WITI CAREERS
Career Luck?
By Vivian VanLier, CPRW, JCTC, CEIP, CCMC, CPRC, Certified Career, Resume and Retirement Coach
Do you know people who always seem to be lucky in their career? They get the best jobs, the best promotions, the best salaries. Right? We all know people like that, but have you ever taken a critical look at why and how they became so "lucky?"
My favorite definition of "luck" is:
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity!
In my career coaching practice, I have found that my clients who have gotten all the "lucky breaks" in their careers lead their professional lives exactly that way. They stay on top of economic, industry, professional and company trends. They do ongoing training and reconnaissance and equip themselves with current tools, skills and information. They continuously track their accomplishments and achievements. They always have an updated resume and/or career portfolio. They maintain their professional and personal networks. They know where the opportunities are and position themselves to be in the right place at the right time - fully prepared to act on a "lucky break!"
On the other hand, I often get calls or Internet inquiries from people who need a new resume or career advice immediately! An opportunity has appeared out of nowhere, and they're totally unprepared to act on it. So, they proceed with inadequate personal marketing materials, unprepared to ace the interview.
So what can you do to increase your "Career Luck"? I encourage my clients to keep a Career Journal. This can be as simple as a spiral book that you keep in your desk drawer. At the end of each week, ask yourself how you made a difference in the workplace or how you contributed to your own professional development and document it. Ask yourself:
| • | Did you capture a key account? |
| • | Did you close a major piece of business? |
| • | Did you forge a new professional partnership or strategic alliance? |
| • | Did you work on a significant project? Did you streamline a work process? Did you participate in any important meetings or team projects? |
| • | Can you quantify the results? |
| • | Can you identify the impact that your contribution will make on your team, department, division, organization? |
Another way to identify your career "wins" is to identify CAR / PAR stories. Ask yourself:
| • | What was a CHALLENGE or PROBLEM that I faced? |
| • | What ACTION did I take? |
| • | What was the RESULT to my company? |
Keeping a career journal will create a top-of-the-mind awareness of the contributions you make on the job. This practice will also provide you with accomplishment-oriented information for your resume (which should always be up to date), performance evaluations, business development efforts and networking opportunities.
Being prepared with interview-winning resumes, cover letters, career portfolios, networking and interviewing skills, and salary negotiation tactics will enhance your Career Luck. We'll cover these areas in future articles.
