As 2015 begins to wind down and a new year approaches, we take pause over the Holiday season to spend time with family and friends. Career progression or assessment is a natural topic for conversation. A frequent question may be, “How are things going at work?”
The beginning of a new year is an ideal time for change or new beginnings. Many of those changes begin to take place as a result of self-reflection or stemming from conversations with others during the Holiday season.
Here are some questions that might help you reflect on your career progression and assist in the preparation of a plan of action in guiding you toward achieving your career goals and aspirations. Taking a career inventory is the first step in assessing where you are today, where you may want to direct your career in the future and the steps or plan in fulfilling those goals.
Who Am I Professionally?
Am I at the beginning of my profession?
Am I at the beginning my career within my profession?
Where am I in my career: beginning, middle or end? Is this true for my profession as well?
What is my work style? Is it compatible with the other professionals that I work with?
What are my work values and are they compatible with and within my existing organization?
Do my values match or fit the organization’s culture?
How Do Others See Me? What is my Reputation?
What role might my reputation have in securing work, special assignments, leading projects or teams?
How might I ask for feedback: what, who, where and when?
How might other professionals describe my skills/competencies and style? What work, events, transactions, or projects would they be basing this on?
How would I like professionals to describe my work style? What might I need to do or change to be described in this way or to achieve this career goal/objective?
How do I identify key assignments to secure the competencies and accomplishments necessary to leverage my career?
How do I assess career risk?
Professional Possibilities: The Changing World of Work
What is your profession? Can you define it and is it portable?
Is your profession portable in your existing organization and/or outside your organization?
If your profession is portable what other law firms, companies, industries, higher education institutions or non-profits might utilize your profession?
What, transactions, assignments or projects might you ask or volunteer for today that would help you achieve your career goals?
Without leaving your current position might you be able to explore a lateral or enrichment opportunity that would help you achieve your career goals?
What else do you need to know or do? How can you acquire the information? Are there professionals in your network that would have the knowledge, information or access to the data?
Career Lattice vs. Career Ladder: Do I move laterally as a career option? How do I assess this risk?
Plan: How can you achieve your goals?
What actions are inside vs. outside your control?
Is there a skill/competency, type of legal experience or training/ certification that you have identified as a deficiency or opportunity? If so, how do you identify the opportunity and assess the risk? Are there opportunities on a team, project or outside of work where you may be able to develop the skill or experience?
What is one action item that you could initiate today?
What are the steps or outline to achieve your goal(s)? From whom might you receive feedback on your plan?
Do you have S.M.A.R.T goals?
Specific
Measureable
Actionable
Realistic
Timeline
We hope that this begins to open the door to possibilities or helps pinpoint areas of change.
Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy all the possibilities of the Holiday season.
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