Topic Title

What does the future hold for Career Practitioners? What are the opportunities and challenges arising from Government Policy development on careers work?

Event Description

In this one-hour virtual seminar participants will gain insights from Professor Tony Watts – a world expert on career development – who will share his first-hand experience of analysing and informing Government agendas on careers work both in the UK and internationally. He’ll provide insight into both the challenges and potential opportunities arising from changes in careers provision, and the drive for increasing standards and regulation of career practitioners, alongside the Coalition Government’s concern to produce a stronger market in careers provision. This could have major implications for the interface between public-sector and private-sector provision. Tony will also share his thoughts on the future of work and careers more generally.

During the session there will lots of opportunity for discussion and debate, so come along and get involved in the discussion.

The Presenter

Professor Tony Watts is a self-employed international policy consultant on career guidance and career development, based in Cambridge, England. He is a Founding Fellow and Life President of the National Institute for Careers Education and Counselling (sponsored by the Careers Research and Advisory Centre in Cambridge); Visiting Professor of Career Development at the University of Derby; and Visiting Professor at Canterbury Christ Church University.

His recent work has included reviews of careers services in New Zealand, Wales, Cyprus and Hungary. He is a consultant to the European Commission’s European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network, and a member of the Board of the International Centre for Career Development and Public Policy. He was awarded an OBE in the 1994 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to education. His passions include his family, cricket, and early music.

Attendees will gain:-

• An exploration of the impact and relevance of Government policy review on regulation, and work of career practitioners, in both the public and private sector
• An insight into how the work of career practitioners might evolve, and the opportunities arising from changes in the market and political context.
• Insight into career trends and the Global world of work
• Opportunity to build new professional connections

Register
Current ACPi-UK Members should log into this site to register.

Non-members can register to attend using the following forms:

Introduction
Resources that make a real difference to us and our clients lie at the heart of our work as innovative career practitioners. With so many resources out there, so many books to read, so many models to explore, so many tools to try – how can you stay on top of the latest developments?

Help is at hand! As a new element of the ACPI UK CPD programme, we will be running quarterly “Resource Round Tables” – informal, facilitated webinars where ACPI members share resources that have made a real difference to their professional practice.

Come along and tell us what makes a big impact on the way you do your work.

You could share resources such as:

• a model that helped your clients resolve a challenge in their career
• a tool that has proven to improve your professional practice,
• a research report that provides key information,
• a book that you found enlightening.

To focus the discussion we will explore different topics and resources throughout the year.
We are open to suggestions, so do share what you’d like to learn and contribute.

Resource Round Tables will take place quarterly: in March, June, September and December. They will be one hour long sessions, run twice (one evening, and one Friday lunchtime slot).

The very first Resource Round Table will take place this December:
Wednesday, 14 December ; 20.30-21.30

TOPIC for December: Your Top 3 Book Recommendations for 2011 – which careers or professional development books stood out for you in 2011?

Which are the three titles you would not want to be without? Which books did your clients like best?
Bring along your favourite book titles and be prepared to share them with the group.

To help you prepare your book introductions, check out the attached form so you have the key information handy when you introduce your favourite books. With your permission, we will make your book resource assessments accessible on the ACPI UK website. So together we can build a database of resources and you can raise your profile in the careers industry and with clients at the same time.

I look forward to lively discussions on our inaugural call. Do connect with me, Ruth Winden, beforehand the Resource Round Tables – either by phone 01642 789024 or via email: Ruth Winden; ruthwinden@careersenhanced.com

HOW DO I ATTEND?

If you are a member of ACPi-UK you have free entry to this event. Please log in to this site and you will be able to register from the Member Communications page.

If you are not a member please complete the form below to register.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Career Professionals, Coaches, Consultants and others interested why clients buy
from you

AIM OF THE WEBINAR

To explore how what a career brand is, How it is created and what you may need to
reflect on to create the brand you need for your career.

In addition, this webinar also seeks to help career practitioner support their own
clients with their personal / career brand work

KEY TOPICS

What is a Brand?
What do your clients actually buy?
Do you know what you are Selling?
The difference between web sites and client experience?
The Performance, Impact and Exposure mix?
Some models, frameworks and perspectives on Career Brand?

WEBINAR

Duration 60 minutes

CONTRIBUTOR
Andrew Jones is a seasoned career practitioner, with over 20 years experience of
working with clients, both at an organisational and individual level. His enthusiasm
and passion has given him a reputation for inspiring and engaging others. His
approach is backed up by a Masters Degree in Change, and he has specialises in carer
transition, talent development, leadership development and has lead projects on
Career Brand in large Global businesses such as AXA, BP, Zurich, CBRE, RNLI, and
Deutche Bank. He also has extensive experience helping others set up in their own
business.

A long time member of ACPI, Andrew has also worked for some of the largest career
transition companies: Right Management, LHH, DBM and others

He now regularly works throughout the UK, Europe, North America, China, Japan, and
other locations in the Far East as well as several Middle East Countries

HOW DO I ATTEND?

If you are a member of ACPi-UK you have free entry to this event. Please log in to this site and you will be able to register from the Member Communications page.

1) Forget underhand tactics

At one end of the underhand tactics spectrum are things such as blackmail and sleeping your way to the top, clearly outside of bad films and soap operas these career tactics are rarely employed by real people. However, underhand tactics can also include kissing up and using emotional pressure (“I’m getting married/having kids/etc”). Although you could potentially use these tactics to influence a manager you won’t be able to kid your colleagues and if you use underhand tactics you might find yourself responsible for a group of people who know you didn’t get where you are on merit.

2) Don’t rely on other people

It’s no good waiting for your magical career fairy to wave a wand and suddenly see you as acting CEO. Part of this means accepting that you will have to master self-promotion, believe it or not though this can be achieved with a balance of humility. For example, if you have been part of a successful project – try organising a night out to celebrate it – explain to your superiors that you want to thank the people who helped you make it a success. You could even ask management to attend or (if you’re feeling cheeky) fund it – then the people in power have your name attached to a) a successful project and because you’re organising it it looks like b) you’re the person responsible.

3) Don’t whinge

In the long history of employment no one has ever whinged their way to a promotion but it’s incredible how many people seem to think it is an effective career strategy. Even if you’re passed over for a promotion you should retain a positive and professional attitude. That doesn’t mean you have to take it lying down, but you’re bound to give a better impression by asking for an explanation of how you can improve your chances next time. If you’re serious about getting on in a company then you should also avoid the people who do whinge – otherwise you’ll be tainted by association.

4) Succeed in your current role 

It may sound obvious but some people can be so intent on getting a promotion to a higher level that they forget that one of the most obvious ways to get noticed is to shine in your current role. Again, don’t forget that you need your achievements to be noticed and recognised – if you don’t already have targets in your job then get your line manager to set some, and then set about breaking them.

5) Work out where you want to go 

Before your push for promotion can begin, you need to know where it is that ultimately you want to go. It could be that you want to take on more managerial responsibility and if your company doesn’t have any growing room then regardless of how well you work there’s not going to be any promotions available. Ask yourself whether the job that you want to get promoted to actually exists or will you have to create it? Equally, you may find that what you actually want isn’t a move up (i.e. onto a managerial ladder) but a move sideways. On reflection you might even find that you have what you want in a job but you just want more money – in which case you’re looking for a pay rise, not a promotion.

6) Work out why you want to go there

Another vital piece of research you need to do is examining the motivation that you have for a promotion. Is it that you want to move up to get more money? A bigger office? More respect? A different challenge? Once you have pinned down what it is that’s behind your promotion drive then you are in a better position to realise that maybe you can achieve those things another way. See if you can “try on” a promotion by acting up into someone else’s position during their holiday – that way you can see if it’s just a change you want.

7) Assess the skills that are needed in your ideal role and acquire them

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you will need to go out and get an MBA, it could just be that if you want to get a managerial position then you will need to improve the evidence that you have good leadership skills. Make a list of all of the competencies that are needed for your next job (HR might even have a job spec for the skills they’ll be looking for) and then set about collecting these skills. Keep an eye on new developments and gain experience. If you’re the only person in your company who knows what a podcast is then you’re in a very strong position to develop a new media position. Equally, you should keep an eye on the wider trends in your industry and find out what skills other employers are demanding.

Don’t keep your ambitions to yourself

Telling people that you want a promotion might sound like setting yourself up for a fall but it’s actually an effective technique. Your manager should know that you want to progress in the company and a great tip is to ask your manager to outline how they see your career progressing within the company during a one-to-one. Once they’ve painted out their vision of your career, you can ask them how you should go about realising that. This is also a brilliant technique for working out whether your manager is on your side and if they have a similar aim for your career as you do.

9) Pick a Mentor 

As well as getting your manager on side, it’s a good idea to select a mentor within the company who can help you advance. Ultimately all you are doing is asking for the help and advice of someone you respect. If the mentor is in a position of responsibility within the company then so much the better because you have then turned this person into someone who will argue your corner. It needn’t be a formalised arrangement – asking for a meeting and explaining that you respect their work and what they have done with their career and you would love their help and advice in progressing your career – could be done over a cup of coffee. Picking a mentor to help you is effectively the acceptable face of kissing up.

10) Avoid presenteeism

The accepted wisdom of getting a promotion always used to be that you should come in early and leave late. The thinking being that your bosses would see you were a hard worker. In truth most managers will see through the ploy and probably just feel that you are a resounding failure at achieving a work life balance. On top of this you’re amply demonstrating that you have no time management skills. It’s fine to take on extra responsibilities but don’t think that long hours will automatically mean you climb a rung on the ladder.

Are you setting traps for yourself?

You’ll be familiar with the ways external events and even your colleagues seem to conspire against your career prospects.  Organisations can do it too – Manzoni and Barsoux’s Set Up To Fail Syndrome suggests that managers make an early decision about winners and losers, and allocate plum tasks to those who are future stars in the organisation and killer projects for those they believe will fail.  So before you try to rescue your career it’s worth checking out whether, consciously or otherwise, a manager is setting you up to fall on your face.

However most career traps are designed, set and operated by ourselves.  Often the skill of managing your career is to work out how you can get where you want without getting in the way of your own success.

We’re talking about the arena of career limiting actions (CLA’s).  This is not a matter of committing corporate hara-kiri  – for example by parking in the MD or by being sick on your manager at the office party.  It’s also best to avoid copying any part of your anatomy on the office photocopier.  Finally, if you’re looking for first level protection, always think twice before pressing ‘send’ on any email that involves humour, personal references or questionable attachments.  Generally you should only ever write in an email what you would be happy to write on a postcard left for all to see in the post tray.

CLA’s – self-inflicted damage

CLA’s are rather more subtle – the booby traps we lay for ourselves when we are actively trying to do the right things in the job.  This is often about working too hard on projects that don’t matter to the organisation, or aligning yourself with out-of-date systems or methods.

Build on your awareness of the real needs of your organisation.  Research your present employer as carefully as if it was a major new account you were trying to win.  Try to focus your working energy on the results that matter at the top.

Working smarter, not harder

Success is often not about what you do, but how far you are seen to be doing the things that matter by key decision-makers in the organisation – people who will influence your future.

It’s worth remembering that those who make decisions about your career future often do so on the basis of very limited information – where you have made a presentation or led a highly visible team, for example – so think carefully about doing things that are important and noticed.  Managing how others see you is a critical step.  This often means taking advantage of special opportunities, unusual projects or new teams, and usually means that you need to be flexible about what you will take on.  Sticking to your job description is the surest CLA of all.

Learn how much or how little to put in writing.   Each organization has its own internal rules on using memos and emails to confirm or record decisions.  Learn what is acceptable and necessary, and always do it with a light touch rather than sounding prim.  If you can’t get the tone right in an email, pick up the phone.

Other CLA’s are typically about the way you manage your line manager.  Don’t always double-check every detail to be 100% fireproof.  Go to your manager with solutions rather than problems.  Avoid doing the things that really irritate your boss.  Perhaps your boss has a clean desk policy, and you believe that a tidy desk is a sign of a sick mind.

Avoiding CLAs is ultimately about learning how your organisation reads you, and your contribution – and beginning to manage that perception.