How To Reboot Career For Senior/Middle Level Managers

As we step into a fresh new year, there’s no denying that during the year gone by, from all visible perspectives, it’s been a choppy job market in India, especially at the middle and senior management levels. Vikas Dua shows you how to reboot your career in these times.

Efficiencies in business processes on the back of new technologies have made roles redundant and allowed optimization at an unprecedented level

For an economy that only saw the private sector really bloom post the liberalization wave of 1990, the dream run has seemed short and rudely interrupted. Many of the college graduates who started their careers in the then sunrise industries of BPO/ IT/ Telecom/ Insurance and vaulted up the career ladder, now find themselves at a point, where their skills and, in fact, their value to their organisation, is being questioned.

So, what do those thousands, impacted by these changes in the environment, do to actually move forward?

Here are some recommendations:

• Build your personal brand – In times like this, it is important to stand out amongst the multitude of applicants. How connected are you to the other professionals in the industry? Are you seen and valued as a thought leader? Have you contributed to some new research in your domain? These are some of the questions prospective employers will be asking.
• Leverage your network – As any management program will establish right upfront, networking is a key management skill. Beyond deploying it effectively for gains in your business, it’s important to leverage it for yourself as well. Don’t shy away from reaching out to professional and personal contacts to help you identify or connect you to your next opportunity.
• Refresh your online professional profile - A plain resume and a suit don’t cut it anymore. New studies show that 93% of hiring managers check online profiles before taking a hiring decision.

Make sure your professional profile is updated and shares tangible information on how you have contributed to your previous organisation(s).  While you are at it, make your other social updates are also in conformity to ‘acceptable’ behaviour.

• Upskill yourself – Last, but not the least surely, upskill yourself. A skill or qualification that adds value to your resume can go a long way in extending your career and helping you overcome that speedbump on the road to a fulfilling career.

These are only some starting points for someone who is looking at rebooting his/her career in this turbulent landscape.

What could be other recommendations? Do share your inputs with me here or tweet @vykasdua