We all have career ups and downs throughout our life. In many cases, these ups and downs are just part of a natural progression. But in other cases, they are caused by factors out of our control. One thing that always helps during situations like these is kindness.
Whether it's kindness from a friend or kindness to yourself, it's the small acts of kindness that help us get through life's most difficult challenges. When going through a career challenge, these acts of kindness can make a huge difference:
Listen
BigstockDo you have a friend, family member, or former colleague going through a career crisis? Sometimes the best thing you can do is listen!
It's never a good idea for people to let things bubble up inside to the point where it consumes them. Everyone needs to vent sometimes.
However, there is a balance. While you want to lend an ear, you also don't want it to get to the point where the other person is feeling sorry for themselves and it turns into a pity party.
If you're able to offer advice based on your own personal experience, you should share it. But if you're not in a position to offer advice, try to offer some motivational words of encouragement or share a resource that may help.
Share Your Network
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You never know when a new connection may lead to a new career opportunity! With that in mind, think about the difference you could make in someone's life by introducing them to just one connection from your professional network.
Maybe you have a friend looking to break into the healthcare industry and you know the perfect professional to introduce them to. It doesn't have to be industry specific; sometimes particular people are just good resources and mentors for others.
Such introductions are usually made at networking events, but introducing connections through LinkedIn works just as well.Share Content
BigstockWill live in an era where content is abundant and diverse, and similar to introducing a new connection, you never know when a single piece of content could have a positive impact on someone.
The best part about sharing content is the fact that it's easy. It's as simple as sharing an article on LinkedIn or writing your own.
Sometimes these industry and career-related articles can reach hundreds of people based on how many times they are shared. The information within the shared content could prove valuable to some. You never know!
Give A Reference
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Obviously, you don't want to give a professional reference or LinkedIn endorsement to just anyone. But if the person asking is worthy of it, then it's a wonderful thing to do for someone.
A good resume and cover letter can get a person in the door for an interview, but once they're there it's how they handle the interview and their character that ultimately helps to set them apart from the competition,
Many employers use professional references as a way to get a sense of a person's work ethic and character. If you enjoyed working with someone and appreciated their work ethic, then giving them a reference will not only help them out, but it will make you feel good as well.
Pay It Forward
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It's important to remember that whenever someone helps you in your career, you should find a way to pay it forward, either to the person who helped you out or to someone else. This should work both ways; hopefully, someone who you helped out in their career will return the favor as well.
The act of paying it forward—responding to an act of kindness with another act of kindness—is something that doesn't just apply to career, but to life.
Any act of kindness throughout the day can make a huge difference in someone's life. Even something as simple as paying for someone's coffee.
You can pay it forward by recommending Work It Daily to a friend.
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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