Make Time for Your Career

Posted by Amanda Whiteford

Whenever I run a Drive Your Career workshop, something inevitably makes an impression on me. Last week was no different, and I left the workshop with one overriding thought about how important it is to make time for your career. After all, if you don’t take your career seriously, who will?

As the New Year is a great time for resolutions, I wanted to suggest ways you can make time for your career this year!

1. Schedule a regular time in the diary
   If you don’t protect a regular time to think about your career it will be pushed to the bottom of the pile – “busyness” will always get in the way. We rarely ignore our career development for a bad reason (most of the time it is due to dedication to our jobs), time does have a tendency to slip away. So, first and foremost – push your career to the top of the pile! And the great thing about focusing on your career is that you will likely find it quite an energising process – you’re going to make contact with old colleagues and managers, you’ll spend time thinking about how you’re adding value in your current job, or you’ll find yourself writing an article on your latest project. Make that “last thing on a Friday” lull your creative strategic thinking time! Or drop in at a café first thing on a Monday when your head is clear from the weekend – and write down the one thing you will do this week for your career.


2. Have a plan
   Don’t fall into the trap of just sitting down and wondering what to do. You’ll probably do nothing – or maybe some of the less effective actions. In the hour per week (or month!) that you set aside, focus on something that will help you gain visibility or build your reputation. In your first session, brainstorm actions that you would like to take and – dare I say it – make a list! Then each time you sit down at your regular scheduled time, you will already have some idea of what you’re going to do.


3. Get someone else to help
   Some people plan best alone with a list, and some people plan best and gain energy and commitment from discussion. Who could you meet on a regular basis to give you momentum? Consider a career mentor who will challenge you, or a buddy who is also trying to push their career forward. Choose someone who gives you energy and who you’d hate to let down!


4. Be willing to give up your own time
   The first tactic is always to create time within working hours – set a meeting with yourself in the diary; book a meeting room or move to a different part in the building to get time to think. But if you find this impossible, ask yourself – how important is career progression to you? And what can you do in your personal time?


5. Use work opportunities
   There are lots of great career opportunities in your inbox and daily work. Chances to join working parties which increase your visibility, to ask a few questions of a senior visitor to your site about strategic priorities, to take on small parts of your manager’s role to expand your CV, to shadow experts or attend meetings that will give you a wider perspective.
   
   Put a reminder that pops up on your computer daily – ‘What is happening today or this week that could help my career?’ And be aware – while you may feel that spending your spare time completing an 18-month qualification will help your career – that may be invisible to others. What if you spent the same amount of spare time and effort to making real, visible change in the business – and could quantify the benefits? Senior managers are looking for people with initiative – help them find you!

TAKE AWAY
This year, whatever you do, spend time on your career – so you have real progress at the end of the year, not a feeling that you’ve just let things drift…