Four things you need to do right now to successfully improve your work

It’s understandable if you feel a perpetual sense of doom as inflation, recession and the possibility of armed conflict with Russia and China dominate the headlines. You know you need to do something, but you’re stuck because of all the uncertainty.

However, no one will come to your rescue. Success depends entirely on you. Starting now, go after what you want. It’s time to break out of your rut and accelerate your career.

1. Start an interview to find out what you’re worth

One of the best ways to determine your value is to shop around. Start going to interviews. Even if you’re not ready to accept a new job, you can find out what they would pay for someone with your skills and experience by meeting other companies. It could be that you have been underpaid all these years.

If that’s the case, you have two options: The first is to go to your boss and let him know that you’ve done your due diligence on what competing companies are offering their employees and the data shows that you’re underpaid.

If you get pushback or excuses, ask them directly if they can raise your compensation to be in line with people doing similar work at businesses in the same sector. If the boss doesn’t budge, you know what to do next. The second option is to start looking for a job right away. While the job market is still strong, you want to get out there fast before the window of opportunity closes.

2. Connect with the best recruitment specialists

Start contacting recruiters. Talk to your colleagues who have recently changed jobs and earned significant bonuses for the move. Ask which recruiter they used and ask for a referral. Employers love referrals from candidates they have previously placed. They will assume that their friend is also very suitable.

Don’t rely on just one headhunter. Try to find about three recruiters. Make sure they are familiar with your sector. It will be a frustrating experience if you rely on a recruiter who doesn’t know or have any connections with HR and hiring managers in your area of ​​expertise.

Good headhunters will have high-level contacts at the companies you want to work for. They will know the corporate culture, salary bands, bonus level paid and whether stock options are granted. They most likely have personal relationships with HR and hiring managers. This makes it easier for them to provide you with feedback, constructive criticism, and insights about the people you meet. They will also handle salary negotiations. This makes it much less stressful when you don’t have to negotiate directly with your new future boss.

3. Put your network on high alert

It is essential to build, grow and cultivate a network. This doesn’t mean the old-fashioned “go to a boring event with your name tag on your lapel.” You want to create and nurture long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with a close group of people.

Your tribe can be college alumni, current and former colleagues, old friends, people you met socially at temple or church, and parents you befriended at school and sporting events.

The network may also include people with whom you have established connections on social media platforms. If you’re a white-collar professional, you may have made a lot of friends on LinkedIn, even if you’ve never met them in real life.

Your social media allies can be the best help. They will point you in the right direction to find the right HR person to send your resume to without having to go through the applicant tracking system. If the person works at a company you’d like to work for, they can offer a glowing recommendation and invite them to set up an interview.

4. Change your way of thinking

Start learning to become more assertive and positive. Stop dwelling on past failures. Focus on the present. Manifest your future by thinking positively. Imagine the type of job you want and imagine yourself working there. Use affirmations to remind yourself that you are smart, talented, and have the ability to get the great job you want.

Keep in mind the reason you want to change your professional life. You may have to run away from a terrible boss. You may have entered a profession due to parental and societal pressure and have always felt unhappy. Maybe you want more money to provide a better life for your family.

Now is the time to end the pain and gather your mental willpower to pursue what you truly always wanted to do with your life. Don’t let anything get in your way.

If you fail an interview, it’s okay to feel temporarily nervous. Once you’ve healed your ego wound, brush yourself off and move on again. If you try and fail, remember that at least you took the risk. This puts you ahead of most people who have never tried and suffered the sad fate of mediocrity, always wondering what they could have been if only they had tried a little harder.