Researches have showed that IQ level or abilities of an individual often have no cause and effect relationship with one's success in career, but socio-economic background does have a significant influence. So, what makes a successful career is a big concern to job seekers and jobholders alike.As a professional, one should understand that a career includes all types of employment ranging from semi-skilled to skilled, and semi professional to professional activities. Holding a job might be easy, but managing a career is challenging, to say the least. Every individual struggling to manage the wild ride in the new world of work must look at their career as a journey rather than a onetime event and must take charge of their own career. To become a successful career manager, one should have a proper mind mapping and planning process. One should make a personal plan to increase their value to an employer while focusing on career goals around unique skills and ambitions. If you wish to be Sir Alex Ferguson as your own career manager, plan your game.
Mind mapping could be done by identifying the following things within you and making a list of the determinants given below:
To manage your career, first assess your skills, potentials, strengths and ability to fulfill the expected aim. This will help you to decide on the career path you need to take. Another essential thing is to make sure that you have a Plan B handy; prepare yourself for more than one career, in case you discover later that your first career choice was not meant for you. After analyzing yourself, fill the loopholes you have identified in the first step. For instance you might decide that you need training or a particular course in a field in order to make you eligible for the profession you've chosen. Now is the time to thoroughly research on the given career. The research should come up with answers for questions like:
• What is the scope of the career you have chosen?
• Will that career pay you off in the future?
• Is there room for expansion in that career field?
• Could it be the ultimate destination you were looking for?
After analyzing the above questions, learn to understand how your personality, communication skills and decision making styles impact on the type of job that is best suited to you; learn what you are really good at, and find out what you like to do. Evaluate the kind of values you stand by, and ask yourself about the role you would enjoy in a team, or whether you enjoy working in a team at all. This understanding of the self will build a fundamental framework for your job search. And, frankly, if you don't do this important "homework", you will probably end up landing a wrong job.
Now a big step is to come up with action plan. In other words, think about how you can achieve your career goals. The best way to do this is to first set small goals for oneself. Start by making a to-do list in your diary. Set a deadline for each and every task enlisted there, and make sure you tick off everything on the list by the end of the day. If you are a fresh graduate aiming to become a banker, start by interning at a bank or other financial institution. Keep a very close track of your activities to make sure that they're leading you to the right career path. Re-evaluate these goals couple of times a year to keep track of your progress.
Make sure that you update your CV, reinvigorate your network, take a professional course, or arrange a career development conversation with your seniors, friends, or even guardians. Knowing where to seek for a career advice can ease your transfer into a new career. If you aren't still clear about how to manage your career, find a consultant who can give you proper guidance. They can help you overcome your fears and explore your dreams.
The bottom line is that there is no magic potion for career success. It requires sustained effort, street smarts and insightful strategies. Self-motivation is the number one force pushing you to achieve your dream career and bringing out the manager in you.
The author is recruitment specialist and director at Jobs Dynamics Pvt Ltd, an organization driven towards providing the widest range of job solutions to people looking for work in Nepal. He can be reached at avash@jobsdynamics.com.
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