As a career confidence coach, I encourage my clients to have a global view about their career path, and how they can keep their professional skills current and relevant. The compass of our global transactional marketplace and etiquette is consistently changing due to the evolution of technology and business best practices. Do you know what the dynamics of your current and desired profession or business are projected to be like in the future? Is that profession or role projected to exist or be outsourced? What skills do you need to acquire to be current and relevant in the future? What path are you going to take to acquire the knowledge that you will need? You may need to get creative with how you’ll finance your professional skills upgrade. That’s ok, take the time to research your options and set a timeline of completion. If you’re reading this post, please consider it a nudge to analyze your career path and determine the possible need to reorganize the plans for your career.
You currently may be in agreement with what I’m sharing but wondering when you’ll find the time to figure this all out. I now challenge your mindset about your career and will ask you this one question. “Do you view the future of your career and the quality of your lifestyle worthy of your time and efforts today?” Whether you’re quickly or slowly nodding in agreement. Let’s review ways for you to budget, research and plan that you remain current and relevant in your industry from a global perspective.
Budget, not only includes your financial resources it includes your time as well. Take an inventory and determine the value of your professional skills. Identify the skills that you foresee becoming dispensable from the viewpoint of managerial decision makers. Set aside time to determine how you will finance gaining the knowledge and experience to maintain or upgrade your skills. While being mindful of maintaining and balancing your personal budget, you have to figure out where your finances will be allocated monthly to fund this new line item (tuition, transportation, supplies or memberships). Set aside time to attend a diversity of professional organizations to enhance your professional interpersonal communication. Attend similar and related industry networking events with industry experts to gain exposure to different perspectives and access to information that will develop your overall operational knowledge about your chosen industry. Invest in books, webinars, and seminars too.
Research your industry from a novice perspective or with the excitement of starting a scavenger hunt for wealthy information. Have an attitude of anticipation of the credible information that awaits you and will connect you to new approaches on remaining sought after and valued talent in your industry for years to come. Research your industry from a global outlook. Who are the global leaders, movers and shakers making moves and determining the course of the industry that you’re proud to represent? Are you aware of and able to effectively use the technology associated with your industry? Let your global research liberate you out of the box that you may have been unintentionally escorted to.
Create a global career development strategy that requires ongoing review and advancement of your skills. Be determined and intentional with your plan. Don’t be reserved in planning for a new or revised level of your career path. Give yourself permission to be aggressive in your qualifying efforts to be an expert in your career industry.
Your actions to budget, research and plan your global view of your career are career confidence boosting moves that will keep you a courageous and bold global contender in accomplishing your goals. There is no need to let the progression of your industry be a mystery to you. No matter the level of your industry experience, be constant in affirming your ability to have and experience career success. You are capable of accomplishing career greatness at any given time; budget, research, and plan wisely.