Career Success Day 8: Invest In Yourself

At exactly 6:40 pm yesterday, I decided to take a quick, power nap before getting a few more items off my checklist..well, I think my body stirred about 4:39 am and I drifted off to sleep again.

I guess, our body really knows when we need rest. I hope that in the midst of the festivities and activities, you find time to rest and rejuvenate for the new year. I practice what I preach…as I have been mentally preparing for 2013, I am making a list of new marketing strategies and professional development goals.

Can I be transparent with you? Even as a career coach, there are things that I have fear about and need to purposely stretch myself when I run into a roadblock.

The reason that I love what I do so much is that it allows me to share with others (from a real and personal perspective) what has worked for me and has ultimately changed my definition of personal and career success. So, if I am not letting myself off the hook, don’t think you get to slide through these 12 career success planning steps.

On the eighth day of the holidays, my career coach said to me:

Invest in your professional development and career growth

I know that I have shared this story before and I will share it again. About six years ago, I worked with a very talented professional who had been laid off and essentially had become “extinct” in her own industry. Why? She stayed so focused on the current tasks at hand that she missed (or ignored) the importance of emerging industry trends in the field of investments/stock brokering. Bottom line – she did not increase, improve, expand, strengthen or add to her professional skills…bad, bad career move!

People, both clients and colleagues, exclaim about the number of career management and resume writing certifications I have…understand that in order to stay competitive, I have recognized that my abilities and skills need to be current and relevant. This year, I became a Certified Executive and Leadership Development Coach and I am two sessions away from becoming a certified Get Clear, Get Found, Get Hired (G3) Coach.

What kind of career “insurance” or career emergency plans have you developed?

What measures are you taking to keep yourself marketable, competitive and relevant in your field or industry?

• Take advantage of every paid and low-cost learning opportunity – online seminars, videos, conferences and more
• Explore internal opportunities like new skill-enhancement projects or initiatives
• Re-evaluate a lateral move if it will expand your knowledge base and strengthen your qualifications
• Increase your learning through all channels, books – any new topic, area of expertise, advanced technology, or industry-based resources can be found in major bookstore chain or your local library.
• Scour the Internet to find free teleseminars, webinars, e-books, blogs, and forums or follow key industry leaders on Twitter.

Are you just catching this series? Well, click here to start from the beginning…