By Miriam Bamberger, CPCC and Heather Bradley, CPCC
Go to college. Complete graduate school. Get a job. Work happily ever after in the career you love.
If such fairy tale version of a career ever did exist, the past decade has confirmed a hands-off approach in today's marketplace is only a fantasy. A good education and a strong clinical record do not guarantee career success. Smaller reimbursements, corporate scandals and other macro-and microeconomic factors have conspired to decrease the number of attractive job opportunities.
Having fewer alternatives forces you to take added responsibility for having the career you want. How will you adjust if factors beyond your control knock you off your chosen course? Short of a fairy godmother waving her magic wand, how are you prepared to respond if you come upon an unforeseen detour in your career path?
Searching for and maintaining gainful employment is one thing; ensuring your employability is another. The latter involves understanding the marketplace and being prepared to fill the available opportunities. So what are you doing to maintain your employability?
The most successful therapists constantly prepare—even if they do not know for what specifically they are preparing. They stay attuned to clinical trends and innovations, build contacts, and strengthen relationships on an on-going basis. They stretch themselves professionally, taking on greater responsibilities and acquiring new skills.
There is no prescribed set of tasks for maintaining your employability; what is important is being conscious and intentional in clarifying what employability means for you, choosing what to do about your employability, and acting on your choices.
The Flourishing Process provides a step-by-step method for evaluating and improving your employability.
Think about what is happening around you - at both your workplace and in the industry as a whole. What do you notice?
- Are departments and private practices adding therapists or looking for opportunities to reduce headcount?
- What new jobs are being created? What kinds of jobs are being eliminated?
- What are the larger trends - employment, demographic, regulatory, and so forth - in your local market or practice area?
Although many of these factors have an impact on your employability, for the most part they are out of your sphere of control. However, understanding them and their influence will help you evaluate what you can control, your personal preparedness.
Skills
Clinical: How satisfied are you that your clinical skills are up-to-date and fit the needs of your patients, providers, or referral sources?
Will your current skill level be sufficient next year? Five years from now?
Non-Clinical: Superior clinical skills alone are not a sufficient indicator of employability. Core skills such as communication, basics of finance, and customer service are critical to maintaining your employability. Unique skills such as unique training or experience will help you stand out.
Industry Knowledge
Staying current on major industry trends is critical not only for maintaining your employability, but also for providing excellent service in your present position. Specifically, how are these macro factors affecting your industry?
- Globalization
- Economy
- Technology—either in the service you provide or in new types of injuries that may arise
- Regulatory and Legislative Changes
While the Internet makes it easier than ever to stay current, many industries offer daily fax reports that are crucial to keeping up-to-date with the latest developments.
Mobility and Flexibility
Are you able to move or are you geographically limited? In general, the more mobile you are, the more employable you will be. That said, many employers offer flexible options, such as commuting alternatives and technology, to make the best fit.
Strong Relationship-Building Skills
Good relationships are critical for every aspect of career success, increasing your sphere of influence with colleagues, patients, potential mentors, and employers. Developing these core interpersonal skills is often under appreciated and overlooked. Yet, they are the lifeblood of successful organizations. Therapists are increasingly required to lead diverse and inclusive teams. As a result, therapists who are best at developing strong relationships will be the most employable.
Think about your confidence with each facet described above. How satisfied are you with your employability when you consider the market trends and your personal readiness?
If you are very satisfied, congratulations! Remember, the market changes constantly, so make a date with yourself every three to six months to review these questions and reevaluate your employability.
If you are not very satisfied with your employability, you have a couple of choices. You could choose to do nothing and be swept along with whatever changes come your way. Another choice is to work consciously to increase your employability and influence the factors within your control.
Based on the clarity you gained in the previous section, ask yourself:
- What do I need to do more of?
- What do I need to do less of?
- What do I need to start doing?
- What do I need to stop doing altogether?
Make a commitment to yourself. Complete the following sentence as many times as you need to.
Today, I choose _________________.
Example:
- Today I choose to take an active role in maintaining my employability.
- Today I choose to stop complaining about what I cannot control and take responsibility for the things I can.
Take Inventory
Take a few quiet moments and honestly inventory your personal preparedness. Look beyond what you found in the clarity section; the first step in creating your action plan is to identify specifically what you need to change.
- How well do your skills match the current and projected demands in the marketplace?
- What gaps do you notice? What do you need to do to close them?
- How easily could you adapt your current skills to a new industry if necessary?
- What steps will you take to increase your employability?
Position Yourself
Promotions do not always go to the most qualified candidate. Often, they are awarded to the candidate who is best positioned. Minority therapists, whether defined by age, race, gender or other characteristic, often have to prove themselves beyond what is normally expected of the majority.
How visible are you and your accomplishments? You cannot assume that others know what you are working on, even if you work in a small clinic or department. It is up to you to craft the messages that will help you succeed and to deliver them to the key decision makers.
Make yourself indispensable to those you work with directly or indirectly. The more you know about a type of treatment, specific patient case, or clients' needs, the more employable you are. Ask yourself:
- Who are my "clients?" Patients, administrators, the clinic owner, insurance companies?
- How can I best serve these clients? What is most important to them?
- How can I position myself so I am the first person they think of when they need help?
Make the Most of Your Support Network
Ensure that you have a group of supporters who offers not only encouragement and opportunities, but also gives you honest and candid feedback. How can you expand your network? Review your relationship with your mentor. What new or additional assistance do you need to ask for?
With the shift from the concept of lifetime employment to lifetime employability, many aspects of employment are, indeed, out of your control. Yet you can be prepared to respond when change presents itself. Monitoring and increasing your employability is a way of protecting your professional assets and ensuring that you are prepared for any detour in your career path. After all, fairy godmothers are in short supply these days.
Sidebar
Organizations no longer guarantee lifetime employment, and employees no longer guarantee lifetime loyalty. Despite the implicit transient nature of today's work contract, promoting your staff members' employability is a wise investment. Benefits can include:
- Attracting top performers - Employability and a willingness to invest in young workers have become important factors for candidates when assessing potential employers.
- Increasing Retention - Investing in employees strengthens their relationships with your organization. In turn, employees are more likely to stay.
- Improving Client Service - Investments in employability are investments in superior service to current constituents.
Teacher's Pet: Clarity, Choice and Action in Your Career
Miriam Bamberger and Heather Bradley
ScarecrowEducation Books, A Division of Scarecrow Press, Inc. (A
Member of the Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group).
Order a copy
Miriam Bamberger and Heather Bradley
Executive Update, March 2003, Greater Washington Society
of Association Executives
Click on http://www.theflourishingcompany.com/pages/gwsae0303.htm
to read this article.
Miriam Bamberger, CPCC, and Heather Bradley, CPCC, are the co-founders of The Flourishing Company, which helps change the way people experience work. Their Professional Division helps successful individuals in achieving more fun, control and choice in their careers. For additional information, visit: www.TheFlourishingCompany.com.
