In recent weeks, on the drive home from my early morning workout, I have encountered multiple joggers/walkers/strollers on the dark streets. Almost all have been wearing the latest jogging/walking/strolling clothes: your basic black.
Now, here is an interesting little twist to their fashion statements: early in the morning, when traffic is almost nonexistent, people tend to walk in the middle of the street. It is dark, they are wearing black with nothing that reflects a car’s lights, and the street lights are far between. You cannot see them until it is almost too late. I have had a couple of closer than I would have liked calls with these joggers so now I drive with my car’s headlights on high beam.
Having the latest, greatest all-black workout attire is silly if you end up in the hospital with a fractured leg, broken pelvis or worse.
One of my friends who is an early morning street exercise junkie said she spent nearly $200 each for three black outfits and declined to wear a garbageman’s reflective vest, reflective tape or a belt-mounted flashing light. “These are so nice that I’m just not comfortable doing that.”
Let’s shift this thought to career management and your job search. To be seen with the social media equivalent of the reflective vest means you need to build out your profile, have a great professional photo, and then post and engage with current and future professional contacts. You may not feel comfortable but there are consequences if you choose not to. You will not be run over but you will not be seen either.
It’s important to invest in managing and promoting your career.