Career Management Coach, Katherine Wiid shares her 5 tips for managing your career in a world where the only constant is change.
1. Expand your horizons
Rather than focusing solely on the tasks in front of you, broaden your outlook with new experiences and connections.
There are many ways you can do this. Attending networking events and industry meet-ups is a no brainer. But have a think about what you could do within your own organisation.
Are there roles you could take on that are outside what you normally do? For example, volunteering for projects, or mentoring a colleague.
Exposure to different situations and perspectives can help us to become more flexible and creative when responding to change.
2. Be aware of the bigger picture
It’s essential to keep an eye on what’s happening in the wider world, and to think how it might impact your career.
What are the current industry trends? What are the latest advances in technology? What political and economic developments are taking place right now?
Being informed will help you to anticipate change, adapt to it, and jump on any new opportunities it offers.
3. Keep on learning
Embrace a mindset of lifelong learning and invest in your professional development.
Refresh your skills and learn new ones with workshops and online courses. Attend webinars and industry conferences. Listen to podcasts, and read books, blogs and articles.
The more you know and the wider your skill set, the more adaptable you become.
4. Advocate for your preferred workstyle
What do you need to perform at your best?
Do you love the buzz of a lively office, or do you prefer the peace and quiet of working at home? Are you an early riser, or do you hit peak productivity at two in the morning? What else is going on in your life that’s competing for your attention?
My advice would be to note down these thoughts. Then think how your work setup could be changed to benefit both you and the company. Once you’ve put the groundwork in, you can present your ideas to your boss with confidence and clarity.
If your boss is a tricky character, try to use positive and persuasive language. So instead of saying ‘I don’t want to …’, try ‘I’d like to …’. And swap ‘you’ and ‘I’ for ‘we’. This suggests collaboration and teamwork, rather than one person making demands on another.
5. Explore the world of AI
When it comes to AI, many are still sticking their heads in the sand, hoping it’ll go away. But AI has become one of the biggest disruptors to the professional landscape – and it’s here to stay.
So let’s think how we can use AI to help us do our jobs better, as well as open ourselves up to the new opportunities it presents.
Start by being curious. There are lots of free and easy-to-use AI tools already out there, so have a play and find out what they can do. Or sign up for an online course for beginners – there are plenty on offer, and some are free. You can also keep up to date with online resources, such as blog posts, tech sections on news websites and Google alerts.
Whilst change can be scary, it can also be an incredible opportunity to re-evaluate your career. I hope these tips help you to take positive steps towards managing your career. But if you need more guidance on how to get there, please get in touch.
