These C-level tips for the New Year will ensure your continued career success beyond 2011:
- Ensure you have a professional social media presence
- Stay abreast of current affairs
- Make networking a part of your daily routine
- Update your professional resume
If you are a CMO you likely have a professional social media presence, as marketing is shown to be in line with that of HR and Recruiting. But if you are a CFO, you may be difficult to find, as finance executives seem to be lagging far behind in social media use according to the Fall 2010 NetProspex Social Business Report.
Gary Halliwell, co-founder of NetProspex writes, 6 social media trends to watch out for in 2011 and predicts “social connectedness” will continue to move forward in 2011. He references a social media conference with 500 attendees, none under the age of 30 resulting in discussions of fear, uncertainty and doubt, whereas conversations with younger people involve discussions of enthusiasm for the possibilities of social media as opposed to threats. Gary also notes, “…it may be too late for for larger more static companies where management think social is a cocktail in a bar.”
EverythingPR reports, Times Square Ball Engages Social announcing even the infamous New York City’s @TimesSquareBall has a Twitter account and a Facebook Page. Ivy Beanwas 103 years old when she joined Facebook in 2008 and 104 when she set up her Twitter account in May 2009. As a senior level executive in 2011 you surely have a Linkedin profile with a customized URL but are you utilizing Facebook and Twitter?
In addition to recognizing the immense influence social media can have on an executive career, so too is it imperative to stay abreast of current affairs, specifically business and market news. Subscribe to CanadianBusiness.com, MoneySense.ca, PROFITguide.com, CNNMoney.com or Time to stay on top of the business world. Knowledge is power and it provides the ability to contribute to any conversation, to make a notable and positive impression influencing key decision makers and to act upon business news to seek out opportunities to advance in your career.
Influencing key decision makers also involves meeting them. In order to meet those who will have a positive impact on your career make networking in person as much a part of your daily routine as networking online. On the subway, at family gatherings or networking events, initiate conversation. Did you know you travel with a colleague from your work who is a part of the HR team and is aware of an opportunity that would be an ideal promotion for you? Did you know that Uncle Joe just landed a CEO position for a company you have always wanted to work for? Did you know a recruiter is attending the ExecuNet in search of a candidate with your credentials? Of course you will never know, unless you ask.
Finally, update your professional resume. It is a crucial component at all career levels and should be available at all times, not just when you are in career transition. Contact Elite Resumes to obtain a free resume critique from a Certified Professional Resume Writer.
“Change is inevitable! The choice to be made is a very simple one, embrace it and move forward or resist it and fall behind.”
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