With the festive season over and the latest headlines being what they are – I think we’re all in need of a little motivation right now. Pandemic or no pandemic – I’m here to help you move forward with your career goals.
The following is a list of my recommended places to get careers-related content that I’ve been telling everyone about this past year. My clients, colleagues, friends and family have more than likely heard me bang on about (at least) one of these!
From motivational speeches and online courses to podcasts and Instagram pages… There's something for everyone here. Whether you need a bit of a push to succeed, practical tips for your job search, guidance on how to grow your career or advice on how to start your own business, this is the place for you!
For motivational content:
This podcast is brilliant, it lets you into the minds of high-achieving people, to find out what drove them to achieve success and what lessons they learnt along the way. Three of my favourite episodes are Michelle Mone, a top UK entrepreneur; rugby superstar, Johnny Wilkinson; and award-winning actor, Matthew McConaughey.
2. Les Brown - It’s Possible Speech - YouTube video
For years I have recommended Les Brown, and this year was no different! He’s one of the best motivational speakers out there and his speech “It’s Possible” is outstanding. It’s just what I needed to hear when I started my own business. Anyone who has a dream/goal in life that they want to fulfil - it’ll push you to go for it!
3. Businessideas365 - Instagram account
I love a good motivational quote from time to time! The Businessideas356 Instagram account posts some of the best – they're great to follow if you want a daily dose of inspiration.
For “how-to” blog articles:
If you’ve ever typed something like “How to write a CV” or “How to ask for a LinkedIn recommendation” into Google, you’ve likely clicked on a blog article by The Balance Careers. They have a whole host of blog articles that contain practical advice to help you throughout your job search.
This careers site was built exclusively for women by women and I am in awe at the amount of content they create. Their blog articles and other resources will help your career development and workplace situations.
For improving your skills – or learning a new one:
6. Coursera – free short online courses
Coursera has free short online courses in pretty much everything. Whether you want to improve your business skills, learn a new language or take a public speaking course, there's something for everyone. It's always good to take a course for your professional development but it especially helps if you want to keep your skills fresh or have something extra to talk about in an interview. It's also useful if you’re thinking about taking a university course and want to trial the subject, or for those thinking about a career change and want to try something new.
7. The Career Agent - online careers workshops and courses
That’s right, this is a shout-out to myself! I’m proud to have increased the number of online careers workshops that I've offered this year to help people with their job search. In 2021 I aim to provide more, starting with my first workshop taking place on Monday 11th January: How to land a job in 2021. I’ll be advising on every stage of the job search – from where to find a job in the current job marketing to how to confidently sell yourself to employers.
For start-ups and entrepreneurs:
8. Sifted
This is a brilliant website that contains so much information about the current and future world of work. It's aimed at start-ups and entrepreneurs, but there are tons of articles on there and signing up to their e-newsletter will help keep you up-to-date with emerging industries and the latest trends in the workplace.
9. Upwork
If you’re thinking about freelancing or starting a business, Upwork is a good place to start offering your services and build up your client base. Once you create a profile, you can browse and bid for short- and long-term projects where companies need someone with your expertise.
For CV writing:
10. Novoresume - CV builder
This is by far the best online CV builder that I’ve come across. Their free ‘basic’ service is a great way to get started on your CV, they have lots of templates to organise your experience that will make you stand out to employers.
Thanks for reading! No matter what stage you’re at, there is something on this list that will help inspire you to reach for higher achievement or kick-start your 2021 career plans into action.
If you’d like help with starting your job search in the new year, make sure you register for my workshop How to land a job in 2021 on Monday 11th January.
Remember to keep going, there are still growing industries despite the situation - when the going gets tough the tough get going!
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