Archives: Professional Development
Take control of your career
Provided by the career experts at Robert Half Finance & Accounting
Whether you’re a high-level executive or just beginning your career, you are in charge of your professional development, which means it’s up to you to determine your career objectives and develop a plan for meeting them. The following strategies will help you better clarify your goals and take steps toward achieving them.
Know your overall goal. You should have a clear vision of how you would like your career to unfold. Ask yourself what you want to accomplish in your professional life: financial stability, rank, peer recognition, personal satisfaction? Understanding what you want is the first step toward achieving your objectives.
Look at the Big Picture. Create an outline that will help you keep an eye on your long-term aspirations. Every few months, set aside time to review your plan, and reflect on what you’ve been doing and where you’re headed. Evaluate whether you’re still on target for reaching your professional goals, and if you’re not, determine where you can make adjustments.
Learn as you go. Each position you take should be a logical step toward your goals, and provide an opportunity to improve your technical and interpersonal skills. Strive to work effectively within your employer’s culture, paying attention to office dynamics. Avoid involvement in the negative aspects of company politics.
Maintain a work/life balance. You may be committed to your work and career, but it’s important not to lose sight of your personal priorities. If you aren’t able to relax when you’re away from work – or you’re unable to spend enough time with friends and family – you could set yourself up for job burnout. And feeling overwhelmed at the office won’t help you achieve your career aspirations. Try to recognize when you’re overloaded and find ways to balance your personal and professional commitments.
Be your own manager. Managing a career can be a part-time job in itself. Consider investing in some tools, such as project-management software or day-planning notebooks, to help you set priorities and make the most of your time. The same organization and discipline you use for setting personal goals and re-evaluating priorities in your career also apply to your job.
Improve your communication skills. Strong speaking and writing skills are essential to achieving your goals. Written reports, memos and e-mails should be as clear, concise and persuasive as your in-person and phone conversations.
Expand your contacts. Make networking an ongoing activity, not just something you do when you’re in search of a job. Think of time and effort spent staying in touch with people as an investment in your career development. Try to fit in one or two days per month to mingle with colleagues at an association meeting or trade show. You’ll maintain relationships with those you already know and forge new ones with others who may help you in the future.
Stay ahead of the curve. Take steps to remain on the cutting edge of developments in your industry. Scan newspapers, industry publications and web sites on a regular basis to stay current – especially if you’re in a business that’s changing rapidly, such as high-technology.
Maintain high ethical standards. Ethical conduct on the job – such as following through on your commitments and sharing credit for group efforts – should be a core value. Without integrity, you’ll have a difficult time building trust with contacts, coworkers and managers – and all are important as you build your career.
Promote yourself. Without boasting, ensure that your manager is aware of your hard work and achievements. Contribute ideas during meetings and make suggestions to improve department workflow. Offer to take on projects that fall outside of your job description – they could serve as springboards to career advancement.
Taking control of your career requires persistence, hard work and planning. Following the strategies discussed above will put you on the fast track to achieving your professional aspirations.
Founded in 1948, Robert Half Finance & Accounting, a division of Robert Half International, has more than 360 locations throughout North America, South America, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, and offers online job search services at www.roberthalf.com.
