As the new year dawns, many start to reflect and identify their next career move. While the labour markets have tightened and Ireland appears to have full employment, here are some things you can do to help build your CV and develop personally.
It is important to remember that sometimes securing employment, or progressing your career, is dependent on many external factors beyond our control, but being proactive can definitely pay off when an opportunity presents itself. No matter what age or career stage you are at, here is a new career model, the INTENT model, that I recently discovered which is useful for anyone wanting to plan how they can progress their career.
The INTENT model:
I- Identify your goals
N - Navigate your strengths through networking
T - Transform your career story
E -Elevate your personal brand
N- Network strategically
T- Take Action
Identifying your goals allows you to research your options, whether it is industries, companies or educational courses, and then the best course of action can be decided on. Most employers appreciate lifelong learning and like to see continuous professional development (CPD ) on a person’s CV, whether that is formal or non-formal education. Many of these courses are advertised on Eventbrite, Skillnet and on university and further education college websites e.g. GTI. There are still some PLC courses offering places, so check them out. A career specialist can also help you identify these goals as well as design a plan and support you when achieving these goals.
Highlight your strengths
Navigating your strengths and aligning tasks, projects and duties with your strengths maximises your performance. It is imperative that you are aware of your strengths and can articulate these strengths to your peers and management, so that you can enhance the team’s success and contribute to a positive collaborative environment, showcasing your abilities and talents.
Being aware of your weaknesses and aiming to develop these weaknesses through lifelong learning can help with career progression. Sometimes our weaknesses can present in our ‘soft skills’, for example, the way we communicate or how we communicate: that is why peer reviews and psychometric testing can help us to maintain a healthy level of self-awareness. There are many micro-credentials that can enhance our soft skills and help equip us with specific subject knowledge to help us to stand out when applying for jobs. All information regarding micro credentials is listed on university websites.
Transforming your career story is vital to show what you are capable of and, more importantly, your career successes. Succinctly discussing the type of projects and roles you have worked on and the skills applied in these roles and projects can be useful in a range of industries, and will help make any candidate more attractive to employers.
Networking effectively and elevating your brand through storytelling on platforms such as LinkedIn, Instagram or at in-person events, can help you to identify opportunities and connect with those offering potential job or career opportunities. Eventbrite advertises many networking and knowledge sharing events all over the country. The Galway Chamber of Commerce hosts a number of fantastic events to support both organizations and individuals. Check out their website Galwaychamber.com for more information on these events.
Taking action to reach any goal is so important. Set your goals and make a plan, upskill effectively, enrol in courses where possible, ask a mentor or a career specialist to review your CV, update your LinkedIn profile and attend networking events. Sign up for virtual jobs boards, for instance, Growremote has a great job board which is updated regularly. You can also upload your CV onto many recruitment websites such as Indeed, jobs.ie and Jobsireland.ie and they will alert you to potential job matches. Lastly, even if you do not meet 100 per cent of the job criteria, it is still important to apply as very few candidates will have 100 per cent of the criteria.
No matter what stage you are at in your career or what your goals are, January is an ideal time to reflect, research and plan your career goals so that you are set up to achieve success in your career in 2025, so start planning now.