---

Guest post by: Harris Silverman Become an Author

Tweet

---

---

Elements of strategy that are normally used by businesses can also be used by individuals in the management of their careers. For example, knowing where you’re heading by writing a clear definition of your ideal future state can help you get there by guiding your decision-making, your professional development and your career planning. You should always know where you want to be and when you want to be there.

Another business strategy that can be applied to an individual career is positioning. Businesses benefit from being known in the public mind as being very good at one or two clearly defined things that people want. You can do the same. Make sure you’re known in your profession or company as the go-to person for a small number of very specific skills or services that people need and value. This will help you hang on to your job in tough times, and it will make people remember and value you.

It’s important for businesses to keep close track of the business environment so that they can anticipate threats, prepare for coming changes that will impact them, be sure they’re meeting current needs (rather than those of the past), and generally steal a march on their competitors. You can do the same in your career. Make sure you are aware of changes in your field or profession, and in your company and its strategy, that can impact your career and that may require changes to the way you are managing it. Many people neglect this, and it can give you a clear advantage.

Another case in point is developing and maintaining a competitive advantage. Make sure you have some skill, knowledge, or capacity that gives you an edge over people with whom you compete for jobs and promotions. Make sure you know what they can do and where there may be gaps that you can fill. Develop new skills; get better at the ones you share with them; find a way to develop an edge.

One of the best-known business strategies is SWOT analysis. Do you know what your Strengths are, and how you can develop and exploit them? Do you know what your Weaknesses are, and do you have a plan to remedy them, or at least to mitigate them? Have you identified Opportunities that you can exploit, and Threats you need to guard against?

If not, what are you waiting for?

Related Articles

  Career Change in an Economic Downturn
  10 Most Compelling Reasons To Hire A Coach, According To Your Strategic Thinking Business Coach
  Bad Career Habits
  When Your Career Becomes Very Stressful
  Do Not Let Your Job Get The Best Of You
  How To Cope With A Stressful Career
  How To Manage Your Stressful Career
  How To Deal With A Difficult Job
  When Your Career Stresses You Out
  How You Can Deal With A Stressful Career
  When Your Career Becomes Difficult To Manage
  When Your Job Becomes Difficult To Manage
  How To Manage Your Career And Current Job
  When Your Job Becomes Very Stressful
  When Your Career Gets You Stressed Out
  When Your Career Makes You Depressed
  When Your Career Makes You Anxious And Fearful
  When Your Career Makes You Anxious
  When Your Job Gets The Best Of You
  Do Not Let Stress Be A Factor In Your Career

Related Forum Posts

Re: Require Info on CAD Fed/Prov Grants for Restaurant Start-up
Book: Comeback Moms
Books for Women Entrepreneurs

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Profit from the Plateau

How do you keep it together on a daily basis?

The OLD Way of Advertising, May Not be so OLD

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.