How to advance your career while working from home

Before Covid-19, responses were shaped by career aspirations and personal achievements and a general understanding of how the next two or three years might play out. As the pandemic progresses, many professionals are struggling to envision their career arcs, says Lindsay Pollack, author of “Recalculating: Navigate Your Career Through the Changing World of Work.”

“We’re in the middle of it. Don’t believe anyone who tells you they know how it’s going to be. We all thought we knew, and then the Delta version changed it all,” she says Nothing is the worst thing to do this fall. “Get out of your head and on your to-do list.”

For those of us feeling professionally, well, meh, Ms. Pollack urges some re-route. She likens the thought process to driving: What would a GPS navigation system do if the driver missed a turn or found himself in unexpected traffic? The driver still has a destination in mind, but alternative routes may need to be considered, she says, adding that career paths are no different.

The Wall Street Journal spoke with a dozen career coaches, CEOs, and professionals about promotions and pay raises and standing on the job instead of just hanging on.

don’t fade into the background

It’s up to you to stay on your boss’ radar, whether at the office, or working from home, says Alexandra Samuel, co-author of “Remote, Inc.: How to Thrive at Work… Where You Are” Are living or working in a hybrid schedule. “

“No one wants a five-page email every day or every week,” says Ms. Samuel. At the end of the day, send an email to your boss or team that reads, ‘I made great progress today.’ “

Another strategy outside of using Zoom time is finding ways to connect directly with higher-ups after a meeting, says Steve Cadigan, author of “Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of Covid-19 to Create a Better Model of Working”. Is.

“Zoom sometimes isn’t the best. Don’t overcommunicate. Don’t dominate the Zoom call,” he says. “Listen. And if you want to stand out, try following up [one-on-one] After your Zoom meeting with questions or ideas.”

What people miss as some offices are closed – and hybrid work schedules keep coworkers out of the building on the same day – is the opportunity to interact, collaborate, look for stretch assignments, and build collaborators in an organization, says Ms. Samuel , says Ms. Samuel. . Critical face time can be replicated online with virtual cocktail parties or game nights, but she suggests saving them for the winter and going out for in-person meetups while the weather is still favorable.

“Find out where other people in your company live,” she says, “try to meet to work remotely.”

Don’t assume that good work gets attention

Look at the people who are getting promoted in your organization and pay attention to the skills, qualities, and characteristics they display, says Amy Cohen, career coach in Minneapolis.

“How do they appear? How do they conduct themselves?” she asks. “You need to ask yourself, ‘What do they all have in common? And what do I need to get there?’ “

The biggest mistake people make is to assume that great work will speak for itself. “Do a really good job, and magically someone’s just going to notice? That’s not how it works,” she says.

If this isn’t a time when you can take a big initiative, go for smaller victories and share them with your manager. And, if you shy away from making video calls or keep your camera turned off – put it off, advises Ms. Cohen.

“If you can’t be in the same room with someone, you definitely have to do everything you can to make that connection during the conversation,” she says.

Some owners and workers alike have soured camera time after 18 months of pandemic zooming, and that makes the chat function an attractive option during team calls, says Reacher CEO Eddie Swartz, Which helps to find jobs for professional women who have taken the time. out of his career to raise children.

“Put your comments, thoughts, notes, and opinions out there,” she says. “Everyone is watching the chat and you might not be able to get a word out otherwise.”

control what you can

The enormous turmoil of the COVID-19 era has made some people wary about what will happen next, says Ms. Pollack. People are anticipating painful changes this fall as they embrace hybrid work schedules, wrestle with complex childcare situations and linger health concerns, she adds.

A good antidote: Control what you can.

“‘How do I do anything when I’m so nervous and depressed and I’m just lethargic?'” she says people ask her. She suggests taking an online course or listening to a career podcast for freshening up skills to gain a new idea. Employees can take advantage of training that their companies provide or call their university’s career office to ask what hiring connections can be made for alumni.

“Anyone can do it, but very few do,” says Ms. Pollack, adding that she has never seen so many people who want to quit their jobs.

“You say you might want to change careers. Follow 10 companies in that industry on Twitter. Are you really interested in the things they’re talking about?” she asks.

consider all your options

Robin Solow says she felt stable but was too concerned about stability to look for new jobs before being laid off during the pandemic. After 13 years in a human-resources role at a fashion brand, her instincts were to find a new niche in fashion so the learning curve wasn’t too steep.

“When you’re the go-to person for everything and you have almost all the answers, the scariest thing is going to a place where you know zero things,” she says.

Fashion was hit hard by Covid-19, so Ms. Solo had to pivot. She says that in 2020 she got a job at a commercial real-estate company and it took her a few months to move on.

“I did a lot of homework and was listening. I made sure I went into the office when it was open so that I could be around people, so that I could hear what they were talking about, even if I had the opportunity to work completely remotely, ” she says.

The ups and downs of his career changed his appetite for risk. A few months ago, a former fashion colleague offered another job and Ms. Solo took another leap.

“I realized that being comfortable doesn’t always mean being happy,” she says. “There’s no reason to be in a job where you feel trapped.”