5 Online Courses That Can Make You a Better Future Employee

Raza Rauf on December 20, 2019

As a professional, you understand that you have to keep learning if you want to excel in your career. Luckily, it’s easier than ever to dive into topics and acquire new skills. Many online courses can make you a better future employee. If you are wondering what might work for you, here are five online classes worth considering.

1. Introduction to Public Speaking – edX

Crafted by the University of Washington, this class teaches students to be more productive and confident when speaking in public. The course includes instruction on how to construct and deliver basic arguments as well as presentations. Plus, there are also details about complex and persuasive arguments, giving students additional capabilities.

While it may seem like only sales pros would be able to make use of the capabilities earned in this course, that isn’t the case. Since many professionals need to give presentations or secure buy-in for their ideas, the skills in this course are beneficial for a variety of professions.

2. Communicating Strategically – edX

Communication is critical for any professional. This class helps a varied of skilled professionals, including those working in technical or scientific roles, to articulate complex ideas in a manner that everyone can understand. The goal is to ensure that students can convey critical information accurately, allowing them to inform those with decision-making capabilities adequately.

3. Introduction to Graphic Design – Udemy

While the course targets students who are interested in graphic design, the information can be beneficial to anyone who is in a role that has a visual component. The class discusses how attention-grabbing visuals are created as well as basic design principles and elements. In the end, those who take the course have a stronger understanding of how visuals draw the eye and how to use them well, and that is helpful for a variety of professionals.

4. Academic and Business Writing – edX

Many professionals have limited formal training in business writing. However, it is a fundamental skill for a variety of roles. While the course does include information about academic writing as well, those details can also help a person develop their professional writing style. It ensures the students can write formal documents, and that can be critical for those working in a broad range of fields.

5. Social Media 101

Since social media is increasingly being used as a marketing tool, understanding how to create compelling posts, define a company’s tone, and otherwise stand out online can be beneficial for professionals in a variety of fields. Plus, it covers the basics of online marketing analytics and may help some younger workers decide if a career in this field is a good fit.

Ultimately, all of the courses above can help make you a better future employee. If you’d like to learn more about what you can do to elevate your career or get it moving in a new direction, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our recruiters today and see how our expertise can benefit you.

Manage Your Workplace Stress Before It Ruins Your Holiday Season

Raza Rauf on October 18, 2019

Fall is underway, and that means the winter holidays are on the horizon. For many professionals, the holiday season is a time for rest, relaxation, and fun with friends and family. But, if your workplace stress is out of control, it can feel like a burden, hindering your ability to enjoy it.

Luckily, if you work to manage your stress now, you can nip it in the bud before the holidays arrive. If you aren’t sure how to begin, here are some tips that can help you manage your workplace stress before it ruins your holiday season.

Pinpoint Your Internal Stressors

If you want to manage your stress, figuring out which internal stressors are in play can be beneficial. It allows you to understand how your mentality may be responsible for your rising stress levels, enabling you to focus on methods for quelling them.

There can be a variety of internal stressors that a person may face. Negative self-talk, unrealistic expectations, and perfectionism are examples that are fairly common. All of those can increase anxiety, so it’s important to understand which ones may be involved.

Figure Out the External Stressors

External stressors are factors that are typically difficult to control. For example, your workload might have you overburdened, you might be plagued by a lack of resources, or you could be struggling with a difficult work-related relationship.

There are also personal external stressors that can factor into the equation. Financial difficulties, health issues, or family trouble are examples of personal external stressors.

Face Your Fears

Often, fear plays a big role when it comes to stress. In order to reduce your anxiety, you need to examine each of your stressors. Next, picture the worst-case scenario involving that stressor. This allows you to define the source of your anxiety, making it easier to take action to correct the situation.

For example, if you are worried about creating a perfect presentation, consider what would happen if your presentation wasn’t perfect. Imagine how that scenario plays out and see if it is truly as bad as you fear.

Often, the consequences of a worst-case scenario aren’t as bad as they may seem on the surface. Alternatively, the worst-case scenario might be so outlandish and unlikely that you’ll realize it isn’t reasonable to assume it will occur. In either case, you are giving context to your fears, allowing you to face them and come up with paths for moving forward.

Get Talking

Many people avoid discussing their stress with family members or friends. However, by keeping the struggle inside, you are internalizing the situation, which can make you feel alone. Additionally, you aren’t giving your support system a chance to help, and that isn’t ideal.

While you don’t need to dwell on your stresses, consider having a conversation with a trusted confidante. That way, you can get your thoughts off your chest. Plus, they may be able to offer you assistance or advice to make the situation more manageable, or at least to make you feel less alone.

If your stress is affecting your daily life, it may even be beneficial to speak with a professional. They can help you work through your stress and create an action plan, allowing you to move forward.

Ultimately, getting a handle on your stress is always a good idea, and the techniques above can make a difference. If you’d like to find out more, the staff at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our team members today and see how our stress management expertise can benefit you.

Here’s What Happens When You Ghost an Interviewer

Raza Rauf on October 7, 2019

Sometimes, after accepting an interview, you end up having a change of heart. Maybe you learned something about the company or role and are no longer interested, or you end up accepting a position elsewhere before the big day arrives.

In any case, it may be tempting to avoid the awkward cancelation call by simply not showing up. After all, discussing with the hiring manager why you changed your mind isn’t always fun. But ghosting the interviewer does come with consequences. If you are thinking about pulling a no–call-no show on an interviewer, here’s what happens.

You Set That Bridge Ablaze

When a candidate ghosts an interviewer, that doesn’t go unnoticed. The hiring manager will likely view that move as unprofessional and even rude, especially because you wasted a time slot that could have been given to another candidate or used to handle other important tasks. Essentially, it isn’t something that the hiring manager will overlook, and they may never forget.

Since you now have a reputation for ghosting on an interview, that bridge is effectively burned. If you apply for a position at that company in the future, there’s a good chance your resume will end up in the discard pile automatically.

Your Ghosting Reputation Might Spread

After you fail to show up for an interview, the hiring manager may discuss your no-show with other managers, including members of their networks at other companies. This can allow your reputation for ghosting an employer to spread to other organizations, and that may hurt your chances of getting an opportunity elsewhere.

Additionally, if the interviewer later moves on to another employer, the memory of you flaking comes with them. That could hurt your chances at that business as well, all because you didn’t call to cancel your interview.

The Right Way to Cancel an Interview

While it is normal to be a bit nervous about canceling an interview, you don’t need to be anxious about making the call. Hiring managers understand things can change and they’ll likely be appreciative that you extended them the courtesy of letting them know.

Call the hiring manager as soon as you know you won’t be attending the interview. The more notice you can provide, the better, so don’t delay in reaching out.

Start the conversation by thanking them for their consideration. Next, let them know that, regretfully, you need to cancel. Then, provide them with a basic reason. This can include accepting a position elsewhere, deciding to remain in your current job, or simply feeling it isn’t the right fit for you at this time.

You don’t have to provide specifics, but offering a simple reason for your decision is a good idea. If the hiring manager presses, you can decline to provide additional details. However, it’s rare the interviewer would pursue something more in-depth.

Ultimately, ghosting an interviewer is always a bad idea. If you aren’t going to make the interview, take a moment to let the hiring manager know. Usually, the conversation will only last a minute or two, but those few minutes can be critical if you want to preserve your reputation.

If you would like to find out more, the team at The Advance Group wants to hear from you. Contact us to discuss your questions with a member of our staff today and see how our interview etiquette know-how can benefit your job search.

Annoying Co-Worker? We All Have One

Raza Rauf on September 9, 2019

Whether a job is enjoyable or not doesn’t just revolve around the duties you have to handle; it can also include how you feel about your co-workers. At some point in nearly every career, professionals find themselves in roles that they like but are stuck with a co-worker who rubs them the wrong way. This can make the work feel less fulfilling, as dealing with the annoyance harms their perspective.

If you have an annoying co-worker who tends to overshare or interrupt you, there are things you can do to remedy the situation. Here’s what you need to know.

Prepare to Speak Up

If your co-worker is interrupting you regularly or has a tendency to overshare about their personal life, you need to get ready to speak up. Usually, these kinds of situations won’t get better on their own, as there is a decent chance your co-worker doesn’t realize they are bothering you.

Before you talk with your co-worker, make a plan for handling the discussion. The goal is to cover your points without your co-worker feeling like the conversation is an attack. As a result, you have to make sure you aren’t accusatory or aggressive when you talk about the problem.

Instead, you want to be compassionate but clear. Be ready to outline the situation in a factual manner, but use a kind approach. For example, you can express your appreciation for their work-related contributions first, then let them know how their oversharing or interruptions make you feel or interrupt your workflow. Acknowledge they might not realize the impact of their conversational choices, and potentially offer up a solution that can remedy the issue.

Speak in Private

After you prepare what you are going to say, don’t blindside your co-worker in a public forum. That can make them defensive and may inadvertently invite other people into the conversation.

Find a way to speak with them privately. This could include sitting down in one of your offices, slipping into a conference room, or otherwise finding a quiet area to talk. After all, your goal shouldn’t be to embarrass your co-worker or call them out in front of others. Instead, it should be to find a resolution for the situation.

Initially, it is also best not to involve a manager or HR unless you genuinely need them to intervene. Often, these situations can be dealt with among co-workers when the conversation is handled in a delicate, professional and compassionate way.

However, if your initial discussion doesn’t yield results or your co-worker refuses to stop interrupting you or making you uncomfortable with their discussion topics, you might want to seek assistance from a supervisor at that point. If that also doesn’t lead to positive results, it may be time to explore other opportunities if the annoying co-worker is truly hindering your ability to do your work or enjoy your job.

Ultimately, annoying co-workers are something that happens nearly everywhere, but that doesn’t mean the situation can’t be addressed. If you’d like to know more or you’re looking for new jobs, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our staff today and see how our conflict management expertise can benefit you.

Is Your Manager Working Against You?

Raza Rauf on July 22, 2019

Even leading professionals know their manager won’t always be happy with all of their contributions. However, there is a big difference between receiving constructive criticism that can help you improve and having a boss who is actively working against you.

Unfair treatment, regularly being singled out for the slightest missteps, being denied access to projects even if you have the skills required to handle the work, or having every deliverable examined under a microscope could all indicate your manager isn’t focused on helping you succeed.

Similarly, holding a grudge after a single misstep or frequently asking you to take on tasks that don’t align with your skills (without offering sufficient training or access to resources), could suggest your manager isn’t working with you. Instead, their actions might be a way to undermine your capabilities, harm your reputation, or limit your career potential.

If your boss is continuously singling you out or treating you unfairly, here’s how to address the situation.

Don’t Immediately File a Complaint

Unless you are the target of harassment or threats that are clearly prohibited either by law or based on internal policies, going straight to HR and filing a complaint often isn’t the best choice. It is a fairly extreme move and, if you are misjudging your manager’s motives or intentions, could quickly backfire.

Similarly, going to your manager’s boss is also risky if the issue isn’t clearly harassment or related to real threats. When you use this approach, you are making assumptions about the nature of your treatment in many cases, particularly if you haven’t spoken to your manager about what you are experiencing.

Schedule a Meeting With Your Boss

Instead of going over your manager’s head right away, it’s wise to schedule a one-on-one meeting with them to discuss the issue. This ensures a bit of privacy and gives your boss the benefit of the doubt, allowing you to explore whether their intentions might have been skewed by their delivery.

Before the meeting, make sure to adjust your mindset. You don’t want to accuse your manager of wrongdoing. Instead, prepare yourself to view the situation from their perspective.

Then, when you enter the meeting, focus on asking your boss to clarify their expectations and give you insight into how you can improve. This allows you to take at least partial ownership of the situation and gives your manager a chance to clarify their intentions while opening the door for clear guidance. As a result, you won’t come off as confrontational, but as a concerned employee who wants to improve their performance.

This also makes the meeting a conversation instead of a one-way street. You can work with your manager to find a resolution that is mutually beneficial, instead of going on the attack.

Reevaluate the Situation

Once you have agreed on a solution, monitor the situation to see if it improves. After you begin acting on your manager’s recommendations, they may start working with you more, and things may improve.

However, if the situation remains the same or gets worse even after you try to meet your manager’s expectations, you may need to take further action. This could include getting HR or their boss involved, but that is only a path you should explore if you have evidence to showcase the issue.

Otherwise, finding a new job might be the easiest way to remove yourself from the situation. This is especially true if the environment is toxic overall and filing a complaint proves ineffective.

If you would like to know more or are seeking out new employment opportunities, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our staff today and see how we can help, or search our open jobs in Michigan and Ohio.

Is It Time to Start “Upskilling” Your Workforce?

Raza Rauf on July 15, 2019

When you are battling with a skills gap on your team, hiring a new employee to fill that void isn’t always the ideal approach. Recruiting can be expensive, and you may not have the budget to support another salary, making hiring someone new essentially off the table.

Luckily, if you have a few talented team members who are open to learning new skills, upskilling could be a cost-effective alternative. Not only will it give you access to the skills your company needs to thrive, but it also serves as a benefit to top-notch professionals who want to continue learning and growing in the field.

Plus, your existing employees are known quantities, unlike new hires. You understand their capabilities, interests and motivations, allowing you to provide training opportunities in a way that creates the most value.

Essentially, upskilling creates a win-win scenario for you and the employee. If you are wondering how you can integrating upskilling into your workplace paradigm, here’s what you need to know.

Identify Your Skill Gaps

If you aren’t sure where to begin with upskilling, take a look at your existing skill gaps. Any area that isn’t well covered by your team’s current capabilities should be a priority target, especially if those skills are genuinely needed today or will be vital to an upcoming project or initiative.

Don’t just focus on skills where no one is able to handle those duties. Instead, also include skills that aren’t well covered, such as in cases where only one team member is adept in that area. That way, you can create coverage or a succession plan, ensuring operations can run smoothly even if one team member departs or is unexpectedly absent.

Create Career Pathways

Upskilling does more than just offer you an opportunity to close skill gaps; it also enables you to create career pathways and prepare for future needs. Many leading professionals prefer environments where they can grow and advance, so having clear paths and supporting training opportunities can significantly boost retention.

Plus, you end up with an opportunity to craft your leaders of tomorrow. By offering upskilling opportunities to your best and brightest, you can cultivate their capabilities in a way that best suits the company’s long-term needs while supporting their progression. Essentially, by investing in the future of your workers, you invest in the future of the business as well, making it a win-win scenario.

Now, this doesn’t mean you should force an employee down a specific path. Instead, consider their career aspirations and how they can align with the organization’s objectives. This allows workers to be placed on paths that meet everyone’s needs and not just your own.

Embrace Several Training Mechanisms

Technology has made learning more adaptable than ever. Instead of having to rely on classroom learning, e-learning and virtual classrooms can be used as a flexible alternative. Informal options, like lunch-time sessions or mobile-friendly microlearning courses, can also integrate learning into the workplace culture with greater ease, all without disrupting normal operations.

Ultimately, upskilling your workforce is a cost-effective option for closing skill gaps and creating the leaders of tomorrow.

The Advance Group can help you find employees with the right skills for your workplace. Click here to check out our Talent Showcase and find employees with the skills you’re looking for, or contact our experienced recruiters to learn more.

How to Stand Out at Work (Even in a BIG Company!)

Raza Rauf on July 12, 2019

Working for a large company comes with certain perks. Often, it can be easier to transition into new roles, and the cross-training opportunities can be substantial. However, it also comes with a few drawbacks, particularly when it comes to standing out in the crowd. Luckily, there are things you can do to get noticed for all the right reasons and develop a positive reputation. Here’s how to make sure you are more than just a number at a big company.

Embrace Self Promotion

If you are a part of a large team or company, getting recognized for your achievements isn’t always easy. After all, there are tons of other people competing for the manager’s attention, and you can’t expect your boss to actively track everything.

While extolling your own virtues can be a bit uncomfortable, it is also necessary. Now, this doesn’t mean you should become a braggart or arrogant about what you bring to the table. Instead, using a more subtle approach can go a long way.

For example, if your manager points out something that was particularly well done in a project and you were the one who did that work, thank them for complimenting you. You can also integrate a few of your achievements into your introductory elevator speech, allowing you to showcase your accomplishments when meeting new people.

Get Comfortable With Small Talk

When you work for a big company, you usually encounter a lot of people during the day. While small talk might seem inconsequential, it can help you bond with other employees and give you a reputation for being friendly. Plus, it can help you forge new connections in your workplace.

If you find yourself waiting by the coffee pot with someone else, say hello and introduce yourself. Initiate a conversation, even if it feels trivial, to start building a relationship. Then, over time, you might be able to move past the small talk to something more meaningful.

Volunteer for Cross-Departmental Opportunities

As part of a large company, it’s easy to get stuck in the bubble that is your own department. While venturing into other areas may seem intimidating, it is a great way to get face time with new people and spread your influence.

Whether it is a work project or a social event, consider volunteering if extra hands are needed. That way, you can strengthen your cumulative impact and interact with employees you may not otherwise engage with or even meet.

Contribute in Meetings

When you are in a large meeting, there is an opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Many people are fearful of speaking up, so, if you have something meaningful to add to the discussion, put your fears aside and contribute.

Voicing your thoughts during the meeting, especially if they provide value to the conversation, it a great way to get noticed. Just make sure you aren’t chiming in merely for the sake of being seen, as jumping into the discussion without a meaningful addition could actually do more harm than good.

By following the tips above, you can stand out at work regardless of the size of your company. If you’d like to learn more, the staff at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our experienced team members today, or if you’re looking for a new job opportunity, click here.

The True Measure of Your Success as a Leader Lies With This…

Raza Rauf on June 24, 2019

Managing people isn’t the same as leading them. Delegating tasks, monitoring outputs, and giving direction might be required in both instances, but leaders often go further. They may coach their employees to reach greater levels of success, help them steer their career in the desired direction, or support them directly during challenging times.

While all of those concepts seem different, they are based on the same idea. Truly successful leaders connect with those around them. They get to know their employees as individuals and adjust their management approach based on each worker’s needs. They understand what is happening in their team’s lives, including details about their experience inside and out of the workplace.

Unless you can connect with those who work with or for you, you might not be the leader you hoped to become. Luckily, forging these connections isn’t as challenging as it may seem on the surface. If you are ready to begin, here are some tips to help you manage the process.

Have a Curious Nature

If you allow your curiosity to come to the surface, you may find opportunities to connect with your team. Curious individuals aren’t afraid to ask questions, as they want to know more about the topic being discussed.

When you speak with an employee, don’t be afraid to ask questions. If they are experiencing a problem, give them a chance to elaborate or describe it in greater detail. If they mention a moment from their personal life in passing – like a party they hosted over the weekend – ask questions to find out more about the event or occasion.

While you don’t want to pry into inappropriate territory, learning to embrace curiosity to keep conversations going can help you forge stronger connections.

Be Willing to Share

Connecting with your team involves more than learning about them; you also have to share information about yourself. If you consistently avoid discussions that give your employees a chance to find out more about you, they may struggle to view you as a whole person. Similarly, if you consistently hide your workplace struggles, they may assume you don’t know what it’s like to face challenges similar to their own.

While you don’t need to divulge a ton of personal details, giving your staff insights into your likes, dislikes, hobbies and family make you more relatable. Additionally, by letting them know when you are facing challenges, they can respond with compassion, leading to a deeper connection. In some cases, they may even offer to help, something else that can lead to stronger bonds.

Essentially, by removing some of the perceived distance between you and your team, you can have more meaningful working relationships. And, with a little time, this can make you a more successful leader.

If you’d like to know more, the staff at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our experienced team members today and see how our leadership expertise can benefit you.

Going Back to Work as a New Parent? Read This First

Raza Rauf on June 10, 2019

New parents face a range of challenges. After the birth of a child, it can seem as though your entire world has been turned upside down. Your priorities may have shifted, and your responsibilities at home may be more daunting. Then, if you are preparing to head back to work, you also have professional obligations that need to be added to the mix.

It is also common for parents to feel conflicted about going back to work after the birth of a child. Some may fear that it’s too early, regardless of the child’s age. Others may worry about missing out on big moments in their child’s life, and that can make the mere thought of coming back to the workforce hard to bear.

All of these feelings are normal. And, luckily, there are ways of navigating your new paradigm that will make it seem less difficult. If you are going back to work as a new parent, here’s what you need to know.

Be Kind to Yourself

First and foremost, you need to be kind to yourself. If you come home from a long day at work only to discover nothing is thawed for dinner and your home is messier than you’d like, don’t berate yourself for the situation. More often than not, any unkind words that run through your head are based on unrealistic expectations regarding what a person can accomplish in a single day, not the reality of being a new parent with a job.

So, instead of comparing yourself to others you believe are managing things more successfully or tearing yourself down for not being perfect every step of the way, cut yourself some slack. Whether that involves ordering takeout instead of cooking or letting a small mess sit where it is until the weekend, take a deep breath and focus on the most important things at home, like spending time with your child and handling the basic necessities.

Ask for Help When Needed

Many new parents subscribe to the idea they need to be superheroes who do it all. They need to handle their obligations at work, no matter the size of their workload, and keep everything managed on the home front all on their own.

While the thought behind this feeling is admirable, it isn’t a realistic goal. At times everyone needs help, and it’s completely okay to ask for it or accept it when it’s offered.

If a family member offers to babysit so you can grab a bite with friends and relax a bit, say “yes.” If your boss asks you for an update on your progress and you are genuinely overwhelmed, let them know you might need assistance. Whenever you truly need something, be honest and make your needs known. Otherwise, the people in your life can’t step in to make a difference.

Learn to Say “No”

As a new parent, learning to say “no” is essential. Whether it is declining a personal invitation that doesn’t align with your schedule or turning down extra assignments at work that aren’t part of your core duties, being able to politely but definitively decline is important. Otherwise, you could end up with more on your plate that you can manage.

It is okay to say “no” when you have a real reason for declining. If a friend asks you to join them at happy hour and that’s too disruptive to your schedule, ask for a raincheck. Then, as soon as you know you’ll have time available, reach out and let them know.

On the work front, if your boss asks for more than you can do, let them know taking it on could diminish the quality of your work as you are already fully or overtasked. Then, give them an overview of what is on your plate, so they can see you are genuinely stretched to the max.

By following the tips above, you can head back to work without adding too much undue stress. If you’d like to know more, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our staff members today and see how our expertise can benefit you.

The Top Career Skill Everyone Needs

Raza Rauf on April 15, 2019

When you are striving for career success, gaining the right technical and career skill set is often a priority. After all, it serves as the foundation for your daily tasks, ensuring you can accomplish the goals set for your position.

However, technical prowess is not all that you need if you want to have a fulfilling career. In fact, there is one trait that can help set you apart from the competition, allowing you to reach greater heights.

If you want to take your career to the next level, here is the top career skill everyone needs if they’re going to thrive.

Experience, Learn, Grow

Professional growth doesn’t happen by accident. In order to genuinely grow, you have to do more than just have new experiences; you also need to process them and give yourself an opportunity to learn from them.

Often, people attach emotions to their experiences, crafting a tone for their career narrative. However, if those feelings hinder your ability to learn from an experience, growth is harder to attain.

For example, when a professional experiences a failure, the emotional weight of not reaching your goal or achieving an objective can prevent them from fully processing what occurred. Often, it is a reluctance to look closely at a situation that is perceived to be negative, a way of shielding yourself from the feelings associated with failure.

Then, if another failure happens, the same process is followed. Instead of truly examining the situation, the continued reluctance prevents additional learning, creating a compounding effect. Over time, your confidence falters, making it more difficult to have your ideal career.

However, if you can learn to let go of the emotion attached to the event, you are setting yourself up for future growth. It makes it easier to actually process what occurred on an intellectual level, making it possible to find approaches that help you avoid the same situation in down the road, improve your approach to work, or find viable solutions that can serve you well throughout your career.

Processing Setbacks

The key to successfully processing a setback is to set aside any negative emotions and look for the positive. Every failure or misstep is an opportunity to learn, so maintaining a mindset that allows you to see the bright side of the situation is a skill you need to develop.

Typically, it takes time to shift your way of thinking. It may also require conscious effort, including the ability to recognize how your mindset may be holding you back and making an active choice to reframe your viewpoint.

With practice, you will learn to overcome failures and navigate setbacks more successfully, ensuring you can make the most of every experience, regardless of whether the outcome was negative or positive.

If you would like to know more about how you can develop critical any career skill that can help you move your career in the best direction possible, or find new job opportunities in Ohio and Michigan, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our knowledgeable staff today and see how our career development expertise can benefit you.

3 Apps to Help Reach Your Career Goals

Raza Rauf on April 12, 2019

Today, nearly everyone has a smartphone in their pocket. While these powerful little devices are commonly used for work, not everyone takes advantage of the various apps that can help them achieve their professional career goals.

However, by adding a few apps, you can learn to manage your time and tasks better. You can even discover how you can network more effectively, giving you another leg up when it comes to managing your professional progress and career goals.

If you want to make sure you can reach your goals quickly and efficiently, here are three apps that can help you on your journey.

1. TickTick

If you are a fan of the Pomodoro method or simply want to try it out, TickTick is a task management app worth exploring. The app helps you divide your day into work windows for highly focused work. Plus, it schedules in breaks, ensuring you can step away and recharge while remaining highly productive.

You can schedule all kinds of activities, design a schedule, and even set due date reminders, all from the TickTick app. If you choose to pay for a subscription, you get even more features, like the option to track your work, review progress, and even play white noise to help you concentrate.

2. Cloze

Most professionals know networking can be a powerful part of their career. With Cloze, networking is substantially easier, centralizing details about the people you are connected to (even across multiple apps) and making it simple to keep in touch.

From inside the Cloze app, you can review contact information, see when and where you last spoke with the person, and (if you pay for a subscription) receive reminders to make sure you touch base at the appropriate time.

If you struggle with maintaining your network, Cloze might be just what you need to keep your connections strong, ensuring they are there when you need them most.

3. Way of Life

If you have a habit of procrastinating on work tasks that don’t spark your interest, then Way of Life can help make sure nothing slips past you. Not only does the app help you monitor your progress, but it can also note connections between your behavior and your achievements, highlighting how you can reach your goals more quickly.

Way of Life is ideal if you want to build better habits. Along with notifications, you can also record notes, allowing you to reflect on where you are today and think about where you want to be tomorrow.

If you want to reach your career goals faster and with greater ease, all three of the apps above are worth exploring. If you would like to learn more about apps that can assist you with managing your career, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our knowledgeable staff members today and see how our technology and career management expertise can benefit you, or click here to check out our newest job openings.

What Are You Doing With Your Career?

Raza Rauf on March 29, 2019

People are naturally compelled to compare themselves to others. When you look at another person’s career, especially if they are high-achieving, it is easy to wonder, “What am I doing with my life?” and have doubts about your direction.

Often, professionals keep these thoughts to themselves, even though almost everyone experiences them at one time or another. This is especially true if you are in the middle of a tough job search and just can’t seem to land a position that feels like the right step forward.

While you may not be able to stop wondering, “What am I doing with my career?” that doesn’t mean you aren’t heading in the right direction. If you find yourself plagued by doubts, here’s what you need to know.

You’re Not Alone

First and foremost, it is important that having these thoughts is both normal and common. Even highly successful people can struggle with doubt, especially if something unexpected happens in your career or you are not finding the new job opportunity that you were hoping to land.

Typically, these emotions are somewhat a mix of admiration for what someone else has accomplished and disappointment about where you are in comparison. It’s okay to battle these feelings, but it is also crucial that you don’t dwell. Instead, you want to take action.

You Can Move Forward

After you recognize your emotions, you need to figure out what you can do to move forward. This can be challenging, especially if you already work hard and haven’t reached your desired level of success. However, it isn’t impossible, as long as you are diligent and willing to take a look at your career.

Begin by documenting where you are today and reflect on the steps it took to get there. By reflecting on your journey, you can see how far you’ve actually come, and that can give you valuable perspective.

Next, think about your priorities. While it may be nice to be further up the career ladder or in a different profession, are there other things you deem more important? Ultimately, there are only so many hours in a day, so you need to decide what matters to you most before you make a move.

Then, consider where you want to be in the future and figure out what steps lie between you and your ideal role. This allows you to craft an action plan based on what needs to occur for you to advance and reach your perfect job.

By using the tips above, you can make sure you are in full control of your career by being ready to take action if necessary. However, if other things are more important, take a moment to appreciate those areas of your life. That may be all you need to get the emotional relief you need to continue on your chosen path.

If you are looking for more career guidance, the team at The Advance Group can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our knowledgeable staff today and see how our career planning expertise can benefit you. Or click here to browse our open jobs today!