Where are you going?

When was the last time you thought about your career? For many of us we started at university because of a recommendation from a friend, parent or a teachers’ suggestion. We then followed the bouncing ball, accepted jobs when offered to us and occasionally thought about the direction we were going.

Whenever there is disruption, there will be opportunity. Take time to sit and reflect on your career and where you want to go.

Here are four steps to start you on your journey.

1.????? Understanding what you want

Questions to ask yourself:

-????????? How did I get here?

-????????? Was this by design or by accident?

-????????? If I were to start again, what would I do differently?

-????????? Where am I heading?

-????????? What is important to me?

In his book Drive , Daniel pink writes about three elements of workplace motivation. They are autonomy, mastery, and purpose.

Three other factors to consider when looking at your career are lifestyle, income and skills & purpose. These elements will intersect and overlap. Sometimes you will choose to sacrifice income for a different lifestyle, or to follow your passion. At other times, income may override other factors.

2.????? Know your value

If you have been working in a job for a while, you may have reached a level of mastery without even being aware of it.

Here are some questions to help you clarify your value:

What are your superpowers?

o?? Superpowers are the things that come easily to us. They are the skills that we are known for, and are the skills that motivate others to seek us out

What are your transferable skills and where can they be utilised?

o?? Transferable skills can be applied in multiple settings and different work environments. Have a think about other opportunities you have available to you because of these skills

Collect and collate

o?? Start collecting and collating your career stories that incorporate your skills and superpowers. Ensure they are readily available to include in your CV and interviews

Refine your USP

o?? your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is your personal ‘secret sauce.’ It is what sets you apart from others and is made up of your skills, knowledge, experience and personal values. The goal is to be able to describe your USP in a couple of sentences

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3.????? Choose your direction

The traditional career trajectory has changed. In the past it was a like a ladder, one way, linear and inflexible. Now it is more likely lattice, where you have an opportunity to move up, down and sideways depending on your individual needs.

This will also depend on what stage your career is at. In the past people built their career up to a sharp drop off to retirement. Today there is a longer transition to retirement and an opportunity to focus on other priorities.

Another analogy is to think of your career like tree. An organisation is an individual tree with multiple branches that represent different skill sets and career opportunities.

Depending on your career lifecycle you may choose to jump to a different tree with new opportunities, or indeed you may choose a completely different forest.

4.????? Build skills

Conducting a personal SWOT analysis on yourself will help you clarify your strengths and uncover your weaknesses.

I call these weaknesses ‘soft spots.’ Some soft spots you can choose to ignore as they pose very little risk. Other soft spots you can choose not to strengthen, and simply delegate. Some soft spots may open you to threats and will need to be strengthened.

Some soft spots worth strengthening are

·???????? Strategic Networking

·???????? Developing your personal brand

·???????? Persuasive communication skills

You’ll find articles on all these topics on my website Persuasive Presentations or connect with me on LinkedIn for weekly updates