I had coffee with a friend today. She’s hard-working, smart, and dedicated to her work. We were talking about how she was going to make the “finish line”, finishing her schooling so she could persue her career.

We talked about ways to increase one’s value to employers, and how to raise a profile when your resume is not chock-full of relevant experience.

If you want to be a project manager, for example- it’s a great idea, while you’re learning about the position you desire, to volunteer your time any way you are able. Nominate yourself to be the point person on a committee for a non-profit. What you are achieving is experience in working with other departments (other committees), running the schedule, and presenting your findings to management (the Executive Director).

This is real-world, relevant project management experience, another notch on your resume.

Think about all of the things you did/ do in your previous or current position. In my former life, one of the positions I held was radio station program director.

I was actually about 34 other things, including project manager, crisis strategist, marketing specialist and even copywriter!

You have done far more than you give yourself credit for.

Jump in the water and splash around a bit. Try some things that are directly related to the work you want to do. Keep the tasks SMALL; make them achievable.

We start off the new year with grand visions of our lean bodies and our six pack abs; how about losing the first 4 pounds…first?

That, you CAN do.

Take steps to get where you want to go. Just make sure it’s a walk you can walk.