Kevin Oxley Lisa Hollands

Careering your way through life – do you plan it or just let it happen?

• Can you plan your career?• Or does it just happen?• How can you plan?• Things will change.• Your initiative will determine the outcome to

these important questions.• Conscious planning is the first step.

Career Path

“A career path is rarely a path at all. A more interesting life is usual a more crooked, winding path of missteps, luck and vigorous work. It is almost always a clumsy balance between the things you try to make happen and the things that happen to you.”

Tom Freston

What is a career path?

Not in our experience – most of the time it seems like a journey through a maze….

Are Careers Linear In Nature?

• Seek promotion internal or external

• Actively consider a change of career within your organisation

• Actively consider a change of job or career outside your organisation

• Actively wait and see what happens

Career Path – Your Choices

What is important to me and my career path?

• What are your career objectives?

• What do you need to do to get there?

• What are the barriers?

Exercise

Factors Driving Your Career Path

Exercise

• What elements of your current job motivate you?

• What are your most important strengths and skills?

• What skills and talents do you need to develop to achieve your career goals?

Career Path – Your Choices

Career goals should take into account your aspirations for your whole life. Some of the key issues that need to be considered are work–life balance, lifestyle and work environment.

Choices and options will change.

Career Path – Motivation

• Having a clear picture of what motivates you

• Think about the issues which make work more enjoyable

• Make some notes and place them in order of preference 1-10

Exercise

Career Path – Taking Action• The Right Support

• Careful Planning

• Commitment

• Effective Influencing

• A manager, a colleague, a professional network, a mentor, work shadowing or a combination of these.

• Research the options that might appeal to you. Know where you would like to go, decide on the steps that will help take you there.

• A realistic plan must start with determination that you are prepared to invest your energy and time into your path.

• There is no point in being a star unless your light is noticed

Career Path – Taking Action

ExerciseMapping your current work relationship network

Career Path – Taking Action

Mapping your current work relationship network

Me

Line Manager

HODDepartment

Manager

Finance

Career Path – Challenges• Are you getting the best out of your appraisal meeting?

• How can you influence your department or work place to provide resources that will to enable you to fulfill your training needs?

• What is your responsibility as regards training others in your areas of expertise?

• If you are convinced about the benefits of Career management and planning, how do you propose to seek out allies for the cause?

• How can I became more involved in projects that are going on outside of my department or work environment?

Course Based• Computer based training• Attend a workshop• Study for a professional qualification

Self-Study• Guided reading i.e. reading a suggested materials on a particular topic• Test your abilities in an unfamiliar setting• Research a technique that interest you e.g. assertiveness, creative

problem solving, critical incident analysis• Explore the internet

Career Path – Development Options

External Activities• Investigate voluntary work that may provide new responsibilities and skills• Be active in a professional body • Attend conference• Network with external colleagues and a relevant professional body• Job shadow in another work area/organisation• Look for opportunities to train people in your specialist skills

Career Path – Development Options

On the Job• Initiate a work based project that utilises new skills and responsibilities.

Discuss this with your line manager• Be a mentor• Find a mentor• Chair a meeting or group• Collaborate with a colleague on a work problem• Provide help to a work colleague• Analyse how different people interact with customers and/or manage

their staff

Career Path – Development Options

On the Job• Act up in a post that has become temporarily vacant• Deputise for your manager• Work with colleagues in role play to prepare for activities• Organise a team event, briefing or workshop• Lead a training course• Be a representative on a board or committee• Keep a CPD log

Career Path – Development Options

On the Job• Problem solve with your work group• Join a working group• Undertake a secondment or “job swap”• “Shadow” a person in another function• Supervise a work experience student• Visit another organisations or department to find out how and what they

are doing.

Career Path – Development Options

Over to you

Careering your way through life – do you plan it or just let it happen?