Forbes offers some suggestions for advancing your career in 2009. Some of their suggestions along with my thoughts:
This is an ideal time to update your résumé. Don't just list your job responsibilities; discuss your accomplishments. Use some of the downtime at work between Christmas and New Year's to refresh your memory about all the things you achieved this year that should go on the résumé.
Here are four tips to improve your resume plus seven more here. But the key to this suggestion is making your resume accomplishment-oriented. And if you don't have any major accomplishments, make minor ones sound big. And to be sure you don't forget your accomplishments this year, consider something like a weekly email update.
Develop a career plan. It's basically like a financial plan. Consider what your short-term and long-term goals are and what it will take to get there. For example, do you want to go to graduate school? Do you want to switch fields? Or are you looking to climb the ladder at your current job?
How many people do this? Not many. I myself am lacking in this area, though I have a "general" sense of where I want to go and what I want to do.
Consider what skills you need to get to the next level. Take classes so you can acquire those skills and move ahead. If you're thinking about switching fields, take a night or weekend class in the new line of work. It's a way of dipping your toe in to see if you enjoy it.
I'd add that you should always be learning. My favorite ways to do this: read up on your career and the field your in online, in papers, magazines, and in books. Listen to books on tape in your car. Listen to podcasts as well (I do while working out and mowing the lawn.)
Join your industry's trade group. Don't just pay your dues, though. Get involved in different committees. They're an ideal way to meet others in your field, especially people in hiring positions.
This was a HUGE breakthrough idea for me several years ago. I not only joined, but wrote articles for industry publications and spoke at the annual convention. Doing so helped me add value to the industry which benefited my company's profile/stature as well as served as a launching board for my next career move up the ladder.
Make sure your boss and your boss's boss know about all the good work you've been up to. Instead of bragging, write a thank you e-mail to all the people who recently worked on a project with you. Thank them for having helped achieve specific quantitative goals, and CC your boss and your boss's boss. This will also make you look like a good motivator.
You have to promote your own work/accomplishments. Doing so is key in proving that you deserve a raise, promotion, etc.
Developing a Plan B. In this economy almost everyone is worried about job security. Don't be taken off guard. Develop a plan of action to take if you get laid off. Have a sense of who in your industry is hiring.
My "Plan B" is my side business. (Or at least it's a safety net to help me out for a bit in case I ever lost my current job.) What's yours?
These are some great tips and I should follow up on them.
Posted by: thomas | January 16, 2009 at 02:03 AM