Limiting Choices
Time and time again I see people make choices that stunt their career.
It usually sounds something like:
- “I don’t want to learn new skills, even though my industry is changing.”
- “I’m attracted to jobs that are convenient or immediate but don’t offer anything that will lead to my next position or something that makes me more marketable.”
- “I hate social media and don’t want to participate.”
- “I don’t want to wear a suit or worry about my appearance.”
- “I don’t want to go to industry meetings or networking events.”
All of these perspectives are okay. They’re okay because they’re your choice. You simply have to be prepared for the series of tradeoffs that follow these decisions. These career-limiting choices might put you in a vulnerable state within your company, or worse – laid off and making yourself unemployable for the same income level or title.
Not okay.
Expanding Choices
Do you want the next big promotion or a new job? Make sure your career is healthy. Look around you. What are the successful people in your desired role doing? What skills do they have that you might need to acquire? With whom should you be investing in a relationship because they will be influential to your future?
If you want to grow in your career, here are some choices that you can make:
- Recognize opportunities for connection.
- Gain experience in a new skill, certification, or license.
- Take on projects that are marketable and will lead to greater opportunities.
- Put yourself in a position to meet highly connected and influential people.
- Discern the power structure and how it might be shifting in your current place of employment.
Decisions like these will lead you towards greater success. You can set yourself up for good things to happen. It starts with a choice that only you can make