Be it a new position with another organization or advancement within your current one you need to take assessment on what you consider success to mean and what you are or are not willing to do to get there!!
Here are the necessary steps to successful career management in order to reach a desired outcome!
1. Self-Assessment: Realistically analyze your own knowledge, attributes and skill sets in order to know how to align yourself with different types of positions. If you feel that it is difficult to be objective, get feedback from others.
2. Identify Your Ideal Position: An “ideal” position is how closely the performance, expectations and rewards of the position fit with your interest, values, and abilities. If you are new in the field or to this type of position you need to be flexible in accepting positions that offer some of your ideal aspects.
3. Gap Analysis & Action Planning: Analyze what “gaps” you may have from your self-assessment to obtain that ideal job. Gaps may include education, certification and/or training. Then you need to take action to fill in those gaps.
4. Personal Marketing: Here is a list of areas to market yourself for career advancement.
• Cultivate and maintain a professional network
• Maximize use of social media tools
• Write an effective cover letter and resume
• Prepare for all stages of interview process
Competencies Needed for Today’s Market
Managers:
• Organizational alignment to ensure that yours and the department’s performance are in direct alignment with your organization’s objectives.
• Agility to be able to quickly adapt as well as have your team adapt to changes in the organization’s priorities.
• Business savvy to have the knowledge and experience to run your department as a lean but profitable business.
• Strategic thinking to be able to provide action plan solutions for cost savings and/or financial growth.
• High-level communication skills for building relationships with all levels of your organization, including the C-suite.
Technicians:
• Instead of just being tactical and/or reactionary be proactive and solution focused.
• Combine strong technical ability with strong communication and customer relations skills.
• Handle difficult people or situations with diplomacy.
• Remember the value of human interaction and the need for face-to-face time which is still important despite the current fast-paced and technology-driven environment.
Review: Career Tips to be More Effective
• Stay abreast of current and future industry changes.
• Take the time and investment to continually update your skills to
be current.
• Be active in your regional and national associations for
knowledge and networking.
• Perfect marketing yourself and the value you bring from the resume presentation to communicating up.
• Take control of your career – no one will take better care of your career then yourself.