Careering Into Control
Oh no, it’s the dreaded Monday morning, you’ve put it off for as long as you can, but its rolled around again so fast, you drag yourself from your bed to begrudgingly start your working week. It wasn’t always like this, once upon a time you were ‘up and atom’ before the alarm went off each Monday morning, excited by the prospects of what lay ahead in your working week. But in recent times something has changed – “how did I get here?” is the question that springs to mind. You’ve had many fleeting thoughts about this, it makes you uncomfortable, could it be boredom? Is a boss or a colleague getting under your skin – maybe, now just maybe, you could be in the wrong job? This thought you push quickly to the back of your mind, because admitting this will lead you into all sorts of trouble – or maybe not…
For most of us, if we are honest, our career just ‘kinda’ evolved – you know, join a company, show initiative, get praise from management, get promoted and hey presto, here you are today, months, maybe years on with the thought – “how did I get here?” and “Is it what I wanted?”. They are difficult question in any case, but now you have the Monday blues to contend with – so where to from here?
Well you could always move company, go for a similar line of work, but soon, the same symptoms will manifest themselves. On things for sure, the longer you ignore this feeling, the more difficult it will become to deal with.
Its time for you to take Control of your Career, to do this you will need to take 4 important steps:-
Be objective and self-aware
Take a big step back and review a) what type of person you are, b) what really motivates you work-wise, and c) what you’re really good at. This analysis of personality, work interests/values and skills is central to career control. Careers specialists can help you gather together all this data, which will give you clues about what you need and want work-wise. Most of all you’ll understand why. Know yourself well, and you’ll be in a great position to direct yourself well.
Prioritise suitable directions
Work with the career data clues to match them against possible work options. These could include staying where you are, moving role or department within the organisation, entering a new organization or sector still within your role, or even changing career to a totally new field. It’s easy to develop tunnel vision – after all it’s about you, your career – however, it’s vital to review all the avenues. It can be difficult to do this on your own, so at this point, it will definitely help to talk it over with a career professional. Effectively, you’re trying to see which role/career/organisation option matches you best, next best, and so on…
Plan your attack
Your directional priorities are clear, and your goals are emerging. You may need to find out some more information about some attractive options and so some specific research will be required, for example, routes into teaching, competitive employers & their cultures, qualification requirements for childcare, etc. Do your homework, find out what you need to, and refine your goal so that you’re happy with it. Draw up and implement a job search strategy using all available resources – websites, papers, contacts, agencies. Keep yourself on track, and treat it as a mini-job in itself.
Promote yourself well
Opportunities will arise, and so now it’s all about you. Your brochure, your CV – take your time and build it around your objective. Ensure all information contained within it tells a story whose eventual and natural ending is within your objective. Present it neatly, in a readable format with good spacing, no spelling mistakes and no longer than 2 pages, if at all possible. The chance to make your pitch at interview will quickly follow on. Remember the 5 P’s, ‘Prior Preparation Prevents Poor Performance’. Anticipate the key questions, work them through in your head in advance, say them out loud. Imagine you are the employer. How can you answer any concerns they may have on your suitability? Be calm and believe in yourself.
So the job is offered. Negotiate well. Remember the employer has selected you, and now it’s up to you to select them. Is this job role definitely in line with your objective, or getting you there? Is it giving you what you really want and need? If so, take it, develop it and use it to grow towards your career objective. Go back to your career data and direction, and regularly assess career situation. Remember where the controls are!
Looking ahead, in 3-5 years you’ll know, not only how, but also why you got there, and your overall exclamation will be “I’ve arrived”.
Karen Gray
Karen Gray is a Director of CareerVision Ltd, developers of “Career Manager TM”, the online Professional Career Direction system. Now available at www.onlinecareermanager.com
Career Manager TM is a professional online career management system, which offers you the opportunity to manage your career online. It affords lifetime access to, and development of, your individual career data and direction via psychometric and checklist mechanisms. Personalised work requirements, individual career options and interactive career decision making tools are systematically developed as clear output. Professional career consultants are always on hand to assist. In addition, private Consultancy, CV Development and Interview Preparation services are offered online. Services are available individually or via convenient Career Manager TM packages.