As the year draws to a close, it's a time of reflection, a moment to ponder our career journeys. Are we moving purposefully towards our goals, or simply drifting? It's a common struggle: despite spending a significant portion of our lives at work, many of us lack a clear, intentional career plan.
Our research revealed a surprising fact: most people devote less than an hour per week to activities aimed at career satisfaction. This lack of focus might stem from uncertainty about where to start. But don't worry, this new year, we're here to guide you.
Four Cornerstones of Career Success
Career Visionary: Begin with a clear destination in mind. Those that manage their career well have clear goals, based on personal introspection, including about their life circumstances. They continually seek input. And they get analytical because, after all, the stakes are high. Without a vision and a plan, your career might meander aimlessly, or you might find yourself chasing goals that don’t truly satisfy you.
Value Creator: The foundation of a great career is doing excellent work, but it’s more than just about effort; it's strategic. Understand your stakeholders and their values – your professional worth is often defined by their perception. Creating value means being a good colleague. And it means life-long learning. That’s how we keep up and routinely get better. And get ahead.
Brand Builder: Your work doesn't always speak for itself. How well do others know you and your contributions? A strong personal brand is crucial for the career minded, yet it's often overlooked even by those with clear goals.
Opportunity Seeker: Not all opportunities are equal. Some offer incredible career momentum, exposure, or unique experiences. It's about working smart in roles that can serve as career inflection points. Career success is accelerated when we have clear criteria for the career decisions we make, and apply it dispassionately.
Career Edge Diagnostic
We offer a tool to help you assess your career competencies in these areas. Our Career Edge Diagnostic provides insights into key behaviors that can significantly impact your career progression. By adopting an analytical approach, you can move from “wishful thinking” to “wish fulfillment”. In 2024, why not?
Investing less than 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire, you'll instantly receive a confidential report. What’s there to lose?
With your report in hand, you’ll see your areas of relative career strength. The results will direct you to the behaviors you can focus on to improve your career outcomes. With that insight, why not set a realistic, actionable goal for 2024. It doesn't have to be grandiose; even a small, specific action can make a significant difference. And considering you’ll spend around 90,000 hours working in your lifetime, a small investment in improving this substantial part of our lives is just that - an investment in yourself.
So, take that first step. Identify one small action and commit to it. Commit to doing something for yourself, based on the insights you’ve gained.
Exciting Announcement for May 2024
In partnership with Pearson Publishing, we're excited to announce the launch of a comprehensive guide to career growth, coming in May 2024. It’s an honest conversation about professional success. Based on your definition of success, you can examine what’s working, and what’s not, in your professional journey, based on what actually matters to success. We want to help everyone better navigate their career and get more of what they want from work. Stay tuned! (and reach out if you want to know more)
Happy New Year and Thank You
As we welcome 2024, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to our followers. We wish you a year brimming with fulfillment and success in your careers. Here's to a year of achieving more of what you want from work!
Disclaimer: the opinions expressed here are the authors' and don't represent the opinions of any other organization or institution.