“Focus on career, not merely the job” is the mantra for successful employees.
There was a time when employment with a reputed firm actually meant life long employment. Career planning and career development in fact meant timely promotions and career progression. People used to think an opening with good company was a life time achievement. There was hardly anything for individuals to think beyond job. Specialization in profession and increasing complexities of business made the people to think beyond the job. In order to equip people to face the change companies have started supporting the employees in planning their career by providing personalized information on the direction.
Career Map
“A good career management plan is like a good road map.”
A good career management plan helps you navigate your job or career change more effectively. Having a career management plan is exactly like having your map so you can move from what you are doing today to what you want to be doing tomorrow. A good plan does not need to be complicated. It can be simple yet effective. You can put a plan together using the resources here. A good plan should help you understand:
· where you want to be
· where you are today
· what the main gaps are
Where do you want to be?
This is one question where we may have difficulty in coming up with an exact answer.
If you are fortunate to know exactly what you want or where you want to be then you have a head start. Otherwise, conducting a future state analysis by asking yourself three key questions will help you start formulating an idea of what you want. This also forms part of the research phase where you are collecting a lot of data about your new area of interest. If you considering a career change then consult career guides or industry guides. Well researched career guides will provide you with a lot of valuable information about your new career and will help you develop a more effective transition plan. You can also take career interest or inventory tests to get additional information for your career management plan. Once you have done this it is time to assess your present situation...
Where are you today?
Asking this question will help you do a through current state analysis. With this analysis you will be able to better understand your situation as it relates to your present job, position or career. It will also enable you to conduct a quick SWOT analysis which will help you develop a more effective career management plan.
What is the gap?
The gap is the difference between the current state and the future state. Understanding the gap is the key to understanding what you have to do to get the job, position or career that you want. By completing the career gap analysis you will have a better idea of what you need to do to improve your skills, knowledge, competencies, work experience.
Some strategic plans in effective Career Management
· Managing the expectation realistically
· Clarifying possibilities of knowledge based and practical based goals
· Supporting individual plan through movement along the career path
· Job rotation, advancement, and problem solving assignment.
· Mentoring the employees where the organization create content for directing careers of youngsters.
· Enriching jobs where people are continuously redesign the work procedure.
· Providing organization wide team based and individual learning opportunity.
· Taking stock of future leadership requirements and designing the career path of capable and performing individual.
· Designing developmental programs that improve employability of people to engage them with challenging jobs.
· Aligning individual to company’s value.
· Providing exposure to new business improvement tools.