Written by: Emma Collyer, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Developing yourself and your career, can be a challenging and exhausting mission to set yourself. There are many different aspects to consider and viewpoints to reflect upon. Who to speak to you? How do I start? What might be applicable to me? And of course, the bigger questions ‘How big, do I make my dreams?’ and ‘What does success look like to me?’
When we bring all these thoughts together, it can be confusing and frustrating trying to understand how best to proceed.
In this article I break down the top 5 areas that can help you in developing your career, taken from my own personal experiences. I keep it simple, so you don’t have to get lost in the enormity of the task!
1. Have a plan.
This may be obvious, but until I started writing down what my plan was, the actions I needed to take were not clear. A plan can be as simple as writing down the next one or two jobs that you might want to focus effort on achieving and the skills, knowledge, and expertise you need to gain to successfully attain the position you are after. Breaking down required tasks and learning needed, month by month or even by year, will help identify the priority areas that need your focus now. This may also include improving your resume and interview skills.
2. Be visible & network.
To maximize your chances of hearing about opportunities and being considered for them (before they are even advertised) you need to be visible to those senior to you or are outside of your organisation (particularly if you are in a small business.) This could include, offering to help on committees, presenting material to different groups, becoming a member of a professional organisation, attending conferences and hosting events. This needs to be targeted to those groups of people and organisations that you are interested in working alongside or for so planning ahead about your key interest areas will help to shape your plans.
3. Take on projects/assignments outside of normal workload.
Yes, this is extra work, but it is essential that you demonstrate being able to manage multiple projects and priorities. A great way to do this is to offer to lead or be involved in a piece of work that includes working with teams and groups that you don’t normally interact with. It will stretch you, expand your network and show those around you that you a prepared to take risks and learn new skills.
4. Get a mentor, coach, and advisors.
All the best leaders that I know, have sought out and continue to work with mentors, coaches, and advisors. They have developed over time, a pool of individuals that they go to for help. If you are seeking out a mentor, look for someone that you admire that is perhaps two steps/positions ahead of you. Ask them if they would be willing to speak with you every few months (don’t make this an onerous commitment for them) to get their advice and guidance on your career steps.
Coaches are another option that can help you really focus on a goal and be accountable for your actions. If you are considering a coach, speak to a couple of individuals before you commit to any sessions or programs. There needs to be a good fit! Typically, you could meet with a coach once a month or more frequently for an hour to discuss the topic which is most pressing for you.
Also, seek out advice and guidance from different sources. You may have some great peers, friends and family that can provide objective suggestions and ideas to help with your career journey.
Don’t be restrictive when creating your group of ‘helpers’ – I always had several individuals I could seek out for assistance depending on the issue in hand. The group also changed over time as my career progressed and my needs changed.
5. Seek feedback.
I cannot stress this enough, but it is vital that you seek feedback on all aspects of your career development. Share your plan with your manager and mentors, get their input. Seek out feedback on the skill areas you need to develop as a priority. Ask for feedback on your strengths and weaknesses from your team, peers, and colleagues. Continuing to do this throughout your career will help you identify blind spots and areas where you need to maximize your effort to ensure success. Incremental improvements over time through a feedback loop, will drive the career success you are looking for.
If you found this article helpful but are looking for more in-depth support, please schedule a free call with me here to discuss your needs in more detail. I look forward to helping you!
Emma Collyer, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Emma Collyer is the founder of Aspire Executive Coaching, a company dedicated to helping executives, leaders and aspiring leaders, to grow and succeed in their business and careers. She created the business after experiencing firsthand the transformative power of coaching on her own development and growth. Her coaching draws on her own leadership experience, working across the built environment sector alongside environmental specialists, engineers, planners, project managers and architects. Her mission: to empower individuals so that they have the courage to embrace change and achieve exceptional results.
