Steer Your Career In A Clear And Positive Direction

Imagine that your career is a Starship and you’re the Captain. You can cruise along at impulse power or take command in order to guide it in a clear and positive direction, at warp speed.

I used a Star Trek analogy there, but you get the metaphor. Have a look at these suggestions for setting your course and sticking to it so you so arrive where you want to go.

Setting a Course for Your Career.

Conduct a thorough self-assessment. Think about your interests and skills. Consider what you’re good at and what you like doing. Maybe you like working independently or you perform best when you’re part of a team.

Research your options. Once you know what you want to do, look for occupations that match up with the profile you’ve created. You will probably find a number of choices. A love for teaching could lead you into academia or corporate training. Engage with a reputable job advisor who will be able to talk you through the types of available positions.            

Take career tests. Career testing is one way to get a better picture of your abilities. You can find many free programs online to get started. You can attend job centres, dependent on the distancing rules where you are or call them for advice. These career centres offer a variety of services or can guide you to other local resources.

Interview people. Talk to people you know who are already working in your chosen field. They can share their first-hand experience and provide more perspective on the necessary qualifications, typical responsibilities, and employment prospects. Or be proactive and contact someone via LinkedIn and see if they have some time to help you.

Focus on priorities. Many people discover that they have multiple interests which may change over the years. It happens. Try narrowing your list down to three top priorities at a time to keep things manageable.

Put your plan in writing. Make a written record of your goals and the steps you need to take to reach them. It will help you to chart your progress and spot areas where you need to do more work. You are more likely to chieve your goals when you write them down. 

Sticking to Your Career Route.

Perform regular evaluations. This can be a lifelong project. One good habit is to update your CV at least every six months. Use that time to analyse if you’re moving in the right direction or need to make adjustments.

Take on new responsibilities in your current position. Wherever you’re currently working, you can look for opportunities to grow. Give your manager a proposal asking to take on a new assignment.

Keep looking ahead. Set both short term and long term goals. You may decide to attend networking events over the next six months and get a more senior position within two years.

Continue your training. Take advantage of opportunities to get more training and education. Your employer may offer in-house programs or cover the costs for job-related courses. Or you could invest in yourself working with a coach, for instance.

Find a coach. You might find it helpful to work with a career coach. This could be a paid professional or a supervisor or colleague willing to play that role. Contact me for more details.

Do volunteer work. Volunteering is always a great way to give back to your community while broadening your experience. Find an organisation you want to support and pick a project you want to learn more about, like accounting or events management.

Develop a side job. Turn your hobby into an additional source of revenue. Over time, it may grow into a full-time job doing what you love!

Be proactive. Above all, take the initiative to figure out what kind of work will be fulfilling for you. Aiming for something you care about will keep you motivated and diligent.

Imagine looking back on your career with the satisfaction of accomplishing your goals and making a difference in the world. Planning ahead and making the necessary mid-course corrections will put you in charge and make your work more rewarding.

 

It’s what you do next that counts.

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