{"id":4753,"date":"2019-07-12T17:58:29","date_gmt":"2019-07-12T17:58:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/changeurstory.in\/?p=4753"},"modified":"2023-01-21T15:31:43","modified_gmt":"2023-01-21T15:31:43","slug":"is-your-career-path-chance-based-or-strategy-based","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/changeurstory.in\/blog\/is-your-career-path-chance-based-or-strategy-based\/","title":{"rendered":"Is your career path Chance-based or Strategy-based?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

As strange as it may sound, most people take a lot of undue chances with their careers. And ironically, they don\u2019t even realize it but go through their professional lives thinking that they are on top of things. This doesn\u2019t sound like you, does it? Maybe it does; maybe you never looked at your career from the perspective that I am about to share.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Here is a transcript from a chat that I had with a senior professional some weeks back (pseudo names of course to protect the identity):<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Me: Hi Rajiv. How long have you been working?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rajiv: Around 18 years.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Me: Can you run me through your profile?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rajiv: Sure. (He talks about the different job changes he has gone through and the rationale behind it).<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Me: Whew, 12 job changes in 18 years\u2026that\u2019s a lot isn\u2019t it?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rajiv: I wanted to gain exposure of all aspects of my job from sales & marketing to operations to quality to planning to human resources. Hence the jumps.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Me: So, what is your value proposition? What do you bring to the table?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rajiv: Immense all-round experience and a strong capability to handle all aspects of my job. Also, a management qualification from the best business school in India.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Me: Impressive. In simpler words, you claim to be a jack of many trades, right?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rajiv: Not really. That is an overused phrase. I call myself a professional who understands all aspects of his job well.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Me: So, what kind of a job are you looking for now?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rajiv: Not sure. I will look at the openings available and then come to a decision.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Me: Shouldn\u2019t it be the other way round? That is, you target companies and\/ or profiles that you want to pursue and then start applying?<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Rajiv: Oh\u2026that\u2019s utopic. In the real world, it doesn\u2019t work that way.<\/em><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Now does it sound familiar? The point that I am trying to make is that most of us start digging the well when the taps run dry. I.e. we start looking for jobs only when we want to change our current professional engagement. When we do that, we leave a lot to chance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What are the chances of good organizations in your domain having openings when you are looking for a change?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What are the chances that the openings are for your profile?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

What if an apt opening was available just a week ago but you missed it simply because you were not looking?<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

If you were to approach your career path strategically, then you would do these things differently.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n