTube, facebook, LinkedIn etc). This could be HR staff, recruiting managers or simply people working in the industries and companies you are keen to get into. Remember that many companies now also use social media to advertise their job openings and that it’s an area they would expect you to be up-to-date with. They key to social media is that you get out of it what you put into it, as it’s all about live conversations and keeping up to date (and not being desperate and pushy (think first date!)). A quick Google search on ‘using social media for job search’ will give you the lowdown (I also regularly blog about it here and I tweet @CareerConcierge). You would be surprised how few graduates get this right or even bother to do it.

5. Don’t expect HR  to ‘translate’ your CV

Many CVs are now are pre-screened by either machines or less experienced HR staff, so you really need to make it clear that you have what they want. The way to do that is to spell it out for them rather than expect them to ‘read between the lines’ or even for them to read your entire CV. You might think you have great leadership skills because you were a swimming instructor at the age of 15. However, since you put it in the last section of your CV under ‘additional information’ there is a big chance that they will miss it. However, if you actually put a ‘Key Skills’ section at the top of your CV (after your ‘Profile’ and contact information) and use the words ‘Leadership Skills’, you can mention your swimming instructor experience there as ‘proof’ of how you developed that skill early on in your life. This is so much better than just expect them to notice the information you put somewhere randomly on your CV and also to infer that being a swimming instructor equals leadership skills. So you both spell out for them what the skills is that you have and give them proof by mentioning exactly how you obtained/learned it. Remember to focus on the key skills the company mention/state in their job ads since what you think is relevant might not be.

Not only are they using LinkedIn to directly source candidates themselves, but they are also using it to make their own network aware of what they are looking for. Bearing in mind how well-connected it’s easy to become on LinkedIn, there is a good chance that one of your connections (or their connections) will hear about that vacancy. So make sure that your connections truly know what you are up to and what you are looking for. With a bit of ‘team work’ you could be landing your dream job without too much hassle!

So even if you are tired of getting emails from über-keen recruiters via your LinkedIn profile, hang on there! You could be missing out on a golden opportunity to give your future line manager the direct link to you. Whilst the majority of recruitment is still being managed by HR and recruiters, it’s important that you are ahead of the game and know what developments are taking place, so you can make the most of them. So now you know!

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Make sure your LinkedIn profile is complete and contains your most up-to-date contact details. And if you don’t currently have a LinkedIn profile, you know what I’m going to say…get one today! Do also make sure that you don’t just connect to people, but that you keep the conversation going, so they know what you are up to and what you are looking for. Never has there been more reasons to be on LinkedIn!

Having a professional-looking photo shows you are authentic and serious about your job hunt. It gives you online credibility which is an important currency in today’s job market. However, online profile photos are often an overlooked and damaging aspect of people’s job hunting campaign. Which is strange, as it’s such a quick and easy thing to get right. And it will go a long way towards making people know, like, trust, follow and HIRE you!  All you need is a digital camera and a computer.

A great way to show that you are in the know with regards to personal branding it to use the same profile photo across all of your social media platforms. Consistency is key and it will also make it easier for recruiters and HR to recognize you.

A Few Guidelines:

1. Use the best quality photo possible (non-blurry, simple background, good lighting – you can google all of that!).
2. Take the photo specifically with your job hunt in mind. Don’t recycle old photos.
3. Get a friend or a professional photographer to take it for you (none of that photo in the bathroom mirror please! Or use the camera on your laptop if you really have to – but make sure you get the right angle). Remember that you might need to take a lot of photos to get it right!
4. Use a close-up of your face, neck and maybe even a bit of your shoulders (and make sure you crop it correctly when uploading onto Twitter).
5. If you show your shoulders, make sure they are covered (am I the only one who wonders if people are naked if their shoulders are?).
6. Make sure there is only you in the photo (no pets, friends or fancy cocktails!).
7. Wear the kind of outfit, make up and hair you would for an interview or that is consistent with the kind of work personality you want to represent (a photo for an investment banking / legal profile will probably show less of a a personal fashion style than someone applying for a fashion PR job).
8. Smile and look approachable (it’s surprising how easily people look unapproachable or downright scary when they don’t!).
9. Have a look at Twitter’s photo uploading guidelines and make sure you comply.
10. Remember: How would you like your future dream employer to see you? That’s the guiding principle!

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Put a date in your calendar to get your photo taken and enlist a friend or photographer to help. Plan your outfit, hair and make up. If you are taking your photo with the help of a friend, spend some time googling tips for taking the best photo for online use. Get the photos done and once you have a photo you are happy with make sure you use it consistently across all social platforms. Smile!

If you decide to make your chronological age a limit for something, that’s your choice and your judgement. I think your chronological age is completely irrelevant to what you can achieve in both your life and career. It makes sense that the older we get, the more we should challenge ourselves. Many respected authors, artists, politicians and business people only got famous and/or started their career at a later stage in life. However, we live in a society that tends to focus on the young, famous and beautiful (and interestingly most of those are in careers and industries where they probably won’t be around in 5 years time – not a good role model for career choice in my mind).

Research from Kingston University Business School identified that older entrepreneurs are more likely to be successful in business than their younger counterparts. Starting your own business also means that you don’t have to rely solely on others to give you a job.This could be your best bet when it comes to career change at a later stage in life. Portfolio and multiple income stream set-ups are good options too in this sense.

Even if you are not interested in becoming an entrepreneur or portfolio worker, but want continue down the employee trail now could be a good time to change careers. Why? Because the older we get the better our level of self-knowledge and awareness of our strengths and weaknesses tend to become. By really reviewing your career so far and looking at where you truly excelled and enjoyed yourself,  you will be able to identify a career that truly fits you based on what you’ve learned form experience. You are also be able to nail down the areas of interests that keep grabbing your attention. This is a major advantage over a 22 year old graduate choosing their first career!

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Remember that it’s never too late if you start now! Instead of focusing on your belief that you are too old, focus on what your years of life and work experience have taught you about what skills and abilities come naturally to you and what subjects truly interests you. Recall the instances where you enjoyed yourself and excelled. From that point of empowerment you are ready to choose a new career and take on the world!

What is your profession/industry/key areas of expertise?

What is unique about you and what you have to offer?

What are you looking for? (you might want to leave this one out if you are currently employed – recruiters will find you anyway!)

By the way, the above 3 bullet points is also the very definition of your personal brand (natch!). Start by thinking about what kind of key words a recruiter or HR would use to identify/find someone like you. What are they keywords for your industry? A good place to start your profile is by stating your profession/job title. People need to know what you do. However, since there are probably quite a few of your kind online, it’s important that you also mention what’s unique about you and what you offer. Maybe you are bi-lingual. Maybe you have international experience. Heck, maybe you recently saved your company some money (always a good one!). Or maybe you have a highly sough-after (relevant) qualification. Include that. Then you might also briefly state what you are looking for.

Use short sentences. Be descriptive and informative. And don’t forget to sound like a human with a personality!

Bear in mind that the tone on Twitter is more casual than on LinkedIn, so feel free to maybe allude to a hobby or passion (as long as its ‘PC’) to add a little personality to your bio. I mention in mine that I am a green tea drinker and it’s interesting how people often mention that to me as a point of common interest. However, don’t despair too much about sounding highly original. After all you are using your Twitter account for your job hunt and not for a popularity contest as to who has the most wacky personality or interest! Here are some examples of what profiles could look like:

Accountant who actually like my profession! Partial to multinational employers and Man U. Past the spreadsheet jockey stage and loving the senior advisory side

Former crime journalist turned Cupcake Maker in own kitchen. Would love to apprentice with an established bakery and share my secret recipes. Visit my blog!

Project Finance Director with a background in oil & gas engineering and a global sense of humor looking for my next gig. South East Asia would be nice!

HR Manager with 15 yrs+ experience looking to practice my fluent French outside of the UK. Former employers include Shell, Citi and Barclays. Keen golfer

Bilingual (Eng/French) Secretary great at handling difficult investment banking personalities. Currently studying for PRINCE2. Loves good food

You will also note that you have the option of adding a link to your profile. This is good news, as that’s where you can add the link to your online CV or your LinkedIn profile (which has your CV uploaded, right?;)). Remember: The more specific information you give recruiters and HR about yourself, the more of a chance there is that those keywords will be picked up in a search and lead to your profile.

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Write Your Twitter Bio! And don’t get too hung up about it being too original or perfect. What matters is that you use relevant keywords and can easily be found. You might also want to experiment with a couple of bios to see what gets the best response (but keep your professional identity consistent!). If you struggle to decide what key words to include, then just look at job ads you have recently applied for (or search job boards) to see what key words they consistently use. Again, spend some time looking at bios around Twitter for inspiration and then write your own unique one!

Your Twitter Username (@): Definition: “Also known as a Twitter handle. Must be unique and contain fewer than 15 characters. Is used to identify you on Twitter for replies and mentions” (Twitter). This is the most important name to get right, as it is how you will be known and referred to and what most people will see. Keep it professional and make sure it’s a name a recruiter or company would not have a problem conversing with in public! Some ideas for what name to choose:

1. Your Name: @DeniseSmith. If it’s already taken, you can add a middle initial (@DeniseLSmith, @BobMSmith) or use the tips below. Some people suggest using numbers or an underscore_. However some research indicates that doing this will result in less followers and responses (it’s a pain to type underscore on your mobile for a reply and numbers look a bit password-like), so use it as a last resort.  Using your own name (ideally first+last) is the most common recommendation by career professionals.
2. Your Name + Professional qualification: (@BobSmithMBA, @LouiseIFA). This is a good one if your profession places a big emphasis on qualifications (or your name is Paul Smith and you want to stand out from the crowd!).
3. Your Name + / or Your Profession/What You Do In Your Industry/ or (for career changers) What You Would Like To Do: @PRdenise, DeniseSEO, DeniseCooks, CoachDenise, @BobLovesRetail, @FrenchWines, @StylingYou.

Make sure your User name is not too long, as it will count as part of the 140-character limit that Twitter imposes (which can be an issue when people want to tweet or retweet you).

Your Twitter Name: Definition: “A name that can be different from your username and is used to locate you on Twitter. Must be 20-characters or fewer” (Twitter).

If you were not able to write your name out in full in your user name, this is the place to do it and it increases your chances of being found.  Most people will use their full name here and you can have a space between your first and last name: Rikke Hansen.

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: It’s important that you are comfortable with the names that you choose and that they serve your job search/career and make you easy to be found by recruiters. So spend some time playing around with the above ideas before deciding. You might also want to check out what the key influencers and ‘normal’ people do in your industry to get some additional ideas. As a rule of thumb make sure you use your full name at least once.

1. As a Relationship-Building Forum and
2. As a ‘the moment it becomes available’ Job Board

What so great about Twitter is that you are able to follow and communicate with any users you choose to (from the corner shop down the road to Richard Branson), as there is no hierarchy or off-limit groups. The worst thing that can happen is that people don’t reply or don’t follow you back which is not really that scary! This set-up makes it an ideal place to build new relationships, as well as strengthen and/or reignite existing ones. To avoid sounding like a desperate job hunter, it’s important that you really focus on the relationship-building aspects of Twitter as much as possible.

Twitter is great for companies in the current economy, as it’s free and a super fast way to get vacancies out there in the shortest amount of time possible (no middle man involved!). Many companies are now using Twitter to post their jobs straight away (often quite a while before they end up on the more traditional job sites). Being an engaged and pro-active Twitter user therefore gives you access to a potential gold mine of opportunities before most other job seekers!

If You Only Do One Thing This Week: Familiarise yourself with Twitter and how it works in general. A good place to start is the FAQ page on Twitter’s own web page, as well as their short intro videos. Do also follow me on Twitter, as I am tweeting loads of of Twitter tips this week!