Tuesday 14 April 2015

Take Ownership Of Your Career

By Francine Mashabela

The world of work has changed. We are experiencing big trends that require us to stay informed and adapt to these changes. Globally, the world of work has gone digital, it’s more flexible, as people want more control in their lives and there is a huge emphasis on personal branding and entrepreneurship. If you wish to remain relevant and advance in your career, you need to own you part, change your reality and reinvent yourself. This is especially if you find yourself in a career that is less than your ideal.

So how do you start reinventing yourself so that you move from the ‘ijob, ijob’ situation to finding work you actually love doing? First of all, career reinvention or any personal reinvention for that matter, requires courage, passion and initiative. These are key if you are to own your career. Gone are the days when we waited for someone to give us a lucky break. Regardless of whether you are employed or not, you can start the process to reinvent yourself so you stand out in the job market.

Current career trends dictate that we be strategic if we are to get to the next desired level, taking the following steps will start you on the right path:

Take stock of where you are in your career and where you want to go

When you know where you are at and have identified your interests, passion, talents and skills set, as well as barriers that threaten your career advancement, you will be in a better position to chart a way forward.

Create a career plan: Sitting down and putting a plan together will help you to focus. Do you need to take a class to learn a new skill? Do you need to get a mentor or start networking in new circles? You can address these and more in your career plan.

Use current career trends to your advantage: Use the power of social media. This could include revamping your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles to be more attractive to your prospective employer of choice. Learning the art of networking to build your personal brand is also critical in this day and age.

You will need to be consistent and exercise patience, ask for help when you need it, make use of available resources and be prepared to take calculated risks. If you feel demotivated at times, you won’t have to look far to find those who’ve taken the same leap of faith.



Francine Mashabela

Twitter: @ FranMashabela

Facebook Page: Uniquely U Personal Development and Career Management Services

Email: francine.mashabela@gmail.com

Mobile: 082 664 543



Francine Mashabela is a Career Guidance Practitioner and founder of Uniquely U Personal Development and Career Management Services, a company dedicated to assisting individuals and groups with tools for personal development and career growth. She uses her experience in HR and education and training to help clients reach their dream career goals. Francine is also a radio presenter at Impact radio 103 fm.