Are you where you set out to be? Or did you just end up here? You own your career path – no one else. It is time to start being intentional about it.
Do any of these situations sound familiar?
- You are not advancing how you would like within your company – you want to take control of your own professional development and career trajectory.
- You want to be promoted, but need more experience or specific skills – how do you obtain these?
- You have enjoyed your work, but want a change – you want to explore a different option.
- You started in a role or industry – and stayed. You didn’t mean to stay so long, you had intended to do something else. And now years later, you aren’t sure what to do next.
How do you take control of your career path and feel confident that you are in the driver’s seat?
Read on for 5 tips to help you in Owning Your Career Path.
Each Path is Unique
Remember that your path is unique. It should be a career path that fits you, your strengths, your values, your needs and your career goals. Sometimes the noise of what other people think you should do can get in the way. Take time to reflect on your values and skill sets and what type of opportunities will be a fit for you.
Build on Past Experiences
Often, I hear from clients or potential clients that feel an experience in their past was not a fit for them – or no longer serving them. Many career paths are not linear. I strongly believe that you can take something away from each experience.
Maybe the role was not a great fit for you or you worked on a challenging team. Were you able to learn a new skill there? Were you able to learn how to be more patient with others or the importance of communications skills? If you are in this situation currently, think about what you can take away from this role. How can what you learned help you in your next role? Even in the most difficult situations, you can usually find a lesson learned to carry into the future.
Focus on Your Professional Development
Many companies or organizations offer professional development opportunities for their employees. Often, you may need to seek these opportunities out to understand which ones you are eligible for or could receive reimbursement for external opportunities. Is there an internal leadership development program? If so, how are participants selected? Make your interest known early. Understand what else you may need in order to become eligible.
How can you continue to grow and learn? What other skill sets will be important for roles you are interested in moving into in the future?
Seek out external options. Whether it is an online course, a conference, a certificate program or working with a coach, numerous opportunities exist to continue to improve your skills.
Celebrate Your Accomplishments
Know what your accomplishments are. Keep track of them at least on an annual basis, preferably quarterly or bi-annually. Who else knows about your accomplishments? Who else NEEDS to know about your accomplishments? You are your own self-advocate. If you are confident in what you have achieved and can share this with others, this puts you in control of your path. Your boss may be busy in the day-to-day and not realize everything you are doing.
Find Your People
Surround yourself with people who will support you and your career ambitions. It’s important to have people around you who will support you, as well as challenge you in a constructive way. Who in your current network can help you on your career path? Who else may you need in your network to help you meet your goals?
Read more on finding your people in my previous blog post, Creating Your Personal Board of Directors.
Charting Your Next Steps
Now that you have some tips on how to own your career path, what is one step you can take today to be more intentional in your career? What is not serving you? What could you let go of in your career? If you let go of this, what else could you achieve?
Take some time to reflect on these questions and share with a mentor or your personal board of directors.
If you need help charting your career path, reach out to schedule a time to talk!