How to Turn Your Amazing Expertise into Your Dream Career

“I’m languishing!” was the clear concern expressed by a frustrated professional. “I know I can do more at work, how do I make that happen?"
 
It’s a great question to explore.
 
Many professionals are feeling the pinch of pandemic workplaces; work is more isolated and you don’t get the exposure to meet new people or learn about new projects that may interest you.  As another professional put it: “You can practically feel your brain cells shrivelling up”.
 
As much as your manager wants to help, they may be in the same boat, with neither the time nor the occasion to look beyond the work today.
 
Don’t leave your potential on the shelf.  Your actions and expertise are what got you where you are today, and they can take you even further; you just need a plan to turn your amazing potential into your dream career. So, let’s do it:

• Step One | Get a Clear Picture.  Knowing your strengths, and your areas for development, provides insight you can use to keep sharpening your skill set.  Your performance reviews, asking others for their candid feedback, are all ways to collect this vital perspective.  But don’t stop there.  Self-awareness is key to being a trusted ally to others in your work and is something only you can own.  Taking an assessment to better understand your perspective can illuminate potential blind spots and biases that may hold back your amazing potential.  Don’t wait for your organization to offer this service, pursue it on your own from a reputable career coach or development company; once you’ve found an assessment you like you can always ask if your employer will cover it (and if they won’t, pursue it anyway – this type of development pays for itself in new career opportunities, over 80% of my assessment clients are offered a next-level opportunity within about 18 months of completing their coaching program).

 

• Step Two | Modern Networking.  I know this is a tough one for many in the pandemic, but keep reading, this is really important.  Building relationships outside of your current team/department is key to learning about all the interesting things your organization is doing, and seeing how your expertise can help.  As with any relationship, you need to build trust before you can use it.  The good news is you can start anytime and it doesn’t have to be time consuming.  An easy way to do this is to look at the org chart (or employee directory) and see who’s work interests you or touches on your work, and make a note of their names. Reach out with a succinct e-mail, inviting these individuals to share what they do.  This doesn’t have to be time consuming and it puts your name out there in all the best ways (wouldn’t you be flattered to receive an e-mail like this one?):
  
  ​“Hi Sajid, I’ve been learning more about the way our company does business and your job plays a key part.  I’d like to learn more about what you do, and how our work may cross-over.  Do you have time on Tuesday for a quick 20-minute coffee chat?” 
  
  
• Step Three | Demonstrate Your Quality.  There’s a theme emerging here and it’s all about being the kind of person who can build trust across different roles and personality types.  The simplest way to do that is to honor your commitments, communicate with integrity and give people every opportunity to experience your amazing potential.  Potential isn’t just about your expertise (knowledge, skills, etc.) but the way you handle yourself; the way you include others, how you work with conflict, demonstrate empathy and the way you hold healthy boundaries that respect yourself and others. When co-workers feel safe working with you, trusting you with key relationships, your career will go places.

 

• Step Four | Be Courageous and Commit.  Putting yourself out there requires courage.  It’s tough asking for other people’s time, staying with difficult conversations, highlighting your strengths and natural abilities… all the while plugging away at work that doesn’t exactly light you up.  Yet, courage is what sets the professionals who go after their dream career from the ones that are waiting for the dream to find them.  

 
If you can tell you’re languishing at work, you have all the info you need to take courageous action to get you on the path to work you deserve. Languishing has another hallmark:  playing it safe.  
 
If you’ve been keeping a low profile, working hard and hoping to get noticed, forget it.  In today’s modern workplace it’s not enough.  Nor it is enough to make skillful requests of your manager and wait for them to happen.  You need to actively participate in your career relevance at work, and that means engaging all of that amazing potential you have, taking it off the shelf and putting it to work for you.
 
You’ve got the plan – it’s your move.

​“Spooky accurate assessment.” – D.B.
“I’m more relevant to my boss because of what I learned with Carleen.” - E. H.
“In one session this did more to set me up for success then 10 years of being mentored by our senior partner.” - G.D.

Want to complete Step One and get to your dream career?  
All you have to do is click.

Make Your Bold Move