BLT #7 | Stay organized to stay in control of your career.

We know: "Stay Organized" sounds like "no sh!t, Sherlock" advice. But when done really well, staying organized is the most effective way to never be caught off guard in your career.

WE BELIEVE:

Staying Organized is often overlooked

So many people assume that once they land a gig, score a promotion, or reach a key milestone in their career, they're "off the hook" for a while. They often do things like:

• Stop updating their resume
• Let their networks get cold
• Stop checking in with themselves
• And so much more...

We believe that Staying Organized is the third key to always being in control of your career. When you're staying organized over time (not just at single moments in time) you'll always have an advantage over the competition.

SOMETHING WE LOVE:

We love Issac Newton. He did a lot to help us understand the world around us, but our personal favorite is his universal laws of motion. These laws stated, in part, that “an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion."

Staying Organized in your career is how you stay in motion. If you skip the recurring work to stay organized, you will inevitably fall into the trap of career stagnation. And if you do fall into that stagnant state, you'll lose opportunities, connections, and the excitement that comes from proactively building the career you crave.

Don't fall for it. Stay Organized.

YOU SHOULD TRY THIS:

Dust off your resume, even if you aren't actively looking for a new opportunity. Too many people don't update their resume until they're in the job hunt, but consistently keeping it up to date makes sure you don't forget or overlook any key accomplishments along the way. Remember, resumes should:

• Be extremely scannable | You want it to be as simple as possbile for someone to glance at your resume and get the info they need. Use bolds, bullet points, and clean headlines to help.
• Be concise | You do not earn points for using fancy words. Be clear, direct, and brief in the descriptions of your experience.
• Be 90% professional, 10% personal | Your resume should outline your professional experience, but should also give someone a small glimpse into who you are as a person. Use an accent color that you like, or consider adding a small section at the bottom that shares an interesting fact or two about who you are.

Need some help getting your resume organized? Make a copy of our free template to get started! And as always, listen to our latest Career Sandwich Podcast to learn more ways you can stay organized throughout your career.