Archive for the ‘How to Achieve More Career Success’ Category

Most people start their career with huge expectations and perhaps even bigger things they want to achieve.

Some go on to achieve great success but others, particularly those from professional backgrounds, often struggle. So what are some of the barriers that stop people getting ahead in their career?

1. Failing to get clear about what they want to achieve short term and long term. Being clear about where you are going helps you make informed choices.
2. Being unwilling to put in the effort. In many professions there is a level you cannot get beyond without a professional qualification. I am not saying this is fair but it is reality. We all know that getting any type of professional qualification requires effort.
3. Being a minimalist. By that I mean never going beyond the boundaries of what they are paid to do.
4. Lack of confidence. It amazes me when I come across highly competent people who are lacking self-confidence. Don’t confuse confidence with never worrying. Confidence is what pushes you forward even when there are some big obstacles.
5. Failing to get noticed by the decision makers or those who have the ear or can influence the decision makers.
6. Underselling what you have to offer. It is easy to think that all the organisation is interested in is the people who sell or are in the creative functions. Every organisation needs good people in every discipline so make sure you sell what you have to offer.
7. Never learning how to manage and in some cases resisting any suggestion to learn the oddly named softer skills.
8. Failing to continuously develop yourself and finding that what you thought were assets are actually obsolete skills.
9. Making career moves that look great in the short term but are really bad news long term.
10. Never mastering how to be successful in interviews and handle the pressure of the interview situation.

The Bottom Line: We all start with the same opportunity and to a large extent influence how far we go.

If you have found this blog post valuable I invite you to check out my audio masterclass on climbing the career ladder.

As a highly qualified and highly capable professional, you know that you are good at what you do. Over the years I have seen many great professionals getting stuck in their quest to climb the career ladder.

So what can you do to get yourself unstuck and to get ahead in your career?

Key 1: Know Your Personal Strengths

Just like any expert or successful person in any field, you need to play to your strengths. Before you can play to your strengths you need to know what they are.

Key 2: Present What You Have To Offer Effectively

So often I see people with a CV that does nothing to entice a potential employer. Remember that, as you climb the career ladder, the number of opportunities decline so what you have to offer needs to catch the eye and stand out.

Key 3: Be Willing To Operate Outside The Boundaries Of Your Job Description

Your job description is a framework or a list of general things expected from you. If you just stick within the boundaries of your job description you are unlikely to ever grow or develop.

Key 4: Know What The End Game Is

For some it will be a top job in their profession; for others it will just be having some influence. You need to be clear where you are heading in your career in the long term.

Key 5: Get A Reputation For Reliability

There is only one thing worse than not volunteering and that is offering to do something and then not delivering.

Key 6: Find Out Who The Key Decision Makers And Influencers Are

They are the people who can make things happen for you in your organisation if you show them what you can do.

Key 7: Don’t Be Afraid To Speak Up

People can worry about speaking up because when the subject is not their area of expertise. Occasionally the most obvious questions can really move things forward as sometimes those with the expertise are too close to the issue.

The Bottom Line: Achieving career success requires work but doing some simple things well can make a big difference.

Duncan Brodie helps professional people to fulfil their career potential so that they get the rewards and recognition they desire. Sign up for his free audio masterclass at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

If you want to be successful in your career you have to be able to market and sell yourself.  While many understand that this really matters they still can find it a struggle.  So what are some of the 7 key barriers that people have to marketing and selling themselves in the job arena?

Lack of Investment

It’s easy to believe that finding a new role is not going to require a huge amount of time and energy.  Many people simply don’t get that they are going to have to invest a lot personally to be successful.

Failing To Step Into The Recruiters Shoes

Hiring someone is a big decision for the recruiter.  They are worried about getting it wrong.  So your goal has to be to re-assure them that you can deliver if you get the role.

Lack Of Confidence

It can be difficult to market and sell yourself and sometimes people just lack confidence in themselves and their true value.  Remember everyone has doubts and the successful push on despite those doubts.

Poorly Developed Networks

Networking both on and offline is becoming more important.  Increasingly recruiters are using social media and LinkedIn in particular to source candidates.

Not Knowing How To Use Social Media

Some people think that social media like LinkedIn is complicated.  Yes it takes time to get to grips with it but there are more and more sources of support to get you up to speed quickly.

Not Being Able To Sell Transferrable Skills

Sometimes people think that because they have been in one organisation, industry or sector they are stuck.  Learn how to show how skills are transferrable.  After all 80% of what organisations do is similar.  It’s the 20% that is specific.

Underestimating What You Have To Offer

When we are good at something we often wrongly assume that everyone can do what you do and as a result you don’t actively promote what you have to offer.

The Bottom Line:  If you are going to fulfil your professional potential you have to learn how to market and sell yourself effectively in the job arena.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to fulfil their career potential.  He invites you to sign up for his free audio masterclass at http://www.goalsandachievements.co.uk/careers-main.html

By Martin Haworth

On many occasions of any career, there are times where it’s vital to represent yourself fully. To make the best publicity you can for ‘yours sincerely’. And there are easy tactics you can use…

Whether you are applying for a promotion in your existing organization; looking for a new job altogether; or simply experiencing a performance review, there are steps you can take that will enhance your outcome.

Most, if not all, individuals find it hard to tweak their achievements to make the best of them. Whether this comes from naivety, modesty or simply a misjudgement of what they can pluck from their experiences, it’s hard to say.

The truth is that long hours wringing hands and fretting need not be suffered. Because in the main, all you need when being assessed is already within you. All you need to create a really effective candidate – or A+ result in your performance.

There are six key steps to making the most of your assets:

1. Start Early

Be aware. When you are in the thick of experiences and learning, always, but always, be prepared to make a note – however small – of something that you did. You don’t have to write a whole portfolio of it, that can come later (just kidding!). Just notice when things happen.

2. Link To Role

By being aware of what you might need to take careful note of before you start looking for it. Here you’re simply looking for the categories upon which you will ultimately be tested and then you can start to create a list of your personal activities (the ‘What I did’ of your evidence).

3. Keeping Up

As you create this list of your activities, you categorize them as you go and, as the evidence piles up, create a note of the gaps too. Then you can pro-actively ‘create’ the activities you need to make your offer almost irresistible. You will become rounded and thorough and then have the luxury of deciding not just that you have enough, but you have a choice of evidence you can talk about when you are being assessed.

4. “I Can’t Find Enough”

It’s vital to understand that the evidence you create does not need to move mountains. A clear action you personally took, where you can demonstrate just four simple elements – What you did; Why you did it; What the outcome was and What you learned is perfect – and keep it short and succinct. It gives them clear facts and a space to ask you more too – A perfect candidate!

5. Last Minute?

Left it too late? No problem! All you need is a kindly colleague to ask you the questions and push you for answers. It’s amazing at what we leave out or underestimate in ourselves. With focus, it’s possible to create quite comprehensive evidence if you are coached to create it in a couple of hours with a ‘coach’ friend drawing from you the actual – even where you think there are few.

6. Blagging!

Actual lying can never be condoned – least of all because you’ll get found out and, if you were successful and got something without really deserving it, likely as not it wouldn’t suit you anyway. You can – and must – embellish, by really stretching out all you do in a category and make it really sing for you. Every scrap of paper evidence; every single impressive fact and figure pile up to become much more interesting to assessors.

7. And Finally

Always but always focus on what you did. Yes, you personally. Using ‘we’ and ‘they’ won’t cut it. Be brave and strong and shout about you out loud. Use the ‘I’ word and really show what you are made of.

We all do pretty good work. We all deserve that you be recognised and in the main, we don’t shout about ourselves enough. And when you don’t, who will?

Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach and Trainer. For more useful stuff check out CoachTrainLearn.com.

Many professional people get qualified in their chosen field, ready to fulfil their promise, and somehow end up getting stuck.

While there might be no blueprint that will provide you with the sure-fire way to achieve career success, there are some things you can do to boost your chances in my experience.

Get a breadth of experience

While it might be tempting to be known as the expert in something, the truth is that, if you want to get to a more senior level, you need to get a breadth of experience. This can be achieved in a number of ways:

• Taking a secondment
• Running a project
• Moving between sectors
• Covering a maternity leave.

Don’t become too comfortable

We all like to enjoy our job but in every post the first 18 to 24 months are in my experience the most fruitful in terms of personal growth. Be alert to when you start to plateau and do something to get yourself a new challenge.

Make time for continuing professional development

This is a big one and yet so often I come across people who see getting professionally qualified as the end of the journey. In reality, it is just the start. Employers look for people to have invested in their personal development. If you are serious about your career, so will they.

Get a mentor

The fastest way to progress is to find mentors who have achieved what you want to achieve and learn from them. Despite what most of us think, successful people love to help others achieve success.

In truth, many want to achieve career success but few make it a reality. What tips would you add to the list to help others achieve career success?

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to achieve success and realize their professional potential through being highly effective leaders and managers. For more information and to sign up for his free audio e-course click here

Set a few key goals

 

Like to do lists we are all tempted to come up with a long list of goals.  But remember that achieving a goal requires investment of time, energy, effort and maybe money.  In a 52 week year you can only achieve so much, so choose wisely when it comes to goals.

 

List all of the things you need to do to achieve your goals

 

The goal is the outcome you want, for example, get promoted, complete a professional qualification, deliver a major business project to time and budget to name just a few. 

 

Achievement of the goal or outcome requires you to do many things.  Let’s illustrate this by looking at getting promoted.  You might need to:

 

 

• Do some form assessment of your strengths and weaknesses
• Start searching for opportunities
• Update your CV
• Get some feedback
• Work on a personal development plan
• Take some training

 

As you can see the list can become very large very quickly hence the suggestion that you focus on a few key goals.

 

Measure your progress regularly

 

Ever heard the phrase what gets measured gets done?  When you start actively tracking progress you will be amazed at the progress you make.

 

Set up some accountability

 

There is something really powerful about having to report back on your progress to someone else.  Some view it as a negative thing but it definitely does not need to be.  Simply let someone know what you plan to do and get them to ask you for a regular update in the progress you are making.

 

 

 

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to become highly effective leaders and managers.  For more information click here

1. Think building blocks- skills, talents,strengths that you assemble as you progress your career
2. Ensure employability through continuing education and professional development
3. Think roles rather than just jobs
4. Market yourself and what you have to offer
5. Be resilient – leave your ego behind
6. Stay culturally current
7. Be a compelling communicator
8. Find a mentor or coach
9. Build financial independence
10. Think like an outsider
11. Decide if you want to specialise
12. Don’t beat yourself up if everything does not happen as you expect it.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements is author of the Career Accelerator Self Coaching Workbook.  For more information click here

Many organisations have set up appraisals systems.  Those that are most effective include 360 degree feedback.  So what is 360 degree feedback and how can you start to put it in place?

360 Degree Feedback

The basic concept behind 360 feedback is getting views from those that manage you, those in your peer group and those that you manage.  The idea is to get a rounded picture of your performance from a number of different sources in order to build up a picture of your strengths and development needs.  In a well designed 360 feedback process you will also complete your own self assessment.

When you are first faced with the possibility of 360 feedback it can be daunting.  The reality is very different. You discover:

1. Qualities that you never even noticed in yourself
2. People are delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to your growth
3. You are often your biggest critic and people think much more highly of you than you do
4. Where greatest benefit will be derived from your personal development activities as you will know where to focus your attention
5. You have many more strengths than you have development needs

Setting up 360 Feedback

There are a range of options open to you and one consideration will be financial.  At the most basic level, you can send out an e-mail to people.  Another alternative is to use software of there is a system in your company.  There are also options to use technology even if your company does not have its own computer package.  A Google search will identify some options.

In terms of those that you ask for feedback:

1. Aim for about 10-15 people
2. Have a range of managers, peers and subordinates
3. Choose some people who you anticipate will give you a high rating
4. Choose some people who you will anticipate will give you a low rating
5. Choose some people who you are unclear as to how they will rate you

When carrying out your own self assessment:

1. Don’t forget to recognise your strengths
2. Be honest with yourself
3. See weaknesses as an opportunity for development

Go on give it a try and see the power of 360 degree feedback for yourself.

A personal development plan helps you to grow and achieve. 

So why do so few people take the time to create one?  Two potential reasons are:

• Lack of know how
• Fear of limiting themselves

5 key steps in creating a personal development plan

1. Do a personal stock-take of your strengths and development needs.  As well as your own assessment get the input of others.  They can often see talents that you don’t.

2. Think about what development will help you most in achieving your goals.

3. Decide which methods of delivery will have greatest impact on your learning.

4. Set out a calendar of development events for the next 12 months.

5. Put an accountability structure in place to ensure you follow through.

Benefits of creating a personal development plan

1. You give a clear message that you take your contribution to business success seriously.

2. You can start to work on the areas that are less developed so that you become even more of an asset to your employer.

3. If things are not progressing as you would like career wise you can demonstrate to a potential new employer what you can contribute with real impact.

4. You take informed choices about the type of roles you pursue rather than leaving it to chance.

5. You continue to grow, be motivated and stretch yourself to achieve what you desire.

In any job interview there are two questions that are almost certain to be asked:

1. What are your strengths?
2. What are your weaknesses or areas you need to develop?

So how can you discover your strengths and development needs?

1. Self assess or reflect personally on your strengths and development needs based on your performance to date in different areas.
2. Seek feedback from others formally and informally
3. Take some form of assessment or profiling such as Myers Briggs

By taking these three simple steps you can give yourself a real edge in job interviews.