Career Management
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
“I need a new computer!”; “I need to move house!” “I need a haircut!” “I need a holiday!!”
So many ‘needs’ – and in almost every case they are blindingly obvious: your computer will have ceased to function properly; your neighbours are annoying; you’ve just noticed yourself in the mirror; you have ceased to function properly. So why is it that so many people fail to recognise in themselves a need for Career Management?
As with so many ‘givens’ in life, we tend to manage those aspects which, traditionally, we know will come under the general heading of “Life Management”: managing your finances; managing your household; managing your children’s education. But when it comes to managing your career (career management), actually very few see this as something which is just as important as all the others. If not more so.
We tend to ‘muddle through’ and of course we all know those ‘lucky’ people who, when asked, will say that they have the best job in the world – “…and I’m actually being paid to do it!”. But how much of that is luck, and how much good judgement? The famous golfer, Gary Player, was once asked how much luck played a part in his success, to which he responded with the classic line: “Well I don’t know, but it seems the more I practice, the luckier I get.”
Very few people can say they have the best job in the world, but with help and guidance, they will almost certainly be able to improve their situation and achieve a role which is more satisfying, rewarding, and with better long-term prospects. And just as all the top sportsmen or women in the world (even Gary!) will have taken tuition and mentoring from the very best coaches to improve not only their skills, but their mental outlook, so those who genuinely wish to enhance their career should seek guidance from those who are professionally qualified to provide it. And do it well.
The question was simple: “How do I know I need it?” The answer is equally simple: unless you can say, honestly, that your career is following exactly the track you envisaged when you first started, that you really do enjoy your work, are being paid what you had originally hoped for and that your future prospects are excellent, then it stands to reason that you will benefit (possibly hugely) from career management, provided by the professionals at TCMO. We will always take a genuine interest in you as an individual and offer precisely the guidance to help you to make that very important career move.
So, like Gary Player, don’t depend on luck; take control of your game – and achieve!
Career Management just might be the right thing for you.
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
To many people the concept of Career Management is something of a mystery, or else they have only a rough idea of what it’s all about. If you were to ask a total stranger what they thought it was, you can guarantee that they would say: “Yes, it’s really just re-writing your CV and telling you who to approach and stuff like that.” Which is rather like saying the internet is “…just a sort of communications thing”.
The key word here is Management and, in every sense, management of an individual’s needs – not a ‘catch-all’ solution delivered by seminar (which, despite the quality of the presenter, will always leave specific questions in the mind of each participant). So whereas the contents of the CV will be pivotal in forming any career management programme, it is still only a fraction of what that whole programme will entail; there is much more to it than that.
Of course there are those who do provide a CV writing service, which, on its own, can be useful to someone who is looking for nothing further. However career management, as the name suggests , addresses the entire process of how you can enhance your career substantially, and thereby take control of your future. It’s a complete career enhancing package.
So what does it cover?
Career Management is available: to those in work who: want to improve their situation; who want to transfer their skills into another sector; or are even facing redundancy, and is a means to cover not only the (highly important) CV, but, through one-to-one consultation with professionals, will identify the key skills, experience and capabilities that will appeal to a prospective employer.
The skills of our professionals will not only identify opportunities within areas that, using your transferable skills, you had not even thought of, but also will show you how to get in front of the key people. And then how to make an impact.
Many people have an issue with interviews, and so interview briefing becomes an integral part of the management programme. Effective networking (not wine & cheese card-swapping soirees!) and telephone skills are all included, as are self-marketing, negotiation skills and strategy – and more; and so the whole becomes a comprehensive course of Career Management.
Career Management is meant for those who want more than a fancy CV; it’s for those who want to take control of their career – and move it forward.
TCMO provide exactly that. Contact us now and get your career management journey off to a great start
Friday, November 25th, 2011
We’ve all been there!
Remember saying it’ll never catch on, it’s too complicated, it doesn’t work for me???
Mention these points today and you will usually get the answers “it did”, “it’s not” and “it does”! and they could be quite right…….however…….there is hope in the career coaching sector for the technophobe.
One definition of a technophobe is “one who is threatened or scared of technology” it could be just a fear of the unknown of a simply good level of ignorance. Career Coaching should never be fully technology led as it is a very personal experience that is best shared!
So how do we strike a good balance and encourage technophobes to embark on some effective career coaching?
Firstly you need to assess your learning style, think of the coaching you’ve have received before (business or leisure), what environment was it in, who did it and what results did you get?
Then think how the key points were communicated to you, written, verbal, face to face on the phone? By now you will know what enjoyed most and what got the best results for you.
Apply this logic when you are seeking a career coach, ask friends family, colleagues and your HR department , citizens advice, local libraries, careers centres and the job centre will all help pint you in the right direction .
When you meet / talk to your career coach tell them your learning style, how you don’t want technology playing a big part and what coaching you have received before that has worked well for you.
Taking all this into account you should now be able to get cracking with some good quality activity based career coaching with milestones and activity plans to complete between sessions.
If you are serious about your career my top tips for not techie career seekers are
1) Always seek face to face coaching with activity based actions
2) Networking works – research and attend conferences / events / business functions where decision makers will be
3) Don’t be shy of an approach by letter! Its stands out from a crowd
4) Aim to meet recruiters- ask for meetings
5) Plan to start using technology before it leaves you behind! Job boards and social media do work
Good luck and feel free to call us at TCMO 0131 201 0181 for some tech free, straight forward career coaching that genuinely gets results.
Tuesday, November 15th, 2011
Career Coaching and its many derivates have been around in practical terms since the 1500’s, during that period ‘Guilds’ and ‘Livery’ companies (today’s trade associations) were setting the career standards, pace of progression and qualifications within 100’s of professions and trades………this to me was the start of the idea of not just having a job but having a career and managing it in organised way.
Politics, Invention, Social Pressures and Technology have impacted on the art of effective career coaching and its form and effectiveness has changed regularly since
In principle and according to Wikipedia! Career Coaching / Management is:
- Development of overall goals and objectives
- Development of a strategy (a general means to accomplish the selected goals/objectives),
- Development of the specific means (policies, rules, procedures and activities) to implement the strategy, and
- Systematic evaluation of the progress toward the achievement of the selected goals/objectives to modify the strategy, if necessary.
Over the past few years the type of person who uses career coaching services has changed dramatically and the discussion about careers with friends & colleagues is less taboo, for some previously in could be seen as a sign of weakness or desire to leave a business!
Career coaching is no longer only for the high earners, services and results led programs are available for every salary level and discipline.
History always repeats itself so 2012 will be a year of change in career coaching
So, how will it change?
Style of Delivery – there has been a natural technology lean over the last 5 years where the trend to deliver online has increased, I believe this has always given the user a disadvantage as most career deciding & defining moments happen face to face – you will see over the next 12 months consumer demand will rise for face to face career coaching so the training scenario fully matches ‘real life’ situations
Pricing – Online options will always be cheaper and /or free but savvy consumers (no matter how small their budget) will always seek value for money and in the right professional career management environment will be able to see in advance how it will add value to their career, the price of face to face coaching will fall in 2012 – through competitive demand and also the realization of career managers that their services (like many) are not worth to consumers what they used to be.
Social Media – W ill continue to have an impact on how people progress their career but it still won’t help them learn, plan and deliver effective career management activity, during 2012 I see mature career focused people looking more to the traditional networking as a way of getting ahead of the game and senior professionals realizing that social media will help their careers progress and help them deliver business results
Survivors not just Leavers – For most career coaches the last 3 years have been dominated by people leaving businesses not employees looking to progress. This will change in 2012 as ‘survivors’ in businesses seek to gain promotion in their leaner teams and businesses.
Point proven by the ONS data in November 2011 that said “ A 13 year low – The number of people leaving their primary occupation between April and June this year was 674,000, or around 2.4% of the UK workforce, a drop of 42% from the peak of 1.17m in 1998, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data.
Tailored Services – Off the shelf programs for most are impersonal and don’t make the consumer feel valued, the career coaching industry has been guilty of this. In 2012 this will change and although brand standards and core programs that deliver results will be the backbone of success. In 2012 the way they are adapted to individual needs will be the defining selling point.
2012 for Career Managers and those seeking Career coaching will define the industry for a number of years to come, if the economy is virtually stagnant, as predicted, innovation will need to win the day.
TCMO can provide you with these services and our straightforward approach has benefited many, we like to be challenged, so please feel free to get in touch with me to see how our services can match up to your 2012 career management expectations
Monday, November 7th, 2011
If you are looking for good quality advice on career coaching for teenagers read on…. you could be a teenagers yourself looking to get a step ahead of your parents, friends or teachers! Or you may be a forward thinking parent seeking real life advice….
This quick read should enable you to talk about what it is, why do it, where to find it and how to make it a success.
Why seek out Career Coaching?
Whether it’s for you or someone else you have to buy into it before you start.
It will give the ‘base camp’ for flexible ideas for what you can do, when you do it and how you get there, it doesn’t matter if you are 13 or 18 .. a good plan still works.
Career Coaching can be found in schools or colleges and through friends and colleagues, the best advice will always come from an independent source and don’t be shy, seek out professional help, it may cost but you can always discuss your needs with a potential service provider before you commit, remember a small investment now will repay itself many times over throughout your career.
So, what is it?
Career Coaching should be a set of theoretical advice and practical activities that give the user the knowledge and motivation to plan their short and medium term career future
It should be guided using attitude, personality and interests, not just on academic or technical ability. Be realistic and don’t throw in too many social, economic or geographical boundaries… they are enough hurdles out there already.
How can you measure success in career coaching for teenagers?
In many ways short term, you will see their level of motivation rise in the direction of study or hobby this will then give them a more informed view of a direction. Their appetite for working part time or voluntarily will increase as will their communication skills with advisors.
Longer term you will see longevity in roles and quicker promotion in responsibility as well or job title.
To conclude:-
Professional career coaching will have a long term impact on a teenager’s ability to plan ahead and get a great career. In needn’t be along programme of training, short, punchy and fun works and as we mentioned earlier a small investment will get a return.
Talk to us at TCMO and as ever ‘google’ it, we’d like to think our guidance is honest and real life
Monday, September 26th, 2011
Social media has become a new way of interacting with friends, family and even colleagues. With facebook allowing us to write posts, share photos and “check in” at any location around the world, have you considered including social media in to your job search?
An integral part of career management is the effective use of social media
With many employers forced to cut their budgets, they are more reluctant to spend thousands of pounds to hire a recruitment agency. Instead, what they’re doing is advertising vacancies on their website and searching for you, the best person for the job, online.
The current trend is to use Linked In, a business networking website for all professionals worldwide. Although the site offers a premium and job seeker account, I would advise you start with the free basic account as this will give you use of 95% of the facilities it offers.
You should aim to complete your profile to 100%. Upload a professional photo of yourself and use your up-to-date CV to fill in your work experience. These three things are critical as having none of this information will put off HR decision makers and recruitment consultants. Once you are happy with your profile, you should focus on building your network. A great place to start is by searching for friends, colleagues and recruitment consultants you have spoken with in the past. Adding them to your network will increase the visibility of your profile and let you contact a wider range of people.
Linked in is great for planning your career management activity.
Participating in Groups on Linked In is a great form of self marketing and networking with other professionals within your industry or desired sector of work. Join all of your local and national related groups to your industry / business and become active in their discussions and polls. Recruiters and employers want to know which members are active and display their expertise within that field.
Recommendations on Linked In help you complete your profile to 100% and will bring your profile higher up the list on any search related to your previous employment. I would suggest you contact a former colleague you are connected to and ask them to recommend you. It doesn’t have to be anything too formal but a short paragraph on your key skills and personality is all that’s required. Similarly, help out your ex-colleagues you enjoyed working with but do remember to ask them before writing one.
This should get you a step ahead in your job search but also give you access to the unadvertised job market. Sadly, it can often come down to who you know and not just what you know. Make sure you have all your skills, qualifications and relevant work experience out in the public domain.
Whilst you can benefit from using Social Media with your job search, don’t forget that your potential employer will be using it to their advantage too. They will be actively looking for your profile online including Facebook, Twitter and Linked In. With this in mind, it’s important not to have anything online that have a negative impact on their decision making process. Your family and friends might want to see a picture of your latest night out, your employer might not be so impressed.
Ignorance of social media is no excuse, it has proven success for people of all levels who have a positive and active view on career management.
