The Career
Transition Planning Process
There is a need today to clearly
understand the meaning of the phrase “Career Management.” Because of the
expansion and, therefore, competition for products and services, how
organizations operate and are being managed has changed dramatically in just a
few years.
Thus the job market has become a
buyer’s market and the sellers, the hiring companies are dramatically altering
their strategies to attract and retain good people. And so it is important that
you be able to effectively manage your career not only in terms of how you
identify, evaluate and accept new positions, but also how you deal with the
existing environment; the people, the products and services, the management
style and the culture “how things get done around here.” To do this
effectively you need a well thought out, written plan which is developed and
implemented by going through these four steps:
Step 1.) Do a thorough Self Assessment to determine:
a)
Who you are in terms of the values and strengths you have to offer.
b)
What kind of work you really want to do, what role(s) you might want to
perform in an organization including your own.
c)
Where (options) you want to explore, look for other opportunities in
terms of what products and/or
services are involved (industry), actual target companies where you might like
to work within an environment and
culture that fits you.
There are a number of self assessment exercises you can do to get answers to a,
b and c. Identifying and analyzing several vocational and avocational
accomplishments will reveal your key skills/strengths. You need to look at your
interest patterns, your value system, your personality traits, how your prefer
to behave, what kind of work environment suits you best and your financial
location needs. How to proceed through this step can be found in my Summary of
Self Assessment Exercises dated January 2001 or in books such as “What Color
Is Your Parachute” by Bolles, CD Rohms, Adult Education Courses or from other
Career Counselors. Taking the time to do this part of the process properly is
essential to creating an effective plan.
Step 2.) Prepare and continually edit these self marketing tools.
a) A one page written career
management/job search plan which clearly states what key values/strengths you
have to offer, what kind of work you want to do and where from #1 above. This
will be input for any networking script
and can even be used instead of a resume in many situations.
b.) A two page chronological
resume. This can be turned into a functional.
c) Cover letter (as needed)
There are many different uses for what so-called “cover” letters that can
go by mail, email or fax as appropriate. Not all
should include a resume, so, carefully consider what you want the
recipient to know or do as you write it..
d) Your networking agenda,
what your are going to talk about, for each meeting and you strategy for
follow-up.
e) A well conceived reference
system which includes contacting and preparing
five or six references.
f) A system detailing and
keeping track of all your activities.
Step 3.) Do Market Research to:
a) Determine the validity of
your plan. Are your objectives realistic, are you talking to the right people
and exploring in the right places.?
b) Get good information and
knowledge about who is doing what and to whom in what is known as the Hidden
Sector of your marketplace through the Human Information System called
networking. The bottom line of
networking is to get referrals to other people for additional information and
knowledge. This is the most potent search engine you have for it eventually
will turn up “Live Ones, “ actual
job opportunities, because you are penetrating where about 80% of
all jobs are found.
c) Penetrate the
“Published” sector which is where about 20% are found. This is done by
contacting job sources directly through head hunters,
answering ads and tapping the Internet.
Step 4.) Manage the “Live
Ones.”
When you have reached this step
in the process (called the Selection phase), you will have actually turned up a
“Live” job(s) for which are or could become a candidate. This could be in
your current organization or elsewhere. The steps here in the order that they
will probably happen are:
a) Learn all you can about the
goals and needs of the organization, the job and the people with whom you
could be working.
b) Prepare and practice for
each interview and follow up with acknowledgements that can strengthen your
candidacy. Actual hiring can take long time, so keep
the very “live ones” alive with every week,
thought-provoking communications that keep you “in the mind of” the
hiring manager, but don’t be a pest.
c) You will start to get
specific offers which you should evaluate against your needs. Then you will be
able to negotiate more effectively to a win-win situation. It is a good idea
to get the offer in writing so you know exactly
what you have to negotiate.
d) Decide and accept the offer
you want and try to get final terms in writing.
Get legal advice if necessary. Very
important that you request details on how you will be oriented into your new
position.
e) Start in your new position
with confidence and enthusiasm.
P.S. One of your options for
exploration may be doing your own thing, which has come out of your self
assessment. If this is the case, you need to create a business plan which has a
lot of the same elements as a “Career Management” Plan.
By: Mac
Walker, Principal Strategist, Career Mission Consulting
Phone & Fax (203) 857-4625
macmiss2000@yahoo.com
