James Caan Serial Entrepreneur and Investor in People with Passion How to Take Control Of Your Career And Learn To Move On Throughout my career in business I have always made a conscious effort to make sure I am constantly moving forward and have always resisted the temptation to stand still. It is basic human nature to look for security and to hold on to what you have got but if anyone wants to be truly ambitious, then they should be looking to improve their position at least once every 2-3 years – either within their current company or elsewhere. You should always review your career at six monthly intervals to ensure you are making progress in the right direction. If that is not the case then you need to take action to remedy the situation. Of course, this is not for everybody, which is totally understandable. People have their own individual circumstances. However in my experience, dynamic firms are always going to be on the lookout for ambitious and driven people who can help them drive their business forward onto bigger and better things. If you are truly serious about continually progressing in your career then you need to learn from an early stage how to sell yourself and your skills to future employers. When I first started out in business, I grasped the importance of marketing myself well to potential clients and contacts. When people make an investment they are investing not just in a business but also in the individual behind it. From an employee’s perspective, when it comes to marketing yourself, one of the most important tools you have at your disposal is your personality. You have to learn how to interact with other people; after all no one wants to work with someone who comes across as aloof or disinterested. It is vital to learn how to engage on a personal level no matter which sector you happen to be operating in. You should also constantly look for opportunities to improve yourself. Rather than getting into a comfort zone, aim to learn at least one new skill every year, if not more. Ask your manager if there are any courses you can undertake – this shows them you are actively looking to grow your skill set and can only be a positive. Reputation and a track record count for a lot but you also need a public profile and a well-stocked contact book. Networking is not something that comes naturally to everyone but as I have said before - it is a skill you can develop and improve through sheer experience. One other great way of increasing your profile in the modern market place is to establish yourself as a thought leader. There are a few ways to do this – you can attend seminars and conferences to gain a presence. This will help you build up contacts and soon you could have the opportunity to provide a speech yourself. Also look at the internet, namely blogging. Not only is it cost-effective, but it gives you a wide reach. Finally, be aware of the opportunities that are out there. People are not going to come rushing to you with that life changing job offer. It can be easy to get bogged down with work and miss out on great opportunities. Even if you are happy in your current role it is worth keeping an eye on the job market to make sure that you don’t miss out on that perfect posting. hamiltonbradshaw/images/NewsArticles/500000-DRAGON-INVESTMENT-FOR-YOUR-RECRUITMENT-START-UP-REC.pdf/#lk
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 18:10:19 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015