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Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of IHeart Radio.

Good morning. This is Laura.

Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.

Today's tip is that there are some things every professional

needs, even those who aren't job seeking right now, and even those who aren't currently working for pay.

I imagine a lot of Before Breakfast listeners already think of themselves as professionals, but some

may not. However, to my mind, even if you are not currently working for pay, being a professional

is an identity that is not fully dependent on any specific job. It's about your knowledge, skills,

mindset, and relationships. As part of that identity, there are some things every professional needs,

so they are able to quickly seize opportunities that arise.

For starters, you need number one, a recent headshot, and number two, a current bio.

If you are presenting at a conference, joining a nonprofit board, or even speaking at career day at your kids' middle school, you may be asked to provide a photo and a bio. So you want to be

able to provide ones you feel good about at a moment's notice. Make sure these items are

polished and convey the image you are aiming for. Also be sure that they are reasonably up to date.

If you wear glasses and have blonde hair now, you should be wearing glasses and have blonde hair

in your headshot. If you have three kids in college,

your bio shouldn't say that you have elementary school aged kids. Number three, you also need a

current resume or CV, even if you are not looking for a job. You might hear about an amazing

opportunity and decide to apply for a job unexpectedly. Or you

may be asked to provide a resume if you're up for a promotion at work, or if you're being considered

for a major volunteer role in a non-profit or professional association. Some people find it

...