Post by Trade facilitator on Jan 31, 2018 15:37:12 GMT 1
Managing a career, the biggest mistake many professionals make is letting others make decisions for them. When this happens, you have handled the future of your business to someone else.
For instance, have you ever accepted a promotion just because it was offered? It is likely that you felt flattered and grateful to be offered a more important role and never thought about where this decision would lead your career down the road.
An engineer slowly realized this was happening to him. Instead of assigning him engineering projects he enjoyed, his firm was steering him into marketing role, which did not fit his career goals or technical background. He also found that he had little time for his family and could not accomplish important personal goals.
Career satisfaction comes from taking responsibility for your destiny. The days of working for one benevolent employer for a lifetime are over. Now, skills determine job security. If you have what it take, what employers need, you’re assured of a continuous paycheck. You therefore need to view yourself as self-employed, even while working for others.
A Four-step Process
When managing your career in a new environment, consider yourself as president of one-person company, in charge of your success, growth, and survival. Remember you are also the chief marketing executive, responsible for creative packing and creating a need for the company’s flagship product or services – you. Applying the corporate marketing techniques that follow can help your career to flourish.
Define Your Product
To create a desirable package for your product, you must determine why it’s unique. What are your special skills and talents? What are you selling to potential employers? What makes you different from other products (candidate/professionals)? Is your product or services appropriately priced or do you need to make improvements (acquire more skills)?
The marketing process has become so sophisticated that you must package yourself and your skills, abilities and talents to compare effectively in and out of your organization. Don’t wait until you’re unemployed to begin the process. It’s important to market yourself on a regular basis, not just when it becomes essential.
It isn’t easy to assess, define your skills. Don’t take the easy way out and simply start your little industry. You must identify specific skill that makes you valuable in your workplace. For example, instead of describing yourself as a quality-control manager, view yourself as a quality-control specialist with advanced analytical skills in micro-biology. Similarly, saying that you’re a tax accountant who can be effective in any industry it is more impressive than being labeled an accountant for a small-sized firm.
Determine Your Market
Who are your target customers now and in future and why would they continue to buy your product? Would they buy your product? Without a clear understanding of your market audience, you can’t package yourself or create an effective marketing plan.
If you’re employed, your target market can be internal, external or both. You don’t have to leave a current employer to advance in your career. Moreover, marketing yourself internally is easier than external networking, which often means making ‘’cold’’ calls to people you’ve never met. With internal networking, you’ll find that you already have a level of acceptance and camaraderie with fellow employees since you’re working toward shared goals.
Make a Plan
Good marketers create a follow-up plan that includes a description of their target audience and how best to reach it. Create your own marketing plan, the follow through on details. All your efforts and activities should support your goals, whether it is to become better known in your present industry or a different field.
Few professionals know the basics of job hunting. Many more don’t understand how to continuously market themselves as a product. Marketing helps you to become known and visible to buyers. It requires making connections and staying in touch with a network of people. It is a different process than job hunting and takes longer to pay off, but the rewards can exceed your expectations. The penalty for ignoring this career strategy is to be unnoticed when a career opportunity develops. When putting your plan into action, don’t be shy about discussing your career goals. If contacts do not know what you need or want, it will be difficult for them to help you.
For instance, have you ever accepted a promotion just because it was offered? It is likely that you felt flattered and grateful to be offered a more important role and never thought about where this decision would lead your career down the road.
An engineer slowly realized this was happening to him. Instead of assigning him engineering projects he enjoyed, his firm was steering him into marketing role, which did not fit his career goals or technical background. He also found that he had little time for his family and could not accomplish important personal goals.
Career satisfaction comes from taking responsibility for your destiny. The days of working for one benevolent employer for a lifetime are over. Now, skills determine job security. If you have what it take, what employers need, you’re assured of a continuous paycheck. You therefore need to view yourself as self-employed, even while working for others.
A Four-step Process
When managing your career in a new environment, consider yourself as president of one-person company, in charge of your success, growth, and survival. Remember you are also the chief marketing executive, responsible for creative packing and creating a need for the company’s flagship product or services – you. Applying the corporate marketing techniques that follow can help your career to flourish.
Define Your Product
To create a desirable package for your product, you must determine why it’s unique. What are your special skills and talents? What are you selling to potential employers? What makes you different from other products (candidate/professionals)? Is your product or services appropriately priced or do you need to make improvements (acquire more skills)?
The marketing process has become so sophisticated that you must package yourself and your skills, abilities and talents to compare effectively in and out of your organization. Don’t wait until you’re unemployed to begin the process. It’s important to market yourself on a regular basis, not just when it becomes essential.
It isn’t easy to assess, define your skills. Don’t take the easy way out and simply start your little industry. You must identify specific skill that makes you valuable in your workplace. For example, instead of describing yourself as a quality-control manager, view yourself as a quality-control specialist with advanced analytical skills in micro-biology. Similarly, saying that you’re a tax accountant who can be effective in any industry it is more impressive than being labeled an accountant for a small-sized firm.
Determine Your Market
Who are your target customers now and in future and why would they continue to buy your product? Would they buy your product? Without a clear understanding of your market audience, you can’t package yourself or create an effective marketing plan.
If you’re employed, your target market can be internal, external or both. You don’t have to leave a current employer to advance in your career. Moreover, marketing yourself internally is easier than external networking, which often means making ‘’cold’’ calls to people you’ve never met. With internal networking, you’ll find that you already have a level of acceptance and camaraderie with fellow employees since you’re working toward shared goals.
Make a Plan
Good marketers create a follow-up plan that includes a description of their target audience and how best to reach it. Create your own marketing plan, the follow through on details. All your efforts and activities should support your goals, whether it is to become better known in your present industry or a different field.
Few professionals know the basics of job hunting. Many more don’t understand how to continuously market themselves as a product. Marketing helps you to become known and visible to buyers. It requires making connections and staying in touch with a network of people. It is a different process than job hunting and takes longer to pay off, but the rewards can exceed your expectations. The penalty for ignoring this career strategy is to be unnoticed when a career opportunity develops. When putting your plan into action, don’t be shy about discussing your career goals. If contacts do not know what you need or want, it will be difficult for them to help you.
