An all-too-common mistake is the failure to focus on managing your own career with the same professional attention that you employ to manage your direct subordinates.

Review the following checklist to keep your career ‘on track’.

• Make sure you constantly learn new things and meet new challenges – you need to be able to demonstrate recent achievements and ongoing personal development, not repeated years’ experience.
• Engage in a regular review of current key issues and challenges and encourage two- way feedback on overall progress and your own performance.
• If there is a slowing down of new challenges, actively seek internal development – internal promotion is in many ways a more impressive endorsement than “moving jobs.”
• In the event that no path for internal progression exists, then pro-actively explore external career market opportunities.
• Be selective and targeted in your career search.
• Only apply to advertised vacancies where you have definite interest and feel you ought to represent a realistic, strong contender for the opportunity. Give these considered applications your fullest efforts; apply promptly, personally call to introduce yourself and to follow up.
• Bear in mind, your only real objective in making an external application is to get you face to face with the decision maker.
• Do not forget the power of your personal network and “the professional grapevine”; the more senior your position, the more likely this will be the source of your next career step. Actively meet up with potentially useful contacts and be up front and assertive in your approach.
• Overall, be constantly aware of your “marketability” – you can always say ‘no’ but, equally, give yourself the option to weigh up high quality opportunities against your current situation.

Your cv has only one real purpose-to get you face to face with the key decision-maker who holds the opportunity you want Remember, it is your personal “sales document” – so make it work effectively for you! A good cv should include all of the following:

• SELL key achievements in your career to date
• SELL recent accomplishments, new skills
• Be a clear and concise document
• Contain use of impactive bullet points
• For a specific application, should always include a relevant cover letter.

Don’t sit back and wait for a reply – pick up the phone and call directly two days later to arrange a meeting; this confident and pro-active approach will have as much influence as your positive cv document.

The ability to “sell” yourself effectively in a Job Interview is likely to be one of the key factors in determining your successful career development short and long term.

The “right” positions are often few and far between, so review the following check list to ensure you make the most of your interview opportunities.

• Before attending any interviews, seriously consider and take advice regarding the experience you need to achieve your planned career progression. Judge all opportunities against these parameters.



• Be selective. Only apply for positions which are likely to meet your objectives.



• Prepare well. Look at the Company’s web site and get hold of an Annual Report and other Corporate literature in advance of the meeting. The interviewer will be impressed by your professional and thorough approach.



• Good preparation also gives you the opportunity to focus on the pertinent questions you will need to ask to evaluate clearly how interested you are in moving to that Company.



• Remember, interviews are a 2-way street. You have equal right and responsibility to explore the merits of the position and the business overall as you have to respond to whether you represent their “ideal fit”.



• First impressions are extremely important. Rightly or wrongly, consistent survey evidence confirms that the overwhelming majority of interviews are won or lost within the first 5 minutes.



• Use confident body language. Speak clearly and positively. Use eye contact. Show enthusiasm and don’t forget to smile; give the impression you want to be there!



• Be assertive and confirm “up front” the key requirements and purpose of the role. This helps to avoid wasting time discussing irrelevant details. Rather, it allows you to match your “selling points” to the key issues, which the recruitment decision will be based on.

Before applying for any new position, you need to be clear why you wish to leave your current employment and also to confirm your aspirations – ensure your search parameters are both realistic and meet your longer term career goals.

• A logical starting point, but all to often overlooked, is to explore fully any potential opportunities within your own organisation. Internal progression can often be a more impressive endorsement than “moving jobs”.



• If you do need to apply externally, you will need to construct an impactive CV – remember, a CV is your “personal sales document”. In particular, it needs to SELL effectively key achievements in your career to date.



• Be selective and targeted with any applications you make – your only objective is to get face to face with the key decision-maker who holds the opportunity you want.



• Only apply to advertised vacancies if you have a definite interest and believe you will represent a strong contender for the opportunity. Give these considered applications your fullest efforts; apply promptly and follow up rigorously.



• Again, be selective in your use of Recruitment Consultancies – choose only those you believe will provide a professional service and will work pro-actively on your behalf.



• Do not forget the power of your personal network and “the professional grapevine”; the more senior your position, the more likely this will be the source of your next career step.



• Following each interview, insist on getting feedback – constructive and honest 3rd party views can help not only your interview performance, but also to develop a real understanding of your “marketability” and how to achieve realistic career progression.



• If the ideal job does not immediately come your way, remain patient and focused on your career aspirations. You are far better holding on in your current position than making a poor career move. If you are in a redundancy situation, take an Interim role while you continue to explore the “right” career opportunities.

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