Your career is a huge part of your life so you need to make sure that you are managing it effectively.
To a certain extent, our careers naturally evolve and develop as we increase our skill-set and take new opportunities. However, as time flies and we settle into a daily routine it is also very easy to end up stuck in a career rut. And what’s worse, we often don’t take the time to reflect on our careers and realise that we are even in a rut!
This is why managing your career effectively and taking the time to properly reflect on where it is heading is so crucial. If you want to progress and reach your full potential, you need to take the reins and steer your career to the top.
If you’re unsure about where your career is heading, or feel like you may be stuck in a rut, follow these 3 steps to figure out where you want to go next.
1. Establish what drives you
There are a few key questions that you need to ask yourself in order to better decide which direction you want your career to go in. These are:
• What are your primary needs? – For example, do you have a mortgage to pay or a family to support?
• What are your personal needs? – Think about what you will need from your career in order to facilitate your lifestyle.
• What motivates you? – Your role needs to be in line with your motivations in order for you to push for success. You can discover your top motivators by taking this quiz.
• What are your work preferences and is your current role ticking all the boxes? – Think about company culture, industry or sector, location, working hours, holidays, etc.
• Does your career suit your personality? – You will only reach your full potential if you are in a role that is a great fit for your personality. You can discover what roles suit your personality by taking this test.
2. Think about what you have to offer
What skills and experience do you bring to the table? What are your key strengths? What have you achieved so far? Once you’ve established all of the fantastic things you have to offer, you should think about whether your current role allows you to really utilise your strengths and skills. If not, maybe it’s time to take them elsewhere?
3. Consider your options
What’s the next step for you? If you can’t see the progression path you want at your current company, then you should explore what else is out there. Check out what opportunities are available in your chosen industry and what the current landscape looks like.
If you think you’re ready to dive into a new job search, check out these tips on where to look for jobs.
It’s always important to take a step back and review where your career is heading a couple of times a year. If you know where you want to go next and how you are going to get there, you will be successful!
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