6 Hints To Aid in Harvesting Our Prior Experience

Thanksgiving is celebrated here, on the North Shore of the inland Sea named Lake Ontario, this coming Monday. For my non Canadian friends; our Thanksgiving is a harvest based festival that follows the practical, and First Nations’ traditional, timing for harvest in this geography.

It is also a long autumn weekend where yard work and outdoor household upcycling projects are done prior to busy indoor winter living.

To push a metaphor it is useful, as the leaves fall and we rake them, to consider 6 hints to aid in harvesting our prior experience. These are suggestions on some issues that may need to be cleaned up, disposed of, or reconditioned as you go forward on new or repurposed paths.

1. Are you realistic about what you bring to the table because of your history and experience? Consider the stereotypes you may encounter and think how you will counter ageism, embrace your experience and adapt to the future at the same time.
2. Can you ask a reliable and honest person how your personal brand is viewed these days compared to the competition? You need to know how to make a great impression in person and online; it may be time for a little image makeover in how you present in person and digitally. Take a good look at all your Social Media profiles with a critical eye; what do they say about you, your history and future?
3. Know what you want next? Have you decided if you want to pursue another traditional work situation, or embrace the emerging, or emerged, gig work economy.
4. Have you managed and removed negative emotions related to your prior job/career; is there a need to eliminate any negative feelings or bitterness to your work life? Similar to when you remove the rust or flacking paint from an item you are going to upcycle in your home you need to rid yourself of any negative or bitter feelings about change. If you do not it will come through in targeted or casual work discussions with others.
5. Have you taken the steps to identify core, key skills that are in demand, and know what you need to upcycle with training? If not please take a look at my Blog “Take Your Skills Out Of Storage“ on this site as a starting point. Knowing this will make a focused future more effective.
6. Nobody gets anywhere alone. As you rake those leaves, harvest those tomatoes or clean up the balcony have you thought about who you need to speak with about what the market wants and needs now?  .

Have a great weekend wherever you are; have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day if you are celebrating the Canadian Holiday, and take a few moments to start thinking about these items as a way to kick start your next work experience and become an Upcycled Self!