“To succeed professionally, employees at all levels must learn to identify their weaknesses, uncover their blind spots, and strengthen their skills”. – Carter Cast in 6 Ways to Take Control of Your Career Development If Your Company Doesn’t Care About It
Thousands of people are frustrated with their current occupations and corporate culture. Many know that the life they’re living isn’t what they’d consider ideal. Many know that they can’t continue this way. Yet, many still, have a hard time figuring out an exit strategy into their preferred career paths.
Talks about career development flood our spaces. For many people, when the issues around ‘career development’ come up they naturally resort to Google. Of course, lots of content is readily available there. Nevertheless, for a novice internet user, that space can be a career minefield.
Of course, “Career development” can mean many things. For the purposes of this piece, let’s simply stick with the idea that it can mean doing the things you have to do to get the career you really want. That will mean knowing precisely the ideal career path and the desired level. It will require basic action plans. It will require unflinching discipline and effort.
As it is, “Rome wasn’t built in a day” and so is your desired career level. In today’s world, almost all things have a DIY approach. This includes career development. You have to own-up your career development.
The first step in the process of career development is to figure out – really figure out – the career you want to have. This may be harder than it seems. You really need to know yourself, know what you’re good at, and know what excites you.
Not many people last long in a career that they hate. Career development begins with taking a close look at yourself. See a career counselor for even more help or take tests that will help you to determine your personality and jobs that will fit it well.
Carter Cast has suggested six things you can do to take control of your career development. Below is a highlight of a few:
- Solve for your own blind spots: Top performers are always learning and adjusting, and routinely seek feedback from their boss, peers, and subordinates.
- Codify your learnings: you can capture feedback and learning by keeping a journal.
Once you have determined a career or two that seems like it will fit you and your dreams, continue with your career development by discovering what needs to happen for you to be qualified for the career you want.
Career development does not happen in an instant or even in a year, it may take years of hard work to get to where you want to be. It is important to be realistic about your goals and about the process.
Does more education need to take place for your career development? Or perhaps you just need some special training courses in your field but you do not need another degree? Find these things out and then begin pursuing it.