Welcome to my brand-new series on career success. I hope this will support those making career changes and those whose roles or careers may look very different in a COVID recovery world.

Each pose will explore elements of career success, what it means to live your best life at work, and steps you can take to lead a successful career.

The twist? I’m going to cover the whole alphabet from A to Z. (You're probably thinking, yeah I guessed that one Mark!)

Areas of Interest

Recognising and aligning your interests with your job makes it more likely you will have an enjoyable and rewarding career. Are you genuinely interested in the industry you work in, the service you provide or the customers you support?
 
Action
Think about what subjects you enjoyed at school, what do you like to read about, and what hobbies and activities do you love doing in your spare time. Also, think about which jobs (or which aspects of those jobs) you have enjoyed the most. Make notes and set them aside for when you next carry out a career review.

Assertiveness
Assertiveness is a vital career success skill and is about being able to express yourself with confidence. Assertiveness refers to being open and honest about what you want or need and, at the same time, being considerate of what others want or need.
 
Action
Listen and respond to the needs of others without neglecting your interests or comprising your principles. Use your interpersonal skills to act as an effective communicator, controlling stress through better handling of problems, people and situations. Express your feelings, needs and opinions in an honest, respectful and confident way.

Alternative Career Options
Most people don't spend a long time thinking about their careers. This leads to people drifting from one job to another without really thinking about which way their career is heading. Thoughts about alternative career options often only come up if there is a 'crisis' of some sort. A redundancy or the recognition that you are in a job you detest. The current pandemic crisis may act as a catalyst for some of us to evaluate our careers.
 
Action
Make career management a planned activity. Set aside time each quarter to review your career with a more comprehensive review each year.

Attitude
A good attitude is essential for career success.
You might have heard the phrase success is "80% attitude and 20% aptitude". Employers can train you in specific skills, but they will have a difficult time changing your attitude.
 
This goes beyond having a positive outlook and an upbeat demeanor. This also means having a good work ethic and deploying constructive communications with those around you. This is particularly relevant when things go wrong.
 
Action
Take responsibility for doing a good job and choose your response when things don't go to plan.
Choosing your response is important as this will give you control over the outcome of a situation rather than being at the mercy of fate. This is summarised by the equation: E + R = O (event + response = outcome).