Career Toolkit. Strategic Thinking Action Results

Transcription

1 Career Toolkit Strategic Thinking Action Results

2 Career Strategic Thinking Inventory Instructions: Using the following 5-point scale, please place the number on the blank before each item that best describes how much you agree with each statement about yourself. Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree 1. I have an open mind and am willing to challenge assumptions about jobs that are right for me. 2. I thoroughly understand the issues I need to address before I make decisions about my career. 3. I am able to identify what job search factors are in my control, and which are not. 4. I am able to decipher whether career advice is based on facts or opinions. 5. I am able to identify my biggest job search challenge in 1-2 sentences. 6. I identify my strengths and weaknesses before I am able to consider my career options. 7. I am aware of the job opportunities that are within a specific geographic area of interest. 8. I consistently use a process for analyzing and prioritizing issues important to my job search. 9. I am able to describe what makes me unique to potential employers. 10. I have clearly established job search goals that could be easily measured. 11. I am confident with the choices I make in my career search. Review individual Items. Look for items where you scored a 3 and below and think about the following questions: (1) What do I believe is driving the score? (2) What do I need to stop, start or continue doing? (3) What do I hope the result to be? All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 1

3 The Think to Win Toolkit For Career Searches This Toolkit acts as a template to collect and organize your thoughts while guiding you through a Career Search. Refer to the critical questions when responding to the actions for each step. Follow Think to Win s (2015) Emma and her process to help you on your own career search. What do I know? Step 1: Umbrella Issue What type of career am I trying to find? What is keeping me awake at night? Use Emma s example to help you define your issue in 1 2 sentences. Definition: At this point in my professional career, I have a general sense of what I see myself doing next. Although the job market is not ideal I must determine how I can progress my career and land a position with a northeast company that allows me to use my skills, enjoy my work, and continue to grow personally and professionally. Think to Win (2015) All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 2

4 What do I know? THINK FACTS! Step 2: Situation Assessment Using the chart provided, conduct an analysis of what is going on with your career search. Myself (internal) Education What are my individual qualifications? What is happening in the current Job market? What are some internal and external trends and conditions? What is changing? The Job Market (external) Job Market What are the needs of the current job market? Work Experience / Accomplishments Employer s Size / Reputation Training Skills Culture Your Network Competitors Who am I competing with? Other Other All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 3

5 Negatives Positives What is most important? Step 3: SWOT Analysis Use Emma s examples to help you categorize the most important elements of your Situational Assessment into the SWOT Framework. What are my internal and external strengths & weaknesses? External factors that are or could offer attractive career opportunities. Emma s SWOT (Think to Win, 2015) Internal (herself) External (job market) + Strengths (does well) Opportunities (competition to capitalize on) Technical writing; Fluency in Arabic/oversees life experience; Measure development, measure change; Knowledge of best practices ; Strong interpersonal skills Companies with global business interests and HR needs; Networking through professional and personal connections; Fast-moving environment; Shift in big data focus from larger organizations; People-driven industry and cultural shift - Weaknesses (does poorly) Threats (wary of) Shyness/reticence, soft speaking voice; Risk averse-fear of making a huge mistake; People pleaser- always trying to make everyone happy Many college graduates in field; Applicant overload at entry level and next level up (Emma s current level) My SWOT Template Internal Strengths What do I do well? External Opportunities What external trends or conditions can I or the competition capitalize on? Weaknesses What do I not do well? Threats What external trends or conditions should I be wary of? All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 4

6 What Differentiates Me? Step 4: SCA Use the list of Strengths in the context of Opportunities to identify where you have an advantage over your competition in the current Job Market. What truly separates me from the pack? What is the key to my leverage and advantage in the Job Market? Source(s) of Competitive Advantage(s) Emma s Unique Value Proposition (Think to Win, 2015) Her skill at technical writing, experience in HR, coupled with her fluency in Arabic and her level of comfort in dealing with other languages and cultures, meshes will with the rise of companies having employees and business interests around the globe. Use this template to determine your own Strategic Competitive Advantage. Source(s) of Competitive Advantage(s) My SCA Template All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 5

7 What insights do I have? Step 5: Key Issues Implications Identify the most important takeaways from each finding. Identify the so what of each. Use Emma s example to help you identify your own Key Issues and Implications for your career search. So what? What conclusions can I draw from the analysis? What are the takeaways of each? The so what? What are the risks/actions in the implications? Emma s Key Issues and Implications Key Issues Emma is at a critical but highly flexible point in her career from which she d be able to grow and explore opportunities in a number of directions strong understanding of corporate and healthcare needs Young skill set and capabilities Implications Few limitations to her possibilities-many fewer than she originally thought Be able to apply knowledge in a wide range of industries or even in a government or nonprofit institution Very much in demand especially her fluency in Arabic and her technical writing skills My Key Issues and Implications Template Key Issues Implications All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 6

8 What is my purpose and position? Step 6: Objective/Governing Statement Position your issue using Emma s example to help guide the development of your own governing statement. Write your statement in the template below. Where is my focus? Where do I direct my energy? Do I have a clear point of view? Am I on the right path utilizing my competitive advantage? Emma s Governing Statement and Goals Position myself to global organizations, headquartered in the United States (ideally in HR) that leverages my core capabilities to achieve personal and professional growth. 1. To find a new position within six months 2. To obtain her master s degree in under four years 3. To achieve career growth and advancement in 18 months or less (Think to Win, 2015) My Governing Statement All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 7

9 What choices do I make? Step 8: Making Choices Identify the choices that support your goals. Use Emma s sample goals and strategies to help you fill in the template below to create a plan for reaching your career goals. Emma s Goals : What is needed to achieve my goals? What choices must be made? What are contingent strategies? What are the alternatives I might consider at a future date? Emma s Strategies Find a new position within six months Focus on networking with HR Executives Conduct Informational interviews with people in target companies My Goals My Strategies All Rights Reserved, GlobalEdg, LLC 8