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Working productively: Managing your career

Managing your career is a lifelong process. Throughout your career, it's beneficial to maintain your marketability, shape your career path and build a support network. If you do these things, you can gain a sense of control over your career even when you experience occasional setbacks.

Think of managing your career as an everyday concern, like paying attention to your health or keeping your home in good repair. The following suggestions can help you keep your career moving forward.

Stay informed about opportunities
Read your organization's job postings or those of other organizations. This will give you a quick idea of the types of skills and experience that are in demand. You may be able to get more information from coworkers and industry contacts.

Be aware of your employer's needs
Knowing your own strengths is important. But it's also important to make sure that your strengths mesh with the needs of your employer. You may know that you have strong speaking skills and that you'd like to work in sales. But, your organization may be moving away from live presentations and relying more on telecommunications to sell its products or services. You need to acknowledge this change and adjust your skills and expectations accordingly.

Take responsibility for your career
No one in your organization knows you as well as you know yourself. And, no one is as interested in your career. This means that you need to take responsibility for shaping your own career path. Don't look for someone else to give you permission to move forward. One expert suggests that you think of yourself as "self-employed" even if you're not. For example, if you were self-employed and knew you could be more productive if you organized your time better, you wouldn't wait for someone else to suggest ways to do this -- you would try new time-management techniques on your own.

Look for a mentor
An experienced advisor within your organization can be enormously helpful. If you admire and respect someone in your organization, you may be able to meet with that person and ask if they would be willing to advise you on career issues from time to time.

Set goals
Setting goals will help you plan for the future; but, be sure your goals reflect what you want and are realistic. Can you really expect to manage your division any time soon if the current manager is unlikely to leave? Try to make your goals a stretch -- they should challenge you to learn more and work harder. But they shouldn't be so hard to achieve that you'll get discouraged easily. Review your goals at least once a year and update them as needed.

Avoid limiting yourself
Try to avoid thinking in rigid terms such as, "In three years, I will be the lead sales rep. In six years, I will be a manager. In ten years, I will be the vice-president of sales and marketing." Over time, you may discover strengths and interests that you didn't know you had. If you pay attention to your changing needs and desires, you'll keep your options open and be able to take advantage of your growth and individuality.

Update your resume
Revise your resume once or twice a year to include new accomplishments, knowledge and responsibilities, even if you aren't looking for other work. This will help you recognize your achievements and monitor your progress toward the goals you set.

Keep learning
Keep your skills current and learn new ones by taking advantage of any training programs your employer offers, including cross training for other jobs. The more skills you learn, the more valuable you will be to your organization. Learn everything you can about your employer, your customers and your industry. Get to know people in other departments to get a broader view of the organization. Find out what their jobs involve and what skills they require. Ask to be on circulation lists for trade magazines or read them in your organization's library.

It will be easier to maintain your marketability if you don't wait until a crisis occurs to think about your career path. Start today -- by making an inventory of your strengths and areas for development, reviewing your goals, and learning all you can about your employer and industry. Taking these steps can give you a better awareness of your options. Whether you stay in your current job or make a switch, you'll have a better sense of how you can keep making a contribution to the workplace.

This article is adapted from Ceridian's LifeWorks Online service. Contact your Ceridian representative for more information about Ceridian's health and productivity solutions.