Contrary to what we often learn as kids and young adults, the correlation between effort and rewards is not always straightforward. When it comes to career and salary advancement, putting in the most hours doesn’t guarantee success – it’s about making strategic choices. Here are three simple steps you can take right now to help set the stage for maximizing your lifetime earning potential.
1. Invest Time in Your Resume
Your resume is your ticket to the job market, and it's the first impression you make on potential employers. Many people underestimate the power of a well-crafted resume, assuming that their qualifications will speak for themselves. However, taking the time to align your resume with your qualifications can make a world of difference for your job prospects.
Quick, let’s do a little resume check-up. Ask yourself the following questions:
Have you been dragging your feet when it comes to updating your resume?
Are you seeing limited interest from employers for job applications that you’re qualified for?
Does your resume read like a biography of your life rather than a summary of your most impactful work?
If you answered yes to any or all of the above, then your resume likely needs some TLC.
Action Steps:
Review your resume and look for quantifiable examples of your success and make sure to add these into your resume. For example, “Grew revenue by 25% year-over-year and improved customer satisfaction by 15% through best-in-class customer service.”
Limit your resume to one page. This practice forces you to focus on the highest impact and most relevant moments of your career history.
2. Add Negotiation Practice to Your Daily Life
Negotiation isn't reserved for salary discussions or high-value purchases; it's a life skill you can – and should – nurture and put to use in everyday situations.
Are you an everyday negotiator? Answer these questions to decide:
Do you tend to view the world as inflexible and take people’s statements as firm?
Do you think negotiations are reserved for other people or only high value discussions?
Do you think of negotiations as having a “winner” and “loser”?
If you answered yes to any or all of the above, then you’d benefit from reframing your
perspective on negotiations and looking for ways to practice your skills on a regular basis.
Action Steps:
Take “negotiation” off of the pedestal and reframe it simply as a positive change to the status quo.
Make an effort to better understand the other party's needs WHILE advocating for yourself. You may just find that you’re both able to get more of what you want!
3. Network With a Purpose
People often assume that networking means collecting business cards at boring industry conferences. In reality, it means building meaningful connections, sharing knowledge, and staying informed about market trends and opportunities, all of which become valuable assets when you’re planning your next career step.
Answer these questions to see if you’re an effective networker:
Do you only network when seeking something for yourself?
Has it been more than three months since your last professional meeting outside of your day-to-day job interactions?
Have you done a positive thing for somebody without an explicit quid pro quo?
Action Steps:
Start putting your value into the network and focus on uncovering somebody’s needs through simple questions. It’s not always professional help others are seeking. Sometimes people need a new dentist!
Take notes and keep track. I use my phone notes and calendar to keep track of details like spouse/children names, big events, and birthdays. Having a natural reason to message someone helps break the networking ice.
It’s never too late to reach out to somebody you value. “Hey it’s been too long, let’s catch up.”
Remember, it's not just about how much you work; it's about how effectively you work and the opportunities you create through smart decisions and connections.
Book a free 30 minute introduction call if you’d like to better understand, and apply, these types of approaches to maximizing your earnings and career potential.
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