Are You Ready for a Career Climb?
The potential of a bigger salary and better career privileges can be tempting, and may prompt you to say “Yes” at once, when the opportunity for promotion is offered to you. But before you take on the responsibility and celebrate this new success, it is important to check if you are ready for the new role you will take. Here are some questions to help you reflect on your readiness before pursuing on a new career role.
1. Do you have good listening skills? If you are to take on a managerial position, it is important that you are prepared to listen well and to demonstrate that you understand what is being communicated. You will have to consider ideas and not impose just what you want. A good manager doesn’t just dictate orders but is someone who considers other people’s suggestions and opinions.
2. Do you have good self-management skills? A more senior career position means bigger responsibilities and bigger challenges. Your ability to manage your own interactions with co-workers, your patience, your temper and your personal feelings about individuals, must be professional at all times.
3. Do you believe in your company’s goals? It is not enough that you just do your best because of the good salary you will get. It is also important to truly believe in your company’s goals and be committed to achieving them.
4. Do you utilise strong planning and organisational skills? A managerial position will require you to be a strategic thinker and to be very organised. You will be expected to be proactive and to be a critical thinker.
5. Are you a good communicator, with the ability to interact well in group settings? As a manager your communication will be constantly scrutinised, as will your interactions within groups at work and within your professional network.
If you answered Yes to most of these questions then it is time for you to consider the career direction that you want to take to assume more responsibility. A No to most of these questions should be an indicator that you should re-evaluate your readiness and work on strengthening some of your skills. One way to ensure a successful career climb is to seek the assistance of a career development professional who can provide you with outstanding coaching services, no matter what your level of responsibility is within the company. Hard work, perseverance and determination is the best way to achieve career success.
