Our worlds of work, living and learning have changed forever. Whilst there have been many fantastic stories of growth and resilience since the pandemic started in March 2020, many people are facing change or wanting change given their journey over the past two years.
So, whether you are looking to position yourself within your organisation for promotion or advancement, or whether you are undergoing a complete career change, the University of Southern Queensland School of Business has developed 10 things you can do right now to re-activate your career journey, take control, and move forward with confidence and purpose.
Step 1: Know Who You Are
The most important first step to take when you are advancing your career is to know yourself and the best way to start this process is to grab your CV and go all the way back to high school and review, analyse and critique every decision you have made that has impacted your career to date. Answer the question: How did I get to where I am today? Noting: the good, the bad and the ugly.
If you have access to psychometric tests, take time to acknowledge results and think critically about your strengths, skills, achievements to date, your natural talents, your potential, that make you who you are.
A great exercise to better understand yourself, is to reflect on previous experiences that did not work out as well as they could have, for you or others. Ask yourself, if I had my time again, how would I manage this situation, knowing what I know now? What behaviours or circumstances would I have changed to get a better outcome for myself and others? The answer to this question is your learning.
Step 2: Analyse your strengths, skills, experiences, natural talents, education, and your potential
Write down all your strengths, your skills (both hard technical skills and soft skills), your experiences, natural talents, your education. You also want to write down the proof of your performance – what insights or data can you provide as evidence of your value. What are your key achievements?
Step 3: Create your unique value proposition statement
Once you have analysed who you are and what you do, start to create the narrative that describes the unique combination of skills, experiences, natural talents, and potential you bring to a business. You must be able to express yourself succinctly and effectively, in writing and verbally. This takes practice and time. Create the language that best expresses who you are and what you do. Be authentic to yourself and confident about your abilities and the areas you need to develop.
Step 4: Identify the impact you want to have on the world
Stop reinventing yourself as a response to a job advertisement. Crystallise in your mind the impact you want to have at work. Ask yourself – What do I want to do day to day to earn my living? Do not think about titles. Think clearly about the actions and the impact you want to have on the world.
Career strategy is not just about finding the next job. It is about finding the next job that leads to your next job and your long-term career goals.
Step 5: Identify the organisations and the people you want to work for
The world of work in 2022 is complex, uncertain, constantly changing and challenging.
Your sustained wellbeing and your capacity to achieve success will depend on working in an environment aligned with your professional and personal values. If you value a competitive workplace, then seek out that type of environment. If you value supportive managers, then seek out the managers you want to work for. I know we talk about working WITH someone because it is more politically correct, but, as an employee, you are working FOR someone (no matter what level of seniority).
So do your due diligence on the values, the purpose and the people working in the organisations you are interested in.
Step 6: Create a CV in your own words that talks to your unique value and demonstrate your capacity to deliver your value
No matter who you are, you need to have a CV – a document that talks to who you are, what you do, your key areas of expertise, your potential and the impact you want to have. Find a format that works for you. Remember you are a product, positioning yourself in a highly competitive marketplace. Ask yourself this question: What do I want people to read about me so that they pick up the phone to talk? Make sure your CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile are all congruent and reinforce the key messaging of your value to an employer.
Step 7: Be ready to talk to your purpose – articulate your “WHY”
Identify your career purpose. When you are ready to advance your career, you are playing the long game. Don’t be afraid to go after what you want. It is so fantastically rewarding to achieve the success you are looking for. Spend the time and energy so that you exhaust the opportunities and find the way forward. You may not be successful in some of your endeavours but learn the skill to turn rejection into opportunity. Most importantly, enjoy your career journey and stay strong to your goals.
Step 8: Change Your Mindset to “Positioning for Success” rather than “reinvention”
Often when we face a time of career or job change, we say to ourselves – “time to reinvent me to find my next job”.
It’s interesting how language shapes our perception, our engagement and our motivation.
For many people, the word reinvention gives off a negative connotation. Reinvention sounds hard and tedious exercise and to some extent, dismiss what has been achieved previously.
Try this – change your language to “positioning for success”. Think of yourself as a product, positioning yourself in the marketplace. Ask yourself these questions: Who do I know? What am I known for? Who do I need to know in the future? What do I need to be known for, to achieve what I want to achieve?
Step 9: Develop a strategy and supporting plan, designed to open doors to opportunity
Develop a strategy and the tactics that will get you from your current state to your desired future state. Create a people map that identifies who you know now and who you need to know to achieve
what you want to achieve. Who do you need to have a conversation with to open the doors to achieve the success you are looking for? Act and follow this plan adapting the plan as you progress forward.
Step 10: Find a mentor to support you on your journey
This is by far one of the most important things you can do to support your career journey. Finding the right mentor is an amazing experience. Imagine your world where you have a person who believes in you, believes in your value and your performance, who believes in your potential. Someone you can lean on who can advise you and support you to find solutions to your challenges.
This year the University of Southern Queensland School of Business will launch a mentoring program available to current students and alumni.
If you are interested in being a mentor or mentee, register your interest by emailing to alumni@unisq.edu.au.
Remember, you are in charge of your career. You have the opportunity to take control and design your future. And as a USQ alumnus, you are not alone in this journey.
Visit the School of Business website for more information about support and new opportunities in 2022.