Welcome to MyPath

A few days ago I received an email from a colleague who serves with me on a nonprofit board.

“Does anyone know where I can get Mets/Yankees tickets?”

I knew (Stubhub.com!), so I responded right away.

Later that day I was desperately trying to remember the name of a website I’d recently heard about where you can find out which social media sites have your username available. After racking my brain, I decided to tweet the question. Within three minutes, I had the answer (www.namechk.com).

On another occasion recently, I was trying to make a decision about hiring a branding expert. After researching all over the web and feeling more confused and frustrated than ever, I decided to reach out to three business owners I trusted and ask for their opinions and referrals. Their advice was invaluable and I was finally able to make my decision.

All of these situations reminded me of the most important career growth tip you can learn:

Ask for help when you need it.

There are vast resources available that can help you with any issue you face. The only catch is that you have to reach out for help -- no person or search engine or social network will know you need help until you request it.

If you’re having trouble figuring out your career passion, reach out to your university’s career center for an alumni appointment by phone or in person. (Hint: They are often free!)

If you’re unsure whether your resume or LinkedIn profile accurately represents your skills, ask a few trusted friends or colleagues to review them.

If you’re scared to attend a networking event alone, ask a friend to join you.

If you can’t figure out how to ask for a raise, go out and buy a negotiation book or hire a career coach to role play the salary negotiation until you’re comfortable.

If you can’t decide what printer to buy, ask your Facebook friends for recommendations.

Websites, books, blogs, Twitter feeds, LinkedIn Answers, career centers, coaches, friends and family members all have a wealth of knowledge and advice to share with you. Next time you face any career question, large or small, ask for help sooner rather than later. You'll be amazed at how much more quickly your career progresses.

I’ve always loved new beginnings -- the first day of a new month, the turning of a new season, even the sunrise of a new day (on the rare occasion I’m up early enough to see it). Of course there is no bigger new beginning than the turning of the calendar to January 1.

This year in particular, the New Year feels like a crucial fresh start. 2009 will go down in the books as one of the hardest years ever for job seekers, especially those looking for entry-level work. If you’ve had a tough time in 2009, or even if it’s been a great year for you, here are some tips for starting 2010 on a successful note.

Out With the Old. To make room for new things in your life (a great job, fresh ideas, more money, a strong network, etc.) you need to get rid of any clutter that is weighing you down. This might include critical people, a job that drains your energy, college junk piled in your closet or self-defeating thoughts like “I’ll never get a job in this economy.” For inspiration, check out two of my favorite resources on the topic of simplifying and decluttering: the Zen Habits Blog and Julie Morgenstern’s book, Shed Your Stuff, Change Your Life.

Set Quality (not Quantity) Goals. We all know that New Year’s resolutions are generally forgotten by February. So, instead of making a long list of “rules” for my year, I prefer to declare three to five big goals or priorities. I keep them in a little note file on my computer and on a little card pasted on the inside cover of the notebook I use every day. I peek at my list constantly to remind myself what my priorities are, how I want to spend my time and what opportunities I should not pursue. If you need help clarifying your goals, check out Your Best Year Yet! Ten Questions for Making the Next Twelve Months Your Most Successful Ever.

Do One Career-Related Thing Every Day. This is a piece of advice I share in every workshop I lead and with every student who asks for my most important career tip: take daily action. Just like being healthy or learning an instrument or excelling at a sport, being successful in your career requires daily commitment and daily action. Here are some to consider:
•    reading a career advice article on MyPath
•    attending a local networking event
•    tweeting out a career-related question to your Twitter followers
•    posting a comment to a professional discussion group on LinkedIn
•    reaching out to an alum of your school for an informational interview
•    reading one chapter of a career advice book
•    setting up an appointment with your college career center

•    applying for a job

•    anything else you can think of!

Finally, please don’t hesitate to send me your career questions (and yes, sending me a question counts as a daily action!). I will be answering reader questions in upcoming “College to Career” blog posts and podcasts here in MyPath in 2010.

Happy New Year!

At Thanksgiving dinner next week your parents and other relatives are bound to ask, "How's that job search coming along?"

While some young people fear this question, I encourage you to embrace it. Why not use your family's interest as an opportunity? If you're comfortable asking your loved ones for help, there are several ways you can enlist their support -- appropriately -- in your job search efforts.

Here are three examples of how your mom, dad and other family members can lend a hand in your job hunt. Listen to these and other tips in my new podcast.

1. Proofreading. You can never have too many people checking your resume, cover letters, grad school applications, social networking profiles and any other professional content you've created. If your parents have good grammar and spelling abilities, ask them to check some of your career-related writing and to make sure your online image is ready for prime time.

2. Rehearsing for interviews. Your parents or relatives (particularly anyone you know who has experience interviewing job seekers) can help you prepare for any upcoming interviews by running through questions, helping to choose an appropriate interview outfit or videotaping your answers.

3. Making networking connections. Your family members definitely count as part of your professional network. Ask everyone at the Thanksgiving table if they’d be willing to brainstorm any of their contacts who might be helpful for you. You’d be amazed at how many people come to mind when they really think about it.

Some people aren’t comfortable asking their parents for help and connections—it’s fine if you feel this way, and of course there are lots of other connections you can access. But if you are comfortable networking with your family, then I hope you'll spend some time talking about your job search while you're gobbling down your turkey.