We all want to expand our career options. The wider the variety of career opportunities the more likely you will be working in career that keeps you excited, you perform at your best, and in the morning you can’t wait to get to work.
To expand your career opportunities, first, you start with a self assessment of your strengths and weaknesses. Based on the results you factor them into an overall career plan to grow and expand your career opportunities. Build a personal profile of you current job qualifications and work hard to identify skills you may be missing that may be holding you back.
To assist you in building your personal profile, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Are you prepared to conduct a job search or successfully compete for a career advancement or promotion?
2. Do you have the personal and professional skills and abilities to effectively change with the changes in the workplace?
3. Do you have essential transferable job skills that would allow for a smooth job transition?
4. Do you keep up to date in your career and industry? Do you know the changes occurring within your department and organization? Develop as broad a perspective as possible.
5. Do you work at raising your professional visibility? Do you serve on committees, volunteer for special projects and routinely recommend job related improvements? Do you write articles for the company newsletter or for a job related association?
6. Do you routinely take advantage of professional and personal networks to gather information, help others and keep abreast of career opportunities?
7. Do you keep an “atta boy or girl” file to assist you in updating your resume? Does your resume accurately represent your qualifications and possible value to your current employer or a prospective employer?
8. Do you have an ongoing positive attitude? A positive attitude can be learned and made a habit. Your value as team mate and employee with a positive attitude will increase, allow you to more easily overcome obstacles and reduce the stress in your life.
9. Do you have a plan to build your skills? With the many formal evening classes, courses on the internet or just plain self-study you can add skills that makes you more marketable in the competitive workplace.
Your supervisor or your organization are not responsible for your career advancement, rather you must become proactive in your career planning and career development. By taking ownership of your career, you’ll be taking giant steps to assure that tomorrow you will be in the right career with the right employer.
