career

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If money were no option, what would you do with your 40+ hours/(work) week? Of if you have recently found yourself jobless, what are you looking to do next? Not sure? If the place you are currently in at this moment is not cutting it, then make a change. Don’t merely talk and think about making a change – act – do something to make the change. If you know you want/need a change, but just aren’t exactly sure where it is you would rather be, here is a list of 15 ideas and questions to ask yourself to ignite the spark, gather information and enable yourself to learn more about you!

Make a list: “Topics” that Interest Me.
What do you do in your spare time? What are your hobbies, passions, etc.?
Research different industries.
Do you like to be active or sedetary?
If you had to read 30 articles on any one or two subjects what would it/they be?
What were your most favorite classes in High School or College?
Join a LinkedIn Group in an industry that sparks your curiosity.
Travel. Go somewhere to let your mind “explore.” It can even just be within an hour of your home or somewhere remote.
Exercise. Go for a run outside – your creative juices will “run” wild.
Mentor. Find someone with whom you trust to help direct you to your dream place.
Write. Keep a daily journal of thoughts, ideas, happiness and frustrations. A career pattern may evolve.
Volunteer. Through volunteer work you may identify a passion you never knew existed.
Focus on the “small picture.” If you like Marketing, research the industry to find all the different career paths, job functions and areas of emphasis. Sometimes breaking down an industry into a particular sector will help.
And then focus on the “big picture.” There are millions of things you can do with your life. Many of them you may not even know about yet. Keep your eyes wide open.
Network “outside-the-box.” Listen to conversation happening in the social space. You might stumble across a topic/job opportunity that interests you.

Opportunity is always right around the corner for those who work hard, have passion, dedication and believe that learning never stops!

Do you know your Personal Brand?

If you don’t already have a Personal Brand, you better take a minute to step back and figure it out.

Blunt? Yes. Why? Because it’s the absolute truth. And it’s 100% necessary.

Think about it, do you know how to answer these questions: “What do you like to do in your spare time? What’s your favorite food? Do you have pets? What is your favorite TV Show?” Of course you do! You know these because you live them, day-in and day-out. You are passionate about them. They comprise what makes you you.

These are all a part of your Personal Brand. But they are not your whole brand. The Wikipedia says that a brand is, “The identity of a specific product, service, or business. A brand can take many forms, including a name, sign, symbol, color combination or slogan.” And while it may seem fitting that, “fitness, chocolate, dogs and Will & Grace” make for a great Personal Brand, the reality is that they are just a portion of this brand, the “Personal,” perhaps, not the “Brand.”

It is the sum of these parts – Personal + Brand that is important. Don’t get me wrong. My “identity” is important, but the person I want people to “identify” with on both the personal and professional levels mean more to me. And in tough economic times (like many people out there have found themselves struggling through), I believe this Personal Branding is more important than ever.

You owe yourself the time to figure out what is you want to do, who it is you want to show the world you are and how you are going to merge the two through a differentiation approach.

Differentiation through our Personal Branding is critical. Here is the beginning video found in the PowerPoint Presentation from my Campaign #HireHoff.

Through Campaign #HireHoff I have defined – Personal Brand: Sarah Kay Hoffman.

Tune in tomorrow for my special Personal Branding #FollowFriday! Can you guess who it is?

Ignite the Spark

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