25-minute career workout p1 - Military Transition - Military Times EDGE

Whaddaya, nuts? That’s what most people ask me when I advise that, in addition to their full-time jobs, they should be setting up networking meetings, researching new career ideas and in some cases conducting a job search. Who has time? Very few, but especially when they approach it the wrong way.

The not-so-great way is to treat these activities as a colossal time-sucking event. That’s when you set aside hours and hours to devote exclusively to keeping your career thriving. It never happens.

A better way to treat this ultraimportant activity that can mean the difference between one month or one year of unemployment is to have regularly scheduled career workouts.

The idea is to have a routine, but not one that is so time-consuming and burdensome that you don’t get to it. A short, intense, focused career workout — 10 to 25 minutes, two to three times a week — will add up to powerful benefits:

10 minutes using social media

First, figure out what you’re trying to accomplish. Is it meeting someone in a particular field? Learning more about green jobs? Setting up lunch with one person a week so more folks than your co-workers know you and trust you? Making sure other professionals understand your value so they think of you when there’s a need for your expertise? Focus on the people and connections that lead to that.

10 minutes conducting research

If you’re creating a list of companies that make clean air systems, don’t get sidetracked — or you’ll curse yourself for making no progress.

5 minutes sending follow-up e-mails

Each workout will spawn some activity and move something forward. If you send follow-up e-mails to people you want to talk to or get to know better, someone will respond. Your list of target companies will grow, and soon you’ll be ready to contact people at these companies.