Do you work to live or do you live to work? Hopefully, it is the latter, but many spend their lives working in jobs that they dislike. A career is a lifelong chain of work-related positions. Too often we restrict our images of a career path as merely being promoted to the next level or an increase in salary. Who determines career success? You do and there are not any absolutes in assessing career winners or losers. Success is measured by what is important, meaningful, fulfilling, and satisfying to you. Ultimately, your career path is your choice; however, with some planning and development we all can enhance our careers. Ideally, Unlocking Your Career will inspire you to take ownership in your career path and foster the importance of self-development and planning.
Start by asking some basic questions: Who am I? What do I want to achieve? What do I like or dislike? Knowing yourself is the reflection key in navigating through the rapidly changing workplace. According to Warren Buffet, “Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. But if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” For career development purposes, integrity is the quality of your character that is generally measured by your consistency in dealings with others and adherence to a code of widely accepted values. Long-term career success actually begins with integrity followed by and integrated with your intelligence and initiative.
Self-esteem with positive thinking is the confidence key that is applicable to most facets of life and is certainly germane to career paths. Henry Ford succinctly stated: “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” In other words, if you believe you are going to fail, then there is a high probability that you will be right and you will fail. Conversely, believe in your success and think positively! Stephen Covey noted in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, you are either proactive or reactive. Proactive individuals tend to believe they will be successful and remain positive while seeking solutions to issues, problems, and other obstacles. Reactive individuals tend to be negative and often are procrastinators who assume the problems are insurmountable.
Exactly what are employers looking for when they hire or promote an employee? Generally, there is not any magic; most employers hire and promote resources that can contribute to their long-term success. Knowing the job marketplace and skill-sets is the market magic key to your career search and development. Annually, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey hundreds of employers in an effort to determine the degrees and skill-sets that are most in-demand (NACE Job Outlook 2009 Survey, 2008). Accordingly, if you are about to begin your education or are considering updating your education then you may want to review the latest survey. No guarantees, but choosing a degree that is deemed most in-demand may increase your probability for being hired or promoted.
Many of the major job-related search engine sites have more than a million resume postings. Only one interview is granted for every 200 resumes and you have approximately 15 seconds to influence a prospective employer to seriously consider your resume. Consequently your resume is the power key to opening the door for an interview. Remember the primary purpose of your resume is to get an interview and ultimately be hired! Where do you start? Ideally, attempt to wear the employer’s hat and determine the firm’s needs. Visualize the perfect candidate for the job posting. Once you have determined the ideal candidate, then you have a target in which to focus your resume.
Yes, some anxiety and a little stress are common during interviews. Relax, with the Interview = Job Offer preparation key on your team you will soon unlock your career. If you are invited to a telephone interview, select a quiet space where there are not any possible interruptions. If granted a face to face interview, then minimize any outside stressors by thoroughly investigating the interview site. Be sure to confirm the exact time, address and room; test your travel route and time; and ask about any special building access, parking options, and other logistical requirements. It is important to thoroughly research the firm, arrive early, do not take others with you, greet everyone with a smile and a firm handshake, dress professionally, double check hygiene, maintain eye contact, and exercise confident posture. In order to fully benefit from a telephone or face to face interview, consider practicing by answering likely interview questions.
Many believe that human behavior is not random, but actually very predictable and classifiable. Similar to personality tests and career aptitude assessments, organizations frequently employ behavioral screening devices when interviewing job candidates. The Personnel Wheel is your hidden key to unlocking your career and is merely an example of an interview screening device. The Personnel Wheel is a hidden key because it is not intended for you! It is a screening device that the interviewer will furtively employ while asking you interview questions. As a result, make an effort to wear the interviewer’s hat as you explore the Personnel Wheel. Assume a dynamic work-environment and symbolize for a moment that all personnel resources are wheels that enable movement toward organizational goals and objectives. In other words, people or wheels are often critical to a firm’s success. As you are answering questions, the interviewers are determining your wheel’s value and strength.
The learning key, proposes that you do not sit even if you have recently been rewarded by being hired or promoted. Will Rogers once quipped: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” You may not be run over, but you will be left behind because careers exist in dynamic environments. Accordingly, you simply cannot afford to get comfortable and take the position: I have arrived!
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