|
Return to articles with
career advancement advice.
|
|
How to Reach Outside Yourself to Advance
Your Career
By Linda Matias
When flipping
the channels of your TV, you are bound to come across a Public Service
Announcement (PSA) endorsed by a celebrity asking children to approach their
parents, teachers, or someone they trust when they are at a crossroads.
Through these PSAs, children are told that asking for guidance,
encouragement, and support is a sign of strength. They don’t have to go
through a transition alone—help is just around the corner.
As adults, we tend to forget the value of reaching out to others when we are
in need of assistance. There is this unwritten rule that we should be able
to make decisions without the guidance of others. The reality is, however,
that children and adults share a common ground: we are all humans who
encounter situations that are challenging from time to time, and it doesn’t
make sense to go it alone.
Signs You Should Reach Outside Yourself
• You find yourself asking the same
questions over and over because you can’t find a resolution.
• You find yourself in a career
transition and aren’t sure which direction you should take.
• You need someone who can act as more
than just a sounding board, someone who can provide thoughtful and
constructive feedback.
When reaching out for assistance with your career,
you have the following options:
• Friend. Friends can be sounding
boards, have intimate knowledge of your personal and professional life, and
may be able to offer objective and subjective advice.
• Career Mentor. Find a mentor within
your company who is experienced and willing to guide you in your
professional development. Your mentor should want to share their knowledge
and professional experience, and expose you to new ideas and perspectives.
• Career Coach. This is someone who is
willing to meet you where you are and assist in getting you where you want
to go. A career coach can ask questions that inspire self-awareness and
renewed enthusiasm for your professional outlook.
Be in a State of Mind to Accept Assistance
Regardless if you choose to work with a friend, mentor, or career coach, you
should be open to new ideas.
• Fall in Love for Just 15 Minutes. It
is easy to pooh-pooh an idea when it is first presented by saying something
such as, “I tried that. It doesn’t work.” Instead of dismissing someone’s
idea out of hand, try to take in what they are saying and make the decision
to love their idea for 15 minutes. Listen and participate in the discussion
and buy into it, no matter how crazy you think the idea is. You may be
surprised at the progress you can make by being open to others’ thoughts and
suggestions.
• Let Go of Resistance. If you find that
you are resistant to change, it may be because your purpose isn’t clear, you
fear failure (or success), and/or you lack trust in your own ability to make
decisions that are in your best interest. A good friend, mentor, or career
coach will be able to help you through your resistance.
Final Thought
Your advancement is limited only by your commitment to your own career
development. Involving others in your quest will get you one step closer to
who you want to be, personally and professionally.
About the author:
Career Coach Inc. is run by Linda Matias and Bryan Cadicamo where their
objective is twofold: to coach professionals through the interview process
and those who are in a career transition and are looking to reawaken or
discover their life’s passion. To learn more visit
http://www.careercoachinc.com or send an email to
coach@careercoachinc.com .
|
