There are so many little things we take for granted in our lives. Things we don’t value until they’re taken away from us. It’s the same with our careers. We take for granted all the things we do in our roles. When it comes to looking at a promotion or job change it’s important to break down all the things you do, and accumulate evidence that can count towards Recognition of Prior Learning when the time comes for a change.
There are some things we take for granted.
We just go about life and expect the familiar will continue.
The sun will rise.
The dogs will need to be fed.
The grass will grow.
Our eldest daughter, Elle, will humour Randall’s Dad jokes with a soft chuckle. And then she’ll shake her head and say “oh, Smithy” and he will grin at her.
The traffic will bank up near Blackwood Street on the morning school run.
The key will turn in the lock as I open the office door.
The phone will ring and on the end of the call will be someone looking for a hand to get qualified.
The familiarity is found in the patterns of life.
Then occasionally, there is the unexpected jolt of the unfamiliar, the unplanned, the unwanted.
We experienced the jolt a few weeks ago.
Randall went for a routine eye check up after experiencing some floaters several months prior. He was feeling good enough that he nearly cancelled the appointment. It was inconvenient and I could tell he was thinking what he would rather do with his morning.
But he went and within twenty minutes, I received this message from him:
“Will update you shortly. I need surgery tomorrow on a detached retina. Still in chair now with the doc.”
Um. Okay.
Seriously?
“He reckons it was lucky I came back … now talking “emergency surgery” … at reception now waiting on what’s next.”
Okay.
“Left untreated I would have gone blind in right eye. Turns out it’s just bad luck.”
Okay.
Turns out having your eyes work properly, well, that is something we take for granted. We open them in the morning, and we close them at night – in between, we just expect them to work.
Until they don’t.
Randall had the emergency surgery. The recovery was not fun but he’s fine.
It’s just another reminder that sometimes things happen.
Things we never planned for, things we didn’t want and we wouldn’t ask for … but here we are so the question is how are we going to manage it now?
We see it all the time in people’s careers.
Career altering injuries or illness. Changes in management. Changes in industry. Even lately, people refusing the immunisation requirements and realising it will mean they are losing their position as a result.
We can never avoid the unexpected. But once it comes, we have to make quick decisions about what immediate action to take.
And when it comes to career, our biggest tip is to clear your head to focus on gathering evidence of your skills and knowledge through your work output. Too many people get locked out of work systems and then they have missed the opportunity to get work samples.
Work samples are vital to your Recognition of Prior Learning application.
Work samples are the equivalent of submitting your exam paper or assignment for marking.
We take what we do in a role for granted. I see it every week in talking with people about their experience. They don’t spend time dissecting what they do – they just do it. And when all is going smoothly, that’s fine.
But when there’s a promotion available, a job to apply for, a job lost, a career changed … that’s when you need to put every resource you have into protecting yourself.
To keep your vision of what the future of your career can be.
This month, we’re helping you out on the swift action front by offering a Free Fast Track with every enrolment. It will save you time (we’ll get you sorted in 7 days) and save you money ($350 in your pocket to help with the Christmas celebrations).
If you find yourself hitting a sudden career challenge, call us. Ask us what evidence you should gather.
Always better safe than sorry.
Talk soon,
Tricia
