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#JobSearch : How To Be Lucky In Your Career: 5 Ways To Create Good Fortune. The Vast Majority of the Time, Luck Really isn’t Luck at All.

March 14, 2022/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

You’ve heard it plenty of times: the super-successful person who is interviewed and credits luck for her success, or talks about simply being in the right place at the right time. But if it’s just good fortune, what is there to learn? And how can you get access to the fairy dust that seems to have made that person’s career advance?

What is luck, really? The chances of finding a four-leaf clover on your first try are one in 10,000, but your odds of advancing your career are significantly better—when you take intentional and proactive steps.

While there may be some career successes for which pure luck was a factor, if you look more deeply, they are probably the rare exceptions. Luck is actually something you make for yourself and something you can prepare for—taking advantage of good work and intentional effort, which almost always precede the discovery of the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Also consider that ascribing your success to simple good fortune undercuts your success. You’ve worked hard and done some great things—and deserve the kudos and credit that come from the results. Luck may be something, but great thinking, hard work and developing relationships are much more.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

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We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

How to Create Luck in Your Career

Here’s how to create the conditions for luck to be yours (and the efforts you can embrace and take credit for when you succeed).

Be Proactive

One of the keys to being lucky, is being ready and moving ahead based on a sense of what’s happening around you. Stay alert and read your context. If you sense your company is considering big changes in your division, have a strategy for your next steps. When you see your group may be reporting through a new leader, reach out and connect with them. Or when you see your customer needs are starting to change, be ready to recommend a new product, service or direction.

In addition, always be exploring. Be curious about your market and your customers, obtain certifications or additional credentials which match your interests and seek learning in new areas all the time. By staying attuned to the next things that interest you, you’ll be ready in case your present situation changes, and you need to make plans for the future.

Be Connected

Statistically, your next job or career step is likely to come not from your primary network, but from your secondary or tertiary networks. By definition, the people you’re closest to, probably have access to the same information as you related to new opportunities. But your more distant connections will have access to information about opportunities which you probably don’t. And this is a great way to ensure you’re “lucky” in your next steps—by staying connected to a network of people who will know about new possibilities.

Reach out to others and strengthen your network all the time—even when you’re not looking for a new role. Focus on building relationships, not just adding to your number of contacts in a transactional way. Seek to add value for others, and stay connected when you see people get promoted or change jobs. Send notes to wish people congratulations or forward articles which may interest them. Nurture connections on a continuous basis and in a meaningful way, and when you need some good luck to facilitate your next career step, you’ll have people to whom you can reach out and from whom you can seek support.

Be Brilliant

When you’re looking for the next opportunity, your past and current performance will be under scrutiny, and they will fundamentally shape your prospects. Consider the example of a woman who learned her husband was being transferred to another country. It was the right decision for their family to pull up stakes and make the shift. As a result, she had to give up her current role and seek a new role—and she hoped to stay within her global company. Because she had a great record of performance and good relationships, she was able to reach out to the leader of the new region and a position was adapted for her. While she could have attributed this to luck, in reality it was the result of her reputation and credibility based on her strong track record.

Performing brilliantly in your role today (even if it’s not your ideal position) is always one of the best investments in your role for tomorrow—and creates the “luck” which will be part of landing the next opportunity.

Be Flexible

Sometimes, when you need to make a shift, the perfect role may not emerge. In this case, it can be wise to take what’s available and know you can move on from there. You don’t want to settle for something drastically beneath your capabilities or for a bad cultural fit or a poor work experience, but if the role is close-to-right or requires you to compromise on things which aren’t core to who you are, then taking a less-than-ideal role can be a legitimate and smart move. It’s always easier to find a job when you’re already employed, and in the real world most people need to be employed to pay the mortgage and put groceries on the table.

So take the next step, even if it’s not your final step. Know you can learn from whatever you’re doing and trust your ability to grow and advance. Also be flexible with your partner and family. Sometimes your job will take priority and sometimes theirs will. The best partnerships acknowledge the dance of career ebbs and flows. Be flexible for the times when your partner’s job takes priority and be firm when it’s time for your career to blossom.

Be Brave

Career advancement often requires you to let go and take a risk. The next big-time assignment or the moment to leave an organization for a cool new job require you to go out on a limb. Be smart about assessing the opportunity and all that goes with it, and be diligent about determining whether it’s the right fit for you and your future. And when you determine it is, shore up support, take the plunge and make the decision which will pave the way for your future.

In Sum

The vast majority of the time, luck really isn’t luck at all. So put in the effort, do great work and flex toward the next new opportunity. And in the process, take credit for all you’ve accomplished and be confident about all the places you’ll go next. Now is a great time to explore, be proactive and build relationships which will move you positively forward.

Forbes.com Author: Tracy Brower Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Forbes.com | March 13, 2022

Happened to You? -When Your Coworker Gets Promoted, While You Do The Extra Work.

December 13, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

A professional colleague came to me with a sticky office situation I have unfortunately seen before: what do you do when you are assigned extra work but someone else gets the promotion?

Here’s how it played out most recently:

A key team member leaves, but instead of rehiring for the role, the responsibilities are distributed to the rest of the team.
The colleague in question, let’s call her Jane, is asked to take on all the departed member’s responsibilities, in addition to her initial role.
Jane asks for a promotion to account for the added work, but is told that the team doesn’t have approval for any promotions.
Shortly thereafter, another colleague, let’s call him John, gets the promotion Jane asked for.
John and Jane used to be peers, and John hadn’t taken on any of the additional work that fell to Jane.

What should Jane do?

1 – Gather the facts

The above bullets are Jane’s retelling of what happened, and she paints an unfair picture. However, as a first step, Jane should dig deeper to see if her career has stalled, or if there is more to the story than she realizes.

While it’s true that John didn’t take on the responsibilities that Jane accepted, maybe he took on other responsibilities or did something else differently since his promotion. Maybe the initiatives he’s responsible for are higher priorities for the company. Maybe Jane thinks she’s doing all this work, but the company is not satisfied with her performance.

If you have been passed over for a promotion, make sure you’re worthy of a promotion—schedule a performance review if it’s been a while since your last one and you’re not sure how you’re perceived.

Make sure your employer knows all that you do—sometimes restructuring happens, and higher-ups don’t realize everything that fell on your plate. Make sure you’re working on things that matter—while John and Jane are peers, they serve a different client base, so there might be a difference in the significance of their work.

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2 – Bolster your own case for a promotion

Let’s say that Jane schedules that performance review, and her boss is happy with her work, aware of all that she does and confirms that her scope of responsibility is a priority and on par with John. If that’s the case, then Jane needs to renegotiate her promotion. Just because her boss said no before does not mean she needs to wait a full year or promotion cycle to ask again.

If you asked for a promotion and were declined, prepare to renegotiate and ask again. The no you heard before was either about: what you asked for; how you asked for it; when you asked for it; or who you asked. You need to change one or more of those factors to get a different result, so prepare to ask differently this time.

3 – Enlist outside support

Your boss is the logical person to ask for a promotion, but what if they are not a supporter? In Jane’s case, what if her boss favors John for illogical reasons and will never make things right? Jane needs to cultivate allies outside of her boss who are peers or even senior to her boss, so that she has influential and powerful advocates in her corner. Jane’s boss may change direction after prodding from their boss. Another source of support could be an employee resource group, such as one focused on women, emerging leaders, military veterans, etc. If other people in the company can’t or won’t help, Jane could still raise her profile in her own industry through publicity, public speaking or writing for trade journals in her area.

To make an end-run around an unsupportive boss, you need outside support, which includes support outside your current employer. Establishing yourself as a thought leader within your functional area or industry is a way to develop support in your field. Cultivating relationships outside your immediate department ensures that you are not solely reliant on your boss or immediate coworkers.

4 – Get creative about what you ask for

Just like you want to expand who can help you, you also may need to expand what you ask for. Some companies have a set number of promotions they approve at any one time or for any one department. You still want to be rewarded for your extra work, so how else can your employer compensate you? I once blogged about 100 items you can negotiate for, so a title change isn’t the only thing you can ask for. Getting creative about how your employer can make you whole is one way you can still get something of value for your work.

An important caveat, of course, is that you only negotiate and accept things you actually value. If your employer offers you a raise but no title bump, and you really want that change of title for future career prospects, then push for the promotion (you can accept the raise too in the meantime!). If your employer offers you more vacation but you normally don’t take all of your vacation anyway, that’s a worthless trade. Before you go into a renegotiation, brainstorm alternatives, and get clear about what you will and won’t accept.

5 – Launch a job search

Jane might do everything I recommend and still not get what she wants. Therefore, even while she’s taking all the steps to renegotiate a promotion, she should still launch a job search. If she gets another offer elsewhere, she can still decide to stay put, but it gives her leverage when she negotiates. Even the effort of researching companies and roles might give Jane clarification on what she wants from her current job (she might find that her employer is better than she thought and feel better about staying).

You want to have options. You want to know your market. You want to be ready because career management is all about people (people hiring people, people promoting people), and this makes career outcomes unpredictable. Don’t lock yourself into a bad situation by not putting yourself out there.

When you get passed over for a promotion, your employer has made its move. The next move is yours.

I don’t advocate quitting out of hurt or protest or principle. Take your time to conduct your due diligence on what happened. Try to make it work where you are – renegotiate, or stay put without the promotion (there are other ways to grow your career). However, if you really want that promotion and your employer won’t give it to you, your ultimate leverage is to leave. You have multiple moves available as your next step. What will you do?

Forbes.com | December 13, 2019 | Caroline Ceniza-Levine Contributor

The Two(2) Things Your Boss Must Do To Set You Up For Success. A Must Read !

December 12, 2019/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Years ago, back when I was teaching high school and college students, one of my mentors told me that the teacher made the difference in the classroom. She told me that instructors had to own the success and failure of their students. I agreed, and now—after years of hiring and supervising staff and leading teams—I help executives and supervisors understand that they make the difference in their organizations. They make all the difference (for success and failure) with their teams and employees.

It is the responsibility of your supervisor—the person you call your boss—to set the stage for organizational and operational success and create an environment for you and your colleagues to do your best work. Supervisors are the difference between success and failure, between high morale and low, between engagement and apathy and between a thriving culture and a toxic one.

Every supervisor—the good and the bad—impacts organizational, operational, team and employee success, but the worst ones have a negative impact because they fail to prioritize their employees’ needs. However, if you work for a supervisor who consistently does these two things, you are being set up for success and will likely have a great work experience.

Your boss must define what success looks like.

Supervisors who don’t distinguish high performers may very well end up rewarding the poor ones, and this is a key factor in toxic organizations.

If your boss doesn’t define what success looks like, he is doing way more than undermining overall organizational success. He is indeed sabotaging your ability to succeed as a contributing member of the team and, quite possibly, setting you up to fail. Defining success is a key responsibility for effective supervisors, and when they can’t or won’t define it, you can bet your bottom dollar they aren’t going to work to help you achieve it either.

Why it’s critically important for effective supervisors to define success:

Today In: Leadership

When success is defined, it can also be recognized and rewarded. But when it isn’t defined, you can put in all kinds of work and produce major deliverables and still not be adequately recognized or rewarded for your high performance.
When success is defined, employees understand how to become high performers. They become more engaged in goal accomplishment and better able to position themselves for a promotion and secure merit bonuses and raises.
When success is defined, it’s a sign that the organization likely has a transparent performance management program that it takes seriously, and it’s also a good sign that due diligence is taken to ensure employees understand the performance process and receive effective coaching throughout the entire year.
When success is defined, a culture of accountability—as opposed to a culture of toxicity—can be created because there is less chaos about roles and expectations, and there is less confusion about performance expectations.
When success is defined, it forces or prompts a review of the overall organizational or operational strategy to ensure alignment between performance expectations and strategy. Also, more attention gets paid to position descriptions to eliminate discrepancies that could lead to conflicts with goal achievement or create ambiguity among various roles.

If your boss doesn’t define what success looks like, he really can’t set proper standards for performance or accountability. As a result, everyone’s performance—the high and low performers—just ends up getting treated equally. Employee morale decreases, and over time, the culture could become toxic as well.

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Your boss must provide resources and remove obstacles.

Supervisors who can’t be bothered to prioritize their employees’ needs should never expect their employees to prioritize the organization’s needs.

If your boss doesn’t provide the resources you need to effectively do your job, he is undermining your ability to succeed. And, if he doesn’t remove obstacles that impede performance, he hinders trust and makes it difficult for employees to thrive. Next to the need to define success, supervisors have an absolute responsibility to listen—and respond—to employee needs. It is the supervisor’s job to leverage his influence and leadership on behalf of employee success. If employees don’t have the resources they need to perform at high levels, the organization will suffer, and everyone will eventually feel it.

Why it’s critically important for effective supervisors to provide resources and remove obstacles.

When resources are provided and obstacles are removed, employees have what they need to do their jobs well and deliver meaningful results. Also, workplace obstacles are minimized or eliminated. Obstacles such as conflicting policies that impede the customer experience get modified or removed. Obstacles such as broken communication flow, process redundancies, duplication of effort and procedural gaps get dealt with.
When resources are provided and obstacles are removed, employees can focus on making themselves, their team members, their bosses and their organizations look good instead of fighting to be heard or spending unnecessary time complaining about what’s getting in their way.
When resources are provided and obstacles are removed, employees feel heard, appreciated, respected and valued. As a result, they become truly engaged on what matters to their bosses. This leads to organizational leaders getting more input and deeper levels of investment from employees.
When resources are provided and obstacles are removed, employees are free to use their talents to think, experiment, create and innovate in a way that will elevate operations and help to achieve strategic goals. Change management efforts and disruption issues have less of a negative impact on organizational performance and profits.
When resources are provided and obstacles are removed, supervisors with a tendency to micromanage employees feel less of a need to do so. Instead, they can focus more on the big picture. They can become better leaders and better change agents because they realize they can actually get out of the way and allow their employees to confidently shine.

If your boss doesn’t take the time to understand what resources you need and which obstacles are in your way, he is not making you a priority. Surely, as a consequence, you might start to question whether you need to make him a priority either.

Key takeaways

For supervisors

If your goal is be an effective leader and create a high-performance culture of accountability and trust, it is critically important that you define success, provide resources, remove obstacles and then get out of the way and let employees do their best work.

You can give the best office and holiday parties, but fail to do these things, and it won’t really matter. You can provide your employees with the best work schedules, but fail to do these things, and it won’t really matter. You can pay employees great salaries, and still it won’t really matter if you neglect to prioritize these things.

For employees

If your supervisor won’t make defining success a priority, he is showing you that you aren’t a priority. If you work for a boss who doesn’t provide clear performance expectations and a definitive understanding for what success looks like, he is setting you up to fail. If your boss consistently neglects to ask about what resources you need to do your job or what obstacles may be in your way, you might want to run like hell before he sets you up to fail.

One of the worst things you can do is just stay on the job hoping that your work product meets with your supervisor’s goals. That hope will quickly turn to disappointment after you have given all you can only to receive poor performance reviews, get overlooked for raises and promotions or find yourself treated no better than any poor performer who does half the work as you do for twice the pay.

Author: Terina Allen Contributor Careers I cover careers, professional advancement and leadership development.

Forbes.com | December 12, 2019

Your #Career : Do These 8 Things If You Missed Out On A #Promotion This Year…It Takes More than Just Being Good at your #Job .

February 14, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Getting a promotion takes more than just doing your job well. To move up the ladder to the next step of your career, you have to prove to decision makers and leadership that you are ready and deserving enough to take on more responsibility. This takes consistently working your best, staying dedicated to your work, and much more.

If you’re sick of being passed up for promotions, check out these eight habits of employees that get promoted. Make small changes as necessary if you’re ready to take the next step in your career.

1. SET AND COMMUNICATE CAREER GOALS

Before the start of the year, sit down with your boss to set and discuss your professional career goals. Be open about where you see yourself in six months or a year. A good boss will help you achieve these goals by giving you opportunities to grow and provide support to keep you on track.

“In many cases, he or she truly does want to see you achieve your goals. As a manager myself, I constantly ask my employees, ‘Where do you see yourself in five years?’ because if there’s a way I can help them along, I’ll do it. Whether that means putting in a good word for them in a different department at my current company or assigning them special projects that will help them build new skill sets for a different role, I want to help,” says Katie Douthwaite Wolf, a contributor at The Muse.

The key, says Wolf, is to avoid announcing plans to “jump ship or that you want to take over your boss’s position.” Instead, think bigger and broader and come ready to discuss the ways you think your boss can help.

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2. ALWAYS BE A TEAM PLAYER

Employers don’t like it when employees are focused on “I” rather than “we.” They want team players who are committed to helping the greater good of the team, which ultimately benefits the company:

“A good employee volunteers his or her efforts before even being asked. They volunteer for more tasks and responsibility, and not just because of immediate reward,” according to the article, “How to be Promotable.” “This type of employees simply goes above and beyond and will be the first thought of when promotions are being decided.”

3. MAKE YOURSELF INDISPENSABLE

How can you make yourself an indispensable member of your team? One way is to become the go-to person for something specific, like designing dynamic sales decks to dealing with challenging customers. People in positions like this are not only sought after by coworkers, but also seen by leadership because they naturally stand out as someone people are always looking for.

4. KEEP LEARNING

Show your boss that you’re committed to continuously improving and developing your skills by finding learning opportunities, both within the office and outside of it. This doesn’t mean you need to get your master’s or PhD, unless that’s relevant to your job. Instead, enroll in one webinar each month, use your own money to attend conferences, or ask to be put on projects outside of your department. This shows that you’re serious about your career, and aren’t waiting for someone else to get you where you want to go.

5. DOCUMENT YOUR SUCCESS

When asking for a promotion, leadership is going to want to know what kind of value you bring to the business. Rather trying to think back at all you’ve accomplished, build a “working” portfolio throughout the year. After you’ve completed an important project or performed a record sales month, document it. When noting your successes, focus on the most important details:

“Keep a record of everything you do that enhances the company’s bottom line, that puts the company or your department in a good light, that is creative and innovative, and that shows your loyalty and commitment to the organization,” says Randall S. Hansen, PhD.

This tracking shows that you’ve been successful and improved the company, and are invested in the work you’re doing.

6. DON’T BE AFRAID TO TAKE CHARGE

Do you display passion, trustworthiness, decisiveness, and confidence? Possessing these types of leadership skills is essential for getting promoted. After all, the first step in being a leader is acting like one. Don’t get involved in office politics or develop bad habits, like being late or missing deadlines. Leaders need to be great role models for the employees they manage and work with, and without these skills, it will be hard to get a management promotion.

7. NETWORK WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Take advantage of every networking opportunity you have, even if it’s a small get together with new coworkers at lunch. Networking with others within your organization will allow you to get to know the people who can provide support now and in the future. It’s also a chance to promote yourself and your skills as well. You can reap similar benefits by getting involved with groups in your organization, like those who help plan events or keep the office stocked.

8. BE AN ENGAGED EMPLOYEE

Being engaged goes beyond paying attention or taking notes in meetings–both of which are also important. It means being an active member of your organization, attending every optional “Lunch and Learn,” or coming up with new ideas for sharing successes in the workplace. This shows your commitment to the company and the success of your coworkers.

Getting promoted is not an easy task–it takes time, learning, and dedication to yourself and the business. Successfully manage your own career path by using these eight tips–you might just get that promotion you’ve been hoping for.

A version of this article originally appeared on Glassdoor and is adapted with permission.

Your #Career : These Eight Phrases Are Killing Your Chance for a Promotion… Sorry, But I Honestly just Think you Should Read This.

January 3, 2018/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Words matter more than you might think, especially if you are one of the 43% of employees who works remotely. If coworkers or your manager can’t see your body language, they have to rely solely on conversations you have over email or the phone, and certain phrases could cost you a promotion, says Crystal Barnett, senior human resource specialist for Insperity, an HR service provider for small to medium-sized organizations.

“While most of us manage to avoid making comments that result in a punishable offense, some common phrases can hurt your chances for advancement in the long run,” she says. “You have to choose words carefully to get your point across without being negative or self serving.”

Here are eight words and phrases that can derail your career if they’re uttered at the wrong place or time:

1. “HONESTLY …”

Starting a sentence with the word “honestly” when speaking about others can come off as an attack, and it’s one of the easiest ways to damage your career, says Barnett. “Telling a trusted boss how one truly feels is expected and encouraged at many companies,” she says. “However, in some organizations, giving an unvarnished assessment can be dangerous if done without careful consideration beforehand.”

Using the word “honestly” before offering a critique of another team member’s work in a public setting, for example, can damage your relationship. It can also create the impression that you’re willing to promote yourself by attacking others.

“Only use ‘honestly’ when it applies to you,” says Barnett.

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2. “I THINK”

When you use the phrase “I think,” you immediately lose credibility, says Barnett. “‘I know’ or ‘Based on my experience my recommendation would be’ are much stronger,” she says. “In our world if you don’t know you lose credibility. It can demonstrate your weakness in certain environments.”

3. “I”

Taking credit for your work can be like walking a fine line of what’s appropriate. Instead, always defer to the team when sharing your success, says Barnett.

“It’s better to see ‘I’ in context of we,” she says. “For example, ‘I was part of a team that accomplished this.’ You can use ‘I’ and give yourself credit for being part of team, but touting yourself alone comes across as being arrogant and most companies don’t find that appealing.”

4. “YEAH, BUT…”

If you’re given an instruction or request from a supervisor or manager that leaves you with questions or concerns, starting your response with “Yeah, but” could come off as being combative.

“Asking clarifying questions or proactively identifying issues is not a bad thing,” says Barnett. “However, doing so in a negative-sounding way suggests an unwillingness to follow instruction or, worse yet, a challenge to a leader’s authority.”

Avoid the phrase altogether. If you need to revise the request, start by saying, “I understand your point of view. Let me provide you with another perspective of what we can accomplish,” suggests Barnett.

“This shows that you’re open to listening and you want to following instructions,” she says. “Offering different perspective is a much better way to get that out.”

5. “JUST”

“Just” can be a loaded word in some contexts, says Barnett. “For example, if a manager says to an employee ‘I just want you to finish those reports before the end of the week,’ the comment sounds highly negative on the receiving end,” she says. “It’s a filler word that diminishes your confidence and the importance of the message.”

A better approach might be to say “Be sure to get me those reports by the end of the week,” which is clear and direct.

6. “YES”

Saying “yes” to a request from your supervisor is usually looked at as being a good thing, but it could cause you to stretch yourself too thin, says Barnett. “You can’t produce quality work if you’re saying ‘yes’ all of the time,” she says. “The danger of burnout should always be considered before you answer.”

Instead of saying “no,” answer with “We can do this. Let’s make a list of priorities and see where it can go.” “This way you share responsibility of where the task goes in order of completion so you don’t feel like everything is a burning priority,” says Barnett.

7. “SORRY”

Transparency goes a long way, but simply saying “sorry” isn’t enough, says Barnett. This is particularly important when speaking with someone who has authority.

“You need to follow ‘sorry’ with an offer of a solution,” she says. “For example, ‘I dropped the ball, but here’s what I’ll do to fix it’ is much better than just saying, ‘I dropped the ball.’”

8. “THAT’S NOT MY JOB”

Passing the buck in today’s work environment can be extremely toxic, especially if you’re working with customers or clients. If you receive a request that’s outside your scope, wheelhouse, or expertise, connect the person with someone who can help.

“Say, ‘I have a colleague who knows about this. I’ll get in touch with them,’” suggests Barnett. “It shows that you have confidence,” she says. “You’ve let them know you don’t have an immediate answer, but you’re not leaving them hanging.”

FastCompany.com | January 3, 2018 | Stephanie Vozza

Your #Career : 5 New Jobs Skills Employers Are Looking For in 2016…So, What are Employers Looking For, and What Skills Do you Need to Make Yourself an Attractive Candidate? Read on to Find Out.

September 8, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

In a rapidly changing world economy, it’s a question that’s consistently at the top of everyone’s mind: what job skills do I need, and which will get me a job? Hunting for a job requires not only a specific set of strategies and techniques, but also a strong sense of confidence in your abilities. But it’s those abilities – which abilities, specifically – that hang up a lot of jobseekers.

We’ve dug into this very topic before, and provided some insight into which job skills will get you hired this year. As the economy is constantly shifting and evolving, and churning undercurrents of consumer behavior call for different types of workers creating and supplying different products and services, it can be really difficult to know what employers want. We’re here to be a compass of sorts, and outline a handful of skills that employers are really scouring the labor market for in 2016, which should give you a leg-up in your job search.

While there will always be a need (until the robot take-over, that is) for menial, low-wage work, if you’re truly looking to give your career a shot in the arm, you’re going to need to put in some time on the side. Investing in yourself by learning new skills can lead you to new, unanticipated opportunities, and ultimately put a lot more money in your pocket. If you want to get serious about improving your earnings potential, this is the place to start.

So, what are employers looking for, and what skills do you need to make yourself an attractive candidate? Read on to find out.

1. Social skills

As we covered a little while back, social skills are becoming increasingly important in more and more organizations. At one time, this set of skills was overlooked – even seen as a hindrance to productivity. But as time marches on, managers and team leaders are recognizing the importance of social skills, and how they can shape a workplace. The main reason? Human interaction is hard to automate, and almost impossible for a computer to mimic. As automation kicks in, and social connections become more scarce, they’ll naturally increase in value.

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2. Industry-related programs

If you know what specific job or industry you’re gunning for, then you’re going to want to have a tool chest full of skills tailored for it. And in a world in which knowledge and software skills are as important as ever, figuring out which programs and skills you’ll need is paramount to getting hired. We put together a recent list of which programs are on employers’ wish lists for this year, so take a look and see which are relevant to your career track. Knowing these programs intimately will give you a big leg-up during the hiring process.

3. Development

These days, the word “developer” means so much more than someone who builds condos. And developers of all stripes are in high demand. In our case, we’re referring specifically to software and web developers, both of which possess skill sets that are highly sought-after by many big, flourishing companies. If this is a career track you’re interested in pursuing, go back to the previous item on our list, and figure out which software programs you need to be well-versed in to start getting successful interviews behind you.

4. Design

In the same way that developers are a hot commodity, so are designers. Designers possibly come in more stripes than developers, as there are graphic designers, software designers, game designers – hell, even fashion companies and automotive manufacturers need designers. Needless to say, the world needs designers. If you want to get specific, the world needs web designers, and algorithm designers. These are skills that will not only land you a job, but likely a pretty high salary.

5. Information security

We don’t often go a week or so without hearing about some giant data breach, which typically puts the personal information for millions of people at risk. It’s happened to big corporations like Target, and it’s even happened to government agencies. Because data is so valuable – and because so many people are out there trying to steal it – information security is something that every organization is quickly trying to beef up. That means there’s a need for information security professionals, leaving an opportunity to learn the skills and get hired.

There are a lot of problems to solve, so don’t hesitate to learn and start applying right away.

Follow Sam on Facebook and Twitter @SliceOfGinger

CheatSheet.com | September 4, 2016 | Sam Elliott

Your #Career : This Is How to Manage Your Career Like a CEO…The Best Way to Keep your Career Moving Forward on your Own Terms is to Be Self-Aware, Know your Limitations, and Don’t Be your Own Worst Enemy. Come to Think of It, those are Good Words to Live By.

August 31, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Remember why you groom your own career in the first place: so you’re never the victim of an incompetent boss or a dysfunctional company. Becoming incompetent yourself would be the ultimate irony. Don’t succumb to the Peter Principle.

One of the most visible signs of a failing business is a talent exodus. We’ve seen it at Yahoo, Twitter, HP, Blackberry and a host of other embattled companies. But attrition among top performers is not just a harbinger of pending disaster; it can also be an early sign of dysfunctional leadership.

Rising stars who really push the envelope, and their careers, are usually the first to notice that their herculean efforts are neither being rewarded nor benefitting the company as they should. Since they’re on a fast track to the top, they’re the first to jump ship.

The unfortunate result is that mediocre employees are left behind, accelerating the company’s deterioration and ultimate demise. I’ve seen it happen time and again in companies big and small, but after the first time, I learned my lesson.

I was once an up-and-comer myself — a promising young engineer at a technology giant that had become overly bureaucratic under a dysfunctional chairman and CEO duo that, left unchecked, would eventually have run the age-old company into the ground.

One day Hal, a friend and coworker, told me he was quitting. I was floored. Hal was one of the best, a real talent. I wasn’t as surprised that he was leaving as I was that the company was letting him go. When I asked him about it, Hal said they wouldn’t promote him fast enough, so he was going somewhere that would.

That hit me hard. Like Hal, I had been identified as a candidate for management. If the company’s bureaucratic HR processes were holding him back, they would hold me back too. That’s exactly what happened. The following year, I was out the door, vowing never to let incompetent bosses stand between me and the top.

Jumping around from company to company was sort of frowned upon back-in-the-day, but I didn’t care. I made risky bets on high-flying startups and took flyers on high-growth tech companies. I never jumped the gun before the writing was on the wall, with one exception we’ll get to in a minute.

That methodology paid off big-time. Less than a decade after leaving that first company, I was the marketing VP at a mid-sized public company with an IPO under my belt and a bright future ahead of me. Thirteen years ago, I co-founded a Silicon Valley-based management consulting firm and that’s where I’ve been ever since.

Today, ruling your own destiny and making every opportunity count is the norm for career-minded individuals, as it should be. But there are some lessons I learned along the way that I’m sure will enhance your journey, as they did mine.

Think of every job as a business.

Jobs are like product businesses. When a product is hot, you want to maximize profit margins and return-on-investment. But before it goes south, you want to make sure you’ve got the next one ready in the pipeline. Think of companies you work for the same way. Before it was popular, I was always networking and interviewing.

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Be professional about it.

The most important asset you have is your reputation. Remember, it’s always in your and your company’s best interest to give it your all and do great work while you’re there. And be discrete. No boss ever had a clue that I was leaving until I was ready to go on good terms. And there was never a drop-off in performance, either.

Don’t let mistakes get you down.

I once got antsy and left a sweet SVP position to be CEO of an ill-fated startup. I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything, but I left too soon and it cost me seven figures when the former company went public. I think my wife’s still a little PO’ed, but I made peace with it years ago. You’re going to make some bad calls; it comes with the territory. Learn from them and don’t make them twice.

Beware the Peter Principle.

Remember why you groom your own career in the first place: so you’re never the victim of an incompetent boss or a dysfunctional company. Becoming incompetent yourself would be the ultimate irony. Don’t succumb to the Peter Principle.

The best way to keep your career moving forward on your own terms is to be self-aware, know your limitations, and don’t be your own worst enemy. Come to think of it, those are good words to live by.

Entrepreneur.com | August 31, 2016 | Steve Tobak – Author and Managing Partner, Invisor Consulting

Your #Career : Job Search, Throw Me A Line – I’m Drowning! ….. You Must Establish your Brand & Envision a Target. If you are Persistent & Completely Engaged, You will be Successful. Also Understand that a Proactive, Self-Managed Job Search is Not an Overnight Process.

July 12, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

Work your network – secure referrals through people you know and target companies and key decision makers that will refer you to opportunities in the “unpublished” job market.

Excerpt from the book “RESUME DNA – Succeeding In Spite Of Yourself” by John Singer

I recently coached a client who had gone through our program and possessed all of the necessary tools to start his job search. He was a self-proclaimed procrastinator, and in one of our coaching sessions, he started to break down emotionally. He admitted that he was not applying himself in his job search. He had been unemployed for three months; the wolves were at the door, and he felt paralyzed. He spent his entire day robotically applying for positions online (a “reactive” job search) and was admittedly exhausted from what he metaphorically referred to as “treading water in the middle of the ocean.”

I asked him if I could join him for a moment in the big blue sea. His expression shifted to a confused look (much like yours at this moment), and I told him that I wanted to be right there by his side. How’s the water? Is the sun shining? (Don’t worry—this is not a “Footprints in the Sand” analogy.) He started to play along, and he asked me if I had brought sunscreen. I told him that there might be more than just choppy waters on our horizon. I bothered to look in all directions and spotted a small sandy island about two kilometers away. Why don’t we use the same energy and determination that we are expending to keep our heads above water to instead swim toward our target?

You must establish your brand and envision a target. If you are persistent and completely engaged, you will be successful. Also understand that a proactive, self-managed job search is not an overnight process. Work your network – secure referrals through people you know and target companies and key decision makers that will refer you to opportunities in the “unpublished” job market.

Only you can make this happen. To quote Robert Frost, “The best way out is always through.”

Excerpt from the book “RESUME DNA – Succeeding In Spite Of Yourself” by John Singer

Available on Amazon

FSC Career Blog | July 12, 2016

Your #Career : Job Hunting? 5 Red Flags That Tell You a Job Sucks…A Promotion is Great & so is Advancing your Career, But to Make those Things Worth It, You also Have to be At a Company that’s a Good Fit for You & your Future Goals.

July 7, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

In the midst of a job search, it can be easy to get frustrated and take the first offer that comes your way. Maybe you’ve been laid off and desperately need to start getting a paycheck again. Perhaps you’re looking to get a pay raise and are looking to switch companies to make it happen faster. Whatever your motivation, it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing the companies have all the power. Yes, they’re ultimately the ones with jobs to offer. However, you have just as much choice in the process, and it’s important to keep an eye out for warning signs that a company might be a dud.

A promotion is great and so is advancing your career, but to make those things worth it, you also have to be at a company that’s a good fit for you and your future goals. In addition, you need to make sure that your next potential employer has a plan for long-term success. It might be difficult to know those items line up 100% before taking a job, but there are definitely warning signs out there for when a company might not be poised for long-term success. All you have to do is look for them.

Job search: Company red flags

So what are some warning signs that a potential job might not be all that it’s cracked up to be? In many cases, it begins with taking a closer look at the company itself. The Cheat Sheet talked with Jesse Siegal, vice president atThe Execu|Search Group, a recruitment and workforce management firm, to get a better idea of what to watch for as you’re researching potential new jobs.

“With unemployment being as low as it is, we’re looking at this as a candidate-driven market,” Siegal said. “If they’ve got choices, they should make sure they’re making the best ones they can.” The following warning signs don’t mean you should write off a job or company immediately, but do signal that it might be wise to dig a little deeper, and see if there’s a good explanation for the lapse. If there’s not, it might serve as a reason to choose an equally tempting offer from another company.

1. The website is outdated

If the website of a potential employer looks like it hasn’t been updated since AOL was the email server of choice, it might serve as a warning that the company isn’t up to date. Maintaining a current website with the latest updates can be expensive and time-consuming, especially since most companies can’t afford to keep a web developer on the payroll full-time. However, if it’s clear the website hasn’t been updated in 15 or 20 years, “It may speak to how that company appreciates technology,” Siegal said.

If your industry isn’t dependent upon current technology, this might not be a deal-breaker. But it might be a reason to look a little deeper at how the company plans to keep current, especially if they’re not paying attention to the driving force of the internet.

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2. They’re not active on social media

This can go hand-in-hand with the philosophy on keeping an updated website, and not every firm will be as present on social media as a Silicon Valley startup. However, most companies will maintain a Facebook or Twitter page, if only to share company updates or promotions and allow their customers to reach them through another medium. “Not every industry is going to be as active on social media as another, but it does resonate with an audience,” Siegal explained.

For the most part, companies will need to have some presence on social media to compete in a new media landscape. If the company you’re looking at doesn’t have a Facebook page, they might have a good reason for it — or it might be a sign the company isn’t prepared to compete online. Either way, it’s worth investigating, Siegal said.

3. They get bad press — and a lot of it

If a company has been around for more than a few years, it’s not totally abnormal for them to experience a bit of bad press for one issue or another. But if a firm is consistently finding itself in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, it might be a sign that it’s unwilling or unable to remedy deep-seeded issues. “If there are articles all over the internet about an organization’s questionable practices, it may be best not to be affiliated. If the negative press is severe enough, working there could even hinder your ability to get hired in the future,” Execu|Search stated in a release.

Siegal went on to explain that if you see negative news about the company you might apply to, do some extra searching to see if you can spot any patterns, either in frequent problems or underlying themes. Finding multiple instances of employee wrongdoing could speak to larger problems within the company that haven’t surfaced yet — and you might not want to be employed by them when they do.

4. There are numerous customer complaints

Bad reviews on Yelp and the Better Business Bureau are a dime a dozen, and sometimes are simply sour grapes that’s largely undeserved. However, it’s worth your time to at least look at what customers have to say about the company in question. If there are more complaints than praises, it could serve as an initial warning.

Common sense tells us that people are motivated to write reviews when they’ve had an excellent experience, or a truly horrible one. Most times, there’s a little more motivation to write a scathing review, meaning you’re more likely to see those pop up online. “You’re going to want to take them with a grain of salt, but you shouldn’t ignore them,” Siegal said. As with bad press, analyze the complaints for trends and patterns. If you don’t see any, it might add up to nothing. If you do see recurring issues, however, it might mean that the company has systemic issues at play.

5. Employees complain, too

With online resources like Glassdoor and PayScale, it’s becoming easier than ever to get on-the-ground feedback about what it’s like to work for certain companies. Based on current and previous employee input, you can learn about the average pay, office culture, and other elements that go into working at a certain company. If a quick search pulls up a company profile with numerous employee complaints, you probably want to tread cautiously before accepting an offer.

“A lot of times, the people who write on Glassdoor are the people who had a negative experience,” Siegal said. However, he also said that numerous complaints — especially about similar problems — are a signal that a company might not be prioritizing the needs of its employees. If you appreciate feeling like an office drone, that might be fine with you, but in most cases you want to know that you’ll be respected in your new position.

What should you do with these signs?

As Siegal mentioned, it’s important to fully vet a company before heeding one or a few of these warning signs and rescinding your job application. After all, it’s impossible to know everything about a company from a few Google searches. “We shouldn’t lose the human element to job searching,” he said. “A lot of times, there’s more to it than what you’re reading online.”

When possible, seek out employees from the company in question and talk with them about their experiences. If you can do this before even stepping into an interview, that can only help you in the long run, Siegal suggested. “Talking to actual people to confirm the things that you’re reading — or maybe to refute the things that you’re reading — is really important,” he said.

After that, if you still have some reservations but proceed with the interview process, take the opportunity to ask human resources about your concerns. Siegal doesn’t suggest doing so in the first interview, but if you make it to subsequent rounds, don’t be bashful about asking the questions you have in an appropriate, professional way. “You’re in the driver’s seat,” Siegal said. “It’s your career, it’s your future. It’s better that you ask it up front than wait and find out the hard way.” And as long as you’re respectful and present your concern in a constructive way, it can be another litmus test about the company’s culture. “If a company is offended by asking the question, then that in itself could be a red flag,” Siegal said.

Follow Nikelle on Twitter @Nikelle_CS

CheatSheet.com | July 7, 2016 | Nikelle Murphy

Your #Career : 5 Ways To Know It’s Time To Quit Your Job…Being Unhappy at Work is the Worst. That’s No Way to Spend the Day. If that Sounds Like You Maybe it’s Time you Look for a New Opportunity & Quit your Job.

May 29, 2016/in First Sun Blog/by First Sun Team

If you want to look for a new opportunity hit up your network of friends in real life and connections on social media. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet now is the perfect time to create one. Just remember that before you quit your job figure out what your next step is because life without a paycheck can be scary.

If the sound of your alarm clock sets you into snooze mode…and you really don’t care that it’s after 9 am and you’re still in bed take a minute and ask yourself why. Maybe it’s because you’re not a morning person, maybe it’s because everyone can use an extra 15 minutes of sleep or maybe it’s because you want to quit your job.

Being unhappy at work is the worst. It makes the days long and has you impatiently waiting for 5 p.m. That’s no way to spend the day. If that sounds like you maybe it’s time you look for a new opportunity and quit your job.

Here are some tell tale signs it’s time to quit your job:

You Don’t Give 110%

If you’re used to giving your all every single day at work then giving anything less than a perfect performance probably makes you feel really bad about yourself. Once your will to work hard is gone it’s hard to get it back. A change of scenery may be just what you need to get your groove back.

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You’re Not Interested In What’s Coming Next

If your job has become just about the paycheck you probably need to quit. We all work because we need money, but it’s important to have something to look forward to. If you don’t picture yourself at your job in three or six months then it’s time to find a new opportunity.

Goals Don’t include Working Towards A Promotion

Staying motivated and working towards the next best thing is an important part of advancing your career. If you don’t see a future for yourself at your current workplace it’s time to find a place where you will want to be better, learn new skills and move up the ladder.

Not Satisfied

If you find yourself doing your own thing on the side it may be time to turn that into a full time job and go into business for yourself. Ask yourself why youstarted a side hustle. Maybe it’s becuase you wanted to learn a new skill, maybe it’s because you need extra money or maybe it’s because it’s time to quit your job.

You’re Not Interested In Making Friends At Work

Workplace culture is so important because we spend eight hours – sometimes more – with our co-workers. If you find yourself sitting alone at lunch and not enjoying the social aspect of your job it may be time to move on to bigger and better things. Try to keep a positive attitude because negativity is noticed and you don’t want to be asked to leave. If you want to go it’s better that it’s on your own terms.

If you want to look for a new opportunity hit up your network of friends in real life and connections on social media. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account yet now is the perfect time to create one. Just remember that before you quit your job figure out what your next step is because life without a paycheck can be scary.

Forbes.com | May 29, 2016 | Ginger Dean