It’s all about Navigation and Planning:
Five Ways to Take Charge of Your Career
Successful careers don’t fall into your lap. Anyone who has had a successful career knows that you have to work at it. So where do you start? What are some of the fundamental guidelines that we can all learn from that will help us to feel like we are on track?
Career paths can zigzag or follow a straight line, but how do you know whether the next career opportunity is the right step up your career ladder? You won’t know without a plan.
Here are 5 things you can do to set your career on the right track:
1. Develop a career plan: Nina DiSesa, Chairman, McCann Erickson does! In fact, she has written a few five-year plans. When you start a business, you write a business plan. As you are building your career strategy, shouldn’t you have a career plan? Don’t wait for someone else to give you a plan to follow through; it’s your career, its time you took charge of it. Set some goals for yourself over the course of a year, five years and ten years.
2. Enlist as many champions as you can to share professional insights, guidance and life lessons: Once you have a career path in mind, share those thoughts with someone who can guide you in the right direction. For more on creating a circle of support review Maureen Fitzgerald’s Everyone Needs a Professional Advisory Board.
3. Be a career long learner: Be curious. Tiger Woods has one goal each and every day: to be an even better golfer. Never stop asking questions. Learn by shadowing others with greater experience. One of the best ways to ensure continuous learning and gain greater control of your career is to keep asking questions.
What are your skills and what are you lacking? Whether it’s communications or time management, plan to take courses that continually improve and expand upon your skills. This is a proactive way to make yourself a “must have” asset. Speak to your Employer about your professional development goals. Ask whether they would be willing to cover all or part of the costs of your continuing education.
4. Build and nurture your network: Start looking for opportunities to connect with people in and out of your company.
People will always be your greatest source of information, whether they’re colleagues down the hall or contemporaries from another company. Don’t wait for networking opportunities to fall in your lap. Get involved in industry associations and attend career learning events that can facilitate your ability to network.
Not sure where to start? Review Networking Best Practices by Keith Ferrazzi.
5. Take charge and check in with yourself: How do you feel? Are you happy? Are you on the right track? Refer to your career plan. How are you doing? Do I need to make adjustments or a wholesale change? The more motivated you are to act in your best interests, the faster you will see the results of your hard work and feel a sense of comfort that you have a plan!
