By Joni Lindquist
As companies continue to streamline management and reduce management levels, the traditional career path of “climbing the corporate ladder” has largely disappeared. I think of the new world as more of a mountain climb, with twists and turns and switchbacks. It is no longer a linear path. In this landscape, it is up to business executives to manage their own careers. You must continue to grow and develop (and hopefully translate that into higher salary!). Here are three tips we believe will create a resilient career plan:
1) Build new, transferable skills. The world is constantly changing. Work to keep building your skills so they are valued with the changes – technology, consumer markets, communication, and in the demographics of your employee team. You need to build upon your core skills and constantly add new skills that are valued not only in your current company, but in the overall market.
2) Build and maintain meaningful connections. Speaking of change, I recently read a Harvard Business Review article asserting that leaders who are the best change agents rely on strong networks. I think this applies in your current career and possible future career transitions. Making meaningful connections outside their current company is often a very difficult thing for my clients to accomplish. And it takes time. However, most job changers will tell you that it is through a connection that they found their new job. You can’t succeed in this world alone, the stronger your connections are, the more likely you will be able to rely on them at key points in your career.
3) Be open to opportunities OR create your own opportunity. I worked with a client who was stalled in his career. We identified a need for his firm and he went and completed training and received a key industry certification. He then created a job position that he took to the senior leaders in the firm. He made the case for why the company needed this role, and in the process he positioned himself as the ideal candidate. It worked! He took the new job and loved it. If you don’t create your own opportunity, be open to new ones, even ones that at first don’t appear to be on your “path.” Remember you are climbing a mountain; creativity and broadening your perspective may give you career a lift.
For help planning your next career move, schedule a meeting by clicking below, contact Joni Lindquist –jlindquist@makinglifecount.com, or call (913) 345-1881.