“If you were not being paid would you still turn up to work?”

For many of us the answer is a resounding No! Getting paid is what gets us out of bed.  If anybody tells you that money is not important they probably have enough, or too much. But if it’s all about the money then why aren’t we all focused on getting the job that pays us the most at the expense of everything else?

If I was to pay you 25 % more than you currently earn and ask you to stand in the corner all day and not do anything else how long do you think you would last?

Many other considerations come into play that shape why we do the jobs that we do. The more that a job satisfies our own personal needs the easier it is to feel engaged, motivated and passionate about what we do.

The individuals who understand this and invest time and effort to find jobs that offer them more than just an income are more fulfilled, they are more engaged, and generally are more interesting and to be around.

Today’s business environment offers us more choices and opportunities than ever before, even after the Global Financial Crisis. It does mean there are no longer the structured career paths available as in previous generations, this in itself presents us with a wealth of opportunity if we are prepared to do something about it.

Manage Your Own Career

If you haven’t spent much time thinking about your career, today’s businesses will always provide opportunities for good talented people. If you don’t want to leave this to chance and want to take a little more control here are a few things to get you thinking.

1. Think about how you have ended up in your current role, what decision have you made that bought you here and is this how you want to spend your working life?
2. Work out what you like doing and what you don’t like doing. Think about the best day you have had at work recently and then think about your worst day, this will tell you what you like and don’t like.
3. Just because you like to do something doesn’t mean that you are naturally good at it. Identify what you think your strengths are and what skills and capabilities you have.
4. Get an objective view of yourself – It is myth that feedback is a good thing and we all like getting it. Getting constructive feedback from people you respect is good; anything else is a waste of time. So find somebody you respect and who will give it to you straight and ask them what you do well and what you could do differently.
5. Think about the opportunities in the future that may interest you. Do not just confine this to specific roles, look at the things you like to do and the capabilities you have and then start to think about the roles that may utalise these attributes.
6. Identify any additional skills and capabilities that you may need for your future roles, work out how you can acquire these in your current position.
7. Talk to people that can help you and let them know the type of opportunities you may be interested in for the future.
8. Ensure that you continue to deliver in your current role. It is a lot easier for people to support and help you out if you are delivering and have the reputation of a good performer.