Effective Career Development:Advice for Establishing an Enjoyable Career

Career development is no longer a case of climbing the corporate ladder

The world of work has changed dramatically in the past decade – and so have our expectations. Changing jobs, roles, locations, sectors and careers is becoming the new normal. Furthermore, the shift to remote working due to the COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the work landscape and, for many, has led to reflection and a desire for a career change.

This book will help you:

• Set career development objectives;
• Recognise your achievements;
• Build upon your strengths; and
• Identify personal and professional development opportunities.

The book includes exercises and activities to help you understand what is important to you in a job and how to attain your career goals

The author outlines the role of mentoring in career development, and how to build your personal brand, present yourself professionally online and in person, and find the resources you need to achieve your development goals. She also provides a practical example of a career development path in the cyber security sector.

By reading this book, you will be able to assess the advantages and disadvantages of different career paths and set clear career development goals.

Table of contents:

Chapter 1: Taking control of your own career

Chapter 2: Understanding where you are now

Chapter 3: What is important to you in a job?

Chapter 4: Career development opportunities

Chapter 5: Creating career objectives

Chapter 6: Mentoring

Chapter 7: Promoting yourself

Chapter 8: Sources of information

Chapter 9: Example: Career development in the cyber security sector

Chapter 10: Conclusions and actions

Further reading

About the Author

Sarah Cook is the Managing Director of The Stairway Consultancy Ltd. She has more than 20 years’ consulting experience specialising in leadership and management development. Before this, Sarah worked for Unilever and as head of customer care for a retail marketing consultancy.

Sarah has practical experience helping managers to manage remotely and create high-performing teams. She has also worked extensively with team members to help them effectively transition to new ways of working. Sarah is a business author and has written widely on leadership, management development, team building and coaching. She also speaks regularly at conferences and seminars on these topics.

Sarah is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and is a Chartered Marketer. She has an MA from the University of Cambridge and an MBA from The Open University. She is also an accredited user of a wide range of psychometric and team diagnostic tools.