Resign / Quit your Job with Style: Career Boosting Tip #10

If you do find yourself in a situation where you are resigning from your post, be classy. How you quit your job can actually be a career booster. And conversely, resignations that are ill-timed, angry or emotional or clumsily handled can be career limiters.

Here are some obvious reasons why resigning in a classy way will help your career:

• You might get hired back in the same or bigger job
• Every single person you worked with is a potential formal or informal reference
• Every single person you worked with has the ability to think of and recommend you for opportunities their networks serve up. Or not.
• It is a really small world, and bad business behaviour does get around.
• It is the right thing to do, and ultimately, you will feel better about it.

As I reported on a previous post, developing a strong set of references is high on the list of challenges people face in their job search. Well guess what. A lot of that problem begins right here with how you leave your workplace.

No matter how aggrieved or justified you feel, avoid the impulse to screw your current employer. Be classy. You want them to miss you and regret your loss, not celebrate your departure.

• Give proper notice. Consider your timing when possible
• Break the news appropriately - to the right people, in the right order
• Tie up loose ends
• Help train your replacement
• Speak with your colleagues and collect their contact information (don’t leave without establishing those connections)

There, that wasn’t so hard.

Quiz Results Reveal that References are your Biggest Job Search Challenge

Since I launched the Market Ready Challenge Quiz in January, thousands of you have tested your job search or career change readiness. (The quiz is still open, so head on over and test yourself, if you are, or are planning on being, "on the market").

What is really interesting is to review what areas of the job search process respondents have trouble with. I will share more at a later date. However, cutting to the chase...

References consistently scored the lowest. Respondents reported that among the various components of being "market ready" for their job search / career transition, they were least ready, or prepared in having a set of professional references to support their job search.

Your professional references are incredibly important.

• Your resume gets you the interview
• Your interviewing gets you to the finalist candidate or conditional offer stage
• Your references help close the deal

The good news is that you can do something about this and I can help. So, I am hard at work cooking up something to help you with that referencing challenge. And as a personal challenge to myself, I am trying to do it fast and intensively.

Stay tuned.

Technorati Tags: career transition, job search, job search references

Take the "Are You Market Ready?" Challenge Quiz

As promised, I have launched a free, 17-question online quiz for you. The focus?

If you are planning some form of career transition in 2007 - job search, internal move, career change, you should be well prepared in advance of putting the wheels in motion. One of the most common career management mistakes I see is unprepared or improperly prepared career transitioners.

If you have any ideas about a move, are you ready to start a job search or career change in 2007? Find out how ready you are and in what areas you need to work on with the Are You Market Ready? Challenge Quiz.

Technorati Tags: career change, career transition, job search

Looking for a New Job or Career Change? Are you Market Ready?

Are you thinking about a new job?

Do you have the itch and want to make a move?

Is a change in career, company or even a promotion going to be part of your New Year’s resolutions?

Hold on…I have an important question for you. Before you rush into job search mode, think about this…

Are You Market Ready?

What I mean is, are you truly prepared to go out into the job market or into conversations about what you want next and why?

• Do you know what you are looking for?
• Are you thinking already about what you have to settle for vs. what you really want?
• Are you clear about what to avoid?
• Have you prepared a compelling case for why you are an amazing candidate for your target position?
• Are you ready to interview and prove that you are the right candidate?

I will tell you more later about why getting prepared is so important.

For now, a quick heads-up.

For the first time, I am going to be offering a program designed to get you ready for a smart, focused and powerful career transition. The program will be offered at two levels and will start later in January. I am looking forward to telling you more about it next week.

But first, perhaps you should test your own market readiness.

Watch for an upcoming post with a link to an online quiz - The Are You Market Ready Challenge. The quiz will give you a fairly accurate measurement of how ready you are to make a move.

Watch for it.

Six Reasons Executive Recruiters will Talk to You

Kennedy Information is an authoritative source for information on executive recruitment and careers. I am pleased to have another exclusive article published in their most recent Executive Agent newsletter and Executive Registry newsletter. Six Reasons Executive Recruiters will Talk to You. Have a read.

Technorati Tags: career change, career coach, career transition, executive search, job search, networking