It is more than a job but your life…

Career development is a complex and continuous problem-solving process by which you equip yourself to make informed decisions about your work life.

Sibusiso Mbhele

Last time we highlighted the importance to “Know who you are”. Today we’ll be looking at making you understand that career development is a journey. It is not a once and for all thing but a process that needs revisiting and molding. There is a saying that says, “If you do not know where you are going any road will take you there”. Be responsible for who you become and how you become. Keep in touch with your career because it is what directs you.

It is time you start developing the career development plan. The plan outlines all the steps that you need to embark on to reach the highest peak of your career. The plan ensures that you do not find yourself at the wrong turn. There are many things that influence you to have a concrete or weaving career. Therefore, if you a have a plan about who you become, you won’t find the stress of the growing rate of unemployment and retrenchment because you will be highly equipped to stand beyond the odd odds.  If you are creating a career development plan, it is important that you understand your own values, especially in relation to organizational values.  In order to achieve a good organizational “fit,” there should be significant overlap between your values and the organization’s values.  You are most likely to thrive and be comfortable in work and an environment that is compatible with your values.

You are the driving force behind your career.  Actively engaging in the development of your career will give you an opportunity to discover and understand where you currently fit within your organization.  More importantly, it allows you to see where you can go in the future if you take the initiative to develop a realistic strategic career plan and acquire the essential competencies.

The career development process allows you to:

·    Develop a greater awareness of yourself and your work environment,

·    Gather relevant information through career exploration,

·    Set realistic career goals,

·    Develop and implement career strategies to achieve your goals, and

·    Appraise the effectiveness of your efforts.

Most of the time individuals usually focus on career development as upward movement within an agency or department.  They fail to see the opportunities available to them in their current jobs.  If you are currently in a job you enjoy and upward movement is limited or non-existent, there may be alternative ways to help you develop a satisfying career.  You will have to think creatively and look at career development from a non-traditional view. This means, you have to be interchangeable or flexible in the work place because by so doing, you are creating an enough space for you to grow.

The success of your career is dependent upon you.  Although your manager/supervisor and others in your organization will provide assistance, you are ultimately responsible for your professional growth and for managing your career.  Therefore, make it a point that you stay focus and ready for any changes that come along your career path.