increasing your skillsresilience is a major determinant of your STEM career success. Every career breaks down into a series of jobs, each somewhat related to the last.
For successful professionals such roles grow in complexity and so represent career progression.
Your career choices are therefore part of an evolving process, requiring both a dedicated and resilient approach. So, how well is your career resilience supporting your ongoing success?

An Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, Rob Williams is a Chartered Psychologist with over 25 years of experience working and designing tests. He is also the author of five psychometric test design books and has worked for the leading global psychometric test publishers including SHL, Kenexa IBM, MBTI, CAPP and SOVA Assessment.

Career resilience Quiz

How well do you manage your career success?

1.

I look to the future - rather than reflecting on my previous career decisions.

Question 1 of 22

2.

Before applying I use LinkedIn, Glassdoor etc. to research the company fully

Question 2 of 22

3.

I have joined specialist job boards to keep me updated on suitable opportunities.

Question 3 of 22

4.

I am always learning about at least one new skill to enhance my employability.

Question 4 of 22

5.

When attracted to a new job post, I run through all the pros and cons before applying.

Question 5 of 22

6.

I look to the future - rather than reflecting on my previous career decisions.

Question 6 of 22

7.

I use various social media and useful sites to stay educated about developments in my sector/specialism.

Question 7 of 22

8.

All feedback is useful for improving my performance at work.

Question 8 of 22

9.

It's important to celebrate all my career successes - big or small.

Question 9 of 22

10.

It is my sole responsibility to update my current skills - I shouldn’t expect others to assist.

Question 10 of 22

11.

Any job disappointment still offers me a learning opportunity.

Question 11 of 22

12.

I have an excellent understanding of my own strengths and weaknesses.

Question 12 of 22

13.

I respect all my colleagues who are actively managing their own career plans.

Question 13 of 22

14.

I use social media to network about new openings and suitable career opportunities for me.

Question 14 of 22

15.

I don’t expect every job I have to fit into my overall career plan.

Question 15 of 22

16.

I offer constructive criticism whenever invited to do so by a colleague/team member.

Question 16 of 22

17.

I welcome all types of feedback from my colleagues - good or bad.

Question 17 of 22

18.

I ask friends and family for advice about my career development going forward.

Question 18 of 22

19.

Before applying, I always analyse what I'd bring to the role and any unique opportunities it offers.

Question 19 of 22

20.

It is unrealistic to expect any role to satisfy me completely.

Question 20 of 22

21.

I update my career plan at regular intervals.

Question 21 of 22

22.

I am fully aware of the role features which motivate me the most.

Question 22 of 22


 

Instead, your career is more of a path you will follow through your life. Your interests might shift, your priorities might change and your opportunities might guide you in a different direction.

“Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder.”

However, how you approach your career path through the years might be the secret to growing it to something more than a job. There are so many quotes from successful people on career success, opportunities and managing expectations. One thing they all seem to have in common is the importance of doing what you love.

“The only way to do a great job is to love what you do.”

Steve Jobs

However, there is one aspect of this that might be often overlooked. Doing what we love often results in burn-out. Why? Well if you love it so much you tend to put all your energy and most of your time into the work.

Therefore, even when you love what you do, make sure to strife for balance. However, always strive to do what you love and you’ll love what you do.

For more information on career match and career guidance, have a look at our Career Match. Also, make sure to make use of the many practice tests.

STEM Careers Change

While there is stigma attached to dismissal, unlike redundancy, it happens more often than you might think.  Whatever the reasons, and however upsetting the circumstances, it is possible to survive and find new employment. If you’re fired after a series of warnings, poor performance or gross misconduct, you’re likely to know the reason why. Many, many people have been fired without being told the reason why – particularly during recessions. If you know the reasons for your dismissal it may be possible to learn something from the experience, but either way, try not to let it knock your confidence.

Manage your exit
A ranting email to the entire department isn’t advised, but there’s no reason you can’t quietly communicate your departure to colleagues and select clients. Your soon to be ex-colleagues could be useful contacts for your next role and may even provide you with a reference, so leave on good terms whenever possible.

What to say at interview
It may be tempting to fudge the issue of your dismissal on your CV, application forms and at interview – but honesty is the best policy.

Finding your next job
If you’re finding it hard to secure a permanent job, temporary work may the answer.
This will give you a new reference, another role to discuss at interview and will keep you motivated. Plus, temp agencies are less likely to be worried about why you left your last role.

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