Find your key - Photo attribution to LunaDiRimmel on Flickr
The Must Do Monday series helps you to implement action throughout your week toward having an international experience. Pursuing an international opportunity will only take you half way. The important thing is always action.
Over the past several months, we have covered these action items like creating your international resume, writing your LinkedIn profile, building your network, planning an international internship system, finding a mentor and other topics.
These action items are laying the foundation for your career. Your career essentially begins in college and you keep adding experiences, skills and contacts, as you grow older. The essential elements of your career are your network, your personal brand, your pipeline for internship and job leads and your personal development/growth as a professional. Learning to ‘follow up’ on these foundation blocks will build a strong foundation for the rest of you career. This week focus on ‘following up’ in these core areas that will lead you to an international experience or career.
Day 1 (Approximate time: 20 min) Make a Google document with the 4 core areas
Having an organized career leads to a stress free environment. Create the habit of keeping track of your core career areas so that you know how you are advancing in each. This will allow you to see the progress you are making or the areas that need improvement. Having a Google document online provides you the advantage of editing anywhere and anytime you need to.
Example of how to organize your checklist
Day 2 (Approximate time: 45 min) Follow up on: Your Network
We have elaborated on the importance of building a network early in your career and even before you leave to go work, travel or study abroad. Building a network is like growing a garden. You have to ‘be there’ to keep it growing. Give that person a call, send them an email, DM them on Twitter, write on their wall on Facebook or connect with them on LinkedIn. Whatever medium works best for you, drop them a line. Sometimes it can be intimidating to reach out to them if you haven’t spoken in a while. Use this generic script to help open the channels of communication again.
“Dear (or Hi depending on your relationship with the person),
I hope that this email finds you well. We haven’t spoken in a while and I wanted to touch base with you. Thank you again for telling me/teaching me about (cite a piece of wisdom that you learned from them. Show them that you remember how they helped you). I have been (tell them a little bit about what you have been up to).
I wanted to reach back out to you and say hello (tell them what you want from them here. It could be to go to coffee, have a phone conversation, ask them a specific question. Here is your chance.)
I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers!”
Day 3 (Approximate time: 1 hr) Follow up on: Your Personal Brand
We used to only think of brands as products or services of a company. Nowadays, everyone is his or her own brand. It is important to think of yourself as a brand so that you create value to your network and to your current or prospective employer. Elements to consider here are: Is your resume finished or does it need updating? Does your LinkedIn reflect the highlights of your resume? Is your Facebook and other social networks open to any prospective employer or do you need to reset the settings? Make sure that your online and offline are one and the same.
Day 4 (Approximate time: 1 hr) Follow up on: Your Job Pipeline
Applying to jobs and internships and receiving feedback is not out of your control. To an extent, you control your job destiny. Keep track of the jobs and internships that you are applying to, the date you applied, the people that you contacted about the position, and the status of the application. Companies want to know that you are truly passionate about working there. Persistence is a good thing.
Day 5 (Approximate time: 1hr) Follow up on: Your Personal Development
As a professional, it is always key to keep yourself fresh and innovative. Use the Apple marketing strategy. You are the product and all the features that you add are innovative and above the curve. Spend some time checking in on the latest industry news, reading about a new program, taking a class on how to make that program better. Whatever your industry calls for, jump in trenches.
What kinds of suggestions do you have for follow up? What has worked well for you?
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