Putting Your Plan to Action
7 • Developing a Personal Brand to Market Yourself: Develop your personal brand and determine how you can share your story.
8 • Resumes, Cover Letters, and References: Resumes can be a beast, but with the right mindset a resume can be conquered.
9 • Networking, Outreach, and Interviews: Applying online is not working. That’s because the secret is in networking.
7
Building a Personal Brand and Telling Your Story
This chapter is meaty! You’re going to need to spend a bit of time here and this is one of those topics that will evolve with you as your career progresses. It’s a good thing, but when I was a teacher, this was NOT on my radar. The teachers I talk to today don’t have a personal brand or barely have LinkedIn. Nothing wrong with that, but if you are starting at zero, don’t let the volume of new content overwhelm you.
8
LinkedIn, Resumes, Cover Letters, and References
This is a tough chapter for me. I really don’t like that resumes are still “a thing.” For even the most experienced executive, they are tough. I have had countless conversations and spent more hours of my life that have equated to weeks (goodness I hope it’s not actually months) on this silly document. Folks I’ve worked with in business who are REALLY, really good at what they do? They also struggle. When they begin looking for their next role, they also stress, second guess, type, delete, retype, and agonize.
Another reason I can’t stand resumes is my personal bias. I have spent more time than I care to calculate writing, thinking on, and refining MY resume. And you know what?
I haven’t gotten a job from applying online with a resume in my post-teacher career.
EVER.
9
Networking, Outreach, and Interviews
We’re close to the end now. After reading, planning, and completing the exercises it probably feels like May 4th of a school year. You’re tired (Exhausted? Drained? Anxious? Elated?), but so, so close to another end. We’ve covered a lot. We’ve discussed overcoming fears and being anxious in this decision to leave the classroom, assessed your values, strengths and opportunities, sorted through a good choice as a next step versus going after anything and everything, and worked to pursue a role, a company you can get behind and use to build some career longevity.
You have an updated LinkedIn page, resume, cover letter, and you are working on references.
This feels like a good place to pause, reiterate, and appreciate:
Yes, it is HARD to change your career path, but it is not impossible and it is 1M% worth every effort you make. It is going to positively change your life.
What is ACTUALLY HARD is waking up every day to do a job you loathe (dare I say, hate?) and be responsible for the education of a young person.
We spend far too many hours working to stay where we are—
unhappy, unfulfilled, and financially strapped.
Everyone deserves better.
