Are you happy with your career or are you looking for a change? Some people find the perfect job role early on, one which fits perfectly with their personal life and ambition. Others begin to dislike their careers or feel they need a new challenge. Everyone is different. However, for those that do want to make a change, it can sometimes be difficult to know exactly how to get there. Here, we discuss a few ways to make that next career step that is right for you.
- Establish what you want
Often people have an idea of what they want but further thought and research are required. What are your career goals and are they achievable within your current organisation, or will you have to move elsewhere? It’s also important to establish what makes you happy. Being happy and having a healthy wellbeing are key to making progress. Once you have really established what your goals are, you will have a clearer idea of what direction you need to take to get there.
- Plan
Setting out a plan will allow you to take the necessary steps to reach your career goals. One mistake many people make is aiming for an overall end goal which could take years to get to. Instead, breaking this down into smaller segments by looking at it on a step by step basis will make your goal appear more realistic and achievable, as well as keep you motivated.
- Action
Once a plan is in place, it’s important to put it into action. Whether this is getting involved with extra work to broaden your expertise, taking steps to improve your skills or getting feedback from your manager about how you can achieve a promotion in your current organisation; these will all help you get that one step closer. Asking colleagues for feedback is a great tool for self-improvement as they may see things from a different perspective. In the end it’s important that you are happy and feel you are thriving in your environment, and being proactive about reaching your goals will not only benefit you in the long run, but also help you learn along the way.
Anne Taylor at DIRECTions coaching is a UK based coach specialising in executive, leadership, and life coaching, and has done so with many successful individuals and employees of multinational companies with demanding objectives. If you believe you could succeed with Anne’s help, then do not hesitate to give her a call on 020 3151 6830.