6 Ways to Give Your Career a Mid-Year Makeover

While the Summers may be more relaxing, use this down time to give your career a little mid year boost! Here are 6 things you can do this Summer to give your career the a mid-year boost!

Hello Loves! Summer might seem like the perfect time to relax but we don’t want to be caught slipping right?! While everyone is taking a break and celebrating the slower season, now is actually the perfect time for your to give your career a little mid-year makeover. Read more to learn a few ways to level up this summer.

Tap Your Network

In the great words of T.I., “Do you get it when you need it, or only when it’s convenient?” While blasting my early 2000s playlist on Spotify, this song came on and got me thinking. Are you nurturing your network only when it’s convenient? A mentor of mine recently changed companies and while we were discussing her next opportunity, she shared that every position she’s got was through a reference within her network. Things like building your network and developing skills takes time, hard work, and, say it with me, consistency. Starting this summer, I challenged myself to nurture my network a little more and connect with people from my network on a more consistent basis. Reach out through LinkedIn or even just check in with some co-workers you haven’t seen in a while.

Learn a New Skill

Whether you’ve been in your role for a while or brand spanking new, there’s always an opportunity to learn more about a subject or even the foundations of something new. For me, I’ve been in my new role and industry for about 8 months. Early on I knew I wanted to get some more formal training so I asked my manager if I could take a course to get a more comprehensive skillset and understanding of the work I was doing. She appreciated the initiative especially knowing that it would help our team in the long run. There are some great free courses on Coursera but even for just $10 you can take some pretty extensive courses on Udemy on topics like Communication, Business, Coding, Photography and more. Google some training on some of your interests and see what’s out there then take the leap!

Check-In On Your Progress

If you don’t have regular evaluations with your manager, don’t be shy to be the one to call the shots and set the meeting yourself. Take some initiative and check in on your progress and goals to make sure you’re on the right track. It’s important to find out if you’re meeting the expectations of your manager or if there’s been a change in what you’re focusing on. It’s also just a good practice to connect and share what’s going well for you and where you might need some support.

Update Your Resume

Whether or not you’re planning your next move, you never want to be caught making a quick fix to your resume when an opportunity presents itself. Always keep your resume as up to date as possible. Every few months, I take a look in my notebook at some of the tasks that I’ve completed and add those to my “experience” section. Whether that’s working with a new tool, utilizing a new process, or leading a new initiative, I always want to make sure that I’m on top of my game and have my most relevant and recently learned skills on the list.

Update Your LinkedIn Profile

We should all be well aware that we live in a digital world and for professionals, LinkedIn is the place to be. Not only are they a great source for networking and business opportunities, but your profile is the quick snapshot that new and old contacts see and you will want to put your best face forward for this part of the career makeover. Update that profile picture, write your summary, and follow some companies. For bonus points, actively connect with some people from your network by leaving some recommendations or sending a quick message to see what’s new. The key with this is to lead without any specific intention. Always keep your network engaged and “hot” so when you do need their help, it’s not coming from left-field.

Dress: H&M (Similar, Similar) | Heels (Similar) | Bag: Dooney & Bourke

Read a Book

Ah books…whether you’re an avid reader or one who allows them pile up next to your bedside, commit to finishing, keyword finishing, 1-2 books this summer. Whether it’s a professional development book, a biography, or even the classic Harry Potter, turn your mind on, and Netflix off, like it’s 1999. Books have this way of jumpstarting your thoughts and if they are industry specific, they can lead you to some revelations within your work which is a win for you! Plus, they make for a great conversation starter on that next hot date you have.