Said Prince Hamlet when questioning the value of life. I’m not brave or philosophical enough to write about the meaning or significance of life, neither would I claim to be an expert in the subject. However, I am an expert in advising people on how to plan and build their careers strategically. The path to success is not always a straight line, think of your career like a game of chess, plan it, and you’ll be surprised at the results in 3, 5 and 10 years. We should always question the value of work (life) and what we get from our employer.
I will talk more specifically about precisely what we should question, but first, I wanted to preface that this statement may come across as entitled. Still, we are fortunate enough to be living in an era with a massive talent shortage where the candidate is king (or prince for the purpose of this analogy).
It doesn’t matter if you’re a Data Scientist (the area I’ve specialised in), a Lawyer or an Accountant, and don’t get me started on software engineers.?Good talent has never been more in demand.
- Your manager and team. Undoubtedly the most significant influencer of your career. Are you learning? Have you hit a curve? These are all questions you should be asking yourself. Top talent isn’t top talent because they were born that way. They are that way because they don’t stay complacent. Remember, doing nothing leads to stagnation. Top talent doesn’t stay stagnant
- Impact or lack of it. Can you make a more significant impact in a new role? Is your impact being stifled by politics or bureaucracy? If it’s a recurring theme, you best get out because that will bite you in years to come when you can not talk about anything impressive or accomplishments. If you can own big projects, make a massive impact across the firm where you are, stay put. Otherwise, best to look for somewhere that’s crying for someone with your skillset
- Progression. Does your current employer have a strong progression path laid out for you to follow? There are lots of different approaches to progression, and everyone is different. Some would prefer a more senior IC role with an onus on technical decisions and research. Others are naturally more inclined towards becoming people leaders. First, you must identify what you are good at and what type of path you’ll excel in. Then you must understand where to find that path. Start working and thinking about this early on. Larger firms with dedicated HR functions are great at guiding you. Still, it doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t get more out of working closely with a startup founder, which can be a far greater mentor and enabler than a corporate ladder. Choose what works best for you
