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5 Ways Sentimentality Is Ruining Your Career

5 Ways Sentimentality Is Ruining Your Career (2) by Mark Anthony Dyson

I have a Spotify playlist called “Endorphins.” As of today, it contains more than 200 soft rock love songs/somebody-done-somebody-wrong songs. These songs take me somewhere pleasant and calming. I’m sure you have a playlist that does the same for you.

Similarly, you may also look back on a previous workplace the same way I look at my playlist. Perhaps you remember an office where you once felt wanted, needed, and even praised. There are good reasons to feel sentimental when someone or something makes you feel valued.

But unlike my playlist, which is harmless, sentimental feelings toward a workplace aren’t always good news for your career. Never should such feelings drive your job search or your career choices.

Many of us are sentimental about our ex-anythings — friends, loved ones, and yes, even jobs. For a period of time, these may have been the best things in our lives.

The company you used to work for might have been the place where you cut your teeth. It was good for you at the time. Maybe now your sentimental feelings have you wondering if you should return as a boomerang employee.

Read 10 Job Search Strategies Beyond The Resume

Has layoff announcement rumors and whisperings got you in your feelings? It’s time to formulate a new but healthier perspective of work.

I hate to tell you this: The company was never family.
Even if you had a “work spouse,” um, no. Just no.

Companies don’t reward loyalty. It’s arguable if your hard work is acknowledged at your company.

What if your siblings or parents told you they appreciate you 2.5% more than they did last year? Imagine them saying their appreciation topped out at 4% for any family member.

Sobering? It should be. And if you were caught up in any of it, it’s affected your judgment and set your career light years backward.

Need help determining if sentimentality has infected your career journey?
Consider the five ways it may be harming you:

5 Ways Sentimentality Is Ruining Your Career by Mark Anthony Dyson

1. Sentimentality Distorts Your Perception of Reality

Just because you received several promotions and did some memorable work doesn’t mean the company is still the right place for you. A lot can change.

Instead of relying on fond feelings, check in with your old employer. See what has changed about the organization overall and your former position in particular. Make career decisions based on what the company really is, not on what you remember it to be.

Read How to Create Realistic Expectations During Your Job Search

2. Sentimentality Makes You Confuse Relationships for Results

You’re friendly and hold great conversations. You built great friendships with the people you used to work with.

But did you really accomplish much in that role? Try to write out a clear list of concrete accomplishments to see if the job was really as good for your career as you think it was.

3. Sentimentality Comes and Goes

The feelings you have about that old job may not last, and you should never make career decisions based on what your mood is at a given moment.

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Step back and soberly dissect each aspect of that old job. Did you really love everything about it? Or are you letting sentimentality cloud your judgment again?

4. Sentimentality Doesn’t Account for How Much You’ve Grown

It took me years to swallow something one of my mentors taught me: “Never do your old job.” We’re supposed to outgrow our old positions as we progress. You can’t produce more value for employers if you never move beyond your old job.

Listen to Layoffs? Did Someone Say Layoffs?

5. Sentimentality Hinders Rational Judgment

When we’re facing challenges at work, we have a tendency to romanticize our old jobs — but we probably had problems there, too. Romanticizing rarely helps us understand the situation or address the issues at hand.

Your job search strategy must rely on facts as much as possible.

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I will admit that elements of emotion and faith may enter the equation, but a strategic approach requires a foundation of truth.

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Relying on the way it used to be is not good intel, and it could misguide you. Instead of letting sentimentality guide your career, try to put yourself in a clear, objective mindset. Make the choices that are best for your professional journey — not the choices that your fickle heart urges you to make.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

12 Ways Work at Home Pros Get Professional Development

12 Ways Work at Home Pros Get Professional Development by Mark Anthony Dyson

Do you work at home, but yet, feel your skills are becoming dull? It depends.

According to Flexjobs recent survey* of working mothers, 64% feel they are more productive at home.

Yet, many work-at-home (WAH) professionals feel challenged to keep up with trends and to learn the new skills necessary to stay employed and well-paid.

Like your work, you can also do this important learning at home. Professionals need continual skill refreshment to remain productive for their job and add value to their work and career.

I like to share the resources and tools I used. These helped my career growth and sharpened my skills:

1. Webinars and teleconferences

Most organizations provide continuing education online via streaming or on-demand, making it accessible around the clock. Depending on the organization, an additional charge occurred by the user, and possibly, not included in the membership cost.

You can also check to see if the organization put last year’s webinar or teleconference on YouTube for free. Depending on the industry, last year’s information is useful after a year or two.

2. Podcasts and vlogs

Niche podcasts and vlogs (video blogs) are often part of an industry organization’s library for members. Podcast directories and libraries house many subjects from different angles.

Most smartphones have a place to download and store podcasts and vlogs so you can listen anywhere. As I mentioned, creating and hosting a podcast not only a closer network but also learning opportunities.

Listen: Strategies for the Working Parent to Find Remote Work

3. Collaborations

Work with other WAH professionals who are keeping up with industry trends on articles, videos, and online presentations.

If you are older, work with a younger peer who knows how to use online tools. Older workers would benefit working with younger professionals to help remove the “too old” stigma.

Younger professionals will learn how to apply and present knowledge and gain knowledge about many aspects of successful careers from older professionals who have learned from (sometimes painful) experience.

4. Volunteer

There are non-profit organizations who work with professionals to pilot their new but unpolished skills. There’s often a significant learning curve, and it benefits both parties.

The generosity environment breeds people will vouch for the value of your abilities. It’s an excellent way to get a few recommendations and endorsements on your LinkedIn profile and give your profile additional visibility.

5. Train others

Maya Angelou once said, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.” It’s easier to become fulfilled today once you start helping others become fulfilled.

Training others is more than just passing the time with billable hours. Training is purposeful when you’re passing on to others what has fulfilled you.

Listen: How to Find Telecommuting Jobs with FlexJobs

6. Create networking opportunities

Meetups are a great way to curb the feeling of being on an island. Events are a great way to get feedback on innovative ideas you would value.

Every social interaction is a networking opportunity. Church, hair salon, barbershop, or the cleaners are all networking opportunities. One piece of advice or one person can change the trajectory of your efforts. Don’t waste an opportunity.

7. Read with your local public library, “Libby,” and YouTube

All you need is a local library card to access digital and audiobooks. Libby is a free app available on iOS and Google Play.

You borrow and return books from your library using your app for all transactions. You access the books like you do at your local library.

YouTube is useful for audiobooks. I found and listened to Chris Voss’s book Never Split The Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On It for free. You can find older classic business and career books there.

8. New certifications of a different skillset

Toastmasters is just one way to polish a skill that crosses many platforms. Getting the advance certifications encourages you to master this highly useful transferable skill.

Certification programs also provide networking opportunities, both online and offline. My training certification process and short practice added valuable insights into my writing and consulting with job seekers.

There are many parallels in the way people approach fitness and job search. I’m sure there are many other similar parallels of interest to sharpen your skills in working from home.

9. Participate in industry organization contests

The competition will test what you know and exploit what you don’t know. Failed to place?

Get the training and then come back for the win. Contests can help familiarize yourself with the cutting edge of trends. The competition also will bring out the best of your access at that time.

When you do place first, you can use the accomplishment to promote you, your services, and expand your brand.

10. Don’t forget LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, Skillshare etc.

All of these services have mobile apps you can use anywhere. Udemy often offers classes at a 90% discount, so it’s worth watching for the offers. Theses on-demand classes are available anytime.

11. Think Tank groups

There are several forums and Facebook groups I belong to as it helps my perspective of my industry. One is a writing group, and the others are with career professionals as part of a larger organization.

It doesn’t hurt to pay to join these groups although you may find some for free. The paid groups motivate you to get value because you paid to do so. I belong to a couple of free ones. They don’t offer the cost as the paid ones. But everyone’s experience is different.

12. Professional associations

Small, local professional associations may exist as well as local chapters of national and international organizations. These can be great sources of learning in seminars and professional certifications (in person or recorded), even emailed newsletters.

You may also find opportunities to join association-member-only social media, like a Facebook group, where insider information may be shared. These groups can be excellent sources of information about the local market for your work plus opportunities to learn and a great environment for the networking that helps you remain employed.

Just because you’re a WAH professional doesn’t mean you have only to use the tools an employer tells you to use. If fact, your best career advancement and tool sharpening strategies is on your dime.

BONUS: 13. Use Loom to document for learning and feedback

Loom is a video platform where professionals are using it to create various forms of content. I was writing an article for a client and asked an expert for a comment. He sent me his thoughts using Loom and it helped me score points with the editor for the detail I provided having the video.

There are professionals who learning and exchanging ideas with co-workers as well as learning by documenting their processes.

The Bottom Line

Forge forward and increase your marketability to its full potential because an employer will only provide what is necessary for them. You own your future. For me, podcasting has created a networking ecosystem, and even if no one listens, I’ve talked with hundreds of professionals in my industry. Many of them follow trends, and some are innovators who pointed to other resources to enrich my learning.

This article was originally published on job-hunt.org!

P.S. I was asked by the people from Prezi which resulted in a complementary video to this article. Watch and let me know what you think.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

One Job Search Strategy is Not Enough

Design by Mark Anthony Dyson

You want to be seen and heard of getting a job but not famous. It takes thought and strategy. Looking for opportunities when transitioning to another career or due to a job separation is a chase you don’t want to pursue.

I get it.

It was almost a year ago I was ousted by Facebook and IG. They claimed I posted “against community standards.” When I emailed them three times to contest it and asked what standards I broke, they said they would get back to me. People told me I needed to get back as soon as possible. I was urgent in resolving the issue.

They weren’t.

They disabled my account instead.

After attempting to reach them for a few weeks, I decided to double down on Twitter and LinkedIn. In a way, life got more manageable.

I’m sorry, I don’t have a sexy “I-gained-tens-of-thousands-of-followers” story on any platform.

I didn’t crack anybody’s algorithm.

Well, tomorrow’s here, and I’m not hooked; I didn’t spend my last dime tryin’ and didn’t miss it. I’m NOT feenin’ (for Facebook or IG). I didn’t create second accounts for either.

I got a blog with hundreds of articles.
I got an email list of almost 3,000 people (more than that, but I purge regularly).
Not to mention I create tons of other content.

Lesson learned: Never rely on one platform to send your message.

Any platform could dive at any time.

Apply the same principle I mention here to your job search:

One method of job search offers little success. Diversifying your strategy over time (and hopefully continuously) will bring a stream of potential opportunities.
When one method brings a little momentum, use others for a forward thrust.
Social media offers opportunities to connect with people, but reliance on one platform could minimize your possibilities.
Creating content showcasing your expertise has a lot of value. It’s one way for people to find you and your work and discuss what you do, not how you got there.

Rejection may cause you to panic and make you feel anxious, and you do some things you’ll regret. Don’t fall for it.