Terri Grainger discusses career ambitions and how to achieve them
The single most important step in driving your career is thinking about it. Many people drift along, considering each opportunity as it arises, or lamenting when it does not, without realising there is a lot more they could be doing to take control of their own destiny.
It is not by coincidence or luck that some people seem to be inundated with interesting opportunities while others sit back patiently and wait for something to come their way.
Consider where you are now in your career and think about where you would like to be, taking into account other factors such as family and lifestyle ambitions.
Look at the business you work for. Is its growth and development compatible with your long-term aims, or will you need to consider moving firms to ensure you achieve all of your ambitions?
If you are serious about your career, who you know really is as important as what you know.
You can considerably help your career potential, and certainly not harm it, by networking, both in your own company and in the industry generally.
Effective ways to do this internally are to volunteer for tasks or committees outside the scope of your role.
For example, you might take charge of co-ordinating the company newsletter - a task which will bring you into regular contact with the managing director - or volunteer for the health and safety committee.
Take action
Informal networking, such as attending company events, or going for drinks with colleagues, can also help.
Taking part in any mentoring schemes available within your company can also pay off, both in developing your skills and networking, whether you are the mentor or the mentored.
Becoming an active member of your local Biba or CII branch will help in improving your market-wide knowledge and in networking outside your company. These can also look good on your CV.
With many jobs not advertised but instead filled by word of mouth, hearing about these opportunities - and more importantly being recommended for them - can put you at a huge advantage over others.
Networking externally to the insurance industry, such as through your local chamber of commerce or through professional bodies specific to your role, such as the Institute of Marketing if you are a marketing professional, can also play a part.
It will help both in ensuring you are up-to-date with developments in your profession, or possibly in helping to identify new business opportunities.
Professional qualifications also have a part to play in improving your prospects.
Becoming involved with professional bodies for networking purposes might lead you to consider improving your qualifications.
The CII offers a range of courses, from short, targeted skills updating or information sessions to the longer ACII type programmes. Seeking higher qualifications external to the industry may be appropriate for your career ambitions, with business degrees and MBAs becoming increasingly popular.
If you are seeking a pay increase within your current company it is important to be able to demonstrate why you are worth what you are asking for.
Essentially, these types of situations are like a job interview.
Although you work in the same business, it is possible that the person making the decision may not be well informed about what you currently do, or may not fully appreciate the extent of your current role and your responsibilities.
Be sure to have plenty of examples on hand which demonstrate your competence, including, if possible, some cases where you can demonstrate your commitment to the business by going above and beyond what is required of you.
Show initiative
By showing initiative and a willingness to work for the good of the business you put yourself in the best possible position to achieve the outcome you are after.
In an interview try to take control and set the agenda rather than sitting back and letting the interviewer run the show.
Imagine in advance the types of things they are likely to want to know and discuss these before being asked. This indicates that you have given thought to the role and your career and are someone who will take the initiative.
But never lie, as ultimately you will be found out. If you do not have experience in a particular area that the company may be interested in, explain how the experience you do have can be transferable to the new area and always indicate that you are willing to learn new skills in order to develop. IT
Write a winning CV
When applying for new roles, your CV is the initial window through which a prospective employer sees you. A CV should aim to be no more than two pages long. Aside from providing a career chronology, it should give an insight into your strengths, skills and abilities. List the types of responsibilities you've had in each role, including challenges faced and what you've done to overcome these.
Take a cause and effect approach to responsibilities, explaining how they have enhanced your skills.
Go light on the personal detail. Things such as interests and hobbies can be discussed briefly at an interview and are usually not deal breakers. However, if an outside interest is relevant be sure to mention it with an explanation.
For example, coaching your son's football team may have helped you develop leadership, negotiation and people-management skills.
Plan for success
