Becoming a career activist is key to your professional success
Pro-activeness and planning are the keys to achieving a successful career – which is something you need to teach your staff. That is the view of Gina Davidson, HR executive of talent management at Nedbank who says South Africans need to become career activists.
According to Davidson, when you retire how you look back on your career depends on how you look forward to it now. "No matter what job you're currently doing, planning for your career future can make all the difference. This means taking charge of your own career and the choices you make about it".
While many people change jobs a number of times over the course of their working life, the success of these transitions will largely depend on how well they've planned and prepared for their career.
Too many people go through their working lives without a plan. They land a job, work at it for a period of time and then - if they're lucky - something better (or with higher pay) lands in their laps and they grab it with both hands. Usually, this is done without a thought for where this new opportunity will take them in their careers.
The result of this 'ad hoc' approach to career advancement is seldom satisfying. That's why everyone should take time out to reflect on their career hopes and dreams and should be asking themselves what they really enjoy doing, what type of careers match their personality type and values, and ultimately where they would like to see themselves in the future. All that's required is a commitment to spending an hour or two thinking carefully about yourself and your objectives and then taking the time to research the kind of jobs, skills and experiences that you will require to reach your ideal role.
