Get Yourself Noticed for all the Right Reasons

You don’t want to be seen as a foot-soldier but as someone with strategic perspective, able to make tough decisions. It's never too early to start planning your rise through the ranks. Many falsely believe that 'sucking up' to the boss gets you places, but that’s only true in the worst managed organizations. You shouldn’t want to work in those kinds of places. Climbing the corporate ladder is not achieved without a great deal of hard work. You can't expect opportunities to come to you. You have to find them, or make them, and keep your skills refreshed and up to date.

How can you raise your profile and credibility within the organisation? If you want a solid career it's essential to develop and exhibit good leadership skills. The people who are really successful are those who are well connected. Build effective connections – develop your networking skills. The people skills you develop through networking are essential as you move into more senior positions and will give you a competitive advantage over the course of a career.

Think seriously about the people you know and how they might influence your career and the strength of your relationship with each of them. Focus on those who have the potential to impact on your career. Develop your profile within the organisation and make sure you are visible to those who matter, ally yourself with people who can help you, building relationships with those who have influence.

Do some external networking so that you can present a cogent view of what is leading edge for other businesses. If you want to climb the career ladder with confidence you must appreciate the bigger picture. You need to be able to distinguish between what’s really important and things that will have no real impact on the company’s bottom line. Be vigilant, ready to spot and respond to opportunities. Seek assignments outside your area of expertise or normal job responsibilities. Initiative and well-rounded skills will impress your managers and increase your visibility within the company making you someone for management to watch and develop.

Opportunities to advance don't always fall into your lap: Be proactive in asking for them. To succeed in the fast moving, modern business environment taking charge of your own career is an imperative. Market yourself as a product and campaign accordingly, whether planning your next move, climbing the career ladder or reinventing your life.  

What skills do you need to make yourself more marketable? Take advantage of every opportunity for continuous learning and professional development. Need a new qualification, to learn Mandarin Chinese, or some coaching in leadership skills?  Look for a competitive advantage, what are other professionals in your field are offering?  Can you differentiate yourself by offering something extra, different or unique? 

Don’t let your career just happen but take a proactive and targeted approach to maximise your potential and meet your aspirations. Take charge of your career and you’ll get more fulfilment from its challenges and with commitment you can achieve your ideal lot in life. You are responsible for your own future.

Steve Jobs approach to career planning

Steve Jobs approach to career planning

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” Steve Jobs

So why is it we do not spend more time finding out what we love?  Most people drift into jobs and careers.  Most people spend more time planning their 2 week vacation, which in 6-12 months will be a distance memory, whereas their career which lasts 40 years, 5 days a week, 7 hours per day.

Apparently the three most significant influencers on our career choice are parents, teachers and neighbours.

Is it we don’t know how to career plan?  Is it we haven’t got the time?

In my experience it’s a bit of both.  Career planning is in the too difficult box.  We don’t know how to do it, so we avoid it.  All too often we immerse ourselves in the task at hand, which is an avoidance strategy.  Often misguidedly we devote ourselves to our current employer, believing by working hard, we will get rewarded.  Most employers are delighted by this strategy, their best interests arevserved by what you are doing today, not what you should be doing in order to fulfil your career dreams.  You should not delegate career planning to your employer.  Employers will do what’s in their best interest.  Most employers are reluctant to develop you for jobs you will perform in the future. 

Quoting Wayne Gretzky, the famous ice hockey player, Jobs once said “ I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been”.  Career planning is all about putting in place what you need to have to get you to your final destination.

Step 1 It’s important to create the time.  Nothing is more important than you.  Set aside time to plan your career. Write down your thoughts.

Step 2 Understand your interests and values. Interestingly it’s your interests and values that drive your skill set.  We get good at what we like.  Conversely when values and interests are misaligned, it is unlikely you will enjoy or be successful.  The best marketing person in the world, if a passionate anti-smoker, won’t be a success at BAT, Imperial Tobacco or Gallagher.  In my experience the most common cause of poor job performance and subsequent job loss is the misalignment of interests and values.

Step  3 Seek help to know yourself.  Ask your friends. Seek professional help. There is a very simple tool called best reflected self.   It requires you to get your friends to give examples when you are at your best. Read the feedback, and take notes on the key insights. Look for commonalities amongst the responses. Create themes across the commonalities and link several examples to it.

Step 4 List what is important to you in a job/career. 

If you are to have a rewarding and successful career, it is essential you put time into developing a plan. Write the plan.

1st Blog 5th October 2011

This is my first blog.  I am currently on garden leave.  This has given me plenty of time to devote myself to helping people with their careers. I am currently writing a book on how to achieve everlasting employability.  I write a careers column for People Management and a blog for Human Resources Magazine.
I am happy to use this blog to give advice on all things associated with careers.