Secrets of Summer Career Success

For many people, the July 4th weekend marks the beginning of Slacker Season at work: the time to enjoy long lunches outside and cut out early on Fridays. I love the mellowness of summer and encourage you to enjoy the season to its fullest. I also know that you need to keep your job search or career development on track, even when it’s 100 degrees in the shade. Here are some suggestions:

Revisit Your New Year’s Resolutions.
Remember that sense of optimism and new beginnings you felt as you turned your calendar to January? Pretend you’re a company with a July 1st start to your fiscal year and reboot your resolutions right now. If you never set any goals for this year, lie on a beach towel staring at the sky and daydream about what you want to accomplish by the end of 2010. Then, commit to taking some small steps this summer (such as registering for an online course to improve your negotiation skills, going outlet shopping to perk up your professional wardrobe, revising your job description with your boss to prepare for a promotion) to move yourself forward.

Redefine “Beach Reading.”
Instead of reading the latest romance novel, gossip magazine or legal thriller by the pool, pack your tote bag with a book that will advance your career knowledge. Check out the biography of a successful business owner, a productivity guide or a job hunting manual. If you’d rather keep your eyes shut and avoid weird sunglasses tan lines, load some books onto your iPod and listen instead. Consider these 10 great career books for young professionals.

Share this post

hi, i'm lindsey!

Lindsey is a globally recognized career and workplace expert and the leading voice on generational diversity. She has spoken for more than 300 audiences including Google, Goldman Sachs, Estee Lauder, Stanford and Wharton. Lindsey is the author of four career and workplace advice books, and her insights have appeared in media outlets including The TODAY Show, CNBC, NPR, the Harvard Business Review and the Wall Street Journal.

GET THE MULTIGENERATIONAL MANAGER'S HANDBOOK

Learn 25 Practical Ways to Manage Across Generations