Are You Managing Your Career or Is It Managing You?

My question to you: are you managing your career or is it managing you?  This is an important one to take awareness of as it can help you to feel in-charge of your professional life at all times.  The concept of career management has been defined as “an ongoing process of preparing, implementing, and monitoring plans undertaken by the individual alone or in concert with the organization’s career systems.” (Story, Hall).  But the definition of career management I like best is: “the pattern of work-related experiences that span the course of one’s lifetime” (Greenhaus, 2000).  The concept of career management allows each individual to have control over their jobs and all activities related to the, such as our self-awareness, the goals we develop and the subsequent action steps needed in order to obtain and manage the job we desire.  And these activities last throughout our lifetime. 

Career management involves insight into the self, as well as the work environment.  It is a problem-solving process that consists of information-gathering to gain insight, goals and then the development of specific strategies to attain those goals.  When we are in control of our career, there are many benefits we gain which include:

• you will be more aware of your skills and talents and how they will benefit an organization
• you have an awareness of the type of work environment you thrive in
• you will be prepared for your next job opportunity
• you will feel empowered as you will be in control of your career versus being reliant on others

If you’re not currently managing your career now, I strongly urge to start.  Your future depends on it!