5 tips to have a great career conversation
Posted on October 21, 2022 by Suchitra Rajendra, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
Career conversations can be stressful. These 5 tips will set you up for success. Direction, Strengths, Development areas, Next roles and Networks
Your Manager has scheduled a time to have a 1:1 and you would like to discuss your career. How do you prepare for this conversation? What are the specific asks that you have from your organization and from your manager?
When you walk into the session, be prepared with your direction, understanding of yourself and let this be an opportunity to have an open conversation. Don’t make this about a promotion or the next opportunity or an increment. Seek to understand how your manager sees you.
1. Direction : Think about 2-3 aspirational roles that you would like to get to in 5 years time. If you limit yourself to 1 role then you are narrowing down your playing field. You don’t know whether in 5 years that one role will exist or not. You also don’t really know if in 5 years you want to not have considered other options. So increase your scope and think about the areas you want to be working in.
2. Strengths – Think of your strengths. What results have you achieved in your current or past roles that showcase these strengths? Are these strengths enough to carry you to the next roles or carry greater responsibilities? Which of these strengths are towering strengths?
3. Development areas: What are the competencies that you need to work on to help you get to your aspirational roles? For example, If those aspirational roles require negotiation skills or influencing people and you have limited experience in that, then mention these as development areas, since you would need support in building them.
4. Next roles: What experiences or opportunities do you need in the next 3-5 years to help you to get to those aspirational roles? Identify them in terms of some critical experiences, some projects, some learning opportunities. What sponsorship do you need from your manager to help you get these opportunities?
5. Networks: What networks need to get created for the leaders to have visibility on your candidature? Who are the mentors that your manager can recommend for you? What projects will get you the visibility?
As you leave the room, ask your self:
1. What have I learnt about myself?
2. What were the blindspots I had?
3. What are the next steps we have agreed upon?
