15 Things You Can Do This Weekend to Advance Your Career
This weekend, take a break from work and give your career a little love. Try these 15 easy ideas to advance your career. They’re all straightforward and can be done between Friday and Monday while still giving you plenty of time to do errands and recharge.
Supercharge Your Career — Online
- Upload a new picture. As a former HR executive and recruiter, the first thing I noticed was the profile picture. Hiring managers also went to the profile when they received the candidate’s resume. Profiles with a photo are at 14X more likely to get a page view, according to LinkedIn. So you want to have a high-quality image that represents you currently and avoid surprises when they see you on a Virtual Interview. Use a photo editor tool like Canva or one from your mobile App Store to adjust the lighting and remove any blemishes.
2. Update your LinkedIn profile. Keep your profile fresh. Talk about your current projects, accomplishments, and recognition you have received. LinkedIn has over 1,500 skills on the platform. Be sure to update your skills you have learned in the last year. Too often, people have not kept up with all the projects, accomplishments, and recognition received.
Look at the World Economic Forum’s Top 10 Skills of 2025. Let it jog your thoughts for your current skills and those you need to start to develop right now. You takes classes through LinkedIn Learning, Coursera.com, and Udemy.com to name a few.
3. Research PayScale. Do you know how much your skills are worth? Get the facts you need for salary discussions. Use these websites to do your research and stay informed.
- BLS.gov (Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. Find a new app. There are some great apps you can use to make you productive and save time. Consider upgrading your to-do list or digital meeting notes app.
5. Consider a LinkedIn group. Broaden your network by finding and becoming active in a group related to your job or industry. Share your expertise and post questions? Alumni, Industry, and Hobby groups will yield the best ROI?
Why hobby groups? Because they are most likely your tribe, and you can connect with them on interest.
6. Use Twitter. Connect with a thought leader or a colleague you met recently. Re-tweet some of their posts.
7. Visit a few company social media pages. Maybe your goal is to work at Google or Amazon. Like them today, so you’ll receive updates about their activities and have more to talk about if you land an interview.
8. Clear your inbox. Get rid of the clutter so you can stay on top of your new activities. Unsubscribe from newsletters you don’t read and combine your favorite subscriptions to a folder to read later.
Supercharge Your Career — Offline
1. Find virtual networking events. Set a goal for how many professional events you want to attend in the next month or through the year. Have a plan for what you plan to accomplish, whether it’s meeting new people or learning about future industry changes.
Visit eventbrite.com and meetup.com to find networking events that are worth your time and will help you expand your network.
2. Update your look. We are emerging out of COVID. Look at your hairstyle and wardrobe to identify current looks.
3. Write down your elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is the easiest way to make others eager to learn more about you. Come up with a memorable statement about what you do and who you serve.
4. Volunteer. Get involved in a social cause with people who have the same passions. You’ll make new contacts and add to your skills.
5. Develop a side hustle. Research suggests that side jobs can boost your at-work motivation because you are spending your time doing something you enjoy after work.
6. Get an advisor or mentor. We all have blindspot and can benefit from feedback from others. Get someone to mock interview you, like an old boss or colleague.
7. Pick a good book. Check out “What Color Is Your Parachute” by Richard N. Bolles. In my opinion, it’s one of the best self-help career books of all time.
Now return to the office on Monday with the confidence that you’ve upgraded your credentials and prepped yourself to take on more significant challenges and responsibilities. You are building your brand, strengthening necessary relationships, and gaining new insights essential to control your career path.
Telvin is an executive coach and HR leader based in Dallas, Texas, at Humanfluent. He works with leaders to advance their careers or make prolific career changes.
