MANAGING YOUR CAREER

Career management is the lifelong process of
investing resources to achieve your career goals. Career management is not a
singular event but a continuing process that is a necessity for adapting to the
changing demands of the 21st Century economy.

Whether we are in the early phase of our work
life or a workforce veteran, we have probably heard the term career management.
We may have also heard that in the future we would need to be responsible for
our careers. What we may not have been told is what career management is and
how it is done! Career management uses concepts similar to good financial
management.

In financial management, a good rule of thumb to
keep in mind is that a disciplined investment made on a regular basis yields a
greater return. However, this tactic varies in career management; it enables us
focus on two key investment assets which we deal with throughout our working
years: our personal lifelong learning and our network of relationships.

Much of our day-to-day work is now based around
technology. Computers and other scientific advancements have radically altered
the way we work. Even more amazing is the realization that there are more
scientists alive today than ever before and the projected rate of change will
increase tenfold in our children’s lifetime.

The ramifications of these advancements and
innovations will ripple swiftly through the economy, making many businesses
obsolete and catapulting others into the limelight. How well we are able to
adapt to these ongoing innovations will be directly related to how current we
keep our knowledge and skills.

It is
therefore imperative to consider how to vary our investments in time, energy
and resources. Examples might include: credentialed coursework (locally or
through distance learning), topical courses for certificates, joining cutting
edge projects, attending conferences, or staying current in professional
reading.

As we have moved to an information and service
economy, relationships have become an increasingly critical asset. Not only do
our relationships help us accomplish our day-to-day tasks with colleagues,
vendors, customers and competitors, these relationships will be the source of
information about how fields and industries are evolving. We also have
relationships outside of our work environments that may be affiliated with our
hobbies, children, and spiritual or community networks.

These personal and professional relationships
will transcend specific companies, industries and communities.  However, the way we interact, respond and
connect in all our relationships will impact our present performance and future
opportunities because very little is accomplished in isolation.

Networking uncovers more than 70% of current job
openings and so it is important to keep connected and know how to build good
relationships than ever before. These skills can be developed in applied
communication courses, mastering contact management software, effective
listening and genuine desire to get to know people better.

Lifelong learning and relationship management
form the bedrock of successful career management. Creating a vision and plan
are also essential to guiding informed personal investment decisions and
establishing annual goals.

The career vision we establish should be broad
enough to be flexible, but specific enough to be actionable. This career
vision, built on a profile of our unique traits, directs our choices to develop
what we need to be satisfied and be able to successfully contribute in
different work environments over the years.

Therefore, to maintain our adaptability and
employability, habitually establishing annual learning goals and nurturing our
relationships are the keys to a productive career management. Learn and network
now!

By Abayomi Orungbe