Don't be career lazy

When you say you want a successful career, what are you doing to make that happen? What are you taking charge of and what are you looking to others to help you with? Here are some suggestions to keep your career moving.

DEFINE YOUR SUCCESS: The people who contribute to your success will be many but only you must define what constitutes success. Is it a well paying job? a role where you get to do what interests you even if the pay is not great? Determine how you will measure success so that you can know how well you are doing.

FIRM UP CREDIBILITY EARLY: Successful careers are not built on fluff or one day wonders. It’s about creating confidence in your ability to do a job and actually doing it to the level required. It’s also about your character and your sense of integrity, how you handle difficult times and how consistent you are in producing great results.

DOCUMENT ACHIEVEMENTS: Most people only think of achievements when they are looking for a job; dig up their CV and frantically try to remember all their successes. Learn to write down your achievements as they happen so that you can leverage them. When you document your victories no matter how small, you show you are a person who has focus and demanding of yourself.

UPGRADE COMPETENCIES: When was the last time you read a book, took a course or identified a way to improve your abilities?. Improving yourself is primarily your responsibility. Your employer might help you develop some skills but not everything you need to succeed in your career. Determine the skills you need for the long term and make the necessary investments. Keep a training log to map your progress.

DEMONSTRATE VALUE: Guess what? A career is not a string of all the jobs you have held. It’s how they add up to give you profile, a track record that you can leverage further. Don’t just plod in the same job forever or hop from job to job in the hope something will turn out well. Seek to positively influence others with your Inspiration, wisdom, enthusiasm and creativity.

TAKE PRESSURE ON THE CHIN: Pressure comes in all forms and sooner than you think so be ever ready. You’ll have to prove your worth long before you get that big job, you may have to do a two week assignment in half the time or deliver that programme on a tight budget. Handle pressure by prioritising and focussing on finding solutions with what you resources you have.

HOLD SOMEONE'S HAND: As you rise you’ll get to be in charge of others and it no longer becomes about you only. Your performance starts being judged by what you’re enabling others to achieve. Even if you are not directly in charge of others, you can positively influence others with your Inspiration, wisdom, enthusiasm, Creativity. Learn to step back sometimes from centre stage and let others shine.

Now take action: Identify 3 steps you can you take to manage your career better