“I love my job, I don’t need to develop my career” said an employee that recently participated in a career development seminar I taught. She mistakenly thought that because she was satisfied, a good performer and had no plans for advancement this seminar was not for her. She thought career development was only for those whose had aspirations of advancement or who were discontent in their work. What she didn’t realize was that the biggest mistake she could make was becoming complacent in her job. With the ever changing world of work the skills necessary to do a job can also be ever changing. Even if the job title doesn’t change, often the skills required or the responsibilities change over time. Employers need a nimble workforce to stay competitive and that boils down to employees keeping their skills sharp. It also means anticipating how the job might change in the future. When a job changes due to the changing need of the business yet the employee’s skills remain stagnant it forms a skill gap. An active career development plan is intended to address these gaps. Career development is necessary for even those who love their job, to allow them to stay sharp, and continue to be a valuable contributor to the company.
Job Lovers Still Need to Manage Career
About the Author: Karen Kodzik
Cultivating Careers was founded by Karen Kodzik, a Career Consultant who has worked with individuals in transition for over 13 years. Karen meets professionals at various points on their career path and works with them to gain a clearer sense of where they want to take their careers.
Karen Kodzik holds a Masters Degree in Counseling with an emphasis in Career Development. Karen couples seasoned counseling skills with a solid business acumen. She has coached and consulted various levels of professionals across industries to successfully reaching that next point in their career.