We all want to make more money while also enjoying what we do for a living. Unfortunately, too many of us fail to realize the actual value of what we can contribute to potential employers. This may be the result of multiple career-related rejections or being undervalued by previous employers. Whatever the reason, the only way to break the vicious cycle of believing that it is impossible to get ahead is by learning to recognize your true value and acting accordingly.
Think about your personal brand. Consider who you are, professionally speaking, as well as the skills that you will bring to any new job you take. Consider how your personality plays a role in your career. When you begin to answer these questions, you will be on the way to building a personal brand that you can then use to market yourself to potential employers as you go about your job search. To put it simply, you want to present yourself as a total package and effectively communicate your selling points to potential employers.
If you’ve polished your personal brand and are able to market yourself with ease, then you may want to consider the possibility that external factors are responsible for your seeming inability to progress in your career. This is especially true if you are looking for work in an economically depressed area, or one that caters to industries for which your skills and previous work experience are not relevant. If this is the case, then you may need to relocate to find the type of job you’re searching for. If your area offers few to no career opportunities in your chosen field, then you will be stuck in a career rut.
You should also consider your level of education. How do you compare to others within your industry? If you feel that your credentials are somehow lacking, you may want to consider furthering your education to get ahead. Some people find that earning an advanced degree helps enormously, while others find that certification programs and occupational training are excellent ways to get ahead.
