When Opportunity Knocks

When a career opportunity comes knocking on your door, will you be ready to answer? We have all heard the phrase, “Luck is when preparation meets opportunity.” At Rupp Performance Management, we believe that most successful people make their own luck! They possess the “make it happen” mentality.

How do you make your own luck? The following are five key actions that will help you cultivate the “make it happen” mentality and prepare you for the call of opportunity. 

Identify your values and goals

We all have a laundry list of little things that would make an ideal career for us, but what is most important to you regarding your next employer and the career opportunity you are seeking?

Identifying the details that will allow you to fulfill your career values and goals is the first step toward being prepared to jump at a great opportunity when it comes.

Take some time to think about and answer these questions:

What type of work you will be most passionate about?

What does the ideal company culture look like for you?

What are the most important qualities in your managers and colleagues?

What are the things that make you feel most appreciated at work?

Research shows that people stay with companies longer if they feel appreciated. Research also shows that this isn’t all about the money.

Have the important conversations

The biggest mistake most people make is not having conversations about their career goals with their significant other or the people that mean the most to them. Heck, most employees struggle to have this conversation with their boss or employer.

Sometimes the best opportunities in life are not where we live today, and they don’t always come along at the most opportune time. Are you receptive to relocation for the right career enhancing opportunity? Even though you have unfinished projects, work, or commitments at your current employer, are you prepared to pass up your dream job because the timing is not 100% right today?

If you have not sat down to have this conversation, how do you know that the next best opportunity for you isn’t where you work today?

If you have not sat down to have this conversation, how do you know that the next best opportunity for you isn’t where you work today?

Review your resume

Review your resume and be sure it tells your story and highlights your value proposition. Most employers are looking for 3 key things in new employees, and your resume is your first chance to convince an employer that you check all three of these boxes.

• Employers want individuals who get the job done and can perform at the level that will add value to their company. Make sure you have quantifiable accomplishments on your resume that prove that you have met or exceeded expectations in the past, and specifically how your performance benefited your past or present

• Companies want to hire people that have a proven ability to work with What examples do you have on your resume that highlight this?

• Employers want to hire people that can solve problems. Include examples on your resume that highlight your problem-solving skills and point out the impact you made for your team, employer, or customers.