By Van Adams | Engagement Insider
Defining your next career move can be an overwhelming task. One of the keys to defining your career is to first define yourself. Knowing who you are is just as important as knowing who you aren’t.
Start by asking yourself:
- What am I good at?
- What do I want to do?
- Where do I see myself short term and long term?
- What do I want to achieve?
- What are my limitations?
- Why do I want to do this type of work?
- What type of environment do I want to work in?
Then conduct a personal evaluation of yourself the old-fashioned way – with pen and paper (or digital app)- so you can see how your responses line up to one another.
Strengths. What do you do well? What are your hard skills? What are your soft skills?
Weaknesses. What don’t you do well? What are your limitations?
Opportunities. Identify the areas where there is a need for what you offer.
Threats. Know the competition. What barriers might prevent you from being successful?
Once you’ve completed the assessment, ask yourself ‘how do others perceive me?’ It may sound cliché, but the best way to know how you are perceived is to ask someone. To get a more honest assessment, ask people outside of your immediate circle. Close friends and family may not give you the most accurate analysis for fear of hurting your feelings or causing friction in the relationship. Compare their feedback with the results of your assessment to get a better understanding of where you are.
By answering (and asking) these questions and doing a self-assessment, you will be able to better define a career that works for you.
Many times when we find that our careers paths are not as exciting as we envisioned, the culprit has something to do with 1) “The Fit Factor” and 2) “Interest vs. Passion” or a combination both.
For example, careers that require selling often require someone with a personality that is outgoing, tolerant of hearing “no”, has good communication skills, and is assertive. While you may be able to rise to the occasion for the sake of the job, this position may be better suited for someone who naturally has these characteristics. For them, selling will be an easier task because they are relying on their natural set of soft skills.
Interests and passions are not mutually exclusive. Knowing the difference in the two will be to your professional advantage. Often times we have many interests. We enjoy lots of things and would like to try our hand at doing all of them. When we lack the passion for it, particularly when time and money has been invested, we often become restless, bored, and in some cases resentful of what we once saw as an opportunity. Be clear on what you are interested in and what you are passionate about. Finding your passion brings a great deal of satisfaction. It’s the thing you could do everyday and not have it feel like work (although it is). When you are passionate about something, you commit to it effortlessly; it becomes a part of your lifestyle.
Networking with a Purpose.
Start with the “low hanging fruit”…the people who are giving you their business cards right now. Share your career aspirations with them and ask that they keep you in mind should opportunities come their way for which you might be a good fit. Be specific. Let them know the types of opportunities you are seeking. It’s a good idea to fill them in on your qualifications as well. Don't assume others are aware of your professional abilities.
Look beyond your existing network and attend networking functions that will help you cultivate new relationships. There’s no shortage of networking opportunities out there, so choose wisely in order to ensure the best spending of your time. Knowing the types of people who are most likely to attend certain functions will help you identify the types of events that you should attend. It will also enable you to develop a game plan to increase your chances of meeting the “right” types of people who can help your career.
Work the room.
When you’re in a networking setting – by all means work the room! If you attend an event with someone, don’t be afraid to step away and introduce yourself to people you don't know. That’s the point of networking….to meet people you don’t know.
There’s a natural tendency for people to spend time talking to those they came to the event with, already know, or with whomever the group talks to collectively. Step outside of your comfort zone and introduce, or re-introduce yourself, to someone.
Say hello.
Introduce yourself with confidence. Be prepared with a clear and concise statement on who you are and what you do. “Hi I’m {your name} with {company/organization name} or {description of what you do}.”
If the situation presents itself, be prepared to discuss in more detail. Be mindful, not everyone will want to hold a long conversation. Particularly if the person you’re speaking with has come with a networking game plan of his/her own.
Maintain eye contact, it shows interest, and give a good handshake. No one likes a “wet fish” handshake. By the same token, no one likes to have their hands crushed either!
Follow up.
One of the key elements to networking involves understanding the importance of follow up. A quick email or even better, a handwritten note immediately after meeting someone goes along way in establishing your network.
Networking is a two-way process. Both parties should bring value to one another in a way that is meaningful in order to sustain and grow the relationship. Otherwise you end up with a stack of business cards and no real connection to the contact.
If you’ve made a connection with someone with whom you’d like to stay connected with, drop them an occasional email on a topic that might interest them, ask for an informational interview, invite them to the driving range, etc. The point is to find ways to engage with them so you both can get to know one another better. You want people to know who you are outside of football.
This article has been edited and first appeared on WRI as part of the Defining Your Career Series