8 steps to take now to prepare for your next job

8 steps to take now to prepare for your next job8 steps to take now to prepare for your next jobFall is the perfect time to do some professional polishing up even if youre not ready to start looking for your next job just yet.But hey with hiring up and job satisfaction among millennials looking pretty bleak, now might be a good time to keep an eye out for greener pastures.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreTake these 8 steps nowto make koranvers youve got everything in order for whenever you do decide to make your next career move.1. Clarify your goals and audienceBefore you sit down to write your resume or polish up your online presence, pause and consider these two fundamentals of strategic communication what are your goals and who is your audience?Are you angling for a promotion? A raise? A new job? A total career shift altogether? Keep your eye on the prize throughout the nex t 7 steps.If youre feeling pulled in a million different directions (hello, fellow multi-passionate people I see you) or are feeling ambivalent about which path to start down, do some deep reflection with a self-assessment tool likethe Levo Thinking Talents Apporthe Bossed Up LifeTracker.Once youre grounded in your goals, consider your audience. Who are the stakeholders? The gatekeepers? The people you need to persuade to get to where you want to go? What do they love and what do they loathe? Keep reminding yourself what its like in their shoes and youll be irresistible to those youre wanting to woo.2. Rock your resumeNow that youre clear on your goals and audience, its time to take a crack at the all-important resume. Make aya your resume focuses on your most relevant experiences, achievements, and skills as they relate to your goal.More is not always better. Keep it concise, clear, and focused on showcasing how perfect you would be for your dream position.Other superfluous experi ences and skills might just be taking up space and adding to the clutter and chaos. Content matters, to be sure, but so does style. So keep things simple, embrace a healthy amount of whitespace, and take the time todesign a resume that helps you stand out.If youre navigating a career transition, consider ditching the traditional chronological format and opting fora skills-based resume instead, which can help showcase your transferable skills when making the leap.3. Write an objective statementWith your goal and audience in mind, write a simple 1-to-2 sentence objective statement about who you are and what youre looking for. Even if you dont have space to include this in your resume, youll find this little paragraph comes in SUPER handy when writing future outreach emails, cover letters, and more. Think of this as your personal headline and tagline that spells outWho you areMid-level project manager with extensive digital communications skillsAnd what youre looking forseeks a fast-pa ced gruppe environment with the opportunity to make creative contributions and take on strategic communications project management.This single sentence (or two) should leave a complete stranger understanding the basics of who you are, what youre good at, and what the must-haves are in the next opportunity youll take.4. Snap a new headshotIn todays digital job market, a shiny new headshot can have a bigger impact than you might think. And no, this isnt just relevant to Instagram models and life coaches.One of the biggest benefits youll experience from a polished, professional headshot is the increased visibility on social media. Facebook and LinkedIns algorithms LOVE sharing your new profile pic its baked into the algorithm and means that youre likely to get a flurry of attention when you update your photo there. Take advantage of that likelihood by updating your social media accounts with your new headshots around critical moments in your career.I recommend enlisting the help of a professional photographer to make your headshots session worthwhile, but that doesnt mean you need to break the bank.Watch my interview with my very own headshots photographerto gain insider tips and learn how professional portraits can boost your personal brand.5. Prep your online presenceNow that youve got a new set of snazzy headshots and wrote out your objective statement, its time to put them out into the world.For message continuity, add the same headshot and snippet of your objective statement to all your social media platforms. Go through and do a cleanse to make sure nothing youve posted would completely turn off prospective employers (or at the very least, lock up those privacy settings like woa). If you can, start sharing any recent projects or work achievements youre proud of as a subtle way to start showcasing your skills, too.If you want to keep your job search on the down low (because youre still collecting that paycheck from your soon-to-be former employer), I totall y get it Just leave out the part of your objective statement that lists what youre looking for next.Social media is a powerful tool for your professional brand.Use it.6. Learn to tell your storyAs you start to get out there and talk with other industry movers and shakers about your next moves, youre going to want to be comfortable sharing who you are and what youre looking for without putting people to sleep.Seriously, do not imitate a walking, reading resume. No one actually wants to hear you talk them through your chronological career path. Snooze.Instead, tell an actual story that explains who you are and what you value.7. Network likeaboss with 11 meetingsOnce youve practiced telling your personal story, put it work with effective networking meetings. Im a big believer inthis formula for 1-on-1 meetings that dont waste time.Focus on building relationships with mutual benefit, so prepare to share your story and hear from others about their motivations and current needs. Come with a clear ask in mind, but also be radically generous with whatever resources you have to spare.8. Start your search the smart wayWhen it comes time to officially start the search, make the most of those authentic relationships youve been building by explicitly asking folks to keep their ears to the ground for you and let you know what opportunities they hear about.Ask for feedback about how you might position yourself as an asset to the organizations youd love to work for. Ask for what skill-building courses, conferences, ortrainings, might leave you in a stronger position, too.Be persistent and seek out communities of accountability, courage, and support to keep you going through the slog of the often painfully slow search process.When you get your polished professional assets in place, are continuously growing your community, and position yourself as a strong candidate in the job market, its just a matter of time before you find your match.This article originally appeared on Bosse dUp.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people