7 steps to a successful career

Career is one of the important areas of human life, which contributes to personal growth and a happy and harmonious life in general.

Anna Zaitseva, certified HR, ECF coach, founder of the HR cafe, spoke especially for VITAGURU about how to build a successful career and how to develop it correctly.

“Since childhood, most of us were taught certain attitudes regarding future activities. Good grades in the certificate guaranteed you admission to the university, and the diploma was supposed to be a pass to a good high-paying job. There, subject to exemplary performance of job duties, you must be noticed and promoted in according to the level of achievement.

Unfortunately, this ideal picture often remains a utopia,” says Anna Zaitseva.

Each person goes through 3 stages of career development:

• 14-35 years old – educational career. During this period, a person searches for itself, acquires the first experience, makes all possible mistakes and is determined whether to continue to follow the chosen path, or to change the sphere and profession.
• 35 – 55 years is the most successful period. When all career opportunities are open. During this period, a person either develops as an expert, or builds a so-called leadership career.
• 55+ years is the period of building a career through hobby monetization.

Career types:

• Vertical – moving up from the lowest position to the highest; it is also called a leadership career;
• Horizontal – deep knowledge in one or several related areas, does not provide raising the level of the position; it can be found under the name of an expert career;
• Zigzag – gaining experience in a certain direction in different areas or at different levels of companies, during the transition there is a temporary decrease in the level of the position with a subsequent increase in the level;
• Relocation – a career associated with moving to work in another country.

7 steps to a successful career. HR specialist tips:

1. It all starts with a goal. Based on your strengths and abilities, choose a profession in which you plan to develop. This can be done with the help of a career counselor or on your own.
2. Find jobs on job sites that interest you, write down all the requirements for the candidate and functional responsibilities. And according to this list, analyze your knowledge, skills and abilities.
3. Make a development plan. Take a piece of paper, divide it in two. In the first, write the skills that you need to develop, and in the second – where and how you can get the necessary knowledge.
   If the desired position is now a very distant prospect, draw up a career plan, writing out several intermediate steps and an estimated time frame for their achievement.
4. Write a resume for the position that is the next step in your career. The main purpose of this document is to become your pass to the interview. The resume must be accessible to the HR specialist or search engines. It is important to write a short summary in addition to resume. This is a short story about how you will benefit a new company from your experience.
5. Find interesting vacancies and send resumes and summaries to selected companies. When looking for vacancies, do not limit yourself to job sites. The most interesting proposals are often not published, and candidates are searched for by recommendations.
   

   “According to statistics, out of 100 contacts, approximately 19 will recommend you to the right people. The higher you climb the career ladder, the more you will be “sold” not by your resume, but by your professional reputation,” the specialist recommends.

6. Prepare an extended story about yourself based on the summary. This will come in handy in your interview.
7. Monitor the fulfillment of your career plan. Regularly, approximately once every 1.5 years, check-up your career with a consultant.

See also: How to stay productive and motivated in a changing environment.

Read more on our Facebook & Instagram pages.