Published on: 16 November 2018
Last Updated on: 24 February 2020
Too many people plan their lives out according to someone else’s dream. They make decisions based on what they ‘should’ do instead of what they ‘want to do’, and end up chasing money, convenience, and easy options.
But trying to determine what you want to do in life is far from simple. These are five ways to solve the puzzle and determine what you want to do, and once you know, give yourself a competitive edge and download free of charge resumes from LiveCareer.
Put Yourself First:
One of the biggest reasons why we overlook what we actually want to do is because we feel like we have to do something for other people. Put yourself first for a change. Ignore what your parents want you to do, or your boyfriend, girlfriend, husband or wife wants you to do and think about what you would be doing if none of them were in the equation.
Think About Where You Want to Be in Five Years:
It sounds like a cliché interview question, but spending some time thinking about your medium and long-term goals will help shed light on what you want to do with your life. It doesn’t matter if you actually end up there in five-years-time (you probably won’t), but as a thought exercise, thinking about where you want to be can help you discover what is important to you.
Find the Common Thread in Your Experiences:
Looking backwards can help you moving forwards. Look back through your previous work and personal experiences. What skills have been a common thread? Are there any recurring themes?
Job titles, salaries, and companies can all change, but ultimately your career will be defined by your skills. Realizing what those skills are and how to apply them to your career to provide meaning is most of the battle.
Establish What You Don’t Want to Do:
Sometimes you may not know what you want, but you have a strong idea of what you don’t want. This is a good starting point and can help you work out how to avoid paths that definitely don’t appeal to you.
Establish what you don’t want and be specific. Don’t simply assert that you don’t like working in an office. Be more specific. Working in the Google office is not the same as working in an accountancy office, for example. What aspect of office life doesn’t appeal to you? The inflexible hours? Micromanagers? Pointless job titles? All of these can be part of the office life but don’t have to be.
Run with Side Projects:
Do you have a side project that you have wanted to embark on for a while but have never found the time? Then make time!
Side projects are an exceptional method of exploring new possibilities and hobbies. All it takes is the right side project and a huge injection of passion, and before you know it, you could have just discovered your next career.
Finding what you want to do in life is as much about sparking your curiosity, igniting your passion, and discovering your interests as it is about choosing a job. There will be obstacles, both internal and external, but finding things you want to pursue, skills you want to learn, and places you want to be in the medium to long-term future are all important steps on the path of finding what it is you want to do in life.
Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.
Networking is the process where you make connections and build productive relationships in your professional field.
It is an important factor if you want to grow professionally and seek new employment opportunities. A major aspect of networking is to get referrals. In this article, you will learn how to ask for a referral request.
Here, you will learn how to use your network to get referrals. As a result, you will have a better likelihood of getting access to new opportunities or cracking interview processes. Thereby, you can get better job offers and get professional growth. Hence, to learn more, read on to the end of the article.
What Is A Referral Request?
Having a professional network is essential for every employee or businessperson. This helps you get access to referrals faster. Basically, when you ask a member of your professional network to endorse or introduce you to a prospective employer, it is a referral request.
For example, it can be something like reaching out to a recruiter on LinkedIn or asking a previous employer to refer you.
In fact, if you have a referral in your arsenal, you give employers a chance to distinguish you from other job candidates. This will increase your chances of getting an interview or getting the job offer itself. Generally, employers go for candidates with referrals since it shows that the candidate has skills and experience.
Apart from that, if you have a referral with you, it shows that you can form and maintain good work relationships. Also, it shows that you can form and nurture networks. For instance, you can request a referral from a personal acquaintance. Moreover, your interview preparation gets easier if you have a referral.
Hence, you must ensure that you are choosing the right person for the referral. Moreover, you must approach them in the right manner.
How To Ask For A Referral? – Steps To Follow
The following are some steps you must follow if you want to ask for a referral from a professional you know:
1. Choose The Right Medium
While asking for a referral, you must consider your relationship with your referrer. Generally, the best medium to reach a referrer is through writing. For example, it can be a message, an email, a LinkedIn chat, etc.
Basically, the choice of medium depends on your relationship with the person. If the relationship with the person is formal, the best option is to use a written medium. However, if you have a causal relationship with the person, a face-to-face conversation can be handy.
2. Find The Right Person To Ask
Another important factor to consider is whom to ask for a referral. This can be anyone you know, a former employer, a friend, or anyone else. Moreover, you can also ask someone in your existing network.
However, the best person to ask for a referral is someone you already know. In fact, that person can attest to how you work and what your character is. Basically, the stronger the connection, the better the chance of getting a referral. Hence, the best option is to ask an ex-boss, colleague, former client, or even a college professor.
Additionally, make sure you are honest with the referrer and explain what you need. Also, explain to them how they can help you and how beneficial it will be for your career.
However, don’t ask for a referral from someone close to you, like a family member or a friend. In such cases, the referral request is obvious and does not help you during an interview.
3. Give The Referrer More Context And Reasons
It is important to provide your referrer with the context of the referral. In fact, tell them why you need the referral and what exactly you want to achieve with it.
For instance, if you apply for a job, be sure to attach a resume and the job listing to your request. Moreover, mention why you are asking them for a referral. For example, if you ask your previous employer for a referral, include a note that you have worked together.
Additionally, you can also include a portfolio of your other work if you want to provide extra context.
Here, you must make sure your request is not vague where your referrer is unsure about what you want. Also, ensure you give them an idea of how they can help you in the first place.
Actually, this extra information will make it easier for them to agree with you. Hence, they will be eager to give you a referral that will help you grow professionally.
4. Ensure The Process Is Easy And They Say “Yes”
When the referral process is easier, it will provide you with better results. Apart from providing them with a context, make sure they find it easy to refer you professionally. Additionally, you can also send your referrer with your career portfolio or your website. However, it needs to be relevant and must be an easy reference to consider.
On the other hand, you can face a situation where the referrer wants to provide you with a referral but does not have the time to do so. In such cases, you can offer a draft letter on your referrer’s behalf. This way, they can just add a signature to it or attest to it.
Hence, you make it easier for them to give you a referral. Moreover, they do not feel like they must push themselves to give a reference to you.
However, if you are an independent professional, you can make it easy for your clients to refer you. Here, you just need to create and provide marketing materials for them. For instance, you can use a business card, an email template, or just a website button. This way, they can quickly refer you to their network with minimal effort.
5. Give Them The Option To Opt Out
You can request someone to provide you with a referral. However, that does not mean that they will agree to provide you with that. On the other hand, you can feel that an ex-employer or a friend can help you. However, they might not feel comfortable referring you to their network.
Hence, you must accept the possibility of rejection and move on. Therefore, to prevent an awkward situation, you can provide an opt-out option in the referral request.
For instance, in your request, you can write, “It’s alright if you can’t provide a referral…” Hence, you are giving your referrers an option to exit. Also, you are not jeopardizing the relationship with them.
6. Ensure A Follow-Up And Express Gratitude
When you receive a referral, you need to express gratitude. In fact, it is not a good idea to take a referral for granted. For instance, if someone refers you to their network, make sure to send them a thank you note. This way, you are expressing appreciation.
Moreover, if a professional contact offers you a dream role, you must thank them for their time and support. Furthermore, even if you do not land the job, you must still express your gratitude.
How To Ask For A Referral? – Tips To Consider
Apart from conceptual skills, companies also look for networking and communication skills. You can prove your networking skills with the help of a referral. Hence, getting a referral is essential for business growth.
The following are some of the tips you must follow if you want to ask for a referral from a professional network:
1. How you ask for a referral depends on your relationship with the referrer. For instance, if you ask someone an authority figure, you must use a formal tone.
2. You can also personalize your request if you understand it will work. For instance, you can include a thoughtful message. Apart from that, even if you are asking different people, make sure to write each referrer differently.
3. By being specific and providing context behind your referral request, you increase your chances of getting a referral.
4. Timing is the most important aspect of your referral request. For instance, if you know that the potential referrer is currently busy or not in the right mood, you must hold your request. Basically, you can yield better results if you ask at the right time.
5. You must build your network and grow it with time. In fact, once you prioritize your networks, you will not need to ask for referrals, as they will start coming your way. For instance, you can use a mutual connection when you are looking for a job or building a business from scratch.
Referral For Professional Growth: The Way Forward
Now, you know how to ask for a referral from someone from your network. Understand that the best referral comes from people you already know. Basically, if you have built professional relationships in your network, always feel free to ask for referrals.
Do you have more suggestions to offer on how to ask for a referral? Please share your ideas and opinions in the comments section below.
Read Also:
Best LinkedIn Recommendation Example – How to Write a Great LinkedIn Recommendation
The Secret To Finding A Career That You’ll Actually Love
What Is a Remote Job? Everything You Need to Know
Finding a suitable job if no career interests me can be a little challenging if you’re not sure where to start. It is because sometimes, we don’t get what we deserve and what we get, we aren’t happy.
Choosing a career is very challenging for you because you may not know which career can change your life and living standards. Although, there are various types of career paths available for you that can interest you.
Building a career is the most difficult time of life and one finally has to decide a way that satisfies you in the long run. Besides, it is obvious that nothing can interest you because you may be looking for something that can improve your knowledge and lifestyle at the same time.
Things To Do When You Feel - ‘No Career Interests Me’
If a person fails to develop an interest in anything, then it is sure that it is not his/her weakness, but he/she might be lacking behind to find their inner self.
Besides, selecting the right career path can be a daunting task for many individuals. But, there’s no need to worry at all! We have grabbed top things to do when you feel that no career path interests me.
1. Identify Your Strengths
Identifying your strengths can help you to know what are your plus points. Your strengths can give you a list of possible career ideas that you can use as inspiration in your job search.
To know about career options that would be appealing to you, you should check out career transition classes in dubai. They will be able to help you find opportunities that would be perfect for you.
For example, if you are good at cooking, then you must look for jobs in the restaurant industry. Besides, if you like teaching, then you can consider jobs in the teaching industry.
2. Consider Your Hobbies
Your hobbies and interests can help you turn a fruitful and engaging career path. For example, if you like playing football or cricket, then you consider becoming a cricketer or a footballer in the future.
Convert your passion into profit. It’s time to think about your favorite pastime as a starting point in your career search.
3. Take A Break
If you feel that no jobs are interesting to you, then I think it’s time to take a break. Instead, spend some time with yourself and figure out your personality. Here, I mean your strengths and weaknesses.
If you are not focused on finding a career path, then you may be more likely to find interesting tasks and activities that you enjoy in your daily life.
4. Talk To A Friend
Your friends can help you to identify your strengths that can be useful in the workplace. They can also figure out the unknown interests that can help you in the long run.
Thus, talking to a friend is very important because they can help you to achieve your objectives in life.
5. Prioritize Yourself
Another thing to do is to prioritize yourself when no job is suitable for you. Never do things that make you sad or disheartened.
Remind yourself about your goals and objectives and the things that you are willing to achieve in the future. In short, notice what energizes you and the activities that make you feel better.
6. Make A List of pros And Cons
Once you have started to identify the right career path for yourself, you can make a list of all pros and cons to narrow your interests.
Organizing and writing the ideas can help you think in a creative way. Thus, this is one of the ways how you can know yourself deeply if no career is interesting to you.
Top Career Paths That You May Interests You
To make things easy for you, we have listed the best career paths that may interest you in the long run.
Finance Consumer Services Career Path
Clothing/Shoe/Accessory Stores Career Path
Packaged Foods Career Path
Electric Utilities Central Career Path
Business Services Career Path
Hotels/Resorts Career Path
Other Consumer Services Career Path
Public Utility Career Path
Energy Career Path
Basic Industries Career Path
Precious Metals Career Path
Oil & Gas Production Career Path
Capital Goods Career Path
Consumer Durables Career Path
Industrial Machinery Components Career Path
Technology Career Path
Metal Fabrications Career Path
Investment Managers Career Path
Commercial Banks Career Path
Major Pharmaceuticals Career Path
Home Furnishings Career Path
Homebuilding Career Path
Telecommunication Career Path
Quality Assurance Career Path
Major Banks Career Path
Photography Career Path
Auto Parts O.E.M Career Path
Steel/Iron Ore Career Path
Medical/Dental Instruments Career Path
Consumer Non-durables Career Path
The Final Thoughts
What to do if no career interests me? The answer to this question is already described above and now it’s time to identify your skills and abilities to achieve your future goals. Besides, let me know your doubts in the comment section below if you have any regarding the same.
Read Also: Top 32 Good Career Paths That Pay Well – 2022 Updated
What if you could get back double the money you invested? Would that be worthwhile to you? What if it weren't double, but five times what you put in? Very few people would oppose doubling their money. And not a single person would turn down the chance to multiply it by five. Because of this fact, executive coaching has become more popular in recent years. Today, many consider it an essential part of running a business.
Just as calling the perfect play in football takes time and work with a coach, so too does running a large company. What other benefits can coaching provide? Here are some things you might not know about the profits it yields.
What Coaching Isn't:
In the early days of executive coaching, the word coaching wasn't in use yet. Instead, businesses hired counseling executives for managers to have one-on-one time with.
These executives filled the role of a psychologist for the management staff. For a time, counseling had exclusive applications to business. Today, a counselor is not a coach anymore.
Other words that some people confuse with a coach include therapist, consultant, or mentor. While these all offer advice based on their knowledge, they differ from coaches in how they offer advice.
A mentor offers advice based on their experience in similar situations. They may even be grooming a person to move up the ladder. But a mentor will often expect you to follow the advice they offer.
A consultant comes at the request of the company. He or she has an area of expertise, and companies pay them to offer advice based on that knowledge.
A consultant tells you what to do, but doesn't have a stake in you or your business. At the end of the day, he won't care whether you do it or not. She will get paid either way.
A therapist serves any person well. However, a therapist guides a person through a healing process. You grow as a result, but that growth may not help the business.
Coaching For Perspectives On Self:
Now that there's an understanding of what a coach isn't, an exploration of what one is can be made. Much like a therapist, the coach has an active interest in their coachee. And like the mentor, they want to see growth.
Blind Spots:
A coach points out blind spots. Everyone has things that they don't, can't, or aren't trained to see. The coach shows these to you.
He doesn't show them with the expectation that you will do something. Nor even with the belief that something has to be done. Rather, coaches want to alert you about the existence of these blind spots.
Time Management:
No one is a stranger to feeling like their time keeps getting away from them. Time might be the most limited resource we have. Coaches see our blind spots when it comes to time management as well.
But why is this so important? Understand that others want your job, and it's coaching to the rescue again. Learning how to manage your time better allows you to get more done than you would otherwise.
And this area serves as one of the biggest reasons to hire a coach in the first place. This might be where they make back the money invested in a coach.
Interpersonal Skills:
It is difficult to put this either under business or self-improvement because it benefits both.
But with its close relation to blind spots, it will go here. Everyone has the kind of person they like working with or for. The natural tendency is to want to work with similar people.
The problem is the abundance of similar weaknesses. Coaches help develop interpersonal skills. And they shine a light on the lack of complementary strengths and weaknesses.
Executive Coaching For The Business:
Now that you know how an executive coach can help you grow and evolve as a person, you might wonder what he can do for your career. Let's find out!
Encourages Discussion:
You may have heard the old adage about looking at things with fresh eyes. This remains true in business as well. Coaches provide those fresh eyes to look at the business from the outside.
Have managers or lower-level employees been sitting on ideas about improvement? A fresh perspective may help open up lines of communication. And even bring those ideas to the surface.
Communicate Gooder... More Goodly:
Communication is the meaningful exchange of ideas. Roughly half of the executives say they need the most help in their communication.
Along with encouraging discussions, coaches teach executives how to communicate. Don't confuse this with monologuing or talking to someone.
Coaches teach you how to make everyone feel heard and listened to. What's more, you will learn how to speak with grace.
Privacy and Confidentiality:
Coaching sessions need the same rules as Vegas. What's said here, stays here. In this way, the coach takes a similar role to the therapist.
No more than three people ever need to know about what goes on with you and your coach. You, your coach, and sometimes your supervisor. Still, the coaching space maintains privacy on anything you say.
Without this, all the rest of coaching fails since honesty and transparency disappear. Beyond the amount of money wasted, broken trust heals slowly.
Setting Goals:
A big question to ask yourself before every meeting is "What do I want to accomplish this session?"
Goals for coaching sessions mirror goals for the rest of your life. They need to include specific details and be attainable. They must also be relevant and time-bound - you only have an hour to accomplish them.
At the very least, lay the groundwork for reaching your goals. To find out what else will be discussed, read more here.
Ready, Set... Stop:
Most define the world of business with the word "GO!"
But coaching requires stopping. Everything else is tabled for one hour of your week. During that one hour, phone calls, running around, and errands all stop.
It may seem counterproductive. But moving doesn't mean you're being productive. Coaching teaches you to move with purpose.
Executive coaching holds the keys to keeping and growing your business. If you want to learn more about our business insights, find them here.
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Seeking A Healthy Career: 10 Tempting Medical Careers To Check Out
