Right now, things are weird. At best, you’re working from home and adapting to new work schedules and family routines.  At worst, you’ve been laid off and are doing your best to plan for an uncertain future alongside family.

Here are three simple and practical things you can do, today, to gain momentum in your career.

1.  Revise your resume

2. Revive your LinkedIn profile

3. Reinvest in yourself

Revise Your Resume

If you’re like most people, there’s at least one thing about your resume that you hate. It could be the layout, it’s not detailed enough, it’s too long, or you don’t feel like it represents who you are and what you’ve actually done. 

Make sure your resume includes the content that you want to be known for now, not just an obligatory list of everything you’ve ever done.  

As embarrassing as your resume might be to you, it’s not going to get any better by ignoring it. Giving your resume some attention—even a little attention—will help you feel more empowered. Now is the perfect time to go for it! 

You can easily make a few revisions to make your resume look better right now. 

• Delete an old position that makes you cringe or isn’t relevant anymore.

• Update your most recent position, including the dates and bullet points.

• Write more specific descriptions of what you accomplished for each role.

• Trim information that’s not necessary to tell the story of your experience.

• Find creative ways to save space and fit your resume on 1-page only.

• Add skills and keywords that represent both your talents and the work you enjoy doing.

You can make little changes that make a big difference in how you feel about your resume and how it looks to potential employers. An amazing resume will reflect who you are now and make a connection with where you want to go next in your career.

Revive Your LINKEDIN Profile

Dust the cobwebs off your LinkedIn profile…it’s worth it! LinkedIn is such a great resource for learning, connecting, and showcasing your professional online portfolio. If you feel guilty for not signing in in forever, that’s okay, get over it and start updating.

You want your LinkedIn to match the high quality of your resume so that hiring managers, recruiters, and contacts will be inspired to connect with you. 

Having an updated LinkedIn profile also shows that you care about your career enough to keep it fresh, are attentive to detail, and someone who people like to work with.

Essential changes to elevate your LinkedIn profile today:

• Add a professional profile picture from the shoulders, up. (no obvious selfies)

• Upload a cover image banner that is professional and represents your personal brand. 

• Customize your profile  link to get rid of the extra numbers and random letters and show simply your name, like this: www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferannegarcia/

• Update your most recent position to show you are currently working there. Be sure to add the appropriate start and end dates for all other positions. 

•  Ask for recommendations from people you have worked with at previous jobs, went to school with, or currently work with. You can return the favor by writing a recommendation for those who you truly enjoyed working with. 

Reinvest In Yourself With Professional Development

Keep your mind busy and your skills sharp. Do you already have an idea of what you need to do? Get on it. Take that online course, read that book, practice playing the instrument, do the thing. 

Easy ways to work on developing yourself professionally:

• Practice speaking another language.

• Learn how to code.

• Read a book on communication, sales, or marketing.

• Get certified in ________ that you just never had the time to do before.

• Sign up for an online class.

• Brush up on Adobe Creative Suite or other software that you use frequently. 

Don’t know where to start? Do some research. What kind of training or certifications does the job you want require? If you don’t already have those skills, now is the time to acquire them. 

Whether it’s a Project Management certificate, public speaking, or playing the guitar...you can learn just about anything from the wealth of resources online. 

What kinds of internal training does your company offer? Look on LinkedIn in the “Learning” section for a plethora of career-related workshops. Watch how-to videos on YouTube. 

Check your local library for the distance learning options they offer. Dig into your personal book collection. There’s something cool waiting for you there. 

Take this time over the next few weeks to reinvest in yourself and reinvent yourself in a positive way. Challenge your mind, move your body, and start or finish a creative endeavor.   

When you finally take the time to do it, you’ll feel a sense of achievement knowing that you’re making the most of this unusual circumstance. And your future self will thank you too. 

If you'd like a little extra help to revise your resume, give your LinkedIn profile a makeover or specific guidance for your career, I'm happy to help! You can choose a time for us to talk.