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Managing Your Career
Accountants and other professionals who gain their professional qualifications have the potential to go far. Many do and many struggle to get beyond a certain level.
Once upon a time you might have been able to rely on your employer to take care of your career. Not any more. It’s just not your boss leaving that presents a risk these days but also things like mergers, acquisitions, consolidation and downsizing.
What this means is that you have to take responsibility for managing your career if you are to achieve the type of success that you know you can.
You have to build your network and make a point of keeping in touch. Think about it, if your boss or a contact lands a senior role they are going to see who they can take with them. Your network is becoming more and more important and technological advances have made it easier and simpler to keep in touch.
It’s vital that you raise your profile. Now let’s be clear about what I mean by this. It’s not about going around bragging and at the same time it is not being a wall flower either. Actively seek out opportunities to grow, develop and raise your profile.
You always need to be thinking about the next challenge and what you need to be able to offer to be part of the team tackling that challenge.
Always be willing to be open minded even when on first look an opportunity might not seem right. Evaluate properly before deciding one way or another.
Always think long term. It’s so easy to make decisions that on the face of it look great but long term are a disaster. Money alone should never be the reason for accepting or rejecting something.
Keep a database of achievements, continuing professional development and other important facts up to date. It is really easy to lose sight of significant things that you achieved some time ago and just be narrowly focused on what is current.
Be strategic about job changes and don’t just job hop for the sake of it. Choose your moves like a master chess player.
Accept that you can only influence so much. You can present what you have to offer in the best possible way but you cannot influence what others present.
The Bottom Line: If you are serious about success in your career you have to take control and make it happen.
Duncan Brodie helps professional people achieve more career success. He invites you to check out his free audio masterclass
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.