Staying where we are is often a lot easier than moving on. Many of us wait to be pushed rather than take the positive step of finding a new job. Take our simple test to find out if your career is blooming or backfiring.
Complete the following statements by selecting the letter which most accurately represents your view:
A = Yes, absolutely
B = I suppose so
C = I’m not sure
D = Not really
E = Definitely not
1. I’m very happy in my current job.
2. I think I’ve reached as far as I can go in my current company / organisation.
3. My colleagues are more likely to succeed than I am.
4. I’m certain I know what I want to achieve in my career.
5. My boss acknowledges my strengths and my contribution.
6. My company / organisation rewards me fairly for my efforts.
7. I believe I could achieve much more if only they’d remove the obstacles to my success.
8. My work life is balanced with my social / family life.
9. Other people seem to suffer more from stress or overwork that I do.
10. I look forward to going to work.
11. The work I do makes a useful contribution.
12. I’m embarrassed when I have to tell people what I do for a living or which company / organisation I work for.
13. I am unlikely to get the training and development I need from my present employer.
14. I want to advance beyond my current level of responsibility.
15. I am not as confident in my abilities as I used to be.
16. My partner / friends recognise my career concern as something of a problem.
17. I don’t feel comfortable talking about my training and development, particularly during a performance review meeting.
18. The future holds more success and happiness for me than the past.
How you scored
For statements 1, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18
A=5 pts, B=4pts, C=3pts, D=2pts, E=1pt
For statements 2, 3, 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17
A=1pt, B=2pts, C=3pts, D=4pts, E=5pts
If you scored between 76 and 90……….
You’re not only in the right job, but in the right career too. You may also be working within a company or organisation that meets your career advancement needs. You’re probably enjoying job satisfaction and have a pretty well-balanced life. You should avoid the tendency to overrate yourself in the face of competition. It might be wise to build closer relationships with your workmates and continue to develop yourself in a focused way.
If you scored between 56 and 75……….
It could be that you’re in the right career, but not in the right job. Or you may be in the right job, but not yet fully aware of where you career lies. If you’re working for a company or organisation that doesn’t meet your career advancement needs, you should discuss that at your next performance review or appraisal. If your boss doesn’t give you such reviews regularly it’s a sign of poor leadership and an indication that the company or organisation doesn’t consider its employees important. Make sure your boss knows about your achievements regularly. You may well be enjoying some job satisfaction, but beware of getting in a rut.
If you scored between 31 and 55……….
You’re either in the wrong job or working for the wrong firm. There may also be some uncertainty about your career aims and you may have doubts about your ability of self-esteem. Think about taking more responsibility for your destiny. Have a chat with your boss and ask about your prospects and the possibility of further training.
If you scored between 18 and 30……….
It’s time to start looking for a better job. If a friend is clearly getting along better, ask them for help. Find out how they overcame setbacks in their career climb. Don’t mistake the edges of your rut for the horizon. And remember that it’s better to persist with steady steps in the right direction than to do nothing.
Tom Hackforth
Principal Consultant
Comments