Friday, June 24, 2011

Are you in value added job?

If I ask you the simple question, “What is your definition of career?”

Definitely the answer of most of the people would be, “Good Company with good position, good compensation and with best benefits”

Somebody may also add “upward movement in the position.” Increased satisfaction from the job would be an another answer. Typical response to “career development” is subjective. The priorities and definitions are person oriented. The fundamental question is “what your employer think about your job and not what you think about your career?” Is it just a sequence of performing different jobs and climbing on the ladder? Or something different?  

Everyday, thousands of CVs are uploaded on job portals. On any given day, 75% of them would consider changing jobs and 60% are actively looking for the job outside. The reason can be anything, better compensation and career development. People get the compensation and mere higher title while doing the same job in new company.

We also need to look the talent market reality. One thing is sure that the talent has become costly. Human talent costs (salaries and benefits) can comprise between 20 and 60 percent of a company’s entire operating budget.

Cost containment is possible to move forward. There are only two options either improve the top-line and bottom-line or control the cost to improve the bottom-line. Off course the ROI on talent cost need to be justified. In addition to cost-containment, most companies now have a far more strategic approach to managing their human talent.

Second reality is engaging the critical talent strategically. Companies are shedding the expense of positions not critical to their competitive advantage, but then they are differentially investing more into the people who occupy their most critical or wealth-creating roles. Human talent is highly valued—the number one asset. Some roles, however, are more valuable than others. It is ok if you are in one of those roles but there are not many of those roles in any given company. The most important factor is how you create the value to the organization. If you and your job is value creating, then your employer will try to make effort to engage you and provide you challenging career.

While we all need to build skills before we can advance our careers, toiling away over time is not the same as gaining skills. The major mistake is mixing the tenure and experience with skills and competencies. The question is are you really in valued job? And this is a trigger question for deciding you career. What is you career destiny? You yourself have to take the control over your career.

In the world of feisty corporate world, realities are different.

Reality No 1: You are the owner of your career and not the job. Your employer decided about your job and you need to acquire competencies and skills to perform that job.

Reality No 2: Your professional and financial development will likely come from your overall career and not only job.

Reality No 3: Your professional fulfillment and satisfaction will come from the career you build, not the job promotions you receive.

The career can be developed by continuous value addition to you personality by learning new and modern skills and competencies. Consider your interests, your talents, your strength & weaknesses and your motivators. Most of the people spend their time by improving their weaknesses. Improvement is always better, but focusing on your strength helps more in better career building.

And at the end of the day, you have to introspect, what value you add in the job and company today! Isn’t?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good One. People normally think for shot term gain. Job is for short term and career is for long term.

Ravindra said...

Dear Friend
Every job is value added job if
You don’t go to work just to do your job. You go to work so that you can progress in your job. At the end of your work day, you need to close your desk with a feeling of fulfillment, achievement and confidence of a day well worked and lived.

Anonymous said...

Ravindra must be a philosopher.

Amol said...

I believe what Vinod wants to say is no matter, what type of job you do, you should always try and cpntribute towards adding value to the company which is above your normal du

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