Investing In Your Career
“I am very busy so I hate it when the search firms call me.”
“I have a job. I don’t need them.” “I never take their calls.”
“I don’t need career management support now. I have a job. I don’t want to spend the money.”
Today more than ever before, executives must invest in their careers. The fundamentals of the job market are shifting dramatically. Career investment is the fourth bucket in the complex Work/Life balancing act. The old rules for career management and the process of looking for a new job no longer apply. That is a big deal.
The fundamentals of the job market are shifting dramatically. The old rules for career management and the process of looking for a new job no longer apply. That is a big deal.
I understand the importance of making a financial investment. People do it every day. They are “all in” on building financial security, but when it comes to investing in their career security, many are wearing blinders.
Some executives who never thought they would be laid off are now struggling to find a new job. Many are ill-prepared to compete in a digital market, and that only prolongs their search.
I know several dozen executives who took early retirement because they could not, or would not, adapt to the digital market, including the importance of social media in building brand awareness with a new generation of recruiters and search consultants. Nor did they think they needed to adjust their style of interviewing.
One young executive who said he didn’t want to spend the money (while he had a job) was unwilling to spend the money when he was laid off with a minimum severance package because he, said, “I can’t afford your services.” Many companies, which in the past provided outplacement support, are no long including career transition services in their exit packages for departing executives.
This is an investment because good coaches help you understand the changes and current dynamics and provide you with information, strategy and skills to help you navigate today and in the future. Once you master this approach, this investment should help you through the balance of your career.
Many companies, which in the past provided outplacement support, are no long including career transition services in their exit packages for departing executives.
As a recruiter who spent 25 years conducting hundreds of interviews with executives anxiously looking for their next job, many of whom were poorly prepared to be competitive, there are two important takeaways for you to seriously consider:
- Take the calls from search firm recruiters. Even if you are not interested in looking at a new position, invest your time to build a relationship with the search consultant. The chances are good you will need this new relationship over the next 10 years as markets sort themselves.
- Engage a career advisor/coach. Select someone who is knowledgeable in the areas of brand development, strategic networking strategies and interviewing skills. It is smarter to do it now, while you are still employed and have some disposable income versus waiting for a time when you are forced to decide how much you will need to withdraw from your retirement account to survive. In an unstable, highly competitive job market, you do not want to be in the position of starting from scratch understanding the new job search rules if suddenly the unimaginable happens. The price for this type of support varies and some firms offer installment payments.
If you have questions on how to effectively compete in today’s digitally-driven job market, contact us. We are happy to share our insights. Info@JohnGSelf.Com. We are here to help.
© 2020 John Gregory Self