Trick or Treat: 5 Ways to Get Treats Out of Your Career

Oct 31

As a kid, I didn't grow up with the tradition of Halloween, so it took me a while to understand why kids go door-to-door begging for candy. But as I got older, I realized that the phrase "trick or treat" is actually a pretty good analogy for our careers.

After all, our careers can be both fun and scary at the same time. There are times when we feel like we're on top of the world, and other times when we feel like we're about to get tricked. But the good news is that we can apply five simple tricks to get more treats out of our careers:

Reevaluate what is important to you. As you get older, your priorities change. What was once important to you, like candy on Halloween, may not be as important now. Maybe making the cutest costume for your kids or creating the most novel outfit for yourself is the top priority. Professionally, what defined you a year ago may be the last thing on your list.
Reassess the market. Just like the Halloween costume market changes every year, the job market is constantly changing. Once highly in demand and highly compensated professions may be becoming obsolete or outsourced. Industries are also expanding or narrowing in response to environmental change or global events. It is important to stay informed of the job market, and be aware of the supply and demand trend professionally.
Revisit your professional goals. When your priorities change and the job market shifts, it requires you to regularly adjust your professional goals. With the big picture of what you want to accomplish long term and what motivates you to do it in mind, the short term goals and implementation strategies need to remain agile. Reflect frequently what’s working well for you, and what no longer serves you.
Reinvest in learning. Learning is an essential part of professional development, regardless if you are advancing your career through vertical or lateral moves, or intend to pivot into something new. Learning requires the investment of time and money, and sometimes sacrifice and balancing responsibilities. Your motivation for learning and your interest in the things you are learning can be a verification if your professional goal aligns with what is important to you.
Revise your resume. Do you remember all your accomplishments last year? Unless you have an incredible memory and know exactly what to add to your resume when someone asks for it, revise it regularly. Some advise that we should revise our resume every six months. I recommend updating it every time you have made an impact that you are proud of. Keep adding to a master copy, and decide what to keep and what to leave out as appropriate when the time comes.

Just like a Halloween costume, your career can be something that is fun, exciting, and always changing. If you're not happy with the treats you're getting out of your career, it's time to try some new tricks. Reevaluate your priorities, reassess the market, revisit your professional goals, reinvest in learning, and revise your resume. With a little effort to apply these tricks, you can get some surprising yummy treats!