Glow ups are always fun to plan and carry out. Whether you are upleveling your style, your home decor, or maybe even your habits, glow ups are a way to focus on an aspect of your life that you want to change. But, what if we apply this idea as a career glow up challenge?
With all the focus we put on other parts of our lives it doesn’t make sense to leave out the work life. How much difference can that make in our lives as a whole? I’m about to find out, and I’m bringing you with me.
Why Do A Career Glow Up Challenge
There are a few reasons why you may be considering this career glow up challenge. It comes to the simple fact that you are unhappy with your current job.
Whether you are ready for something completely new, or just want to continue climbing the ladder, this challenge is for you. You may even come to find that your reasoning changes at some point throughout the career glow up challenge.
How I’m Creating the Career Glow Up Challenge
I wanted to create this challenge to be simple, but effective. Let’s be honest, we are busy. Between work, family/social life, hobbies, etc., how could we have time for a quick career overhaul?
That’s why I spread the challenge out through 30 days. This gives us one daily task each day, and that’s it. I didn’t want this career glow up challenge to be one more thing that stresses me and you out. I think I achieved that with what I came up with, but please let me know your thoughts down in the comments.
Introducing The GenTwenty 30-Day Career Glow Up Challenge
Now let’s get to why you are reading this article. It’s time for a career glow up and this challenge is a great way to make it happen. There will be reflections, skill building, and of course job applications.
Days 1-7: The Prep Stage
In this first stage we will be doing some inner reflection, research, and preparations for the rest of the month ahead. This may be the hardest stage, but it’s the most necessary. By doing each of these activities, you’ll have an easier time completing future tasks.
- Day 1: Take some time to journal
To start this challenge off you want to brain dump what you are feeling about your current career and what changes you want to make. Don’t think too hard, just write and then walk away.
- Day 2: Grab what you wrote yesterday and review it
Figure out how you feel about what you wrote then it’s time to decide what action you’re going to take. Are you ready for something new? Or are you happy with the career you are in, but still want to improve?
- Day 3: Research the career ladder of your current field as well as other fields you are interested in
This activity will help you determine if you are wanting a promotion or a completely new career.
- Day 4: Review your skills and certifications
Determine what needs to improve and what new skills/certifications you may need. Then, make a plan on how to take action for this part of the career glow up challenge.
- Day 5: Write down your dream companies and roles
Today it’s time to think about where you want to work. Make a list of companies you dream of working for, as well as positions you find interesting.
- Day 6: Ask for references and networking opportunities from your peers
Connections are everything when it comes to finding job opportunities. Today I want you to check in with your previous co-workers, friends, mentor(s), old bosses, etc. to see if they know anyone in the companies and positions you listed yesterday.
- Day 7: Read this blog post:
If you are unsure if you want to stay in your career/field or find something completely different, you’ll appreciate the advice given by our contributor Anna. Through simple questions as well as reflections you’ll gain more clarity on a decision.
Day 8-14: The Work Stage of The Career Glow Up Challenge (Part 1)
Now it’s time to combine all your research and prep work and start making some career moves. Whether that’s applying for jobs, completing certifications, or something different, now is the time to focus up.
- Day 8: Start a certification/course/or build a new skill
Look at the list you created the other day and pick the one that you think would be the most beneficial.
- Day 9: Create/update your resume and cover letter
You knew this was coming right? I’d recommend creating one master resume, and cover letter, and then making copies each time you apply for a job so that you can tailor it to that particular job posting. Using keywords in these documents is incredibly important.
- Day 10: Create a job tracker
You’ll likely be applying for a variety of positions over the next few weeks. It’s important to find a way to organize and track each of your applications. Whether you do it through an excel spreadsheet, pen and paper, or some other method doesn’t matter.
As long as you pick a format that works for you. In your tracker you’ll want the job title, company, date you applied, if you heard back, if you followed up, and the result. If you want to add other things to help you through this part of the career glow up challenge you can.
- Day 11: Schedule informational interviews
This is especially important if you are changing fields, but you can do it for promotions too. You want to find someone you can chat with who is in a position you are hoping to get.
Ask them how they landed the role and what skills/experience they needed. Also ask if they now feel those skills were important to help them have success in their position. You don’t have to stop there though, there are so many great questions that will give helpful insight.
- Day 12: Get your resume and cover letter(s) critiqued
Before you start applying for jobs next week you want to make sure your resume and cover letter are as optimized as they can be. Reach out to your mentor or other professional connections to see if they wouldn’t mind taking a peak and giving you feedback.
- Day 13: Review/update your LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an important piece to the career puzzle. You always want to make sure it is current. While you are there you can do some other things to get a headstart. Tasks like sending out connection emails, looking at job postings, and also letting your network know you are currently looking for other opportunities are great to do.
- Day 14: Skill building/personal development day
Today is the day to focus on that skill or certification you chose to do. You can also use it as a personal development day by researching your career field and expanding your knowledge with personal development books.
Day 15-21: The Work Stage Part 2
We’ve made it through half of the career glow up challenge. How are you feeling about your progress so far? Take stock of where you’re at and what you’re wanting to accomplish by the end of the month. The next few days are all about finalizing your big moves.
- Day 15: Start applying for jobs
This has probably been the task you’ve been ready to get to. Well today is the day. Find some jobs to apply to through connections, the companies you wrote down in week one, and job boards. If you don’t get to apply to all the jobs you are hoping to apply to, don’t worry because this is tomorrow’s task too.
- Day 16: Job applications Part Two
Keep the momentum up from yesterday and keep applying to positions that interest you.
- Day 17: Practice your elevator pitch
You never know when your career will come up in conversations. It’s important to have a concise statement that explains who you are, what you do, as well as what you are looking to do in the future. Spend the day crafting and practicing your own elevator speech.
- Day 18: Audit your social media/digital footprint
Now more than ever social media plays a role in our job chances so it must be included in this career glow up challenge. Sometimes you can even find jobs on social media. So it’s important you give off the professional vibes you want your potential future boss and/or co-workers to see.
- Day 19: Send some networking messages
We could all use some extra connections in our corner. Spend some time today trying to gain those connections by messaging people in similar industries or career titles. Make sure to include who connected you or how you found them.
- Day 20: Skill building/personal development day
Here is another day to focus on that skill or certification you chose to do. You can also use it as a personal development day by researching your career field and expanding your knowledge with personal development books.
- Day 21: Read this blog post
You’ll hopefully start setting up job interviews soon. This post shares some tips to get you prepared for that.
Day 22-30: The Review Stage
In the final week of this career glow up challenge we’ll be reviewing all the work that has been accomplished this month. Then figuring out what the next move should be. Hopefully by day 30 you’ll have some solid movement and maybe even a new career or promotion.
- Day 22: Reach out to any companies you’ve applied for
A lot of interviews come through a successful follow up. Spend time today contacting hiring managers from jobs you’ve applied for. I usually like to verify that they got my application and then ask if they need anything else before we move to the next step in the hiring process.
- Day 23: Take a look at the job boards and company websites again
It’s been a little while since you’ve researched job opportunities. Hopefully there are some new listings you can apply to next week, and so on.
- Day 24: Look for any new job fairs and connection events happening next month
Job fairs and connection events are a great way to meet new people, find new opportunities, and get your name out there. As this challenge comes to an end, find some ways you can carry on your momentum through activities like this.
- Day 25: Do a mock interview
If you haven’t started going to interviews yet, you likely are to start soon. Make sure you are ready by doing mock interviews with friends, your mentor, or even Chat GPT.
- Day 26: Schedule a meeting with your mentor
Fill your mentor in on all the progress you have made this month. Regular meetings with your mentor are a great way to learn and grow professionally.
- Day 27: Fill out/update your job tracker
You’ve put in a lot of work this month of the career glow up challenge. Make sure you are keeping track of it all to have the best success during the job search.
- Day 28: Determine what you still need to work on
Now that the challenge is almost over it’s time to evaluate what still needs work. Is it another skill you need, polishing your resume, or something else?
- Day 29: Update resume on any extra skills, certifications, or experience you’ve gained
Add anything you’ve gained this month, or any changes that need to be made after this challenge.
- Day 30: Reflect on your progress
We started with reflecting so you know we need to end that way as well. Congratulate yourself on all you accomplished and then figure out what you need to do next to get to a career you love.
A Wrap on The 30 Day Career Challenge
As you can see, this challenge is doable, fun, and potentially life-changing. So why not give it a try? If you do I’d love to know how it goes for you! Leave a comment down below to let me know.
About the Author
Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.
Website: budding-joy.com