211: Five Mid-Career Mistakes to Avoid in 2024

If 2023 wasn't a great year for you professionally, or this is the year when you want to make a big career move, you want to make sure you don't make these five mistakes that will derail your mid-career growth.

As we start 2024, there is more competition than ever for positions, and companies are being more selective when it comes to the job application and interview processes.

In this episode, you'll learn five key mistakes mid-career professionals must avoid in order to advance their careers to find a job they are going to love and thrive at.
 

Transcript

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Speaker 1 0:01

As we kick off 2024 , I've got a special announcement . For the first time , I am hosting a live five-day workshop , beginning on Monday , january 8th , called the 4Fs Framework for finding your next job . I've never done anything like this before , but I wanna begin the year by helping you , more than ever , figure out what's next for your career so you can get the job you want , because 2023 wasn't a great year for you professionally . Whether you're currently unemployed , unhappy in your job or ready for that promotion , this workshop will give you the career clarity you need to stand out from your competition and strategically position yourself in the marketplace . This five-day workshop is only $47 , and after each live training , I'm doing some Q&A . So if you can attend live and look , I get it . I know you're busy . That's okay , because all registrants will have access to the workshop recordings for 30 days . Now registration is currently open and we begin on Monday , january 8th . So to secure your spot in the workshop , visit my website , johnnarrellcom and click on the Workshop tab at the top , or check the show notes for more information . I'll see you there . Happy New Year .

Speaker 1 1:29

Last year was an interesting year for mid-career job seekers , with layoffs and quickly emerging AI technology changing how people are applying for jobs . We saw companies take more time being selective as they find the right and best candidate for the job . So how do you get people to notice you more than ever in 2024 ? Well , I'm here to help you do that , because I'm calling out five career mistakes you cannot make this year , and when you don't make them , you will dramatically increase your chances of finding that job you'll love . Let's get started .

Speaker 1 2:15

["midcareer GPS Podcast"] . Welcome to season four of the Mid-Career GPS Podcast . I'm your host , john Narrell . I help mid-career professionals find a job they love , or love the job they have , using my proven four-step formula . It's 2024 . It is season four of this podcast . I can not believe it , but I am so excited to be back with you . If you've recently found me . Thank you so much for being here . If you've been here for a while , great to have you back . Just as a reminder , tuesday's episodes are typically informative , shorty type episodes with a quick tip or information to help you build your mid-career GPS , whether it's about finding a new job , improving your leadership or enhancing your skills in some way . And then , on Thursdays , I bring in a guest to join me who is either a career strategist expert or someone who simply has a motivating and inspiring story to share with you about how they've navigated this important step along their mid-career journey .

Speaker 1 3:27

Now , as we begin this new year , where's your career at ? Are you happily employed , but think you're gonna be looking for something later on in the year ? Do you see yourself ready to be promoted but aren't sure it's going to happen ? Are you thinking that your company may be laying off people due to some financial troubles , or maybe your job's at risk ? Or maybe you're starting off this year currently unemployed , optimistic that a new job is around the corner , but you need to find that job sooner rather than later . Whatever your circumstance is , I'm here to tell you that you do not want to make any of these five mistakes I'm sharing in this episode . So , to get us started , here are the five mid-career mistakes to avoid in 2024 .

Speaker 1 4:26

Number one is playing it safe . So often I see mid-career professionals hesitate or be reluctant to brag about themselves . Now , when you hear that , I want you to tap into your thoughts about what it means or looks like for you to quote unquote brag about yourself . See , that's a thought I wanna challenge with you right off the bat , because you're talented , you have experiences and somebody needs those . So if you're not highlighting your skills , your achievements and accomplishments on things like your resume , your LinkedIn or when you're networking or interviewing , you are making a huge mistake , because not being confident about how you can help someone means they don't know what you can do for them . Many times I will hear from my clients or I'll hear from people who are inquiring about coaching and they'll say well , my work will speak for itself . They'll like me . Look , everybody wants to be liked . That doesn't always . I mean , that's the definitive reason why you're going to get the job . You're a hard worker ? Of course you are . You're a great communicator ? Yep , you have to be able to talk about how you're going to help them and what you can do for them . Your failure to tell your story boldly and proudly because you're playing at SAVE is a huge mistake in 2024 .

Speaker 1 6:07

The second mistake mid-career professionals want to avoid in 2024 is not building your network . We hear time and time again that networking is your best chance of finding a new job . But who's advocating for you ? Who's advocating for your advancement within your company ? Who's out there talking about how great you are and how wonderful your skills are ? You want them to help you , but you have to remember that when networking , you've got to help them as well . Networking is mostly a give relationship where occasionally , we're going to take as well . You didn't get chance to listen to one of my best of 2023 episodes with networking expert Frank Agan . It's episode 209 , go back and check that one out . But by all means , if you are not building your network right now , it is a huge mistake , and building your network isn't something you should be doing just when you are looking for a job . It should be a consistent effort throughout the year .

Speaker 1 7:18

Mistake number three and I want to pause with you on this one for a little bit is ignoring your mental health and wellbeing . We know how important our mental health and well-being are for our personal lives , but they need to be important for our work lives as well . If you work in a toxic environment , if you happen to work for a toxic supervisor , those are things that you have to decide what you want to do about those situations . I have worked in those environments , I have worked for those people and I can only tell you from personal experience how heavy that weight felt , that I remember when I pivoted and I left that organization or that job . How great I felt afterwards . But I always jumped to something . That's what I want to offer for you right now . If you feel like your mental health or well-being is currently being compromised because of your work situation , what are you going to do about it ? Do not ignore it . Finding a new job doesn't have to be stressful , but our brands want to take us to that place . You've got an opportunity right now , at the start of this new year , where so much is going for you and you can look forward to Find something you love to do for your well-being and consistently build in those practices to support your mental health and your well-being .

Speaker 1 9:00

Mistake number four I want you to listen very closely to how I phrase this . Mistake number four for mid-career professionals in 2024 is not closing a skill gap , a means one . I want you to identify one skill that you believe is a gap in your experience , or something that maybe is not making you a more marketable candidate , and put a plan in place to close that one skill gap . Often , we think we have all of these things that we need to do and that's the reason why we're not getting the job . I want to offer you that picking one thing to develop is going to have huge ROI for you and your job candidacy .

Speaker 1 9:55

I recently saw something on Instagram and it was this panel and the job interviewer said to the candidate so tell me what's your biggest weakness ? The candidate said probably bread baskets . I will tell you . If I was still interviewing for jobs , I would so use that when I was hiring talent , and if somebody cracked a joke like that , I would absolutely laugh alongside with them . If humor is part of your personality , find a way to infuse that . But ultimately , addressing a skill gap is something you can talk about when you are asked that question in an interview . If you've been listening for a while , you know I don't really like those questions but to say , hey look , this is one particular area I'm working on and developing and here's why . Then you can tell the story about where closing that skill gap is going to be a huge benefit for you .

Speaker 1 10:57

Lastly , number five this mistake mid-career professionals make time and time again and in 2024 , I want us , I want you to promise me on this one that you are not going to make this mistake and that is not leveraging your strengths . You're talented . You have a track record of doing some pretty incredible things within your company and organization throughout your career history . Your strengths are your asset and they are the keys to helping somebody in a new role . When you look at that job posting , it is a laundry list of all the things they want someone to be able to do . Your strengths are the answers to solving their problems . How are you talking about those accomplishments and results ?

Speaker 1 11:51

We started off this list by talking about a mistake of playing it safe . What I want to offer you here is how are your strengths getting you noticed ? How are you able to speak confidently and confidently about your strengths as an asset to a new employer , a new supervisor or a leader that you're going to be working with ? Your strengths are those things that you get to do in what I call your genius . When I talk about my show up six strategies that you is all about using your genius . How are you using it ? Why does somebody need your genius in their company right now ?

Speaker 1 12:38

All right , as we wrap up , let's just quickly review these five mistakes you don't want to be making in 2024 . Number one was playing it safe . Number two not building your network . Number three ignoring your mental health and well-being . Number four not closing a skill gap . Number five not leveraging your strengths . My friends , what is your plan for 2024 ? How are you going to take the information in this episode and move it forward to help you build your mid-career GPS ?

Speaker 1 13:14

If you want to learn more about how I can help you , by all means , please go and check out my website at johnnerrillcom . If we're not connected on LinkedIn , I would be honored to have you as part of my network and vice versa . Definitely , direct message me there on LinkedIn . You can find me at johnnerrill , and until next time , my friends , remember this you will build your mid-career GPS one mile or one step at a time , and how you show up matters . Make it a great rest of your day . Thank you for listening to the Mid-Career GPS podcast . Make sure to follow on your favorite listening platform and , if you have a moment , I'd love to hear your comments on Apple podcasts . Visit johnnerrillcom for more information about how I can help you build your mid-career GPS or how I can help you in your organization with your next workshop or public speaking event , and don't forget to connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on social at johnnerrillcoaching . I look forward to being back with you next week . Until then , take care and remember how we show up matters .