Women in Financial Services Blog

Time to take control of your career.

Mark.Freed / 06 Jan 2017

Time to take control of your career.  Do you spend enough time considering your career; your skills, value, and direction?
Women tend to think their hard work and results should speak for themselves and help position them for their next role.  Your boss may not have time or head space to think about your career growth.  Yes, succession planning should be on the HR/business agenda, however, do you want to sit back and wait, and trust they will find the right role for you?  Are you confident you have the right skills for the next role?  Would you push yourself forward?  How active are you in shaping your next career move?  Here are a few ideas to start to think strategically about your career.

1. Set time aside for strategic career reflection.  Life is busy juggling multiple responsibilities and the item left to the bottom of the list, is our own career planning.  Making time to reflect on your skills and roles, and setting career goals will focus your mind and energies.
2. Be clear about ‘what’s next’, and where you want to go in the future.   Have you identified your next role?  Do you know the sort of role you aspire to in the next 5 years?  Here’s a technique that may help.  Identify a future role including responsibilities and title.  Assess where you are now, and what skills, expertise and training you need to acquire to achieve this future role.  Then make a plan!
3. Seek out high visible projects.  Creating professional visibility as you work in more senior roles is key to achieving career success.  You need to do more than just doing a good job well.  Identifying and working on core business projects, adding value, creating something new will increase your profile and impact.
4. Promote your value and worth.   If your career has progressed in the same company, it is worth reminding your organisation of your reputation, talents and value.  Try and find ways to build your professional visibility; volunteer to speak at conferences, become a mentor, take an active role in external professional bodies.  Remember, always have your career goal in mind.

Managing your career development is important, but never urgent.  This year, make a change, and make your career development a priority.  Join our ‘Developing Future Leaders’ Career Conversations during January.  To register, click here 

This article is based on ‘Think Strategically About your Career Development, by Dorie Clark, Harvard Business Review, December 2016.

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