"For my career, while I work for one of the largest information technology services companies in the world, I don't see a lot of opportunities to turn my present job into much more or the ability to obtain new and different skills." - Robert, Professionalread more
QUOTE :::
"It's just a job. Grass grows, birds fly, waves pound the sand. I beat people up."
- Muhammad Ali
"We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves." - Earl Nightingale
In your career you may change employers, positions and even industries many times. Since your skills, experience and expertise will also change, measurement of the individual is fundamental in today's workplace. Large companies have standardized tests and review processes that rate individuals on key workplace skills like communication and leadership. Small companies try and accomplish the same through more personal dialogue. Universities grade constantly. And a homemaker is assessed on the ability to manage a budget, juggle a million activities on a single schedule and keep the refrigerator full.
If the lore is correct, somewhere, lurking in some back filing cabinet, we all have a permanent record just waiting to expose our shortcomings. Assuming you don't have the key to this mystical file cabinet either, the next best approach is candid self analysis. Whether you're just Getting Balanced, or pursuing your Life MBA, introspection comes first. Here are some sample questions you can use as guidelines:
1. If you could change one thing about your position description, what would it be?
a) Salary
b) Company (or University, or Family)
c) Training
d) Manager
e) Ability to work from home
2. How often (if ever) do you sit down for a formal review with your employer, your clients if self-employed, your advisor at a university or your family if a homemaker?
a) Monthly
b) Quarterly
c) Yearly
d) Never
3. What are the primary topics of your reviews?
a) Areas of achievement
b) Areas for improvement
c) Promotions and additional responsibility
d) Your personal objectives
e) Your ideas on how things can run 'better'
4. At work, what do you spend the majority of your time doing?
a) Calls/meetings
b) Pushing papers/e-mails
c) Building the product
d) Managing a team
e) Working with customers
5. Which of the following ideas for your employer have you had in the last year?
a) Ways to reduce costs
b) Ways to improve safety
c) Thoughts on improving morale
d) Ideas on improving the product
e) Ways to improve customer service
6. Where do you eat lunch?
a) Desk
b) With friends
c) With boss or boss' boss
d) At the gym
No matter what your job description says and how many zeros are on your paycheck, individual Career balance starts from within. There are many unique metrics for career success, including salary, contribution, satisfaction and opportunity. Achieving any of those success metrics while maintaining balance requires a plan.
Your next step is to begin to plan how to achieve more career balance as an individual. Don't just rip off that e-mail to your boss about all the ways she's wrong about the new fall product release. Your plan needs to achieve near term results without sacrificing long term objectives. Click here to start your plan for Career-Individual.
