When searching online for career advice, you are bound to find a plethora of articles, think-pieces, and websites filled with advice from “experts” who know their stuff. What I’ve found while reading this type of content is many of it consists of regurgitated and expired tips and advice that is one-sided and not within today’s current career climate. We are talking about thirty year-old ideas that are archaic and no longer apply to the world we live in today.
Even bigger than that is we as a collective usually fall for this advice as if it were the holy grail.
In my quest to keep it real with you, I want to share my knowledge and expertise with you based on what’s going on now, not what was going on ten years ago.
I want to share these Six Career Tips That Are Played Out–old and stale advice which no longer applies. I hope this helps you free yourself.
Job hopping is a no-no
You may have been taught that if you change jobs frequently, you are looked upon as a non-committal professional who may be a problem because you are always looking for greener grass. And yes, at one time, this was true.
That rule no longer applies.
If you have changed jobs more than two times in a year, you still are considered a viable applicant and most managers don’t give this quality much weight when looking at your overall picture. While changing jobs any more than that can still be seen as problematic, your skills, your experience and your knowledge are most important and will trump your supposed job hopping.
You can’t get a job with a huge time gap on your resume
I am proof that this also an outdated rule. I was hired after a ten year gap in my resume and I never looked back. Neither should you. Don’t let a gap in your employee history keep you from snagging the position you are dreaming of.
You can’t negotiate a raise until you’ve been employed for at least a year
Raises are usually based on performance, and if you are hitting it out of the park, you should be considered for a raise after your initial probationary period. Many employers have performance reviews after a certain period of time and may not give raises until that time, but there are also plenty of employers who give raises at any time. Always be negotiating, especially if you’ve been doing an outstanding job.
Oh, and make sure you keep receipts of the work you’ve done as well as your wins so that you can negotiate with proof.
Career reinvention is a no-no
Pivoting is the new black, friends. No longer do you have to be tethered to a career that no longer brings you fulfillment. You can reinvent yourself and strike up a new career as long as you have the skills and know-how to bring to your role.
As you get older, your needs change, and so may your passion. Employers are looking for people who have the drive to excel while helping them reach their goals, so go ahead and reinvent yourself. It’s okay to do so.
Your resume should only be one page
As eco-friendly as I am, this one’s a hard no. In fact, this is one piece of career advice that was never really true. Your resume should be as long as your work experience. And of course the older you are and the more work history and job experience you have, the longer your resume will be. Please get rid of the notion that your resume should only be one page. Be concise, yes, yet thorough.
Companies don’t understand Work Life Balance
Well, some still don’t, but MOST do. Given our recent climate and need to adjust how and where we work, many employers understand the importance of Work Life Balance and want to help you get the most out of both of those worlds. Why? Because it costs more to replace you than to keep you and respect healthy boundaries. The landscape has changed, friends, and with it, there’s more appreciation for the need to be fluid when it comes to Work Life Balance.
While there will always be an exception to the rule, for the most part, workplaces in today’s world are more flexible and want their employees to thrive. With these old expired rules, we are now making way for new ones that help both employers and employees be the best version of themselves.
What are your thoughts? Care to share?
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