Career

April 2, 2012  by

Put Yourself to Work (Work Experience and Assignments)

Published by CPA Canada in CareerVision

We’ve all been in situations where the latest staffing crisis quickly becomes the news of the day.  This type of topic seems to possess the ability to spread like wildfire (everyone loves a human interest story), rapidly becoming the focus of workplace talk:

“Did you hear that Melanie left for a better job?  She did everything in that department; how will they manage?”

“Doug got hurt downhill skiing and is going to be off for six weeks.  He handles all of our receivables!”

“Kelly is off on stress leave and her manager is reviewing her workload.  Did you hear that her job is going to be divided into two positions?”

Although these types of newsflashes can provide a topic of discussion for lunch breaks and elevator rides, this hot-off-the–press information can actually be put to much better use.  Those who are looking to advance their career should view these situations as opportunities: to learn new skills, to put themselves in challenging situations (and succeed!), and to simply help out when needed.

When thinking about career development, it’s important to understand that making real progress is not about the length of time spent in a particular job; rather, it is about understanding the idea of putting yourself to work and taking responsibility for moving yourself forward.  This type of “Me Inc.” perspective means taking the lead role in developing your skills and experience, not just at the beginning of your working life, but also as your career progresses.  Instead of depending on an employer to recognize your abilities, it’s about making a conscious effort to invest in yourself, which, in turn, increases value; your value.

There are lots of ways to take action in building your own personal value.  Thus far in this series, we have considered the benefits of in-house seminars, training, and networking, as well as professional development opportunities.  Work experience and assignments represent another way to increase your personal value; here’s how.

Work experience and assignments

Businesses almost always need help; be it assistance to keep up with routine tasks, investigate and launch new projects, or fill in for staff members who are off sick or on leave.  Given that most organizations are continually challenged to do more with less, staff members who are willing to step up, increase their knowledge, or cross train are not only welcomed, they are valued.  This approach can be a win-win for both parties, enabling staff members to better their skills and abilities, while the company is able to develop a more talented and flexible workforce.

Put Yourself to Work

  • Keep a close watch on what’s going on in all aspects of your company. Networking and paying attention to in-house newsletters, job boards, and announcements are good ways to identify opportunities to develop new skills and vary your workload (a great way to maintain your interest level, too).
  • Make the effort to learn about all departments within your organization and what the main jobs are. It’s surprising how many employees have knowledge of only their own department, which is a sure-fire way to miss career development opportunities.
  • Be flexible, in terms of the tasks and roles you are willing to consider. Although no one likes to “go backwards” when it comes to career development, it is sometimes necessary to take a short term step back (or parallel step) in order to move forward, especially in a new area.  A flexible attitude and willingness to do what is necessary to get the job done can set you apart from other employees.
  • Take advantage of the opportunity to get to know your coworkers during work assignments. Learn about their career paths and how their department operates (you might be surprised to find differences from your own experiences).
  • Make the effort to link professional development opportunities to the new skills that you learn. This approach can help to reinforce your new areas of knowledge and, perhaps, identify a career path that you have not considered.
  • Consider work experience and assignments as an opportunity to broaden your horizons. Think about it; a broader range of knowledge can only be good.
  • Keep a record of assignments and areas of new skill development. You will be surprised how quickly your competency level and range of ability increase.

Although it might mean an increased workload in the short term, prove that you are able to get the job done and you will win in the long run.  What’s more, you will be recognized as a “go to” person in your organization; someone who is flexible and has the ability to help out when needed.  Now, that’s real value!

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March 1, 2012  by

Put Yourself to Work (Professional Development)

Published by CPA Canada in CareerVision

Building a career is something that involves many facets: an undergraduate degree here, lots work experience there, new and challenging responsibilities, an avalanche of overtime hours, a seminar or two to fill in the knowledge gaps…and around it goes.  Over time, the pieces start to meld together into the career you are building, one that is uniquely your own.  At times, you may wonder how to keep it all moving forward.  It’s important to understand that making real progress is not about the length of time spent in a particular job; rather, it is about understanding the idea of putting yourself to work and taking responsibility for moving yourself forward.  Call it a “Me Inc.” attitude.

Having a Me Inc. perspective means taking the lead role in developing your skills and experience, not just at the beginning of your working life, but also as your career progresses.  Instead of depending on an employer to recognize your abilities, it’s about making a conscious effort to invest in yourself with the objective of becoming the right candidate to move up and onward (think of it as viewing yourself as a talent to be managed and improved upon, which, in turn, increases value).

There are lots of ways to take action in building your own personal value.  In the first installment of this series, we considered the benefits of in-house seminars, training, and networking.  Actively pursuing professional development opportunities is another way to increase your personal value.

Professional development (and maybe even the cash to go with it)

Many businesses have professional development programs that encourage staff members to improve their skill and knowledge level, by taking courses, attending conferences, or even getting a designation (and in the case of those who already hold a designation, they are often required to complete a specific amount of professional development activities each year).

In order to qualify for a professional development program, courses typically have to be relevant to a staff member’s job or career path (and may require approval in advance) and the costs may be reimbursed, in whole or in part, often upon successful completion of the course.  Although some may be discouraged by the prospect of “more school”, a Me Inc. attitude sees the benefit in having the chance to gain knowledge and competency at a reduced cost, and perhaps, for free.  All you have to bring is the effort.

Put yourself to work

  • Find out what your company’s professional development program includes: time off to attend courses, partial or full reimbursement, specific requirements to qualify for reimbursement? Understand the guidelines before moving forward.
  • If your company does not have a professional development program, it is still an area to pursue. Seek out seminars and events that are free of charge or within your budget and utilize your lunch hour or after hours time to attend.  Think of it this way: you’re still investing in yourself, regardless of the cost or who pays (and you take that investment with you wherever you go).
  • Ask around to see what courses or designations others in your company have completed, especially in the case of staff members who are working in areas that are of interest to you. Researching the career paths of others can be just as useful as researching courses and programs.
  • Take a long term view, but recognize that you have to walk before you can fly. Think about where you ultimately see your career heading, but be realistic about the professional development and work experience steps that are required to get there.  And get started!
  • Spend some time online to identify and learn more about available courses and programs. Take the opportunity to attend information sessions to ask questions and network with those involved.
  • Set yourself up for success, not failure. Be realistic and ask yourself what type of professional development activities would best fit within your interests and time constraints.  Are you willing to make the commitment to complete a designation or are short term courses and seminars a better approach?
  • If you are considering embarking on an area of study that is new to you, start with a general course to introduce yourself to the topic area. Getting too specialized too quickly can backfire (and you might find that you don’t even like the topic!).  A more general course provides a digestible introduction to further study and is always of value, even if you don’t pursue the topic area any further.
  • Once you get started, look for opportunities to put into practice some of the knowledge you have gained so that it is retained, not lost.

Having your own personal professional development program is an integral aspect of the Me Inc. attitude.  Before long, you will have developed a base of knowledge that builds on what you already know and can set you apart from others in your workplace.  Not only that, active professional development can create a whole new network of knowledgeable and well connected resources, and you just never know where that might lead.

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January 2, 2012  by

Put Yourself to Work (Seminars, Training, and Networking)

Published by CPA Canada in CareerVision

Unfortunately, most of us know what it’s like to feel passed over for a promotion or opportunity for advancement.  You know the feeling: you’re sitting at your desk scrolling through your email box, only to see an announcement that a colleague down the hall has been promoted.  You stare at the screen and wonder how this could have happened, given that you both have a similar amount of time on the job and your skills and experience are at about the same level.  To make matters worse, maybe you didn’t even know that there was a promotion opportunity available at all.  Not a great way to start off the day!

The corporate world is often built on standards and processes, designed to develop an employee group of people with similar abilities and competencies.  Employees, however, are individuals that develop and progress at varying levels. Beyond that, there is something more that can make the difference between moving forward and staying put: it’s not length of service or time in a particular job; rather, it is understanding and investing in the idea of putting yourself to work.  Call it a “Me Inc.” attitude.

Having a Me Inc. perspective means taking the lead role in developing your skills and experience.  Instead of depending on an employer to recognize your abilities, it’s about making a conscious effort to invest in yourself with the objective of becoming the right candidate to move up, perhaps, into that job you’ve always wanted.  Beyond that, it’s viewing yourself as a company or talent to be managed and improved upon, which, in turn, increases value (your personal value, in fact).

Taking action to invest in yourself can be very fulfilling, and as you start to experience the benefits of gaining new skills and abilities (and being recognized for doing so), you will be surprised how motivated you will become to keep going.  Not only that, taking action to invest in yourself will become second nature, something you will do without even thinking about it.

But, how do you get started?  Chances are there are a number of opportunities to invest in yourself that are right in front of you.   In this series, we will consider some ideas to increase your personal value, with the goal of putting yourself to work.

In-house seminars, training, and networking

Many businesses host in-house seminars and training programs as part of their normal operations (these types of sessions are typical in the world of accounting and other professional services firms).  In-house sessions can cover a wide range of areas, including technical training, new service offerings, and guest speaker presentations.  Given that they often take place before or after the regular workday, attendance can be limited, in some cases, which represents an opportunity missed.

Put yourself to work

  • Make the effort to attend these types of sessions, not only to gain the knowledge of the content, but also to “see and be seen”.
  • Don’t limit yourself to sessions that are only within your department or particular functional area. If a session is open to all in the organization, make the time to attend; this is a great way to learn about new areas and build relationships.
  • Network with those in attendance, not only to find out what they are doing, but to also make others aware of your skills and interests.
  • Look for opportunities to participate directly in these types of sessions, such as helping to organize or host, providing assistance to speakers, or acting as part of the presenter group in areas where you have sufficient knowledge to do so. You might be surprised by how often these types of events are in need of volunteers.
  • Look for opportunities to put into practice some of the knowledge you have gained so that it is retained, not lost.
  • Spreading the word and encouraging others to attend shows a good attitude and an effort to help the organization be successful. Good managers recognize leadership among their employees, and know that it can be present (or absent!) at any level.

Keep this up over time and you will be recognized as part of the group that “shows up”, as opposed to those who don’t.  And showing up is easily half the battle.

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