It’s Not Too Late to Set Career Goals for 2010!

By Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles)

New Year’s Eve has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean it’s too late to set career goals for 2010. Even if you have found yourself higher up the corporate ladder than you ever thought possible, it’s important to reflect on what success means to you. Does it simply mean attaining a specific title or earning a large paycheck? Setting career goals for yourself, no matter how much you’ve achieved or how idealistic they seem, is a good way to stay on top of your game and motivate yourself to not only do more, but do better.

Women need to take a more aggressive stance with their careers and the goals outlined below will help them do just that. It should be pointed out that though it’s great to have major career goals like become partner or CEO of a company, these five goals can actually be accomplished over the course of the remaining year so that by New Year’s Eve 2011, you’re on your way to bigger and better things. Here then, are five career goals that women at any level in corporate America should consider taking on over the remainder of the year:

1. Network Aggressively

   It’s a given that most of your colleagues in corporate America have impressive accomplishments and a wide range of skills, but what gets certain people – men in particular – the promotion you’ve been hoping for? It’s a proven fact that networking leads to jobs and with so many qualified candidates in the job pool, sometimes it really does come down to who you know. Networking can mean schmoozing at a company event, attending an industry dinner, or maybe even hitting the golf course, but it’s got to be done.

   Women are notoriously bad at networking aggressively, unlike their male counterparts who are capable of building a network around them and using their powerful contacts to get ahead. It’s not enough to simply have a few drinks with those around you. Aside from networking aggressively, you also want to network effectively, meaning something comes of your new relationships with your peers. Whether it is a promotion, a seat on a board, or simply a mentor to help guide you through- it’s all beneficial to your career.

2. Take on Leadership Roles That Scare You

   Time and time again, female CEO’s featured on The Glass Hammer say that a key to their success has been taking on the projects that scare them. One female CEO, who chose to remain anonymous, said she had an epiphany one day after a meeting and has never been the same since.

   “One day I saw a male colleague volunteer to take on a very big project. Later on he confided in me that he knew that, technically, this job was beyond his capabilities. Despite that fact, he still had the confidence to take it on and know that he’d figure out what to do along the way.” She continued, “I knew that I was qualified to take on the job, I was just too afraid of not knowing how to deal with any possible problems that might arise – so I didn’t volunteer. After that conversation, I changed my game plan and began doing the things that scare me- it’s how I got to where I am today.”

   We’ve all heard this, but it’s true: sometimes the only thing holding you back is you. If an opportunity comes up that scares you, take it! Worst case scenario you’ll just ask for help, which leads us to our next goal …

3. Become a Team Player

   According to longtime business woman Jean Otte, author of the book Women are Changing the Corporate Landscape and founder of the organization WOMEN Unlimited, which provides development opportunities for high potential women, women have an incredibly hard time asking for help, letting go of control, and delegating tasks, which only overwhelms them and makes it hard for other women to shine.

   “If men see that you’re a team player, they will let you in,” Otte said. “The key is to understand that you can’t do everything yourself. You have to ask for help, you have to pass the ball, and let other people shine. The most savvy business person knows that you can only get things done through and with others – let someone else be the star; it will help them and reflect positively on you.”

4. Apply to a Leadership Development Program

   The Glass Hammer has featured a number of leadership development programs and organizations that can quite literally change the course of your career. Many of these provide mentors, conduct workshops, feature high ranking guest speakers, and provide a network of like-minded and skilled women to connect with on a personal and professional level.

   As already mentioned, WOMEN Unlimited is a good place to start. The New York-based organization teaches women the rules of business and sheds light on the EQ – or emotional intelligence – and how it’s just as important as the IQ in corporate America. Other leadership development programs include The Boston Club, DirectWomen, and Women Corporate Directors, among others. Joining one of these programs can greatly benefit your career by teaching you new skills and new approaches to business.

   Linda Neuman, Regional Director of Medical Science Liaisons at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, attended WOMEN Unlimited’s LEAD program last year and learned something she will always carry with her. “I learned that ‘what got you here will not get you there.’ That was big for me. In order to advance, we need to learn new skills and not merely refine the ones we already have,” she said.

5. Take Credit

   For some inexplicable reason, women have a very hard time taking credit for a job well done in the workplace. This isn’t just a stereotype, either; it was recently proven by a study conducted by Novations.

   According to the study, “women have been socialized to be modest about their work, particularly in areas traditionally deemed as ‘men’s work’.” This is a clear indication that many women don’t recognize their self-worth or value in the workplace and according to Novations, higher self-ratings such as those men give themselves, indicate the use of helpful approaches to developing a career, such as a willingness to take more risks, higher assertiveness in pursuing challenging assignments, and practice gathering support for one’s work. In other words, all of the career goals we’ve been discussing thus far. It was also found that women build consensus in decision making, provide non-authoritarian leadership, and give credit to others more often than taking credit for themselves.

   These may not sound like negative characteristics because teamwork is often thought of as an important corporate behavior, but realistically, it’s individual accomplishments and efforts that corporations award with promotions – not modesty. Obviously, doing a great job is very important, but higher-ups need to be aware of what you did. Working in a vacuum is a classic female mistake, so it’s time to start making management aware of what you’ve achieved.

These five career goals may not immediately snag you a senior position, but they are definitely steps in the right direction. Admittedly, some of them might be difficult or downright frightening, but from now on you’ve got to do what scares you – even if it means figuring it out along the way.