The Right Candidate? Planning Your Leadership Career Trajectory When You Have No Experience

Planning your career trajectory at the very beginning of your life’s journey is one of the most important things you can ever do. Inadequate planning means you are, more than likely, destined for the many years of paddling in the wilderness, struggling to try and find your true vocation. While so many organizations are hot on work-life balance, it can be argued that this is because so many people end up choosing the wrong career, and therefore feel that inevitable malaise of the 9 to 5 grind. Getting up every day and going to a job that you feel ill-equipped to deal with, either professionally or emotionally, can weigh very heavily on you. Naturally, we all think about the grass being greener on the other side, and while this expression doesn't necessarily lend itself to the truth, we can all feel that there's something more for us out there. Planning your career trajectory isn't just about getting by in life, and ensuring you have the necessary finances in which to cope, but it's about a feeling of accomplishment, that you've done something at the end of your working day. This is why so many of us go down the entrepreneurial route, because it links to a passion for life that we wouldn't necessarily have if we were ensconced in the typical workaday week. But, life tells us that we have to go down a specific path, that we have to gain certain experience, and when you are planning your own career trajectory, it will enter your mind that being a leader in one form or another, signifies proper career progression. Whether this is by starting your own business, or it's about moving up the ranks, but how can you do this effectively, when you have minimal relevant experience?
Work At Becoming A Big Fish In A Small Pond
After you have spent adequate time researching the type of role you want to do, you might be surprised as to how many industries offer that type of job. For example, for so many people out there, creativity is a must in any job they choose. And now, with the boost in content, from online videos, to blogs and social media, most industries demand that someone be on site that has these relevant creative skills. It's just that it's not under the banner you would expect. The marketing industry, for example, requires a multitude of people with the relevant skills, to create, design, and craft, in all of the various guises, a comprehensive marketing plan of attack. Various marketing agencies, and even banking organizations, like Julian Hodge, are on the lookout for creative writers to help them with quality content. But what if your career choice is something different? The underlying rule is that, the vast majority of industries have a multitude of roles, despite what you may think as an outsider looking in. Crane hire companies, like Freo Group, have various career options on their job pages, from accounts manager, to the typical industrial roles. If you are fashioning a plan of attack to climb up a career ladder in a specific industry, it's not just about the straightforward approach. Think laterally. We see so many stories about those people who work their way up the ladder from being the mail clerk, or they started out in a role that's completely far removed from what they ended up as. Take solace in this, even if you are doing the wrong role in the right pond, you are still in the right pond!
Highlight Your Transferable Skills
There is a big focus on the importance of transferable skills now. Education, in many ways, is viewed as something everyone has access to, meaning that only the best of the best end up getting a head start early on in life. But, now, there are so many startup companies looking for the right people, not necessarily the right skills, so they can go the distance. It's worth considering this, because you may not have the relevant experience, but you could fit the mould as far as your outlook is concerned. This is where transferable skills come into play. If you are interested in a leadership role where you are working, having a hand in some of the responsibilities, and then communicating these effectively when it comes to applying for a higher position, makes you a better candidate.
Developing Yourself Outside Of Working Hours
And whether you want to progress where you are, or you are looking further afield, and starting your own business, being an autodidact is one of the most fundamental skills anybody can have. When you are in a company framework, there might be some educational tools you have access to, but for you to truly get an appreciation of your own limited skills, and to develop them properly, as well as get an appreciation of the framework you are in, as well as others, developing your own education outside of working hours is essential. The great thing now is that there are various online courses that we can take advantage of, and some are so niche in their subject matter, that you can drill down into something that you wouldn't necessarily have known existed before. If you're doing it right, developing your own education will come naturally as part of the whole process. It can be something that takes a while to get right, especially if you are new to developing your own learning materials. In this instance, a mentor is invaluable, but can be hard to come by. If you are working in a specific company framework, asking one of the powers that be for some advice, either on their lunch break, or after working hours, can give you an insight into, not just how to get to the desired role, but the human impact of the duties. Developing your toolbox is something that doesn't happen overnight, but when you are reaching for a leadership role, it's important for you to get that veritable understanding of, not just the skills, but the time and effort that goes into getting to this point. After all, it's an end product; it's a position where, once you have achieved it, you can't necessarily go any higher. This is why entrepreneurs like Elon Musk start to diversify their efforts.
Understanding The Human Aspect Of Being A Leader
And, for any single one of us, who is eyeing up something out of reach, we can suffer from the point of view that the grass is always greener on the other side. This is why, before developing your plan of attack, you need to get an overall appreciation of what it's like. You can do this by acquiring a mentor, or getting first-hand experience, but you can also take the opportunity to shadow someone, so you can get a true understanding from the ground floor. And this is something that so many people underestimate, either because they are desperate to get out of the career they are in, or they feel that they need to regain more control of their own lives. Whether you're looking to start a business, or take on more responsibilities as a leader, you can't underestimate the human impact it will have on you. A lot of us look at the glorified aspects, without giving much thought to the human impact. This is why you need to be emotionally prepared for the role you want. Of course, the cliché of dressing for the job you want, not the job you have is something that comes to mind, not just because it helps you get noticed by the powers that be, but it's about forcing yourself to look in the mirror and view yourself as something different to what you really are. Being a leader is something that can be mentally taxing, especially if you haven't had the experience before. While they say, if you want to learn how to build a house, build one, it's very much the best approach if you want to run a business, because you will understand, very quickly, what your own specific failings are, as it will be represented in the success or failure of specific aspects of the company. The same applies when you are a leader, and while this is, to an extent, a very simplistic explanation of being someone in charge, you have to consider the overall impacts it has, not just on the people you are leading, but yourself too.
If you are considering a change in career, starting your own business, or you are planning your trajectory, by understanding these aspects, it can give you a base knowledge in the essential skills, but also, what it can do to you personally. We all love the idea of being in charge, but the reality is far different to the thought. So, you need to consider if you are the right candidate, and if you are not, what will it take for you to fit the right profile?