Strategies for Career Development

Abstract

Career development is the progressive process of selecting education, training and job that coincide with ones interest and skills. It facilitates the development of their personal brand and network, as an expert in a particular job. Through career development, one minimizes the time lost looking for a job.

Introduction

The following write up discusses the strategies involved in career development. Proper and effective strategies guarantee one of a long and a successful career.

Taking charge of one’s career is necessary because of the following reasons:  For evolution of organizational and personal skills we need to perform our duties. Career ladder is disappearing as reorganization result to flatter structures; To keep up with the growth in knowledge and changes, in the working environment, by involving in own career development makes you give much interest the process than the directed activities.

Career development strategies.

 The following are the strategies necessary to make your career plan successful:-

Career target: A concrete definition of a career target is vital. Important to consider in career evaluation is where they want to be in the future. That is, set targets. This determines the next move in the career ladder. Decisions on career should be carefully made and not left to luck and circumstances. Through carefully evaluated decisions one easily rises in the career ladder and attains a higher quality life sooner.

 Online Social Network Tools: When seeking employment social networks such as Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn are significantly important in building your personal network. The conjunction between social networks and job engines, as well as other job sites, can help in making connections, find job listings, creating a person brand that will boost career and speed up the job search. Facebook is a superb example because of its popularity. LinkedIn and Facebook are the best platform for an active job seeker as recruiters are constantly scouring the social network for potential candidates.

Personal Network Development: A personal network is a long-term process that should be embarked on as early as possible with the people in your organization who are easy to reach and meet. Personal network is created by developing relationships. Developing relationship is achieved through talking to your colleagues in a personal atmosphere (e.g. invite them for lunch or coffee break).

 The following instructions, if utterly followed could lead to a successful career.

Strengthen your brand: One’s reputation is a critical career issue and an intangible asset that is crucial for any individual in the quest to boost their careers. Improvement, career wise, leads to promotions hence encounters with more competent people. This creates the need for personal brand acceleration, through public speaking in trade exhibitions, particularized conferences and other platforms which facilitate sharing of experience with other people in different career fields.  Article writing in ones trade publication or corporate newsletter about your experience, profession or industry branch, is also an important tool in career development. Such keeps one updated about current job openings, also sells one to potential employers.

Keeping Updated: Technical and non technical skills, like leadership, project management, language skills and conflict management, should be updated in line with the current employer requirements. A career should not be static but a continuous process. More importantly, being updated with current trends in technology is vital.

Personal Career Project Management: Personal learning project management brings an increased control over one's career development than your colleagues in your organization. Individual development planning process is focused on career development and personal development. This includes formal training programs, where the focus is to an individual courses but not the organization.

Conclusion

Career development is paramount to achieving a successful career. This though calls for well–thought out strategies for career development, that should be more focused in keeping one updated with the current improvement in one's field of study and career.