In the western corporate world it is nowadays quite common for employees to take a more active role with their manager in creating their own personal and career development plans. When I first started doing early versions of these plans nearly 20 years ago, the emphasis was more on my training and development -- very rarely did it involve setting a work goal of any consequence. This article describes four key elements of the setting and completion of a work goal.
Even though much organizational training and development expertise goes into setting up and maintaining employee career development and performance review programs, the onus is still fairly and squarely on you to figure out how to make optimal use of them. What frequently happens is that employees leave everything until they get a warning reminder e-mail from their manager; and they then rush to enter goals and objectives into the system before some looming cutoff date.
This is a recipe for disaster because in their haste they will be tempted to enter poorly thought out goals in order to meet the deadline. Or even worse, to add too many goals in order to somehow impress the various managers who hold the promotion, salary or bonus keys. And remember - the unwritten secret of all corporate performance review systems is that 50% of the essential goals, projects and effort that actually arise in any given year will not be on anyone's radar at the start of the year -- simply because they haven't come into existence yet. So it is definitely in the employee's best interests to have a minimum number of concise goals, rather than a mishmash of weakly conceived ones.
What if you understand the message in the preceding paragraph but still struggle in coming up with appropriate work goals? The key word here is probably "alignment". Whatever goals you create should be in alignment with both your own vision of your career and life, and also with that of the organization itself. If you're fortunate, your company will be one that has clear and well communicated statements of what it is about, all the way from boardroom down to divisional and perhaps also departmental level. Should that not be the case, then you will need to do some discrete investigations of what is expected from you - perhaps from other departmental managers who do know what is going on.
Let's say you have created your work goals and they're pretty much in alignment with both the company's vision and your own vision of where you want to be and what you want to be doing. And you have supportive management! What then?
Well, here lies another potential trap. Because people are so busy with the 50% of urgent and important projects that are invariably rarely on anyone's agenda or planning tool, you might be tempted to conclude that there just isn't time to focus on career development objectives whose deadlines are at the end of the year; and where the next performance review with your manager is at least six months away!
Such thinking is defeatist and, over time, may habitually condition you to focus exclusively on the "urgent and important", at the expense of the "not urgent but important" goals that typically are on career development programs.
The solution to this dilemma is to break down the career development goals into the smallest elements you can think of. And then at least once a day to spend 5 to 10 minutes in moving the goals forward. For example, if the work goal is to complete an external quality assurance certification which would advance your own career prospects and also be of benefit in building trust with customers, then even though there is an enormous amount of work to be done in order to actually get certified, your very first step may be to find the telephone number of a company which provides appropriate training to help you. Or perhaps it's to get the list of books you need to study into the Finance department's procurement system for management approval and sign off.
These numerous five-minute steps will add up over time (certainly after six months) and if you keep electronic or paper folder records of all the proactive steps you have taken to move forward on the work goal, then your next midyear review with your manager is likely to be more enjoyable, rewarding and productive.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Personal Career Development Plan - Essential For Success
A personal career development plan enables you to keep track of progress in your own career. It is a reliable way to analyze your motivations, aspirations, and achievements. Several career-oriented individuals create a career development plan not just to accomplish certain goals, such as a promotion or raise in the job, but also for further career advancement. Hence, it should be given much focus.
Essentials In a Career Development Plan
Creating your career development plan must be done continuously, instead of focusing on specific work objectives. That way, you can easily keep track of whatever improvements you have or where there is need for one. It is not just confined to career-related documents but may also include materials that you have collected over time that reflect your motivation and aspirations when it comes to your career.
Below are few things you can do to back up your career development plan:
Update your resume. - Your resume is a crucial reflection of your career path. Therefore, if you have new or existing skills, achievements in previous employment, or personal achievements, make sure to include it in your CV.
List all your job descriptions. - This is essential to your career planning. By evaluating and analyzing your performance from previous jobs, you will be able to detect whether there are improvements or recognize which areas you need improve on. If you can, gather evidence of any achievements you have for they might come handy during job interviews.
Gather job advertisements. - This tip is helpful even to those employed individuals. This will enable you to identify whether there are any other existing jobs that are more suitable for your qualifications and that offer self-fulfillment.
Create A Personal Vision
Some people constantly change careers not because of compensation or competition, but more often because they are not personally satisfied with their careers. Therefore, when devising your own career plan, you have to create your own personal vision.
Your career plan or objectives can be either long or short term. Hence, before you move on with your career planning, you have to determine yours first. There are a lot to consider when planning your career path, however personal considerations should be on top of the list.
What are the personal barriers that impede your progress? Are you doing this for personal satisfaction and achievement, or is this what my family desires for me? As long as you have considered factors that not only involve the people around you but also yourself, then you can remain motivated in achieving the goals you have set for yourself.
Personal Career Planning Steps
1. If you are contemplating on multiple careers, try narrowing them down so you can focus on the career most suitable for you.
2. Research about your prospect career. When you have more information and knowledge about your chosen career, you will also recognize the skills needed in order to succeed in that career.
3. If you are looking to make a transition from one career to another, identify the necessary qualifications.
4. Once you have determined the qualifications needed for your new career, compare it with your current career profile. Evaluate what skills or knowledge you need to acquire in order to match the job search. If it requires a lot of work, then you might need to reconsider whether changing careers should be an option. If you are close to the qualification, then you can move on.
For long-term career planning, you need to be more precise and specific with your guidelines. After all, you will have to be the one dealing with the consequence of your choices. When creating your personal development plan, you must consider not only career opportunities in the market but also your own skills and abilities.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Essentials In a Career Development Plan
Creating your career development plan must be done continuously, instead of focusing on specific work objectives. That way, you can easily keep track of whatever improvements you have or where there is need for one. It is not just confined to career-related documents but may also include materials that you have collected over time that reflect your motivation and aspirations when it comes to your career.
Below are few things you can do to back up your career development plan:
Update your resume. - Your resume is a crucial reflection of your career path. Therefore, if you have new or existing skills, achievements in previous employment, or personal achievements, make sure to include it in your CV.
List all your job descriptions. - This is essential to your career planning. By evaluating and analyzing your performance from previous jobs, you will be able to detect whether there are improvements or recognize which areas you need improve on. If you can, gather evidence of any achievements you have for they might come handy during job interviews.
Gather job advertisements. - This tip is helpful even to those employed individuals. This will enable you to identify whether there are any other existing jobs that are more suitable for your qualifications and that offer self-fulfillment.
Create A Personal Vision
Some people constantly change careers not because of compensation or competition, but more often because they are not personally satisfied with their careers. Therefore, when devising your own career plan, you have to create your own personal vision.
Your career plan or objectives can be either long or short term. Hence, before you move on with your career planning, you have to determine yours first. There are a lot to consider when planning your career path, however personal considerations should be on top of the list.
What are the personal barriers that impede your progress? Are you doing this for personal satisfaction and achievement, or is this what my family desires for me? As long as you have considered factors that not only involve the people around you but also yourself, then you can remain motivated in achieving the goals you have set for yourself.
Personal Career Planning Steps
1. If you are contemplating on multiple careers, try narrowing them down so you can focus on the career most suitable for you.
2. Research about your prospect career. When you have more information and knowledge about your chosen career, you will also recognize the skills needed in order to succeed in that career.
3. If you are looking to make a transition from one career to another, identify the necessary qualifications.
4. Once you have determined the qualifications needed for your new career, compare it with your current career profile. Evaluate what skills or knowledge you need to acquire in order to match the job search. If it requires a lot of work, then you might need to reconsider whether changing careers should be an option. If you are close to the qualification, then you can move on.
For long-term career planning, you need to be more precise and specific with your guidelines. After all, you will have to be the one dealing with the consequence of your choices. When creating your personal development plan, you must consider not only career opportunities in the market but also your own skills and abilities.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Is Setting Personal Career Objectives Necessary, and What Are the Advantages?
Whichever career you may be considering as a student, or that you might already be involved in, it is sure to be competitive. The level of competition will vary greatly at the entry stage; it is all a matter of supply and demand. If your desire is to be an astronaut or a veterinary surgeon, the competition to get those coveted places is enormous. If you have chosen nursing, then entry will be easier. However, whichever career it is, once you have entered that career, there will be competition to progress to a higher level, and it is here that having clear career objectives will be necessary.
It is true that some people may have a successful career without ever having set themselves any personal career objectives; at least, any written objectives. However, as with any competition, those who plan their success the best do give themselves an advantage over those who do not. This applies as much to career objectives as it does to as it does to business objectives and other personal objectives.
Advantages of Setting Career Objectives
There are numerous advantages to setting career objectives, at the various stages in the pre-career and career cycle. Ideally, career objective setting should begin late in school, college or university, at some time prior to applying for any jobs. Thereafter, it is worth reviewing those objectives regularly, even annually as you would normally with business objectives.
The following are some of the more obvious advantages of setting career objectives for yourself:
1. The process of objective setting forces you to, among other things, think clearly about your future career, and consider in detail the field in which you wish to work, the position you would aim to hold, the skills you need to acquire, and the work you need to plan.
2. By going through such a detailed thought process, you may identify before it is too late that a particular career is not for you, or you may in fact reinforce your decision to follow a particular career path. Either way, you are more likely to end up in a career that suits you, at least for the time being.
3. Once you have set your career objectives, they give you a structure on which to pin your career development. You can put together a career plan based on these objectives, and then monitor progress and carry out regular reviews of the way your career is developing.
4. Establishing career objectives, and writing them down, shows you are somebody who has clearly thought deeply and into the future about your career, and what you want to achieve. Not only will this help you to keep track of your career progress, it will also impress employers and potential employers.
5. Regular monitoring of your career objectives will help you to discern when you are not making sufficient progress, and help you to pinpoint why that is so. That can enable you to take corrective action to put yourself back on target for your goals, or to reassess the goals and make them more achievable.
6. Having career objectives may also help you decide that a certain career is not for you, if you have set reasonable objectives and then found you could not reach them and felt no further motivation to do so. You may therefore be in a position to switch to another career sooner than someone who was not monitoring their progress against objectives.
Other advantages to setting career objectives may no doubt be cited, but those above are some of the most common. Generally speaking, though, taking the trouble to set objectives for your chosen career is likely to benefit you in more ways than one.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
It is true that some people may have a successful career without ever having set themselves any personal career objectives; at least, any written objectives. However, as with any competition, those who plan their success the best do give themselves an advantage over those who do not. This applies as much to career objectives as it does to as it does to business objectives and other personal objectives.
Advantages of Setting Career Objectives
There are numerous advantages to setting career objectives, at the various stages in the pre-career and career cycle. Ideally, career objective setting should begin late in school, college or university, at some time prior to applying for any jobs. Thereafter, it is worth reviewing those objectives regularly, even annually as you would normally with business objectives.
The following are some of the more obvious advantages of setting career objectives for yourself:
1. The process of objective setting forces you to, among other things, think clearly about your future career, and consider in detail the field in which you wish to work, the position you would aim to hold, the skills you need to acquire, and the work you need to plan.
2. By going through such a detailed thought process, you may identify before it is too late that a particular career is not for you, or you may in fact reinforce your decision to follow a particular career path. Either way, you are more likely to end up in a career that suits you, at least for the time being.
3. Once you have set your career objectives, they give you a structure on which to pin your career development. You can put together a career plan based on these objectives, and then monitor progress and carry out regular reviews of the way your career is developing.
4. Establishing career objectives, and writing them down, shows you are somebody who has clearly thought deeply and into the future about your career, and what you want to achieve. Not only will this help you to keep track of your career progress, it will also impress employers and potential employers.
5. Regular monitoring of your career objectives will help you to discern when you are not making sufficient progress, and help you to pinpoint why that is so. That can enable you to take corrective action to put yourself back on target for your goals, or to reassess the goals and make them more achievable.
6. Having career objectives may also help you decide that a certain career is not for you, if you have set reasonable objectives and then found you could not reach them and felt no further motivation to do so. You may therefore be in a position to switch to another career sooner than someone who was not monitoring their progress against objectives.
Other advantages to setting career objectives may no doubt be cited, but those above are some of the most common. Generally speaking, though, taking the trouble to set objectives for your chosen career is likely to benefit you in more ways than one.
Source: http://ezinearticles.com/
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Career development objectives
• Career Development Program Objectives
Career Development Program Objectives. Career Development services are designed to provide individuals with career awareness, self development, and career ...
• Self Help Improvement - Career Development - Sources of ...
Career Development - An Integral Part of Self Improvement. Also: Career Training, Advanced Career Training ... self improvement objectives Career Objectives ...
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Once you have set your career objectives, they give you a structure on which ...
• Writing Career Objectives | SUNY Fredonia
27 Feb 2009 ... A final thought: Career counseling to assist with identifying career objectives is available if you need it. Stop by the Career Development ...
• Career Development
4 May 1996 ... Career development (CD) is now the primary responsibility of .... lists of questions, obtaining specific career objectives, and more. ...
Career Development Program Objectives. Career Development services are designed to provide individuals with career awareness, self development, and career ...
• Self Help Improvement - Career Development - Sources of ...
Career Development - An Integral Part of Self Improvement. Also: Career Training, Advanced Career Training ... self improvement objectives Career Objectives ...
• Self Help Improvement - The Benefits and Advantages of Setting ...
Once you have set your career objectives, they give you a structure on which ...
• Writing Career Objectives | SUNY Fredonia
27 Feb 2009 ... A final thought: Career counseling to assist with identifying career objectives is available if you need it. Stop by the Career Development ...
• Career Development
4 May 1996 ... Career development (CD) is now the primary responsibility of .... lists of questions, obtaining specific career objectives, and more. ...
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