Archive for the ‘Planning For Career Success’ Category

If you are a professional person you know that you are pretty good at what you do. More than likely you will have gained some advanced level qualifications. So without doubt you will have the potential to be successful in your career. Yet in reality many professional people in my experience fail to fulfil their potential. Why is this and what can you do differently to realise your potential and the rewards you desire?

Problem 1: You Don’t Know What You Want

Sometimes when I ask people to define what they want or what would be their ideal, they tell me all the things they don’t want. Eventually we get to there but if you want success you need clarity about what you want.

Solution: Write down all the things you want from your career. Don’t just restrict it to the tangibles like salary and benefits. Consider intangibles too like the type of work, type of organisation, type of people, types of challenges to name just a few.

Problem 2: People Are Passive

If you are like many, it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that your boss or HR will take charge of your career for. If so, think again. A passive approach leads to progress in some cases but not optimal results.

Solution: Take control and be proactive with your career. Find out about more senior roles and what it takes to be successful. Read the biographies of successful people.

Problem 3: People Don’t Package Themselves Effectively

Maybe this is a British thing but we are not always the best at positively promoting what we have to offer. This is not just in interviews but also in CV’s, resumes and application forms.

Solution: Make time to discover what your best skills and qualities are and then make sure you promote them effectively.

Problem 4: They Give Up Too Quickly

People tell me that there are too many people chasing each opportunity. Without doubt there are more candidates chasing each opportunity at the moment so you are going to get a few rejections. Reality is too many will give up too quickly.

Solution: Ask for feedback on your applications and incorporate it into how you package yourself in the future.

Problem 5: People Don’t Focus On The Long Term

A career is for the long term. Despite this people often take poor short term decisions.

Solution: Take decisions about roles, applications and job moves with the long term goal or goals in mind.

The Bottom Line: Career success does not happen by chance. You need to take control if you want to get results.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements Ltd helps professionals realise their true career potential and maximise their earnings. Sign up for his free audio masterclass on climbing the career ladder.

Working as an accountant in major organisations for over 25 before setting up my own business in 2006, what I consistently noticed is that it was not the most technically gifted people who got to the more senior level posts.

I know that even though I climbed the career ladder from a Payments Clerk to Finance Director, I was not the most technically gifted accountant.

On the other hand I was always interested in the organisations I worked in, was able to build relationships and take on challenges. Contrary to many people I found having the opportunity to manage and lead people and be involved in key projects really rewarding.

Of course like most people I made mistakes and tried to learn from them.

So I am wondering what other people find it takes for people to break through into senior management?

Would love to hear your views and insights, so why not go ahead and leave a comment.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants make the breakthrough from highly regarded technical professionals to highly effective managers and leaders. To sign up for his Weekly Leadership and Management Tips click here

Everyone spends a significant amount of their life at work.  To get the most out of your career you need to manage it.  So what are key steps that you need to take to manage your career.

Tip 1: Know what you want to achieve 

When you have a career as opposed to a job, you take a long term view.  Those who achieve most will generally have a very clear vision of what they want to achieve.

What’s your vision?

Tip 2: Set out a plan

Once you have clarity on your vision, the next step is to develop a plan.  Your plan needs to clearly set out:

• Where you currently are

• Where you want to get to

• The steps to move you to where you want to get to

In setting out your plan, think about skills, knowledge, experience, education and personal attributes.

Tip 3: Find a coach or mentor

Most people have 10-15 years to reach their vision so you need support and accountability to make it happen.  A coach or mentor can help you:

• Get clarity on your next move

• Make the right moves that contribute to your overall vision

• Avoid wasting time and effort going down the wrong path

Tip 4: Deliver outstanding performance

If you want to progress and reach the top, you need to build a reputation of being someone who consistently delivers outstanding performance.  One of the ways of delivering outstanding performance is to be clear about what you are measured on and make sure everything you do contributes to success.

Tip 5: Don’t move out of a job because you are disgruntled

Sometimes people move jobs because something short term annoys them.  It might be that they are not feeling valued, that they are not supported or whatever they do it will never be good enough.

If you find yourself in this situation, speak to someone more senior before taking action or to you coach or mentor.

Tip 6: Discuss you career with your boss

Employees are sometimes reluctant to discuss their career with their boss.  They worry that their boss might misinterpret this.  The truth is that the best bosses want to have people around them who are motivated and have a desire to get on.

How could you create a relationship with your boss that allowed you to openly speak about your career?

Tip 7: Avoid job moves that only offer short term advantages

It is easy to be lured in the short term by money.  Keep the focus on your vision and test job opportunities in terms of what you need to progress rather than short term financial gains.

Tip 8: Leave jobs on good terms

You might be working with someone today who pops up at some organisation you want to work with in the future.  This is more common than you think so always leave on good terms.

Tip 9: Speak openly to superiors about internal positions that are of interest to you

Managers often form a completely wrong impression about individual’s career aspirations.  If there is an internal post that would help you closer to your goal, speak to your superior about it.

Tip 10:  Be open to lateral moves

It is easy to think that every job change needs to be a move up the ladder.  Sometimes it might be useful to move at a similar level to get new experience.  For example imagine all of your experience was in subsidiary companies and you wanted some head office experience.  A lateral move might be the best way to do it.

Tip 11: Plan moves in advance

When you have secured a position and have got some clarity about some of the skills and experience you are gaining, start thinking about your next couple of moves.  Why?  The main reason is that it keeps you alert for new opportunities that might be ideal for you as you move towards your vision.

Tip 12: Keep your CV or Resume up to date

Make a habit of regularly updating your CV to capture new experience, skills or attributes that you have developed.

Tip 13: Record achievements and successes

In every interview you will always be asked about achievements and successes.  If you record achievements on a weekly or monthly basis you will have a bank of successes available to draw from when faced with this question.

In addition, you will also have the drive and motivation to do even more.

Tip 14: Don’t stay in a job too long

If you want to reach a senior level, you need to find the right balance.  Move too regularly and your loyalty will be questioned.  Stay too long and your ambition and desire will be questioned.  Three indicators that the time might be right to move on are:

• The excitement has gone from the job

• You are not getting any new experience

• The job is too easy

In my experience moving every 2-4 years is about right, but be aware of industry or sector norms.

If you want a career rather than just a series of jobs, you need to take control.  What’s your first step?

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

Whatever point you are at in your career, chances are that you want to achieve success.  The reasons why people want career success are varied and include:

• Financial rewards and benefits

• The status and standing of being in a senior role

• The challenge of climbing the career ladder and overcoming the obstacles that arise

• Sense of personal achievement

While there are a whole host of reasons why people want to achieve career success, there is in my experience one key question that you need to be able to answer.  So what is that question?

WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL CAREER GOAL?

There are a number of reasons why it is essential that you answer this question and they include:

Reason 1: Helps you make choices

If you want to climb the career ladder and get a senior level post, you will need to gain a wide of skills, knowledge and experience.  In addition, you will have to develop a broad range of personal attributes.  Chances are there will be many opportunities that will arise which might appear attractive financially but might not be beneficial in achieving your overall career goal.  By being clear on your overall career goal you can make informed career move choices.

Reason 2: Helps you decide priorities

Every time you make a choice around your career, for example, stepping up to the next level, chances are you will be required to commit more to work.  If this fits in with your priorities around lifestyle then there is no problem.  The reality is that most people don’t take the time to consider where career fits into there overall lifestyle priorities.  We sometimes forget that the majority of people work to live not live to work.

Reason 3: Helps you determine how much you want it

Climbing the career ladder and holding down a job at a senior level is not easy.  A question you need to be able to answer is how much do you want it?  You will need to consider how determined you are, how much sacrifice you are ready to make, how much pressure you are comfortable dealing with to name just a few.  I suggest you rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 means that you want it 100% and are willing to do what it takes to get there.

Bottom Line- Achieving career success requires determination, drive and a whole range of other personal attributes.  At the end of the day you need to be clear on your overall career goal if you are to maximise your chances of career success.

Everyone spends a significant amount of their life at work.  To get the most out of your career you need to manage it.  So what are key steps that you need to take to manage your career.

Tip 1: Know what you want to achieve 

When you have a career as opposed to a job, you take a long term view.  Those who achieve most will generally have a very clear vision of what they want to achieve.

What’s your vision?

Tip 2: Set out a plan

Once you have clarity on your vision, the next step is to develop a plan.  Your plan needs to clearly set out:

• Where you currently are

• Where you want to get to

• The steps to move you to where you want to get to

In setting out your plan, think about skills, knowledge, experience, education and personal attributes.

Tip 3: Find a coach or mentor

Most people have 10-15 years to reach their vision so you need support and accountability to make it happen.  A coach or mentor can help you:

• Get clarity on your next move

• Make the right moves that contribute to your overall vision

• Avoid wasting time and effort going down the wrong path

Tip 4: Deliver outstanding performance

If you want to progress and reach the top, you need to build a reputation of being someone who consistently delivers outstanding performance.  One of the ways of delivering outstanding performance is to be clear about what you are measured on and make sure everything you do contributes to success.

Tip 5: Don’t move out of a job because you are disgruntled

Sometimes people move jobs because something short term annoys them.  It might be that they are not feeling valued, that they are not supported or whatever they do it will never be good enough.

If you find yourself in this situation, speak to someone more senior before taking action or to you coach or mentor.

Tip 6: Discuss you career with your boss

Employees are sometimes reluctant to discuss their career with their boss.  They worry that their boss might misinterpret this.  The truth is that the best bosses want to have people around them who are motivated and have a desire to get on.

How could you create a relationship with your boss that allowed you to openly speak about your career?

Tip 7: Avoid job moves that only offer short term advantages

It is easy to be lured in the short term by money.  Keep the focus on your vision and test job opportunities in terms of what you need to progress rather than short term financial gains.

Tip 8: Leave jobs on good terms

You might be working with someone today who pops up at some organisation you want to work with in the future.  This is more common than you think so always leave on good terms.

Tip 9: Speak openly to superiors about internal positions that are of interest to you

Managers often form a completely wrong impression about individual’s career aspirations.  If there is an internal post that would help you closer to your goal, speak to your superior about it.

Tip 10:  Be open to lateral moves

It is easy to think that every job change needs to be a move up the ladder.  Sometimes it might be useful to move at a similar level to get new experience.  For example imagine all of your experience was in subsidiary companies and you wanted some head office experience.  A lateral move might be the best way to do it.

Tip 11: Plan moves in advance

When you have secured a position and have got some clarity about some of the skills and experience you are gaining, start thinking about your next couple of moves.  Why?  The main reason is that it keeps you alert for new opportunities that might be ideal for you as you move towards your vision.

Tip 12: Keep your CV or Resume up to date

Make a habit of regularly updating your CV to capture new experience, skills or attributes that you have developed.

Tip 13: Record achievements and successes

In every interview you will always be asked about achievements and successes.  If you record achievements on a weekly or monthly basis you will have a bank of successes available to draw from when faced with this question.

In addition, you will also have the drive and motivation to do even more.

Tip 14: Don’t stay in a job too long

If you want to reach a senior level, you need to find the right balance.  Move too regularly and your loyalty will be questioned.  Stay too long and your ambition and desire will be questioned.  Three indicators that the time might be right to move on are:

• The excitement has gone from the job

• You are not getting any new experience

• The job is too easy

In my experience moving every 2-4 years is about right, but be aware of industry or sector norms.

If you want a career rather than just a series of jobs, you need to take control.  What’s your first step?

Fear of redundancy has spread to almost half of full-time workers, a poll showed after the Government’s latest multi-billion economic rescue package was met by plunging bank share prices.  This was reported this morning on the news pages of Yahoo UK. 

In these challenging times it is natural for people to feel concerned and anxious about their personal situation.  On the other hand, these challenges times might well crate a golden opportunity for you.

What is clear in the current challenging times is that even some of the most experienced and senior leaders are finding it tough.  Just look at financial services and non essential retailers for some evidence.  So, in these tough times it might be that the golden opportunity for you is to make your mark where you currently work by being part of the performance turnaround.

If you are in an organisation that is struggling at the moment, take a few minutes and consider the following questions:

• What are the key drivers of our success as an organisation historically?

• How well are we doing on these key drivers right now?

• If you were put in charge of the organisation tomorrow, what are the three things that you would tackle straight away that would make an immediate impact?

• What things are not working as well as they could that we not fixing?

Chances are these questions will spark some ideas and solutions.  Test them out with some trusted individuals across the organisation and see what sort of response you get.  If it becomes clear that you have ideas that have not been considered, create an opportunity to discuss with your boss and other senior people.   It might just be the launching pad you need to take your career to another level.

So what are you waiting for?

If you are reading this blog, I am guessing that you are probably someone who wants to achieve success as a manager or leader and have a successful career.  When it comes to our career and setting goals , very few have a clear idea of what they want and why they want it.

Think about your career 10 years from now and ask yourself the following:

What level do I want to be at 10 years from now?

If I was in my perfect job I would be ……?

I want to be known as a manager and leader who……?

Now think about why you want it.  The obvious answer is the financial rewards that come with success.  Yet in truth, money alone is not the long term driver. 

So what is it that makes you want to achieve career success?

Many people want to achieve success in their careers.  Far fewer have a clear overall goal for their career.  Having an overall career goal is about knowing just how far you want to climb the career ladder.  Maybe middle management is as far as you want to go.  Others might aspire to be a Director or even a CEO or Managing Director.  There are a range of benefits of having a clear career goal and these include:

1. Helping you to make the best choices about potential career opportunities.
2. Helping you determine where career fits into your overall lifestyle priorities.
3. Avoiding taking short term decisions that are detrimental to achieving your end goal.

As well as having a clear career goal consider the sacrifices that you are willing and not willing to make to achieve it.  Also take the time to carry out some formal assessment of your strengths so that you can determine whether you are a good fit for the different types of roles that you might aspire to gain.

At the end of the day there is no certainty when it comes to career success but establishing a clear end goal can greatly enhance your chance of achieving what you want.