How healthy is your career? How employable are you?

Find out how healthy your career is and, maybe how to improve it, by completing the following questionnaire.

In today’s world of work it's more important than ever to manage your own career – but what does that actually mean? There is now an increasing trend away from job security and towards employability. And although there may be fewer jobs for life there may be more opportunities to work in different ways.

In order to enhance your employability it helps to consider how you can match your needs and aspirations with what an organisation offers, and ensure that your skills and qualities meet their demands.

A healthy career ensures continued employability and is something you have to build, manage and monitor on a regular basis. The key elements are described below.

Career Purpose

Individuals who are most successful in achieving what they want have clearly defined goals and outcomes. Establishing what is really important will help you make the right choices. And, of course, being flexible helps meet changing demands.

Score the following questions on a scale of 1 – 5:

1 = low, and needs lots of attention
3 = needs some attention
5 = satisfactory

Transferable Skills

As organisations change so do their requirements. Be aware of what is needed in your current role and anticipate what might be required in future roles. Keep your knowledge and skills up to date and match what your organisation, and the marketplace, is looking for. Today there is an increasing demand for softer, transferable skills. Use the following questions to identify your key strengths and areas for development.

1 = low, and needs lots of development
3 = needs some development
5 = satisfactory

What are the key learning points?

What action can you take?

Embrace Change

The best way to cope with change is to manage it. Anticipate future trends and match what you have to offer with what is needed now, and in the future. This will increase the number and range of opportunities open to you and enhance your employability. Rate your attitude to change.

1 = low, and needs lots of development
3 = needs some development
5 = satisfactory

Enhance Performance

Being a high performer is a pre-requisite to building employability. Employers want to know that you can do the job and add value. Lifelong learning is essential if you are to retain your marketability and avoid missing out on opportunities in the future.

What can you do to enhance your personal effectiveness?

How well do you keep up to date?

What additional or improved skills will help you achieve what you want?

What plans do you have for your ongoing learning and development?

High Personal Profile

As well as being highly employable you also need to be visible. If people are unaware of what you are doing, and the contribution you are making, you may miss out on opportunities and your contribution may go unnoticed. Find ways of communicating what you do and what you want. Take personal responsibility for managing your career rather than waiting to be recognised.

What can you do to raise and maintain a high profile?

What can you do to inform others about your successes?

Who else do you want to know more about what you do?

Promote Yourself

Like any business with a product or service to sell, you need to let people know what you have to offer, what value you can add and how this matches the needs of the market place. Often people use 20% of their skills 80% of the time. Be clear about all that you offer, the value of your contribution and further openings.

When did you last update your CV?

How effective is your CV as a personal marketing tool?

What value do you offer your current employer?

What additional skills, knowledge and interests do you have?

What opportunities are there to utilise your skills, knowledge and interests?

Personal Contacts

Networking is vital to career management and self-promotion. Successful people in business usually have a wide network of contacts. By developing mutually beneficial relationships you build a web of connections through which you can share information, advice, support, energy and ideas. Create a list or map of contacts. Become more interested in people and communication and ask yourself ‘how can I help?’ as well as ‘what do I need?’ Relationships are reciprocal processes.

How extensive is your network? Draw a map, put yourself in the centre and fill in all the contacts you have. Use categories to group your contacts together, and highlight those people with influence.

How many people with influence are in your network?

When did you last add a new name to your network?

How often do you make time to actively network?

Positive Attitude and Energy

We perform best when we are feeling our best and have lots of positive energy. It is important to manage our energy levels to ensure peak performance when we need it most, and to conserve energy and recharge the batteries at other times. Take time to exercise, eat a healthy diet and rest!

Your peak performance state is the way you feel when you are engaged in enjoyable work that has superior results.

Describe your peak performance state and note down the specific times when you have experienced it. What were you doing? Who were you with?

How often do you perform to your full potential?

How well do you manage your energy levels?

Which people or things boost your energy?

Which people or things sap you energy?

What do you do to recharge your batteries?

Who do you use for support?

Life Balance

An important element of career health is to keep a life balance. This will be different for each of us depending upon our individual needs, values, priorities and circumstances. When we don’t have balance in our lives we create conflict that can lead to stress and even illness. Consider the following and measure your own level of balance on each continuum.

What strikes you most?

What patterns do you notice?

What actions do you need to take?

"It is good to have an end to journey towards but it is the journey that matters in the end"