Whenever I give a training to a group of Executives, I always leave time for questions at the end of the event. Inevitably someone will ask about lessons I’ve learned from my work with thousands of professionals from around the world. Specifically, they want to know the secret to career longevity.
I always take a moment to qualify my answer, because your long-term career success is influenced by many different factors, some of which are within your control, and some of which are not. Your career momentum is certainly powered by the unique skills, knowledge, expertise and wisdom that you accumulate as you go along, but the degree to which you can jump forward with them is often a matter of timing and other unknown factors. For that matter, your sector or industry is affected by certain factors that are extremely unpredictable (do I really need to mention AI?).
My point is that achieving career longevity is somewhat subjective. That said, my high-level clients who have maintained long careers have a few things in common. Here’s a checklist that you can follow:
Stay connected to key stakeholders. Not just your clients, but also your peers and Senior leadership. These people may seem like temporary figures on your career path, but your future success could depend on valuable references and connections that come directly from this group. So far this year three of my clients have found new, high-level roles through references from past managers that they’ve built trust with and stayed connected to over years.
Remain calm when you’re under pressure. Be aware that your risk of career burnout will increase if you’re not able to do this on a daily basis (I’ll write more about this in a future post). Many of my clients have been through intense professional challenges that put them in the white-hot spotlight and kept them there for sustained periods of time. They were able to remain connected to their skills, knowledge, expertise and wisdom, and use these things in a calm and effective way. Senior leadership was impressed, and some of my clients were promoted once the work crisis was over.
Be neuroplastic, growth-oriented and curious. Take your own professional development seriously! This can make the difference between a stumbling, unstable career and a solid, lasting one. Don’t assume that you’ll learn everything you need to know on the job. Take classes, get coaching, and arm yourself with new skills that can give you a competitive edge. Make sure you’re not lacking in any fundamental skills, like public speaking and presentations. Learn from my clients: it’s only a matter of time before these huge weak spots catch up with you.
I give Power Communication trainings to groups of Executives, and private coaching packages for professionals at companies like Microsoft, Amazon, Columbia Bank, Carharrt, Cisco and Kimpton Hotels, both remotely and in person. DM me for more info about my trainings, rates and availability. I love hearing from you!