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1 RECRUIT A SUPPORT TEAM
Find two good friends who can be objective career coaches
for you, celebrating your successes and giving you honest
feedback. Make sure that your friends and family know your
career objectives and support them.
2 INVEST IN YOURSELF
Most people spend more time planning their annual holiday
than planning their careers. Put time aside to review, plan
and investigate possibilities. Spend at least one day a quarter
focusing on your next career step.
3 IDENTIFY PATTERNS
What went wrong in your last job? Analyse the minuses, and
work out what positive factors you need in the next role.
Avoid repeating the same problems when you move.
4 FAIL FORWARD, NOT BACKWARD
Everyone makes mistakes in their careers. The important thing
is to learn from them.
5 KEEP LEARNING
Become (more) computer literate, improve your language skills
- brush up the skills you know employers are looking for in
the 21st Century. Avoid learning the same old things over
again. Make sure you always have some growth ahead of you
so you can talk about the future, not the past.
6 THINK POSITIVE
Employers are highly tuned to negative messages. Project the
best version of yourself.
7 KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS
Find out not only what you are really good at, but the skills
you enjoy exercising - your motivated skills. Keep a record
of each year's special projects, achievements, positive appraisals.
8 BUILD ON EACH YEAR OF SERVICE
Make sure every decade of your working life is 10 years' progress,
not the same year 10 times over.
9 WATCH THE POLITICS
Organisational survivors are often not those with the best
skills, but those who are most keenly tuned to office politics.
Make sure you are seen as an innovator, as a key player, not
as dead wood. Understand what your boss really wants in life,
and help to provide it. Be very careful around new bosses
- re-establish your presence just as if you were starting
a new job.
10 KEEP UP TO DATE
Read, digest, and show that you are doing so. Go to exhibitions
and conferences. Collate and summarise key information - be
seen as an information broker.
11 NEVER STOP NETWORKING
Your job search programme begins on Day 1 of the job. Don't
stop networking simply because you now have a job. Keep careful
records, and keep in touch, particularly with those people
who can spot industry trends.
12 SELF REVIEW REGULARLY
At least once a year, fill one side of A4 with a review of
Your progress this year
Your key achievements
How you think your boss sees you
Your learning plan
How you are stocking your lifeboat in case this ship sinks
13 PLAN AHEAD
Next time, don't be a passive player in career transition.
Decide the moves you are likely to make. Set goals, and write
them down. Work out the steps you have to take now to achieve
them. Remember that next time you change jobs you will be
older, and the transition may be more difficult.
14 TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
An employer is responsible for getting the best out of you,
but no one else will look after your career but you.
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