3 Questions to Answer Before Quitting Your Job

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.234001159668px;"><h1 class="h-biggest" style="font-size: 35px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> 3 Questions to Answer Before Quitting Your Job</h1> <h2 class="h-big h-slacker h-light h-normal" style="color: #999999; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> How to plan your exit strategy.</h2> <img alt="A man cutting his tie with scissors is pictured. " class="img-responsive block-generous" data-size="rectangle652" height="423" src="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/7f8f1a8/2147483647/resize/652x%3E/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2F2c%2F2b%2F784579284b829a09a706ff7a32e2%2F140811-quit-stock.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 25px; width: 652px;" title="iStock Photo" width="652" /><div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> It may be tempting to march into your manager's office and give two weeks' notice. But taking time to make a plan will help you in the long run.</div> <div class="drawer block-generous" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="drawer_main bar-sep-overunder t-small" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; width: 652px;"> <span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">All good things – and hopefully bad ones, too – must come to an end. If you are at the point in your career where you are ready to leave your employer, consider these factors before giving your</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/03/05/do-you-always-have-to-give-two-weeks-notice" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;">two weeks’ notice</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">:</span></div> </div> </header><div class="block skin-editable clearfix" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>1. Are you performing well in your job?</b> It is very tempting to want to bail from your job when work is tough – but don’t. Your employer will usually remember you as you were at the end of your employment – not as you were when you started. Ending a role with mediocre to poor performance may haunt you throughout your career.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> First, every time a new employer goes to check a reference, he or she may come across your slump when speaking with your past employer. Even when you do not provide a specific manager as a reference, the super connected world of LinkedIn makes it very easy for a prospective supervisor to track down previous bosses to get the inside track. This is especially the case if your current manager is well networked, or if your industry is very tight.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Second, resigning with marginal work makes it more difficult to “sell” why a new company should hire you. Savvy recruiters should ask about accomplishments, work performance, <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/06/12/6-rock-star-habits-that-lead-to-a-promotion" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/06/12/6-rock-star-habits-that-lead-to-a-promotion">raises and increased responsibilities.</a> If you are leaving without achieving any of those, it is a red flag regarding your abilities and commitment to success.</div> <div class="ndn_embed ndn_embedding ndn_embedContainer ndn-widget-embed-2" data-config-distributor-id="90080" data-config-site-section="ndn2_usnews" id="ndn-video-player-2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Third, mentally, you are always more confident and a better interviewee when you exude the vibe of someone who is making a difference at work. Even the best actors have a hard time faking success in interviews if they are really just getting by in their current positions.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>2. Do you have a new job lined up?</b> Seasoned hiring managers worry when a job seeker has quit a job without another, better position locked in. This usually means one of two things: The candidate did not actually choose to leave (he or she was fired), or the candidate couldn’t find a way to make things work long enough to find another role. Either way, these possibilities make the job seeker seem more risky to hire and may give reason for the employer to pursue a different applicant.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Taking the time to identify and actually land a comparable or better position while employed is ideal. Additionally, <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/11/dont-quit-your-job-until-youve-accepted-a-new-one" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/11/dont-quit-your-job-until-youve-accepted-a-new-one">employed candidates</a> seem like better candidates to most managers. Think of it in dating terms: The guy that has a girlfriend and has other girls after him is more appealing than the guy sitting by himself at home. Human nature tells us that if others want something, it is most likely worth wanting. If others do not want something, it could be dangerous or risky.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Companies do not like to take risks in hiring. By leaving your job without something lined up, you are making yourself a riskier hire, and you are losing out on leveraging your current employment to secure something better.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>3. Do you have a couple references?</b> The final step in most hiring processes is the reference check. While most employers understand that they cannot contact your current supervisor, some will ask for a colleague or client that they can speak with before extending an offer. Others will make your offer contingent on completing the <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/06/26/how-to-get-your-references-in-tiptop-shape" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/06/26/how-to-get-your-references-in-tiptop-shape">reference checks</a> after you resigned.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> It is critical that you have a couple of contacts that can speak highly about your skills, character and the value you can add to another role. Hiring managers regularly say that exceptional reference checks play an important role in employment decisions. Pick your references wisely.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> If possible, your reference should be as high-ranking as possible, well spoken, responsive and able to succinctly present why you are a good hire. It also helps to arm your references with any specific traits or accomplishments that you think would be especially beneficial based on the role you are targeting. Great references typically are the result of doing great work – but making a good selection as to who to use and arming them with the right information goes a long way as well.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> In short, quickly quitting a <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/25/hate-your-job-follow-these-6-steps" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">miserable job</a> may seem like the only decision at a moment of great frustration. However, you have so much more to gain when you can pause and plan your exit. Performing well on the job, being strategic in lining up a new role and ensuring that you have advocates that can attest to your strengths are three ways to make your move for the better. And remember, if it was all meant to be enjoyable, it wouldn’t be called work, and you would be happy to work for free.</div> </div> <br /> <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/28/3-questions-to-answer-before-quitting-your-job" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

3 Questions to Answer Before Quitting Your Job

3 Questions to Answer Before Quitting Your Job How to plan your exit strategy. It may be tempting to march into your manager's office and give two weeks' notice. But taking time to make a plan will h…

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10 Reasons Job Seekers Should Embrace Social Media

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.234001159668px;"><h1 class="h-biggest" style="font-size: 35px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> 10 Reasons Job Seekers Should Embrace Social Media</h1> <h2 class="h-big h-slacker h-light h-normal" style="color: #999999; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> Employers are checking out your online presence anyway, so you might as well give it a boost.</h2> <img alt="A hand grabbing for social media icons." class="img-responsive block-generous" data-size="rectangle652" height="434" src="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/2d19dcb/2147483647/resize/652x%3E/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2Ff0%2F84%2F3e2ad49947b78eb4f06408263426%2F140414-socialmediablocks-stock.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 25px; width: 652px;" title="(iStockphoto)" width="652" /><div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> Social media allows candidates to show their strengths and prove the skills listed in their résumés.</div> <div class="drawer block-generous" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="drawer_main bar-sep-overunder t-small" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; width: 652px;"> <span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">Many job seekers want to keep their private lives private. But what if you could improve your chances of being the selected candidate by</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/04/16/how-to-use-social-media-to-land-a-job" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;">using social media</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">? Companies are checking you out online, so why not use these tools to enhance your qualifications?</span></div> </div> </header><div class="block skin-editable clearfix" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Consider this: A June CareerBuilder survey of more than 2,000 hiring managers and human resource professionals revealed that 43 percent of employers use social networking sites to research job candidates. While the report discusses the negative repercussions of social media, it also illustrates how a positive online impression can sway employers. The report states: “One third (33 percent) of employers who research candidates on social networking sites say they’ve found content that made them more likely to hire a candidate. What's more, nearly a quarter (23 percent) found content that directly led to them hiring the candidate.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> If you’ve been avoiding social networks, perhaps this is enough to convince you to build a positive, professional online presence to help you stand apart from the average candidate.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>1. Your personality fits. </b>Almost 50 percent of the <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/27/how-to-get-the-job-by-thinking-like-a-hiring-manager" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/27/how-to-get-the-job-by-thinking-like-a-hiring-manager">hiring managers</a> and human resource professionals surveyed said that reviewing the candidates' social media content provided a good sense of whether the candidate would be a fit within the company. How often have you thought: ‘If only I could get in front of someone and prove I am a good fit"? With social media, you can inject your style in status updates and even your LinkedIn summary. Sure, your skills and experience qualify you for jobs, but your personality is one more way to seal the deal.</div> <div class="ndn_embed ndn_embedding ndn_embedContainer ndn-widget-embed-2" data-config-distributor-id="90080" data-config-site-section="ndn2_usnews" id="ndn-video-player-2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>2. You are who you say you are. </b>When employers see how your background information supports your qualifications for the job, you look like the real deal. Forty-five percent of employers liked the idea of being able to validate a candidate’s experience by checking them out on social media. Make sure your LinkedIn and other social network profiles are consistent and close matches with your résumé.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>3. You provide a professional image. </b>What you say in your bio and on social profiles provides hiring managers with a glimpse of your professionalism. Forty-three percent of employers were impressed with the professional image presented by a candidate’s site. Use a high-quality photo (preferably a head shot) with a neutral background that's free of distractions, such as pets or people. Wear work appropriate-clothes – no prom pictures or beach shots. And be sure to pay attention to small details, such as grammar, punctuation capitalization and spacing.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>4. You show a wide range of interests. </b>Forty percent of employers selected candidates who came across as well-rounded through information on their profiles and social media updates. Don’t be afraid to show your <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/05/7-reasons-job-seekers-should-volunteer" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/05/7-reasons-job-seekers-should-volunteer">volunteer involvement</a> and other activities that show how you enjoy spending your free time. One word of warning: If these activities appear too frequently or divulge personal preferences, it can have a negative impact. Avoid mentioning controversial or extreme interests.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>5. You demonstrate great communication skills. </b>You say you have excellent communication skills, but how can you further provide proof? Forty percent of employers said social network profiles and status updates offered evidence of great communication skills. As with your profile, punctuation, spelling and grammar are important in tweets, too. And remember to behave appropriately online. Avoid arguments, profanity and negative rants.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>6. You're creative. </b>Often, employers seek candidates who can think outside the box. Thirty-six percent of employers said a candidate’s creativity on social media made a difference in the hiring decision. Show off your creative abilities online by displaying an <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/05/02/the-411-on-infographic-rsums" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">infographic résumé</a>, using new technology or posting clever status updates.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>7. You've received awards and accolades. </b>In your cover letter or résumé, you may have said you were a top performer or gained recognition for your stellar accomplishments. Thirty-one percent of employers found proof of such recognition online and said it worked in the candidates' favor. Snap a photo or grab a screen shot to capture your success. Then share it for all to see, and embed it in your LinkedIn profile.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>8. You have great references. </b>Thirty percent of companies liked seeing references posted about a candidate. Unsolicited or nonreciprocal recommendations are powerful. LinkedIn allows you to display recommendations within your profile, so be sure to ask a boss or happy customer to write one for you. You can make it even easier for them when you provide suggestions or key points you believe are worth mentioning.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>9. You interacted with the employer. </b>Companies with social media accounts want to engage in conversation. Twenty-four percent of employers said they liked it when a candidate interacted with one of their social media accounts. Check the company’s website to see which social networks are listed, especially the accounts related to careers. Always <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/09/09/6-ways-to-be-happier-at-work" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">be positive</a> and complimentary, and ask questions beyond: “Did you get my application?"</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>10. You have a large following. </b>Fourteen percent of employers see a large following or subscriber base as a positive. If people are following you, then you might just have something interesting or valuable to say. Thought leadership and community engagement can benefit the company. Build your following organically by providing information that is valuable to your target audience. Interact with like-minded professionals online. Gaining a following isn’t easy. But, if you are a good social community citizen, it could be an asset to your future employer.</div> </div> <br /> <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/09/10/10-reasons-job-seekers-should-embrace-social-media" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

10 Reasons Job Seekers Should Embrace Social Media

10 Reasons Job Seekers Should Embrace Social Media Employers are checking out your online presence anyway, so you might as well give it a boost. Social media allows candidates to show their strengths…

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5 Career Lessons From Extreme Athletes

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <header style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17.234001159668px;"><h1 class="h-biggest" style="font-size: 35px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px;"> 5 Career Lessons From Extreme Athletes</h1> <h2 class="h-big h-slacker h-light h-normal" style="color: #999999; font-size: 21px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px;"> Whether climbing a mountain or the corporate ladder, here's what you need to know.</h2> <img alt="A woman doing push up at a beach" class="img-responsive block-generous" data-size="rectangle652" height="435" src="http://www.usnews.com/dims4/USNEWS/2b94da2/2147483647/resize/652x%3E/quality/85/?url=%2Fcmsmedia%2F2a%2F34%2F6be27df545e6a84b6e175ba8f17a%2F140620-pushupbeach-stock.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: auto; margin-bottom: 25px; width: 652px;" title="(iStockPhoto)" width="652" /><div class="t t-dim" style="color: #666666; line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-top: -20px; padding: 0px;"> Follow the lead of these athletes. Get determined and exercise your risk-taking skills.</div> <div class="drawer block-generous" style="margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px;"> <div class="drawer_main bar-sep-overunder t-small" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px; padding: 10px 0px; width: 652px;"> <span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">Are you pounding the pavement</span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs" style="color: #005ea6; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/rankings/the-100-best-jobs">looking for a new job</a><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;"> </span><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5;">and feeling down and out? Or maybe you’re in a career plateau navigating your next move. Either way, there are lessons to be learned from professionals who have faced challenging obstacles in severe conditions.</span></div> </div> </header><div class="block skin-editable clearfix" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px;"> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>1. You can overcome anything.</b> Meet Paul Cayard, a yachtsman and professional sailor who has competed in the America’s Cup seven times and has circumnavigated the globe twice. This two-time Olympian describes the Volvo Ocean Race, which circles the globe and involves traversing 38,739 nautical miles. The race starts in Europe, ends in Antarctica and is composed of eight legs, which vary from four days to four weeks. Boats and crews experience sweltering heat, frigid conditions and blustering winds.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>Biggest lesson learned:</i> “It’s the age-old saying to never ever give up. In my second round-the-world race on Pirates of the Caribbean, we broke our boat on the first leg. We were in last place in Cape Town, struggling to gain confidence in a poorly built boat. Eventually, we got it on track, and in the end, we won the last leg and finished second overall. That was actually more satisfying than when I won the event in 1998. We climbed a steeper wall.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>How this applies to you:</i> “You can pretty much <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/07/03/your-guide-to-surviving-a-career-mistake" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: null">overcome anything</a>. You need to hang in there, keep tinkling, keep persevering and eventually you will prevail.”</div> <div class="ndn_embed ndn_embedding ndn_embedContainer ndn-widget-embed-2" data-config-distributor-id="90080" data-config-site-section="ndn2_usnews" id="ndn-video-player-2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>2. Learn from failure, and take risks.</b> Minda Dentler has been competing in triathlons for six years and was the first female to complete the handcycling event at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. In addition to training and competing in triathlons, Dentler works full time on Wall Street as director of operations at a large multinational insurance company.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> As a result of having polio as a child, her legs are paralyzed. Her full Ironman competition equates to swimming for 2.4 miles, handcycling for 112 miles and pushing a racing wheelchair for 26.2 miles using just her upper body. The swim-bike cutoff time is a difficult 10 hours and 30 minutes, and the extreme elements include heat and strong crosswinds.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> After not making the cutoff in 2012, she came back in 2013 with a new plan. “I knew I had to be very careful to manage my energy, pace and effort throughout the day to get onto the run course.” This time, she prepared differently, ensured her mind and body in the right space, assembled a team and entered the race “well-rested and without injuries.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>Biggest lesson learned:</i> “There were moments in the 2013 race where I was in jeopardy of not making the cutoff time, and I literally had to push aside my internal voice that told me to quit. I had to tell myself to push through the pain and keep the laser focus.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>How this applies to you:</i> “Mental toughness is a necessary quality to be a <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/08/26/5-tips-for-millennial-managers" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2014/08/26/5-tips-for-millennial-managers">successful leader</a> in the workplace. We must learn from failure, take risks, anticipate issues, handle tough situations and manage through change while not letting negative voices affect us.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>3. Taking the leap is almost always worthwhile. </b>Ask<b> </b>Adrian Ballinger, founder of Alpenglow Expeditions, about climbing the tallest active volcano in the world, big mountain climbing and skiing, and he’ll mention “risk component." He says: "We’re always trying to manage risk, but it is a component of what we do. It’s not always fun in the moment.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> Ballinger highlights the power of danger and risks. “I like to manage and analyze risk to minimize it and make the goal attainable. The sport of climbing by its nature has hardship and accidents, so going through those things in the moment have forced me to think about why these experiences are worth the risks they entail.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>Biggest lesson learned: </i>“Take risks. As I’ve grown in this industry and sport, I’ve often found myself in comfortable positions where it is easy to stay where I am in my career. But it’s worth it to take the next leap.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>How this applies to you:</i> “The risk doesn’t have to be physical or about life and limb – it can be career, emotional or financial. If you have considered the risk and mitigated it to the greatest risk possible,<a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/02/04/3-career-risks-that-can-pay-off" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;" title="Link: http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2013/02/04/3-career-risks-that-can-pay-off">taking the leap</a> is almost always worthwhile.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>4. Have hope, fight hard and love what you do.</b> There’s more to New York Giants’ linebacker Mark Herzlich than meets the eye. The author of "What It Takes: Fighting for My Life and My Love of the Game" beat a rare form of bone cancer and has been in remission for almost five years. He says: “When I was diagnosed with cancer, football was my goal for living.".</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>Biggest lesson learned: </i>“My sport gave me a reason to fight. On my darkest days of back-to-back chemotherapy and radiation sessions, I would envision myself running out of the tunnel again with my teammates. It gave me hope, strength and a platform from which to help others facing adversity.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>How this applies to you:</i> “Have hope. Fight hard. Love what you do. And believe in yourself. Believe that you have what it takes.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <b>5. Assess the performance edge and be willing to go there.</b> Nationally certified race car instructor Sabine H. Schoenberg also happens to be a designer, builder and <a class="" href="http://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/real-estate-agent" style="color: #005ea6; text-decoration: none;">real estate agent</a>.</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> The founder of SabinesHome.com says her racing hobby involves commitment. Any hesitation can result in lifting the foot off the gas pedal. “Even the slightest movement in that direction destabilizes the car. You will spin ... it can be serious.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> The challenge, she says, is how to get to the limit. “Steadfastness and endurance are a big part of it. The willingness to always learn and improve is another huge part. Conditions are always different. Things are never static.”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>Biggest lesson learned: </i>“Racing a car starts and ends with correct assessment. You want to get to your own and your car's performance to the edge or to the fastest speed. In business, too, you need to assess where that performance edge is and be willing to go there.” She explains when developing a property you have the choice to build a similar home that other developers are building. She says: “It looks like a safe path – but is it?”</div> <div style="line-height: 1.5; margin-bottom: 25px; padding: 0px;"> <i>How this applies to you: </i>“Racing a car is opposite to street driving. Your biggest obstacle to overcome is one's own misconceptions! This is perhaps the biggest lesson I have learned and continue to learn between my hobby and life.”</div> </div> <br /> <a href="http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2014/08/26/5-career-lessons-from-extreme-athletes" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">View the original article here</a></div>

5 Career Lessons From Extreme Athletes

5 Career Lessons From Extreme Athletes Whether climbing a mountain or the corporate ladder, here's what you need to know. Follow the lead of these athletes. Get determined and exercise your risk-taki…

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