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Often, the thing we should do for our career is something we would only do if we were getting a reward. If you tell yourself that your job has to be something you'd do even if you didn't get paid, you'll be looking for a long time. Maybe forever. So why set that standard? The reward for doing a job is contributing to something larger than you are, participating in society, and being valued in the form of money. The pressure we feel to find a perfect career is insane. And, given that people are trying to find it before they are thirty, in order to avoid both a quarter life crisis and a biological-clock crisis, the pressure is enough to push people over the edge. Which is why one of the highest risk times for depression in life is in one's early twenties when people realize how totally impossible it is to simply "do what you love." Here's some practical advice: Do not do what you love; do what you are. It's how I chose my career. I bought the book with that title - maybe my favorite career book of all time - and I took the quickie version of the Myers-Briggs test. The book gave me a list of my strengths, and a list of jobs where I would likely succeed based on those strengths. Relationships make your life great, not jobs.  But a job can ruin your life - make you feel out of control in terms of your time or your ability to accomplish goals -  but no job will make your life complete. It's a myth mostly propagated by people who tell you to do what you love. Doing what you love will make you feel fulfilled. But you don't need to get paid for it. A job can save your life, though. If you are lost, and lonely, and wondering how you'll ever find your way in this world, take a job. Any job. Because structure, and regular contact with regular people, and a method of contributing to a larger group are all things that help us recalibrate ourselves.

What I suggest :: 1.  Get to know everyone in the company, and let them get to know you. What are their career goals? Where did they come from? How long have they been with 'said' company?  What other companies have they worked for? 2.  Work your tail off and show how committed you are.  You don't have to be committed to a company necessarily ..but you do have to be committed to doing a great job on the assignment - to the end. 3.  Show interest for more. Get involved in networking events. This may take a bit of your free time but it will pay off.  Everyone knows someone who knows someone.  Get out there and meet those 2nd and 3rd connections. 4.  Finally, connect to all of your temporary co-workers on LinkedIn.  Request recommendations from them. Keep in touch with them long after your assignment.  As your career develops, so will theirs.  Those contacts may pay off big in 5 years. Bottom line?  Take advantage of every opportunity that you are given.  Nothing is minimal unless you insist it to be.  The opportunities are out there and the time is yours.  Do as I did/do…. OWN IT!!! … I'm Shannon, your personal LinkedIn Advisor, Staffing Consultant & Online Marketing Strategist! Over the last few years, I have been working diligently on establishing my own 

With more than 400 million active visitors, Facebook is arguably the most popular social networking site out there. And while the site is known for the casual social aspect, many users also use it as a professional networking tool. With that kind of reach, Facebook can be a valuable tool for connecting to former and current colleagues, clients and potential employers. In fact, surveys suggest that approximately 30% of employers are using Facebook to screen potential employees - even more than those who check LinkedIn, a strictly professional social networking site. Don't make these Facebook faux-pas - they might cost you a great opportunity.

site.  Here are 10 of the most common LinkedIn networking mistakes: Lots of us are open networkers, meeting new folks and connecting with them for mutual networking purposes but if you have never met someone or have had little interaction with them it virtually insults their endorsement. Sorry folks. A recruiter is someone who finds candidates to fill jobs, not someone who finds jobs to employ candidates. This is a very key mistake that many people make. Always do your research before contacting someone so you are aware of their position at the company they work for.  Make sure that you visit a company's career page and if possible apply online before asking questions regarding jobs.  Doing a little bit of homework beforehand will speed up the process and put less of a burden on the person you're asking for help. If folks wanted their email address to be public knowledge, they'd put it right on their profile (and many of them do, so please check there first!). Instead of wasting someone's time and having them search their contacts, run a search yourself. You can easily find out the answer and then send an introduction request to the person (or perhaps someone else in your network) who can introduce you to the perfect target contact. After all, only you know the reason why you want to reach out and who the best contact person at that company might be. Great! But please note that I have not worked for "Acme" Company in seven years, so an interview with me won't get you very far… Oops! Please read my profile carefully before reaching out for help. Resume writing is a very time-intensive process that requires two-way discussion, extensive editing and re-writing, etc. Professional Resume Writers charge big bucks for their services because it's no easy task. Often times, these requests are intentionally vague, asking for time on my busy calendar, yet not disclosing the reason for the meeting. It would be much more professional and fort

Once you are clear about your personal brand, here are three steps to enhance your online reputation: Step 1. Understand your digital brand. You can use tools like Google, Truveo and Addictomatic, and online ID Calculator, to understand how you measure up in the four dimensions of online branding. Step 2. Determine which of the four measures - volume, relevance, diversity or purity - needs the greatest attention (you may have a couple that could use some work). Step 3. Depending on which areas need the most attention, apply the tips below: Volume enhancers: If you need more results that are about you, set up social networking profiles on many sites by editing your current branded bio and establishing accounts at naymz, ziki, ziggs and other sites. Relevance enhancers: To enhance relevance, where possible, remove content that is unflattering or inconsistent with how you want to be known, write an article about your area of expertise and post it to an appropriate online portal. Find blogs related to your area of thought-leadership, subscribe and comment when you have something valuable to contribute. Review books related to your area of expertise at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Publish relevant white papers to SCRIBD.com. To learn how to turn one real-world communications activity into a year's worth of online content. Purity enhancers: Sign up for an account at Vizibility. The service allows you to identify the Google results that are about you and create a "Search Me" button that you can include in your e-mail signature, your LinkedIn profile, on your blog, etc. Diversity enhancers: Sign up for a Flickr account and post relevant images. If you don't already have one, set up your Google profile. Soon, you should be on your way to the volume, relevance, purity and diversity that will improve your ability to get a job.

Here's what they found: Driving and managing change.Identifying and developing future talent.Fostering creativity and innovation.Coaching and developing others.Executing organizational strategy.