How to actively manage your own career

How to actively manage your own career

It’s very easy to get so caught up in work and ‘doing your job’ that you lose sight of your overall career.

However, to align your career path in the direction of your goals requires constant management, even if you are currently in a role you enjoy and in which you are developing.

You should always be planning your next step, preparing accordingly and ensuring that, when it comes to it, you are the perfect candidate.

Every individual is accountable for their own success. It’s your responsibility to identify your talents and capabilities, to cultivate them, expand them and showcase them to others. Most importantly, it’s up to you to look at the bigger picture and to plan where you want to be in three, five or ten years’ time. 

So what should you be focusing on?

Set and communicate clear goals: Those who progress furthest in their career will usually have a very clear vision of what they want to achieve. Sketch out the career path you’d like to take. Are you currently where you need to be on it to achieve what you want in the future? If not, what changes do you need to make? Involve your manager and your mentor, where relevant, in the process. Crucially, regularly measure where you are in relation to your goals in order to maintain momentum.

Create an open and honest feedback loop: The hardest thing to do is to hear honest feedback, because it won’t always be positive. But, the ability to listen to all feedback and to adjust your way of working accordingly is what will help you to move to the next stage in your career. If you adopt the right attitude to it, bad feedback will only make you a better employee.

Write it down: Every quarter update your resume with your latest achievements so that you are always ahead of the game when it comes to applications. Also, keep a separate document detailing projects you are particularly proud of so that you can refresh your knowledge of these just prior to an interview and be ready to use them as examples of previous successes or demonstrations of key skills.

Join the conversation: Read industry publications, websites and blogs. Share the best articles and have your own point of view on them. Position yourself as a voice of the industry and a valuable resource within your professional community. When you see great content, make an insightful comment and connect with key influencers.

Keep learning: When a new project comes up in an area where you don’t have a lot of experience, but which is key to your future goals, raise your hand. If someone is an expert in an area you want to learn more about ask if you can buy them lunch and pick their brain. If additional training would help you in your current role, as well as expanding your skillset for the future, ask your manager or HR team if it would be possible to go on a course or to a training event.   

Here at Elevation we are an integrated Group of multi-disciplined recruitment specialists. Our recruitment consultants are reliable, long serving and trusted, and are specifically trained to offer career development advice.

If you are an individual looking for your next challenge and wish to discuss how the Elevation Recruitment Group can assist your search and help you to take your career to the next level, please contact us today.