5 Tips for Executive Career Management & Growth

5 Tips for Executive Career Management & Growth

By Adalberto Garcia

Executive career management is a must-do in order to develop as a professional and grow your career, no matter what industry you are in.

Staying on top of your career growth can be difficult when you’re working forty, or more, hours per week, so having a plan is important. Throughout the years you’ve built up talent and skills, keeping track of how you’ve gained these skills is vital to your future growth.

Develop a Timeline for Your Career Goals

The best way to get to manage your career is to have a plan. Where do you see yourself this time next year? 5 years? 10 years? Write down your career goals and make a timeline for when you’d like to achieve them. Share them with your superiors. Have someone to hold yourself accountable.

Build Your Portfolio

Your portfolio is a showcase of all of your achievements. Next to your cover letter, it is the next most important document when it comes to taking the next step in your career. A professional portfolio is ever-changing. Keeping it up-to-date will validate your professional and educational achievements.

Establish Yourself as an Industry Leader

A great way to start building your portfolio is to establish yourself as an industry leader. Write articles and blog posts for professional journals and websites. Jump at the opportunity to speak at conferences or industry events. Stay abreast of trends and research going on within your niche industry. All of these tactics will build your professional portfolio, while positioning you as an industry expert.

Actively Network & Make Connections

The most important tool for executive career management is networking. Attending events weekly will help you build your network and learn about new opportunities. Networking can also help you meet and foster relationships with individuals who can help you further your career, like headhunters or recruiters.

Research & Get to Know Your Competition

While networking, you’ll meet a number of individuals on the same career path as you. If you’re not actively seeking a new position, you might not think about your peers as competition, but when the time comes for your next career move, that is what they are. Learn what steps they are taking to further their career, and find a way to set yourself apart from them to future employers.

However you choose to manage your career, keeping it top of mind and working at it is the important part. Taking these steps for executive career management can keep you ready for any new career move when the timing is right.

Adalberto Garcia serves as managing partner of Alder Koten’s Career Transition Practice and is also involved in helping shape organizations through a combination of research, executive search, cultural & leadership assessment, and other talent advisory services.

Prior to joining Alder Koten, Adalberto served as Head of the career transition practice and national operations manager at Lee Hecht Harrison. His professional experience also includes various leadership positions related to human resources, talent acquisition, executive coaching and training. He has directly supported over 600 professionals comprehensively manage their transition serving clients such as Hewlett-Packard, General Electric, MSD, PepsiCo, Intel, UNICEF and Kellogg’s.

Adalberto holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Universidad de Guadalajara.

He is fluent in English and Spanish.