Purposeful Pause: Reemerging

Are you feeling refreshed? Did you take some time to reflect and recalibrate? Have you recharged enough to redirect your energy with an eye toward the future? If so, I have wonderful news for you…

You are ready for week 4 of our purposeful mini-pauses and it is time to REEMERGE! 

You’ve outlined your goals and dreams and the steps you will need to take to achieve them. This week is all about getting ready by announcing to the world, “I’m ready!”

Whether you have decided to stay the course and be the best at what you’re doing now, are seeking a promotion or a lateral change to a different industry, or are starting a new business, I hope you have found your purpose. Let’s start thinking about who needs to know about it, and who can help you achieve it.

In your ‘white spaces’ this week, make an action plan for your reemergence and get more granular on the fine print. This might include researching degree or certificate programs to obtain the skills you need. (And how much they cost or if scholarships are available). It might mean reaching out to others to see what kind of funding is out there for your unique circumstances. So, consider:

• Banks
• A local chamber of commerce
• Small business grant programs

You may also want to start making some new connections, but before you do, be sure your ‘collateral’ is in good shape. 

Refresh Your Personal Brand

If you’re making changes, be sure to look at your personal branding with fresh eyes:

Resume: Is it up to date with your most recent experience and accomplishments? Is it up to date stylistically? The rules of resume writing are ever-changing. If you’re unsure, consider hiring a resume-writing consultant. You can also DIY it by looking for free templates on design sites like Canva.

LinkedIn: Whether you like social media or not, LinkedIn is a valuable place to be for job-seekers and business owners. If someone is considering meeting you, interviewing you, hiring, or collaborating with you, the first thing they’ll often do is look at your online profiles.

Make sure your profile – like your resume – is current and that your profile picture is high-quality and professional. (A new headshot session with a photographer is always fun!) Be sure to connect with current and former colleagues and individuals who are leaders in your current or aspiration industry.

Personal Brand/Elevator Pitch: One more helpful thing to have in your back pocket is a personal brand statement. Or a short script about who you are and your unique value proposition. In just a few sentences, could you briefly tell someone about your background, skill set, and goals? Click here to download my Introduction Statement Cheat Sheet which may help. After you finalize your statement, commit it to memory. It will surely come in handy when you are networking or interviewing. 

Now our materials are polished and our speeches are prepped, make a list of the people you want to connect with and start reaching out to them.

Build (and Strengthen) Your Connections

An informational interview is a fantastic, low-stress way to gather data, build relationships, and get a toe in the door.

Different from a job interview, these are casual conversations with people who are in the spaces you want to be in. It might be someone who works at the executive level with your current employer or someone who holds a job in another industry similar to the one you desire. It could even be an HR rep at your dream company. 

The goal is to glean insights that can help you on your way forward. You might learn whether or not a position is really the right fit you thought it was. You learn about specific interview questions asked during the hiring process. And you might just meet someone who can open a door for you, now or in the future. Just stay open, curious, and professional, and thank them for their time.

There is one more simple task on your list of reemergence – and that is to ASK for what you want. Tell your manager that you are interested in a promotion. Tell an acquaintance that you’re applying for a job at her company. Soft launch a website to market your new business.

My friend, you have come so far and learned so much about yourself this month. As always, I am here for you if you need a sounding board for your ideas or want to work on your networking skills. 

Now that we’ve covered all of those RE words, there’s just one more – and that is to RESUME. After all those purposeful mini-pauses, we have some work to do!