Glen Luckman Career Branding Tips

Proper Career Management Will Get You Through Tough Times

By Rebecca Metschke

Article placed by Glen Luckman

Be prepared. The Boy Scouts might just as easily be talking about the foundation for a successful career.

Preparation (i.e. career management) should be a fundamental part of your strategy. If it hasn’t been to date, current events might prompt you to reconsider.

Uncertain economic times aren’t easy for anyone - but they’re a lot less stressful for those who have approached their careers deliberately and purposefully.

These are the people who are constantly laying the groundwork for their next step. They’re always looking ahead. The first day at a new job, they begin planning for their next move.

They don’t allow themselves to get comfortable with the status quo. They expect things to be impermanent; they’re in a position to contend with volatility. They’re prepared for the vagaries of the job market.

They are proactive - not reactive.

There’s no way around the fact that good career management requires ongoing attention. Executed correctly, though, you’ll find the amount of time you must devote to strategic planning on a daily basis is minimal, and it will soon become part of your normal routine.

If this idea is new to you, or you’ve neglected it, you may not know where to begin. To point you in the right direction, these are a few of the things you should be working on: development and ongoing revision of your personal business plan, ongoing review of your marketability, and building/nurturing your network.

While you don’t have control over inevitable market fluctuations or consumer confidence or any number of factors, you do have control over something very important: yourself. Take career management seriously; it’s an investment in your future. Particularly when the economy heads south - which by its cyclical nature it is bound to do - you’ll be glad you did.

Career self-management

By Tony Jacowski

Career self-management is controlled by the concerned individual and includes certain plans and information applicable for future career decision-making and problem solving. It is comprised of continuously improving the existent conditions at the present work place and preparing yourself for a change. Career self-management and organizational career management are not restricted and can actually help to promote each other.

Common Misconceptions

Listed below are some of the common misconceptions about career management:

• Most people think that the most skilled candidate is likely to be selected. However, this is not true. Candidates with limited qualifications avail of a number of job opportunities because of the way they prepare and present themselves. In short, they self-market themselves in the required manner. Being skilled or qualified is not the only criteria. You must be able to convince the employer that you are the most suitable candidate for the job.

• Most people feel that as long as they already have a job, they don’t really need to work on their careers. Again, this not true. Whether or not you are employed currently, you should be prepared for change, in whatever form. To steer clear of any career-related disasters, you should implement the concept of ‘Perpetual Career Management’ to enhance your career growth.

• Professional education should not stop when you graduate. You should always explore ways to increase your knowledge. You should be constantly updating your skills via journals, seminars and pursuing certifications. These choices should be a part of your consistent career development effort.

• Don’t be under the misconception that your job is secure if you work hard and do a good job. With current mergers, outsourcing, downsizing and an unstable economy, there is no job that is entirely secure. You must be fully responsible for the future prospects of your chosen career.

What Graduates Have In Store For Them

Organizations in the United States and other developed countries have been following a trend of employing only the best university graduates to prepare them for future leadership within the organization. However, apprehensions about the proceeds in investing long-term in career development has led many organizations to wonder if this conventional stress on the management of graduate careers should be continued. Employers are now wondering whether they should promote self-management or whether they should continue with the traditional methods of career management.

Article posted by Glen Luckman