Career planning
A rewarding career doesn’t just happen. You need to be committed to it and manage it carefully. Whether you have just started working or you have reached managerial level, keeping your career on track is crucial. Career management demands careful attention and constant evaluation. It is an on going process that will keep you in charge of your growth and direction.
Employment is no longer a given; instead you need to monitor your career to be certain you are offering the employer the best candidate available - yourself. This means staying in touch with changes in the workplace and knowing what is necessary to keep your skills in demand. This will enable you to achieve the right balance between work and learning throughout your working life.
Firstly, evaluate your long-term career goal. This goal is the ultimate destination you hold for your career. To define this goal, ask yourself a few questions such as, “What would I like to be doing?” “How would I like my list of accomplishments and achievements to read?” or “To what end do I continue developing my professional skills?”
Conduct a self-assessment of your knowledge, skills, abilities, accomplishments and experiences to understand where you currently are in your career. Identifying both your strengths and your weaknesses will provide assurance that you are pursuing the right career path and by defining your main skill set you can begin the evaluation process. If you would like to read more about preparing for creating a long-term career plan, please click HERE
Networking
We all know the type of situation that springs to mind when someone mentions “networking” -an assortment of suited individuals gathering together to swap business cards, right? That vision of a bustling function room can be enough to provoke a fluttering feeling in the stomach of even the most confident individual; which is probably why the value of networking is so often underestimated - despite this being a somewhat restricted view of what it actually involves.
Done properly and well, networking can prove invaluable when it comes to business deals, effective communication with clients and your own personal career development. It is also one of the most important elements of an effective job search strategy. It is based on the notion that personal relationships have a strong influence over the jobs market, but many people misunderstand networking: it isn’t about asking for a job or about handing out your business card to whoever will take it.
Creating a network of career contacts who can provide support, information and job leads will work best if you take the time to plan your networking strategy and keep records of what you have done or plan to do. Start by identifying your contacts – make a list of all the groups of people you know, including family, friends, work colleagues, previous employers, recruitment agencies, people you have met through courses, etc and then list every individual you know from within these groups.
The enormity of establishing a network might initially be overwhelming, but once it has been built up and is well defined, maintenance is much easier, which means that when your network is required as a resource it is up to date and instantly useful. Keep all this in mind if the prospect of networking is daunting at first. The more you practice, the more natural it will become. To find out more about networking, view the full article HERE
Maximising your earning potential
With the existence of skills shortages, it comes as no surprise that the skills of a well-qualified professional are highly sought after. This is why some might find themselves ‘drifting’ somewhat from project to project, with consistency in terms of job offers, and earning an acceptable income with gradual promotional opportunities, but without ever necessarily achieving their maximum earning potential: the difference between having a job and having a career.
Without an accurate appreciation of your employment value and the confidence to apply yourself in order to achieve this, you could find yourself being paid comparably less than other similarly qualified individuals. To make sure you don’t find yourself in this unfavourable position, it is up to you to take full control of your own career and do everything in your power to achieve a salary or rate that is reflective of your capabilities.
The ways in which technical, engineering and IT personnel increase their earning potential do not differ significantly to those of other professionals. Ensuring that an industry institution has accredited your degree course and that any industrial placements undertaken are at successful, supportive companies will give you the best possible start to your career; but that is just the beginning and from there, it is your own responsibility to reach your full potential.
There are always ways in which you can increase your earning potential and it is up to you to decide whether or not you are prepared to apply yourself in order to move forward. Planning, determination and the ability to see how your short-term achievements contribute to your long-term goals are all key to successfully maximising your earning potential. Click HERE for more information about maximising your earning potential.