What Would Your Career Makeover Look Like?

Meet “Christina.” She is 23, majored in Marketing and is 6 months into her first job as an Account Executive. When she interviewed, she was under the impression that she would be doing brand marketing. It turns out she is really doing cold calling for her superiors in the sales department.  She didn’t sign up to be in sales nor does she desire to pursue a career in sales.  She is miserable at work and wants out. It’s all she can think about and it’s all her girlfriends hear about when they go out.  She has been job searching at night for months but isn’t having any luck.  She’s a bit of an introvert and has no desire to go to networking events. In fact, the word networking is like nails on a chalkboard to her. Can you relate?

I get emails from readers like “Christina” almost every day. Most of these emails ask me the following career questions:

• I hate my job and it’s making me miserable. Can I switch jobs yet or should I stick it out a year for my resume?
• I majored in the wrong thing and I want to change my career path. Where do I start?
• I’m having a horrible time with my job search, I’m not getting any interviews.  What’s wrong with me?
• I don’t know what I want to do, but I know it’s not this! Can you help?

[Tweet “If your overall happiness is suffering due to your job, it’s time to think about a career makeover. “]

Last week a friend called me on the verge of tears and we had a long conversation about her career situation.  She admitted that she had grown complacent in her job of over 3 years and that she was clocking hours with no potential for growth. She knew her attitude was suffering and that she played the role of “that girl” when going out with her friends because she was always complaining about work.  At the same time, she was absolutely terrified to move on.  She felt sad and scared all at the same time.

At some point in our conversation she said, “I pay for a gym membership and a personal trainer, but I think paying to be part of something that gets me out of this career rut would be a better investment.” She makes a great point.

[Tweet “Have you ever decided to makeover some random part of your life because you are so unhappy at work? “]

A lot of us are guilty of distracting ourselves from the real matter at hand – perhaps without even realizing it.  Before my own “career makeover” it was shopping sprees, feeling the need to re-decorate my apartment, or signing up to run (yet another) half-marathon (that I never end up running).  Life makeovers are great and goals are incredible, but it’s important to ask yourself this:

[Tweet “Are you really just distracting yourself from a career you don’t like? “]

As I read your career-related emails lately and talk to friends in career ruts, it has become obvious to me that many people are in major need of a career makeover and don’t know what to do or where to turn.

After leaving your college campus, you no longer have access to your college’s physical career center. While in college, your career center helped you take the first steps towards a career makeover: you could attend career seminars, speak with a career counselor, take personality tests, sign up for interviews or get your resume re-done. What are you doing now to maintain and grow your career?

So now I want to hear from YOU.  

[Tweet “What would YOUR career makeover look like? Share for the chance to win a $25 @Target gift card. “]

If you could get a career makeover, what would it look like?  For example:

• Would you want a career coach?
• Would you want a professional resume writer to make you look like a star?
• Would you want to know more about building a personal brand online?
• Would you like someone to re-write your LinkedIn profile so that recruiters find YOU instead of the other way around?
• Do you need a structure/plan for networking in a natural, non-schmoozy way?
• Would you want access to career and personality tests?
• Would you want help in deciding what grad or continuing education program to pursue?
• Would you want to be part of a female-only support group for ambitious twentysomethings?
• Would you like to hear from amazing career women who’ve made it?
• Would you like access to career mentors?

It’s important to me that MsCareerGirl gives you the resources you need to move your career forward.  For those who would prefer to share their career stories in private, please send me an email: nicole[at]mscareergirl.com.

To keep things simple, I will use RandomPicker.com to choose a winner from those who leave a blog comment (Tweeters and Facebookers must comment on the blog to be entered to win) on Friday July 19th, 2013.  This gift card is not sponsored by anyone, I just really want to hear what you guys think (and who DOESN’T love Target?!).

Thanks for being awesome. If you want to chat more about this, I’ll be on #CareerGirlChat tonight on Twitter from 7-8pm CST.