After One Application, Get Ready for the Next One. Now it’s time to make yourself in demand on the market. To do this, you need to continuously showcase your skills, recognize market changes, gather ideas, and network with the right people. This is how you create your competitive advantage for a successful career!
The Next Goal: To effectively plan your career, you should not only focus on your current job but also keep an eye on the future. Think about your next goal. This could vary: perhaps you want to stay in your current job for the next ten years, you’re aiming for a higher salary, or you plan to switch to another company in two years. Whatever your goal, it should be truly appealing to you—something that makes you feel eager to achieve it next.
Showcase Your Skills: Consider the skills a person possesses who has already achieved what you aim for. Write these down and start practicing and embodying them. Only when you master these skills and important decision-makers recognize them in you, can the next step become possible.
Beware of the Automation Trap! With time, more and more jobs are being lost to automation and digitalization. This can be scary, but throughout history, jobs have disappeared, and new ones have emerged. Ask yourself if your job could be taken over by a “robot.” If the answer is yes, don’t resist it. Instead, learn to master this challenge. Identify which areas can be automated and which still require a human touch. That’s where your opportunity lies. What could be your future areas of expertise?
Future-Proofing: How will your job look in five years, considering rapid changes in the labor market? In which direction should you further educate yourself? Who are the successful people you can learn from, and who are your role models? Note down potential training and development opportunities as well as your role models.
Environment and Networking: Create an environment that supports your growth. Distance yourself from people who bring you down—they’re not good for you. It may sound easier said than done, but considering that, according to a study, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with, it becomes clear how important the right people in your professional environment are if you want to move forward.
Work-Life Balance: To perform well, you need to be physically fit and feel good about yourself. What can you do to improve your work-life balance?
Enjoy working on your Big 5 For Future!
Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash
