How to recognize an opportunity
Building a career is a tricky business. Gone are the days where once out of school you start working and remain in the same job for your entire career and then retire. It is still possible, but definitely not as common place as it used to be. This means that there is some level of mobility and flexibility required if you are truly going to maximize your potential and further your career. For this to happen you must be capable of recognizing an opportunity when you see one.
There are many factors that go into recognizing an opportunity, they are definitely contextual and dependent on your perspective. For example, if you are making $100 a week and you have been desiring a salary increase and you have an offer for a promotion, but for less or the same salary, your immediate response might be to reject that offer. On the other hand if you have a job offer for $1000 a week and working less hours you will probably jump at that opportunity immediately. You see, your deepest desire is not for a promotion, it is for a salary increase, so it is reasonable to ignore such and offer. And when one shows up that is exactly what you want then it is equally as reasonable to accept. However, your analysis should go deeper.
It is important to properly assess what an opportunity has to offer. It is far too easy to reach for the obvious while neglecting the long term implications on your career. As such to effectively determine whether something is for you, review the following two perspectives:
Where does this opportunity leads to?
Always consider where your career will be when considering an opportunity. Career advancement is extremely important and should be always in the foremost of your mind. If you are going to be exposed to new training and experiences that will make you more marketable and well rounded as a professional, then you cannot lose. This is irrespective of whether or not you make less money in the short term.
What is this opportunity rescuing me from?
OK, some opportunities are far from the ideal and we sometimes look at them void of context and overlook how important it can be in giving you a way out of your current situation. Have you ever come across someone who was unemployed, under-employed or totally hated their job? We all have at some point. In some cases they may overlook an excellent opportunity because it does not measure up to the ideal situation that they were looking for. In such cases it is important for them to consider the fact that any opportunity that is an improvement to the one that you currently have is one worth seriously considering. Sometimes to our dismay, we watch then spurn a chance for advancement in exchange to staying in the same old position, some even have the audacity to keep complaining. Do not let this be you!
Anything that smells like progress is an opportunity worth considering. Don't be enamored by only the big breaks in life. They don't always come when we want them and frankly they may never come the way we envision them. Grow your career steadily by making most of every opportunity that comes your way, regardless of how small or unexpected it may be. By doing so you will be in the right position to make the most of the big break when it does come.
Until next time remember, As long as you have life, you should live it to your fullest potential.
Building a career is a tricky business. Gone are the days where once out of school you start working and remain in the same job for your entire career and then retire. It is still possible, but definitely not as common place as it used to be. This means that there is some level of mobility and flexibility required if you are truly going to maximize your potential and further your career. For this to happen you must be capable of recognizing an opportunity when you see one.
There are many factors that go into recognizing an opportunity, they are definitely contextual and dependent on your perspective. For example, if you are making $100 a week and you have been desiring a salary increase and you have an offer for a promotion, but for less or the same salary, your immediate response might be to reject that offer. On the other hand if you have a job offer for $1000 a week and working less hours you will probably jump at that opportunity immediately. You see, your deepest desire is not for a promotion, it is for a salary increase, so it is reasonable to ignore such and offer. And when one shows up that is exactly what you want then it is equally as reasonable to accept. However, your analysis should go deeper.
It is important to properly assess what an opportunity has to offer. It is far too easy to reach for the obvious while neglecting the long term implications on your career. As such to effectively determine whether something is for you, review the following two perspectives:
Where does this opportunity leads to?
Always consider where your career will be when considering an opportunity. Career advancement is extremely important and should be always in the foremost of your mind. If you are going to be exposed to new training and experiences that will make you more marketable and well rounded as a professional, then you cannot lose. This is irrespective of whether or not you make less money in the short term.
What is this opportunity rescuing me from?
OK, some opportunities are far from the ideal and we sometimes look at them void of context and overlook how important it can be in giving you a way out of your current situation. Have you ever come across someone who was unemployed, under-employed or totally hated their job? We all have at some point. In some cases they may overlook an excellent opportunity because it does not measure up to the ideal situation that they were looking for. In such cases it is important for them to consider the fact that any opportunity that is an improvement to the one that you currently have is one worth seriously considering. Sometimes to our dismay, we watch then spurn a chance for advancement in exchange to staying in the same old position, some even have the audacity to keep complaining. Do not let this be you!
Anything that smells like progress is an opportunity worth considering. Don't be enamored by only the big breaks in life. They don't always come when we want them and frankly they may never come the way we envision them. Grow your career steadily by making most of every opportunity that comes your way, regardless of how small or unexpected it may be. By doing so you will be in the right position to make the most of the big break when it does come.
Until next time remember, As long as you have life, you should live it to your fullest potential.
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