Back to School, Back to Work – 10 Ways to Go Back with a Bang (Part 1)

This year “back to school” has a whole new meaning for me. My son is in his final year at West Point, and last week we took our daughter to CU for her first year of college. Yes, that means we are officially members of the “empty-nester” club.

I’m sure many of you can relate in that the experience is best described as an emotional roller coaster. It’s exciting and invigorating, but also sad and surreal at the same time. I’m happy to report that everyone is doing well and navigating this interesting time of transition…and now it’s time to get back to work!

It doesn’t matter how old we get, or how many years it’s been since we graduated, we all still adhere to the school calendar. The New Year doesn’t start on the first of January; it starts on the first day of school.

Over the summer, everyone is on a physical or mental vacation…or both. They’re not called the lazy days of summer for nothing. That’s the time we head to the beach, read endless novels by the pool, travel to visit with friends and family, pack and get ready for college, and try to do the least amount of work possible.

This is true whether you’re currently employed or looking for a new job. However, all that changes once the kids break out the new backpacks, sharpen those number two pencils, and get organized for an exciting new year at school. Kids or no kids, everyone has a renewed sense of excitement at this time of year and is ready to re-engage their brains, buckle down, and get back to work.

Just like the kids have a new school supply list and curriculum to kick off the school year, so should professional adults. Here are the first 5 tips for going back to work with a bang.

1. Update Your Résumé — Not only is reflecting back on your recent accomplishments an important mental exercise, it’s critical to your professional success. An updated résumé that reads like a “success story” not only helps job seekers get a new job, but helps employed professionals promote themselves within their organizations. Don’t let the sluggish days of summer cause undue amnesia when it comes to celebrating your successes.
2. Reconnect with Your Network — Between varying travel schedules and taking the kids to camp and tennis lessons, there’s not a lot of extra time to network during the summer months. Now is the time to reach out those quality connections and get reconnected. Networking is truly the key to success.
3. Clean Your Desk — Whether it’s cleaning out your desk at home or at the office, take time to get organized. Papers, projects, and post-it notes can accumulate over the summer, and no one is fully productive or completely efficient when they need to wade through clutter. Start fresh with a clean slate and a clean desk.
4. Find the Focus — Summer is the time for day-dreaming, trashy novel reading, slipping away from work early, and procrastinating. Priorities change and a sense of urgency takes a vacation. Revisiting those professional goals and objectives, making a strategic action plan, and getting focused is the best way to get back to work.
5. Get Engaged — It’s not about getting married; it’s about increasing your visibility within your organization, industry, and/or community by volunteering for selective and strategic extra-curricular activities. Donating your time, expertise, talents, and passion not only can feed your soul, but can catapult your career to the next level.

Stay tuned for more ways to get “Back to School, Back to Work”…