Think As Inc

CAREER INVESTMENTS

February 8, 2010 on 1:12 am | In career coaching, life coaching | No Comments

Investing is not just an activity for your finances.  A successful career requires investments of time, money and energy in several key areas:

TRAINING.  A company pours revenues back into research and development.  So should you invest in your training and development.  Weak or unknown skills in your current profession are obvious candidates for training.  However, building on strengths and honing areas of natural interest even if unrelated to your current job are also important.  Studying something that sparks your curiosity or inspires you benefits your career by increasing your creativity, broadening your imagination, and improving your overall attitude.

NETWORKING.  A company dedicates resources to marketing.  Networking is your marketing function.  Relationships with colleagues and other industry professionals enhance your reputation and help market you.  Increasing your industry knowledge also makes you more marketable.  However, networking outside of your immediate job and industry is also critical.  Knowing different people broadens your perspective.  It also helps you avoid being the equivalent of a company dependent on one large customer.

BRANDING.  A company has an advertising budget, a logo, letterhead, and other well-thought ways of branding to its public.  You are branded by how you present yourself – your attitude, work ethic, personality, and appearance.  If you live a healthy lifestyle, commit to small luxuries (e.g., regular massages, subscription to your favorite theater or sports team), and take care of yourself, you make a statement that you’re worth all that care and attention.  You will project that in your brand.

As with a financial portfolio, a rich career requires consistent attention over the long-term.  Prioritizing regular amounts of your time, money and energy to career-building activities yields dividends in career security, challenge, and fun.