Your career isn’t something that just happens to you. It’s something that needs to be constantly curated.
Career curation helps you to take control of your career path and make deliberate decisions based on where you want to go.
To do this, you need to constantly look for opportunities to develop and expand your skillset, nurture your network and professional relationships, set short and long-term goals, and adapt to industry trends.
Career curation requires you to make strategic decisions, regularly check in with yourself to make sure you’re on the right track, and prioritizing career planning.
All too often, admins think that if they just show up every day and do their work, they’ll end up where they want to be. But in today’s workplace, that’s just not true.
The people who “just show up” are will become stagnant – or worse, redundant. The people who focus on curating their careers are the ones who will move up and achieve fulfillment.
If you want to start curating your career, these five tips will help.
- Embrace Self-Discovery. Take the time to understand your individual strengths, personality type, passions, interests, and values. Reflect on your skills, experiences, and achievements to identify the areas where you excel and get the most satisfaction. This self-awareness will lay the foundation for aligning your career choices with your authentic self.
- Set SMART Career Goals. Define clear, specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that align with your aspirations. Break them down into manageable milestones, both short-term and long-term, to track your progress and stay motivated. By setting goals, you can maintain focus and direction throughout your career.
- Continuous Learning and Skill Development. In a rapidly evolving job market, staying relevant and adaptable is crucial. Invest in your professional growth by pursuing certifications, attending industry conferences, and participating in workshops or online courses. Develop an innovation mindset that embraces learning and new challenges as opportunities for personal and professional development.
- Network and Build Relationships. Building a strong professional network can open doors to new opportunities and invaluable insights. Attend industry events, join professional associations, and engage in online communities relevant to your field. Cultivate meaningful relationships with mentors, peers, and industry experts who can provide guidance, support, and potential career prospects.
- Leverage Your Personal Brand. Your personal brand is a powerful tool in career curation. Identify and articulate your unique strengths and value proposition. Craft a compelling resume, update your LinkedIn profile, and create a professional portfolio that showcases your accomplishments. Consistently communicate your brand message across various platforms to enhance your visibility and attract opportunities.
Your professional portfolio will also be a key part of your career curation strategy. In fact, it’s one of the best tools you have to aid in your career advancement. I recommend a Comprehensive Professional Portfolio Strategy® which includes print, digital, and social versions of your portfolio. (If you need help creating yours, check out my latest book.)
Career curation is about shaping your career path to align with your personal goals, interests, and values. When you choose to curate your career, you can start from wherever you are and go anywhere you want to go professionally!
Are you interested in learning more about career curation and planning? These resources can help.
- Training – Accelerate Your Career With a Strategic Administrative Career Plan
- Template – My Career Plan OneNote Notebook Template
- 5-Day Challenge – Design Your Personal Career Plan
© 2023 Julie Perrine International, LLC
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Julie Perrine, CAP-OM, is the founder and CEO of All Things Admin, providing training, mentoring and resources for administrative professionals worldwide. Julie applies her administrative expertise and passion for lifelong learning to serving as an enthusiastic mentor, speaker and author who educates admins around the world on how to be more effective every day. Learn more about Julie’s books — The Innovative Admin: Unleash the Power of Innovation in Your Administrative Career and The Organized Admin: Leverage Your Unique Organizing Style to Create Systems, Reduce Overwhelm, and Increase Productivity, and Become a Procedures Pro: The Admin’s Guide to Developing Effective Office Systems and Procedures.
