Take Charge of your Career Management

• Sunday October 6th, 2013
• 5,338

• Career Management

Happy employee who took charge of her career

If you are just starting your career, deciding on a goal and developing a plan for your career can be daunting. There are so many choices available, and they all seem to require some level of experience. The decisions you make now, and the ones you will make in the future, all affect your career. So, how do you decide on a career and get started on the correct path?

By following these procedures and becoming an active participant in your career goals, you can achieve what you desire. Some points to follow to get you started are as follows:

• You must take responsibility for your decisions and act on them quickly. Sitting back, waiting for the “dream job” to come along, will only make you unsatisfied with your choices.
• The decisions you make should never be rash. If you are just getting into the workforce from college, you will find that appropriate decisions are quick decisions, but they are also well thought out.
• Research the field you want to work in. Learn all you can about it and talk to people who are already working in the industry. Managers are busy people, but they are also quite knowledgeable. Call the receptionist at a company you would like to work for and ask if there is someone you could speak with about the career you have in mind. Often times, managers are more than happy to share some insight into the industry and help you achieve your goals.
• Do not be afraid to continue your education by attending seminars or take courses related to your career search or industry specific training. Learning is a never-ending process and can only enhance your career management plans.
• Network with anyone you come across. You never know who may be able to help you and advance your career. Join industry specific forums and communicate with people online or build a job searcher profile on LinkedIn and start communicating with people with similar jobs and career interests.
• Attend social gatherings like academic conferences, Chamber of Commerce public meetings and trade breakfast gatherings. You do not always have to be a member of the group. Call and ask if you are permitted to attend. It is a powerful way to get your name mentioned.
• Search for jobs you could volunteer for that would enhance your career search. Volunteering is an excellent way to gain experience while learning at the same time. You just never know when that volunteer position becomes a career position. Employers are more interested in the skillset and experience you may bring to their jobs than where and how you gained that experience.
• Keep a positive attitude and be enthusiastic about what may come your way. You never know what is around the corner, and it just may be that career you have been looking for
• Keep a detailed record of the people you meet and the places you have attended. You may need to go back and contact someone, and it is much easier to have his or her name written down in a journal then on a scrap of paper somewhere on your desk.
• Practice your interview skills with friends and family. Give them a list of questions you may encounter and have them ask them in a professional manner.
• Do not take rejection to heart. You may get a lot of no’s before you get a yes, but that one yes will make you forget all the unpleasant memories you had on your career ladder.

The most valuable thing to remember in your career management plan is it is never over. The days of working for one company from day one to retirement are long gone. You should always be ready to make the next move in your career and have the contacts you need to help you in your decisions. Remember, a setback is just another step toward your goal.

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