A number of career experts have concluded that pursuing a career is much more rewarding than simply working. In this fast-paced world, it is difficult to find and keep a job for so long. ‘Job security’ almost doesn’t apply anymore. It is imperative that we learn how to identify and build our careers in ways that will enable us to thrive in turbulent economic times, in light of the high level of uncertainty all around us. The following are 7 powerful keys to building a successful career path.
1. It All Begins With Your Purpose
Life would continue to be an endless string of struggles and fruitless pursuits unless we discovered and pursued our purpose for our existence. You can begin to truly have a rewarding career when you can answer the following questions: What are you naturally good at? What is your passion? What gives you the greatest joy and fulfillment? When you find answers to these questions, you can truly begin to have a fulfilling career.
2. Have A Clear Vision
You exist for a purpose, but your vision is what tells you what you want to achieve in the future. It is best to create your future in order to predict it. What is your big picture for you in the next 10, 15, and 20 years? In order to build a career that aligns with your purpose, you must have a clear picture of your future in order to give your life more direction and focus your resources on it.
3. Set Career Goals
It is through setting SMART goals that we transform our vision into reality. Once you have a clear picture of what you want to achieve, it is time to take those steps. A goal should be Specific, Measureable, Attainable, Realistic and Time bound in order to be effective. For example, get my ICAN certification within a year. Read one book per month related to my field.
4. Develop The Skills, Knowledge, Attitude And Competence
It is crucial to identify critical success factors that separate high fliers from the rest of the pack in every career path. Identifying these factors is crucial to your success in building your career path. You must be clear on what they are in relation to your position/job and grade yourself accordingly. Among the 7 critical success factors in management, according to Brian Tracy, are planning, organizing, staffing, delegating, supervising, measuring, and reporting. You can find out these factors by asking people who are successful in the chosen field of your career. By identifying your weaknesses, you can plan to improve them (through training, reading, networking, mentorship, etc).
5. Have Career Mentors
There is no place you wish to go that nobody has gone before. If you are humble enough to learn at the feet of those who have gone before you, you will save a lot of time. Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” By preventing you from reinventing the wheel, mentors help you to avoid costly mistakes and to grow quickly. Having a mentor’s experience will give you an edge and save you a lot of time and money. Look for mentors that can support you during your career journey. Successful individuals are always looking for opportunities to share their knowledge and experience with others.
6. Build Professional Networks
You will never be able to achieve your full potentials without the support and help of others, no matter how smart or intelligent you think you are. In John Woodmen’s words, five years from now you will still be the same person, except for the people you’ve met and the books you’ve read. If you make an effort to connect with people who have a similar career path to you, it would be a great help for you. The ability to build and grow your network opens you up to a lot of opportunities you may not have come across otherwise. We all need support, help, and ideas to facilitate our journey to where we are going.
7. Read And Study About Everything Relating To Your Career Path
You should make it a habit of preparing every information related to your career. Learn about the most successful people in your field both locally and internationally. Apply what makes them successful to your own life. Find out what is new in your field. Get information about the challenges and opportunities in your field. Being knowledgeable about your field sets you apart from your contemporaries. You become someone that people would want to listen to. As a result, you will eventually gain credibility and gain a strong voice in the sphere of influence in which you operate.
