You're over it. 🙄 You're done. 😑 You're ready to get out. 😏 But there are so many things to consider before you just walk off into the sunset. And this can be overwhelming, which keeps you stuck in the misery loop.
No more of that. It's time. 💥💥💥
I've been where you are––many times––and I wanted to share the 5 things I always did to get myself prepped and ready to move on:
1. CHECK YO'SELF. 🧐 To advocate for yourself effectively, you have to know what you actually want in a new job. Make a list of all the things that you're looking for in a new position––this should of course include your ideal creative work, but also consider culture, environment, work hours, flexibility, benefits, and salary. This will keep you focused on going after the positions that align with where you envision your creative career heading.
2. KNOW YOUR VALUE. 💰Take time to understand what your level of experience is worth in the current market by doing some online research prior to the job-search. You want to have a realistic view of what you should be making. You also don’t want to accept an offer that is lower than what you feel good about just because you’re excited about the prospect of finally leaving your current job.
3. FLIP IT & REVERSE IT. 🎨 Update your portfolio before updating your resume. I know this sounds counter-intuitive, but it will help you recall a lot of the details about what you actually did in the role––especially if you worked somewhere for a long period of time, held multiple positions, or developed creative for several different brands. It’s hard enough to sit down and write a resume, but going through your work will actively jog your memory and make this task easier.
4. PRACTICE THAT PITCH. 💥 Don’t wait until you have an interview to rehearse your story and creative process examples. Trying to wing it during the interview will cause you to forget things, skip over key proof points of why you’re a great fit for the role, blank out on situational examples, or get unnecessarily nervous and make the interviewer uncomfortable. And that sucks.
5. CONTROL THE NARRATIVE. 📲 Curate what potential employers may see online when they take interest in your application. Update all professional online profiles so they display the same info/projects (LinkedIn, Behance, Dribbble, etc.) Google yourself (name/city/title) and see what comes up. Consider making personal social feeds private. You want to control the narrative around who you are before you get a chance to even interview.
And, as always, reach out if you need help! You were meant for bigger things, and it's time for you to get there! 🎨🌟🎉
(Command Your Career Series: #003)