Sustaining Employment, From a Job to a Career: You've Found a Job, Now What?

I've been focusing so much on getting people through their periods of unemployment, that when one of my clients said, "Ok, I finally found a job and I am grateful, but now what?"  I was almost taken aback.  For most job seekers this time comes, but very few have the foresight to think of it that way, and ask the question.  Getting the job is half the battle, now you have to keep it.

Of course, I had to know-how to help her, I just needed to reach into my tool chest and put on my construction hat. You've got the job, now we need to build a career from the ground up.

The workplace can be a dangerous place for the new hire. Much like a construction site, you have to be cautious and alert, use your tools with precision and wear your protective hard hat.

FROM JOB READY TO JOB SAVVY

After not working for long periods of time, many people worry that they will not be able to sustain it. This is especially true since many companies that are actually hiring, are still going through transitions. Many recent hires are still on shakey ground, and wonder how to construct a career out of the rebound job, or the transitional job.  Of great concern is how to make yourself indespensible and carve out a path to sustainability and hopefully growth, so you stay employed.

Now What?

CONNECT, INFLUENCE, CREATE AND ACHIEVE, that's What!

Here are some tips to help you construct your new job into a career, using the tools and resources you've acquired.


1. Continue to construct your career by staying connected to developments in your field. Stay aware (alert) to the trends, technology developments and performance standards.

2. Become a positive influence on those around you. This is about your attitude. Be cautious about the friendships you form and about your involvement in office politics.  Take your time to understand who the bad apples are in the office, and make your own alliances based on who you are, and where you want to go.

3. Create opportunties for yourself to grow, by staying open to new assignments and more responsibility. Use the tools you acquired during  your periods of renewal (see previous post of 9/10/09) to make yourself valuable. Continue learning and developing your skills.

4. Achieve a reputation as someone strives to be better and who gets the job done. How, you ask? Stay open to feedback from your superiors. Put the hard hat on your ego, and listen openly to criticism. Make the improvements that your employer is asking of you, and show that you can rise above your limitations to get the job done.

Most of all, remember that all the skills on your resume, highlights in your cover letter and  knock-em-dead interviewing skills will now be put to the test.  So stay consistent and show them what you're made of.

If you're one of the many, who haven't gotten to the point of thinking about your employment sustainability, maybe you need a little help with interviewing skills.  Don't miss Crystal Clear Connextions next seminar, "Why You've Gone on a Dozen Interviews and Were Not Hired!"  Register now and get a discounted admission price at http://www.adozeninterviewsseminar.eventbrite.com/
All seminar participants get a free post-event consultation, financial advice for job seekers, from a registered financial consultant, and a chance to win a free career consultation.

For a sneak peak at what you'll  learn see my on-line article for Career Rocketeer at
http://www.careerrocketeer.com/2009/09/why-youve-gone-on-dozen-interviews-and.html

What's your take on keeping your job? How do you construct your job into a career?  Join the conversation!