Please check out this fantastic article by Authority Magazine with our president, Matt Warzel, as a contributor – Matthew Warzel Of MJW Careers: 5 Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before I Switched Careers (An Interview with Phil La Duke)

I was fortunate enough to be featured in this fantastic article by Authority Magazine: 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘄 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘇𝗲𝗹 𝗢𝗳 𝗠𝗝𝗪 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝟱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜 𝗪𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗠𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗜 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 (𝗔𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗹 𝗟𝗮 𝗗𝘂𝗸𝗲). Article below is the extracted interview from the website!

Focus on work-life balance measures, mental health support, more timely check-ins and performance reviews, additional training (upskilling), and keep up the perks! Also, focus on succession planning and ways to get people to help others out, better gaining more insight into the overall operations.

  1. Provide clear expectations and goals: Workers need to know what is expected of them and how their work fits into the overall goals of the organization.
  2. Foster a positive work culture: A positive work culture that values diversity, inclusivity, and open communication can help workers feel valued and supported.
  3. Offer opportunities for growth and development: Workers who feel that they are learning and growing in their jobs are more likely to be satisfied and motivated.
  4. Provide a safe and healthy work environment: A safe and healthy work environment is essential for worker well-being and job satisfaction.
  5. Recognize and reward good work: Recognizing and rewarding good work can help workers feel valued and motivated to continue performing well.
  6. Communicate openly and honestly: Open and honest communication between workers and management can help build trust and foster a positive work environment.
  1. Foster open communication: Encourage employees to speak up, listen to their feedback, and be transparent about company decisions.
  2. Create a positive work environment: This can include things like providing comfortable workspaces, recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions, and promoting work-life balance.
  3. Promote diversity and inclusion: This can involve creating a diverse hiring process, offering training on unconscious bias, and creating an inclusive work environment where all employees feel welcome and valued.
  4. Offer opportunities for growth and development: Help employees develop their skills and advance their careers by providing training, mentorship, and leadership development programs.
  5. Foster a sense of community: Encourage teamwork and collaboration, and create social events and activities that bring employees together.
  6. Practice ethical leadership: Set a positive example for the team by being honest, fair, and transparent in your dealings with employees.
  1. Aim high. When I was starting out trying to break into advertising as a copywriter, my true passion was film and I wanted to write movies. But I thought that was a pipe dream, too big of a world to even consider. Well, breaking into advertising is just as hard and especially if you want to write the copy for the next Bud Light Super Bowl commercial. I decided to try standup, get into acting, and learn how to write for the screen properly with the 3-act structure. Since then, I’ve been in over 12 studio films or shows.
  2. Network and build connections as soon as possible in the industry/role you want to pursue. Networking and building connections within the industry can be helpful in finding job opportunities and getting your foot in the door. Network and reach out to like-minded people or decision-makers and build a connection. Then schedule a time to continuously stay on top of this relationship cultivation. Join forums and answer questions or pose questions to start a dialogue. Anything and everything to continuously push ahead into thought leadership status. Knowing your value is key to cutting through the fluff and ensuring your content leaves a positive and memorable mark on these hiring managers and recruiters. Your goal is to understand the role and industry inside and out so that eventually you can become the subject matter expert. Find some new career job openings and the possible credentials you may need to better position yourself in this new role find online institutions where you can acquire these credentials, and list them on your resume. Also, find membership groups and industry networking opportunities…this is a wonderful place to gather knowledge from industry pros who can help explain the nuances of your new role. Be realistic about what you can achieve. While taking chances and risks is a good thing, do not over-stretch yourself into a role you simply are not a fit for (yet). What industry do you want to live in, and in what role? Be specific in what you want, clarify it, write it down, consume knowledge of it, and live it. Recruiters cannot help you if you nor they know what you want to do. Most people have skills and experience that can transfer nicely to another industry or job. The key is knowing how those skills reasonably transfer, and what sort of value they bring to the prospective employer. The challenge is that most are unsure of how their skills are exchangeable to other duties. If you’re an accomplished professional, it’s best to use actual methodologies, processes, skills, or technologies relating directly to the open job description and your experience.
  3. Start a business NOW rather than head back to another contract or W-2. I wish I would’ve started a business in my 20s instead of partying and haphazardly trying to figure out my way in life. It just takes some small steps to turn your idea into a real-life business, so get going already! Start planting those seeds.
  4. Build a brand and served as a subject matter expert in the new field sooner than later. You might not think about it, but your personal brand is already forming. What do people see when they Google you? Do they see the résumé you put together? The cover letter you wrote? Or do they see all of the other information out there about you, like your social media profiles and what people say about you online?
    The answer is probably some combination of all three. But if you’re looking to get hired by a company that aligns with your values, it’s important to make sure that your brand is clear and aligned with those values.
    A personal brand is what will set you apart from the competition. Your personal brand is, according to a study by Northeastern University, “who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace, and the way in which you express those values.” Employers want to avoid hiring people who can become potential liabilities and those who contradict the very core values or overall mission that the company stands for.
    For example, let’s say a company has a core value of “being honest at all times.” If you have a history of lying or being dishonest with employers, that could be a red flag for them — even if it had nothing to do with the job position (for example: if an employer found out that you lied about having previous work experience).
    Or let’s say another company has a core value of “being respectful of others.” If their employees start making fun of customers on social media or in person, it could affect how customers feel about their brand. It could even affect how other employees feel about working at that company. Also, social media is a great place to show off your personality, but it’s also a place where you can use your skills to get noticed.
    You probably have a LinkedIn profile and maybe even a Twitter account. But have you ever considered the value of adding videos to your social media portfolio?
    Adding videos to your LinkedIn feed can help you stand out from the crowd, as well as give you a better chance at landing job interviews.
    If you’re looking for a job, consider creating a YouTube series or writing a blog. The more ways you can demonstrate that you know what you’re talking about (and that you’re fun), the better.
    According to an article in The Muse, “Videos are an excellent way to show off your skills and expertise.” The article goes on to explain that users who post videos on their profiles are more likely to get hired than those who don’t. This is because recruiters use video clips as part of their screening process and they want to see how you communicate with others in real time.
    To get started, all you need is a smartphone or tablet with a camera and a free copy of iMovie or another video editing app (such as Final Cut Pro). Once you’ve recorded something, simply post it on your profile page for everyone in your network (and beyond) to see!
    Even if you don’t think of yourself as an artist, there are plenty of free tools that will help you create graphics and photos. Try something new: share graphics/photos in your LinkedIn feed that reinforce who you are as a professional. Use these images as branding tools to showcase your expertise, character, and professional beliefs. You can create simple graphics using free tools like Canva.
    For example, if one of the skills listed on your resume is leadership, then create an image that showcases one of your favorite leadership quotes. These images will stand out in the feed and get noticed by your network!
    My particular playground, LinkedIn, is a great place to build your personal brand, but it can also be a black hole that sucks up all the time and energy you have to spend on your personal brand.
    But if you stay consistent with your posting schedule, you’ll see the results of your efforts pay off in no time.
    The secret to branding on LinkedIn is consistency. It’s not about making your posts flashy or clever or even about being original; it’s about making sure people see them over and over again, so they can’t help but notice that they’re there and take a look at what else you have to offer. I wish I would’ve stayed more creative, hungry, and consistent early on with my brand.
  5. Take a chance on a lower role to get into the industry. I wanted to be in advertising, but now that I think of it, I should’ve done the same pursuit with film/TV at a major Hollywood studio, the PGA golf tour, some record label, or within the crew of a band I love, or with the Cleveland Browns, all places I would’ve loved to work. As an entry-level (or career changer) job seeker, your priority is to gain experience and training and expand your network.
    If you’re looking for a new job, now is the time to start applying. Hiring managers have told us that they’re looking for candidates who understand not only the role but also the company and its mission.
    Companies are seeking employees who have a passion for learning, can work collaboratively with their team members, and help the company achieve its goals.

Chime in over here and join the conversation.

Read the article: https://medium.com/authority-magazine/matthew-warzel-of-mjw-careers-5-things-i-wish-someone-had-told-me-before-i-switched-careers-4ecb8b20148b

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