Job search and career management are constantly changing and they are typically due to shifts in the economy, technology, and other key events. Many people welcome change, thus making transitions successful, but not all the time. Even though change is widely accepted, there would always be resistance and negative impacts of unexpected consequences. Setbacks happen even in the presence of change management and coping strategies because sometimes they are not implemented well and there is a lack of necessary tools needed for this to become effective.
It could be difficult to deal with complex changes and make them sustainable especially when they are career-related. However, this is something that we need to face and we have to start with ourselves first. When our roles, perspectives, and priorities change and everything is not what it used to be, we must focus on the new opportunities these changes create. Leverage what we have as best as we can to generate value. We need to give maximum effort to create and manage a sustainable career.
According to an article by Monique Valcour on Harvard Business Review:
“A sustainable career is dynamic and flexible; it features continuous learning, periodic renewal, the security that comes from employability, and a harmonious fit with your skills, interests, and values. The keys to crafting a sustainable career are knowing yourself “” what interests you, what you do best and not so well, what energizes you “” and being acutely attuned to the fields and companies you’re interested in so that you can identify places where you can add value. The “follow your passion” self-help industry tends to under-emphasise this key point: all of the self-awareness in the world is of little use if you can’t pitch your passion to a buyer. A sustainable career is built upon the ability to show that you can fill a need that someone is willing to pay for. This holds not only when you’re starting a business or looking for a new job; it’s also an important springboard for refining your current job and your career trajectory to make it more ideal.”
Based on this statement made about sustainable career management framework, these are the positive steps to take:
- Deepen your self-awareness and self-directedness. Be aware of the values that drive your decisions. Make a list of the things that you can do and what you are good at. Keep track of your progress and accomplishments. Then reflect and put this all together to understand yourself better and to know what career direction best suits you.
- Do not focus on a single occupation. Consider having an alternate career path, something that would eventually evolve to reflect growth and accept that this is a dynamic and continuous process.
- Always be updated to the developments in the industry you relate to.
- Be proactive and have a contributing role in society – work not only for yourself but also to make a better world!
- Maintain a positive relationship with others who can give you access to new opportunities.
- Surround yourself with people who have the same mindset as you so you will continue to be energised and inspired.
- Have a long-term vision. Anticipate for the future.
- Be curious, read, listen, learn new things and always be engaged. Lifelong learning is a necessity to be able to adapt to change.
Be committed and accountable. You have the power to craft your own career. You are totally in charge! No one cares about your success more than you do. Start by taking action and believing that a rewarding and sustainable career is definitely achievable. This may take some time and work but it will all be worth it.
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