Take The 10-Day Career Challenge
How do I get my career on track? It’s a question I hear all too often. It’s easy to get so caught up in work that you fall off your career path, or so caught up in finding work that you never set a path at all.
That’s why I dare you to take the ten-day career challenge. Over the course of ten days, you’ll take an in-depth look at yourself, your values, and your career path.
Putting in the legwork can seem daunting at first, but you’ll find the uphill battle become easier and easier to tackle as the days go on. Think of it like working out — you have to work hard at the onset, but it becomes easier to maintain the more you work.
The ten-day career challenge will help you refresh or kick start your career path, so you can be confident that you’re in the right place for you.
- Day One: Answer 5 career questions.
Answering career questions is a great first step in figuring out your path and what you truly want to do with your career. Begin your ten-day challenge by answering these five career questions:
1. What energizes me?
2. What is my career vision?
3. What does success mean to me?
4. What am I really good at?
5. What bores me?
These questions are a self-performance review of sorts, and are incredibly helpful in planning for career. And studies show career planning is the key to success!
- Day Two: Take a personality assessment.
Knowing your career trajectory is important… But to get there, you need to know a bit about yourself! Taking personality tests can help you at any stage of the job hunt, whether you’re just starting out or thinking of switching things up. Just remember, personality assessments aren’t a short cut to your career path, and they won’t give you all the answers. It’s up to you to interpret them in a way that makes sense for you.
- Day Three: Identify 5 values.
Success looks different to everyone, and knowing what it means to you is the turning point in finding yourself on the right career path. One way to figure out what your personal success looks like is to identify about five core values. For example, if you value personal or family time, you won’t want to be in a position where you’re working 70 hours a week.
- Day Four: Write down 3–5 goals.
So far, you’ve done a deep dive into yourself, your values, and what you want out of your career. Now, it’s time to make a plan. Day four is your day to set some career goals — but don’t forget to write them down! Studies show people who write down their goals are 1.4 times more likely to succeed than those who don’t. While you’re at it, make sure you are setting goals that make sense for you, and that won’t overwhelm you on your day-to-day.
- Day Five: Update resume and cover letter.
Congratulations, you’re halfway through the challenge! Now it’s time to get organized, and this starts with making sure all your career assets are up to date. Even if you’re not actively looking for a job, it’s important to have assets such as your resume, cover letter, and letters of recommendation at the ready. For example, if you want to present yourself for an award, or as an expert in your field, having an updated resume will definitely come in handy. Use Career Companion’s FREE modules to keep your updated career assets in one place, ready for whenever you need them.
- Day Six: Answer 5 interview questions.
Interviews can be daunting, but being prepared will help you walk in with confidence, which can be the difference between walking out of that interview with a job offer or not. Use Career Companion’s FREE module to answer some of the most common interview questions (for this exercise, try selecting five) so you’re prepared, confident, and ready for your next interview!
- Day Seven: Reflect.
Reflection might seem like a waste of time, especially if you can just keep pushing forward. However, research shows that reflection is crucial to success by increasing productivity and performance. Take a bit of time on day seven to write down the good and the bad about your career, and to really think about what you want for the future. Studies show even 15 minutes of written reflection increased performance on assessment tests.
- Day Eight: Take an inventory of competencies.
Take stock of your career competencies — these can range from critical thinking skills to leadership qualities. Write them down in Career Companion, so you can easily access them and update them whenever you learn a new skill. It’s important to have these on hand… Employers pay attention, and even rate the importance of various competencies.
- Day Nine: Identify a mentor.
Many people, especially entrepreneurs, undervalue the mentor/mentee relationship… But don’t overlook the value in having a great mentor. In fact, the most successful people attribute their strong leadership skills and professional growth to those mentors that taught them how to lead in business. Find someone you believe would be a good mentor for you, and reach out!
· Day Ten: Prepare your elevator pitch.
Tell me about yourself. It’s that dreaded interview question that you never know how to answer. That’s why the last day of the challenge is all about preparing an airtight elevator pitch to knock any interview out of the park! You only need 15 minutes to write the perfect pitch. Write down everything you want to share about yourself, prioritize a handful of points, and read it out loud to make sure it flows.
Let’s get started! Use Career Companion’s tool kit to get through the challenge. Everything is preconfigured for you to make the ten days go as smoothly as possible. Remember, this is all about finding your true path and getting a strong start on your career so it becomes easier to maintain over time.
