subject: Career Success Factors [print this page] Career Success Factors Career Success Factors
It's always tough to give advice on career success factors because there isn't really a set of formula you can follow that can guarantee career success. A combination of various factors in the right context and with the right character will give your career a boost.
Know your market worth and at the appropriate times discuss precisely what you have to offer in very specific terms. Do you know how to do this? The most common failure amongst interview candidates is to believe that their track record "speaks for itself". But, when you have got that certain piece of expert knowledge or bit of experience that others haven't got, it can make all the difference. Take time to sort out your unique difference, then you can talk confidently.
Most career pros will train you on how to revise your resume, steps to preparing for an interview, and other basic skills you need to compete in the workplace. But not too many of them will teach you what it really takes to create a sustained brand in your career that will take you all the way, and allow you to still keep your personal values intact.
A large part of career success comes from having great negotiating skills. Not many people are comfortable with the idea of negotiating, especially when it comes to the salary package and perks for their job. However, it is essential that you trust yourself and recognize what you bring to the company and how you add value to them.
If you believe many of our cultural influences, we are supposed to covet them all above everything else. Money, power and status are the default definitions of career success. We often accept these kinds of messages without question because everywhere, in everyday life, we get so many messages about what constitutes success.
People who feel that their success is largely dependent on factors outside of their control are said to have an "external locus of control." People who believe that, for the most part, they hold the keys to their own success are said to have an "internal locus of control." Psychologists have actually complicated this concept a bit more than that, but for our purposes here, this definition is thorough enough.
Dependability means taking first person responsibility when you are given a job to do. You never blame someone for your work that is not done right. It means you take the initiative to see the job is done to the best of your ability. You take great pride in the work assigned to you.
