On the track and chugging along ...
IF THERE is one myth that has been busted with depressing regularity, it is that loyal and well-intentioned plodders will finally get their dues, some day. They don't... they keep their desperate attempts and hopes up till the day arrives when it becomes time for them to retire or opt for relief voluntarily, whichever happens to be first. The smart alecs of the world arrive where they want to with some smart thinking, a little talent, heaps of luck (godfathers/mentors) and not a little manipulation. It is a hare's world after all! Incidentally, this piece is not a diatribe against those `blessed' ones but a gentle call to the tortoises of the world to unite and fight their fate -- of careers that don't move and promotions that don't come forth!
First things first
If you want to move ahead, you have to know where you stand. Today a career path is not as clearly defined as it was a few decades ago. People start out in a profession and end up working at something totally unrelated. Forget `jobs for life' culture. They don't exist anymore. In such a situation monitoring career development can be difficult. A more transient outlook will perhaps help one better. Any kind of career monitoring requires that you ask for feedback and critically assess yourself periodically, a singularly unpleasant task. Hence many of us choose the easier option: work efficiently and hope that you will be noticed and moved up the corporate ladder.
Tell all
There are a few signals that can indicate whether or not you are moving up in your career. Apart from the sure shot indicators like promotions, perks, bonuses and words of appreciation, there are other more subtle signs. This is called the `people response'. The way people respond to you is an indicator whether your career is gathering momentum or just chugging along.
According to US based career coach Karen Hanen, there are three tell- all terms that describe the way you are perceived by the people around you. This perception can be an accurate indicator of the state of your career— stalled or moving. Today an employee must take complete responsibility for managing the progress of his career. It is not just how well you do your job that determines your progress at work, it's also the image you project.
`Requested'
When your colleagues and others seek your help or advice or ask to be included in your team, take this as testimony to the fact that they like and respect you for your abilities and work experience. It is a good sign when clients volunteer to work with you. These are signs that people depend on you to deliver and the better you are at it, the faster your career will accelerate. When your expertise is sought by your bosses, co-workers and subordinates or if your employer requests you to chair a committee on tasks that are important to the organisation, know thyself to be wanted and in demand.
`Visible'
A high profile assignment, which comes your way, if handled competently will see your career on the right path. Not only will it get you high visibility but also increase your chances of a promotion in the near future. It will give your career the much needed kick-start. On the other hand if you are put in a place where your skills are not applicable or have no value, it could be a sign of career in trouble.
`Included'
Are you kept in the loop on all the things that are happening in the organisation, included in the formal as well as informal communications? If you are an integral part of the formal meetings, luncheons and the social circuit, know that you have arrived and are there to stay. If the senior management invites you to participate or accompany them to important seminars or professional development programmes, know that your work is being noticed and appreciated. Moreover, if your supervisor values your suggestions, gives you objective feedback and includes you in decision making, it is yet another indication that your career is in high gear and headed right.
One of the important factors of keeping your career on track is the ability to judge when it is not. Progress should be measured not just in terms of your career but also the strides you make in your life. At the end of the day you could still be a tortoise but a wiser one at that!
PADMA RAMESH
padma.hyd@cnkonline.com
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