We know from speaking to members that career changes have a big impact on personal finances, and as a result the next “Your Life, Your Money” blogs will focus on career management. The blogs are written by Corinne Goddard, who is an experienced HR professional and career coach.
The world of work has never been static and the pace of change these days is faster than it has ever been – businesses close branches, companies re-structure and organisations merge. This can be a concern for employees and right now, you may be worried about how your employer will react to economic uncertainty and how that will affect you.
Whilst you can’t influence strategic decisions at work, what you can influence is how you prepare for any changes before they arise. Create a career plan for yourself and you will be on the ‘front foot’ when any ups and downs occur. Plan your career and you will be in the driving seat, able to engage with work more effectively and feel more confident about planning your life and finances.
So what does managing your career mean in practice? It means understanding what your skills and abilities are, investing in yourself and seeking out opportunities to progress. It’s about navigating change, being prepared and feeling more financially secure.
Think career
Do you think that career management isn’t relevant because you don’t have a ‘career’, you have a ‘job’?
So what is a career? – let’s take a look at a couple of definitions:
‘a person’s progress or general course of action through life or through a phase of life, as in some profession or undertaking’
‘an occupation undertaken for a significant period of a person’s life and with opportunities to progress’
So whatever you do with your life, it’s your career – and the opportunities to progress? – well that’s up to you.
If you work in a shop, your career is in retail. If you work in an office, you career may be in administration or accounts. Some roles have a defined path for development, but many don’t – that’s what you have to do for yourself.
So what is your career?
One step at a time ….
In a series of blogs, I’ll be encouraging you to take small, positive steps so you can take stock of your current situation, write an impressive CV and design a straightforward plan for you to start developing yourself at work so you feel more confident about your role in the workplace.
There will be exercises for you to complete over the next few weeks, so you will have to commit some time and effort to the project. The reward will be that soon you will have a clear idea of what you have to offer and what options there are for developing further.
In the first blog, we’re going to look at why it is so important to have a thorough understanding of your current situation before you start planning for the future.
