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Narrated by Marie T. Russell
As with all aspects of life, it’s impossible to predict with certainty how your career will evolve. But having some clear ideas of what you want to do and where you want to end up will increase the likelihood of getting to your destination.
A variety of factors can impact your career destiny, such as how you are presently situated—whether you are in your first job or have already reached the senior management level. Lifestyle issues can also affect your career’s direction, such as parenthood, health considerations, or economic needs. As you clarify your priorities, combine your daydreams with logic as you ponder your long-term goals. Start with a grand vision and then whittle it down to more realistic objectives.
Make Your Dreams Come True—One Step at a Time
You may have a vision of becoming a manager or an aspiration to move up to a senior executive level. Or perhaps you have the courage and energy to consider leaving your current professional life as an employee and starting your own business. If you decide to break away and enter an entirely new field, you need to acquire relevant new information or obtain a specific educational degree. Even with a desire to remain in the same field, you need to expand your knowledge base.
Whatever your long-term plan, avoid discouragement and confusion by breaking down a large goal into small, achievable pieces. It also helps to set up manageable targets along the way. For example, if your goal is to advance to a higher-level position, you can take the lead on an upcoming project or demonstrate your expertise by presenting a seminar at a professional meeting or conference. These are professional activities that will exhibit your ability to initiate and lead while providing you the experience and skills associated with moving up the ranks.
Tap Into Your Talents and Interests
One of the surest ways to clear for your career takeoff is to ensure that your work is a natural outlet for your abilities, and that your talents and passion are in harmony with the organization’s needs. Introverts can thrive in any workplace, but only if they stay current and relevant. Pick a concept or idea that will add value to your professional profile and take initiative by integrating it into aspects of your work. Gather the very latest information, develop the concept as much as possible, and present it as a fully fleshed-out proposal to your boss or teammates.
Susanne, a psychologist working with veterans who suffer from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), is a perfect example. A creative thinker and writer, Susanne enjoys learning and applying new therapies and innovative techniques that result in positively transforming a person’s life. She recently attended a workshop on a new treatment for PTSD and was encouraged by the results of this promising new approach.
Utilizing this treatment, Susanne created a new program for PTSD for her agency that received attention, not just from the director of her unit, but also from other psychologists in her professional association and network. News of her success spread nationally, and she was approached by Psychology Today to write a monthly online column on the topic of veterans and PTSD. Her passion for learning and her talent for writing combined with action led to recognition and an exciting new opportunity.
Solve a Problem
The workplace is a popular place for unaddressed issues calling out for solutions. Fortunately, an introvert’s natural penchant for thoughtful observation is well suited to seek out leaks and flaws and come up with creative and productive solutions.
Adopting a problem-solver attitude, even if it’s only obviating a minor difficulty, will increase your value in the eyes of employer and colleagues. Tap into your nature and be aware of the actions and interactions that take place around you, either in the office or virtually. Listening and observing are your strengths and can lead to identifying problems that others in their haste have missed. The next step of suggesting constructive solutions will make the workplace hum and can bring substantial rewards.
Saving your employer time and money will certainly win you applause, but discovering ways to create workplace harmony can get you a standing ovation. If you notice evidence of misunderstandings or interpersonal conflict, have the courage to point it out. Then, diplomatically suggest ways that might enhance work relationships to make the office a more cooperative place overall.
Commit to Learning
In this work era of high expectations and results, it would be a form of suicide to simply rest on your laurels after a successful project, or expect to get promoted by sitting smugly at your desk. Constant learning and sustained, committed effort to sharpen your skills are critical keys to accessing that desirable corner office. So whether through formal or informal means, make a concerted effort to keep up with the latest information and techniques; otherwise, no matter how hard you work, or what you have already accomplished, you will become obsolete.
Although it is always satisfying to exercise your basic talents and personal passions, don’t let the fact that you are not particularly interested in computer training stop you from learning a new database that will increase your efficiency. A training program may not seem exciting to you—it may even intimidate you—but sign up anyway. If you are an entrepreneur, you might benefit from learning cutting-edge techniques that have the potential to attract more clients or customers or offer better ways to manage the business.
Take full advantage of internal opportunities offered by your company’s training department. It won’t cost you a penny, but it will establish you as an eager employee and give you invaluable proficiency. You can also increase your knowledge by reading trade or professional magazines, as well as mainstream publications like the Wall Street Journal.
Ensuring that your choices are in line with your career goals, you may also want to take a course or earn a degree or certificate. The educational benefits will give you a firm foundation in the workplace, as well as expedite your climb to the next professional level or unlock doors that lead to a totally new career field.
Be on the lookout for opportunities that will increase your professional knowledge base, such as seminars, conferences, or webinars. Online learning in particular can be a great way to build knowledge when you have a demanding work schedule or have a busy home life.
There are strong incentives for taking advantage of any means that will brighten your morale and make you more work smart. Beyond the obvious fact that these will help you stretch your cerebral muscles, they will also increase your marketability. Learning to master material that is relevant and new will add to your self-esteem and give you further reason to step forth with confidence.
Visibility
As you develop confidence, extend this skill in the communications with your manager, team, or board. Keep them informed of the status on your projects and the results you have achieved. Although introverts often prefer to think through a problem on their own, don’t let that habit get in the way of soliciting support and gathering advice from your boss or senior leaders. That’s their job, and you will avoid conflict and misunderstanding if you keep them informed of obstacles and aware of potential problems.
Self-Marketing
Visibility also means promoting your accomplishments to ensure your boss and colleagues are aware of how you excel in your work. This information will also inform them how to better capitalize on your unique skills. Despite what you may think, your tendency to be modest isn’t an asset at work.
When your project produces successful results, or you have introduced a new concept or innovative idea, make sure everyone with whom you work closely knows. You don’t have to make a public announcement; send out an email to select recipients, or ask your manager’s opinion on the best way to promote your achievement.
Similarly, when you are given credit for an accomplishment, don’t downplay your efforts or results with statements like, “It wasn’t that difficult,” or “It really isn’t that important.” A simple “Thank you” will do.
Although introverts can be strong collaborators and classic team players, be sure to give yourself credit if you have made an important contribution to a group project. In your natural, understated way, you can highlight your achievement without clouding the efforts of other members.
Let your wider circle of professional contacts know about any impressive results in your work life, as well. Again, you don’t have to boast in person. Use social media or email blasts to inform your network that you published an article, won an award, or achieved something unique in your work.
©2019 by Jane Finkle. All Rights Reserved.
Excerpted with permission of the author.
Publisher: Weiser Books, an imprint of RedWheel/Weiser.
Article Source
The Introvert's Complete Career Guide: From Landing a Job to Surviving, Thriving, and Moving on Up
by Jane Finkle
In today's fast-paced, unstable workplace achieving success requires speaking up, promoting oneself and one's ideas, and taking initiative. Extroverts, fearless in tooting their own horns, naturally thrive in this environment, but introverts often stumble. If you question your ability to perform and succeed in this extroverted work culture, The Introvert's Complete Career Guide is custom fit for you. In this supportive, all-inclusive handbook, Jane Finkle demonstrates how to use your introverted qualities to their best advantage, then add a sprinkling of extroverted skills to round out a forceful combination for ultimate career success. Finkle shares the keys to navigating each stage of professional development--from self-assessment and job searching, to survival in a new position and career advancement.
For more info, or to order this book, click here. (Also available as a Kindle edition, an MP3 CD, and as an Audiobook.)
About the Author
Jane Finkle is a career coach, speaker and author with over 25 years of experience helping clients with career assessment and workplace adjustment. Jane served as Associate Director of Career services at the University of Pennsylvania where she created and led the Wharton Career Discovery seminar, and served as liaison to recruiters from major corporations. Her newest book is The Introvert's Complete Career Guide: From Landing a Job to Surviving, Thriving, and Moving on Up.
For more info, visit www.janefinkle.com.
