10 Point Quick Career Check List

This is a short post that provides a 10 point career check list for anyone to use to assess their current work situation.  It is based on my view, and the lessons from the GFC,  that many people just let their careers evolve and effectively (even if not consciously) allow their employers to control their career path - and this is sometimes when the individual and employer are not actually suited to each other!

The following questions are designed to promote thinking and  hopefully proactive strategies by individuals to  take charge of their career.  Appropriate links are provided to other areas of this blog or my website.

1. Brand - what defines your personal brand?  Do all of your brand point align with your strategic positioning - your dress style, leadership style, resume, online presence, technical skills, telephone manner, work behaviours and ethic etc?
2. Elevator Speech – can you succinctly articulate what you do and your value?  Do you have a permanent "professional discussion points" list in your head?
3. Engagement - how engaged are you in your current role?   Are you in the right role for your personality, skills and values?  Is your role or organisational culture diminishing your mental health and engagement?
4. Financial Independence - what are you doing to develop your financial independence from your employer?  Do you actively manage your finances as if you are a one person business with one client? Do you manage what may be your biggest expense - TAX?
5. Learning and Skills - what learning and skill enhancement have you done in the past year?  Do you just wait for your employer to provide training or do you seek your own learning opportunities?  Are you leveraging the power of social media (blogs, Twitter, YouTube etc) to learn current technologies, topics and trends?  What are your Personal Effectiveness Tools?
6. Networking - how are your professional networks - outside your current employer?  Do you pro-actively connect and manage them? How do you generate connections?  Do you follow up networking contacts through LinkedIn?
7. Resume - do you have a current resume? Is it generic or tailored to the types of positions you are seeking? Do you have an online resume on LinkedIn?
8. Strategic Management - what is your 1, 5, 10 year personal brand development/management plan?  If over 45, do you have a reinvention or retirement plan?  Do you have an internal mentor (other than your direct boss)?  What about an independent external coach to help you achieve your strategy?
9. Value Proposition - what is your employment value proposition? Can you articulate it to demonstrate that your remuneration has a good Return on Investment (ROI) for your current employer or a potential employer? Are you overpaid-or underpaid for the value you deliver?
10. Work-Life Balance - do you balance your work around your life - or vice versa? Is your work technology (Blackberry, iPad, laptop, mobile) always on? When is your down-time?

Whilst the above is not designed to be an exhaustive list, it hopefully provides a starting point to ensure you are actively managing your career.  And if you would like to talk to me about cost effective and career value adding coaching packages, please email me at peter.black@peterblackcoaching.com or call me on +61 419 510 955.

PB

Copyright: Peter Black 2011