|
To succeed in today's demanding and ever-changing
work environment, you must take charge of managing your own career.
Think of yourself as a company with a product or
service to sell. Analyze your market and devise a carefully targeted
marketing campaign, keeping in mind that companies recruit employees who
offer them the best results and the best value for money.
Begin by identifying your skills, qualifications and
accomplishments. Adopt a customer-focused approach. What benefits and
results can you offer employers? Are your skills marketable and
up-to-date?
Determine what additional skills you need to develop
to make yourself more marketable. Seek out and take advantage of all
opportunities for continuous learning and professional development.
Employers place a high value on team players and
problem-solvers. They want to see evidence in your CV or resume of
specific, quantifiable accomplishments.
In the business world, successful companies win
customers by developing a unique selling proposition. To give yourself a
competitive advantage, analyze what other employees in your field are
offering. It is not enough emulate your competitors; you must strive to
differentiate yourself by offering something extra, something unique.
Try to assess yourself as objectively as possible in
order to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Analyze your
performance appraisals and, if appropriate, enlist the help of a trusted
friend or colleague to help you evaluate yourself.
Define and prioritize your short-term and long-term
career goals. Make sure they are challenging but achievable.
Study recruitment websites and the appointments pages
of newspapers to familiarize yourself with the current requirements of
employers.
Your CV/resume should be fine-tuned regularly and
kept up-to-date to enable you to make a swift and targeted response to
any suitable job opportunity that arises.
Learn all you can about job search strategies,
job-specific resumes, and professional interview techniques.
By adopting a planned, proactive and carefully
targeted approach, you will maximize your chances of landing the job
that best matches your skills and personality. |
