Where is your career going? Is there more you can offer and is that being recognised. If not, what could you do to make things happen? Rachel Whittaker, Technical Director at Oakmere, offer some tips for standing out and taking control of your paraplanning career.
As a paraplanner, you are likely used to being behind the scenes – working with advisers, preparing recommendations, ensuring that clients are receiving the best advice but not necessarily receiving any of the credit. Have you ever felt that you have been pigeon-holed within your current role, or found yourself questioning whether your input and full potential is recognised?
If you are struggling within the confines of your current position, you are definitely not alone! Many paraplanners will face this challenge at some point in their careers – the important thing is how you deal with this.
It could be time to ask yourself a few key questions to assess where you are currently, and where you would like to be in an ideal scenario. There are so many routes that you can take (and no, this doesn’t have to be a step into advising – unless that is what you really want!).
• Are you good at what you do? Does it motivate and excite you?
• Can you evidence this? – Be this via client feedback, quality of documentation or feedback from your peers?
• Do you want more? Are you satisfied within your current role, or do you want more progression?
• What does this look like for you?
These reflections are critical for building the confidence to step outside of that comfort zone, and start to create opportunities for yourself.
Recognise Your Own Potential
It is so easy to fall into the ‘Imposter Syndrome’ trap, that feeling that you don’t know as much as everyone else around you, or that you are not as capable as others may perceive you to be. This mindset will absolutely hold you back from reaching your full potential, and from standing out in your workplace. The key to this, is in understanding and appreciating that you don’t need to know everything all of the time. Be the expert at what you do know, and know where to go to access the information on the things that you don’t!
I can guarantee you that there is at least one thing (probably more), that makes you different from others in your role
Every team has someone who is viewed as the expert in a particular area.
• Are you the ‘go-to’ person for a specific aspect of your role? What can you do to build upon that?
• Is there something that is a particular passion of yours, where you would love to see more training / awareness / development? What steps can you take to address this?
• What could you do to make yourself stand out
You may not even realise that you have become firmly embedded in your comfort zone. I once had a colleague suggest that I apply for a professional award. Whilst considering this, I had a realisation that, yes, I did my job well and I was absolutely an integral part of our team – but was I doing anything that made me stand out from the crowd?
The truth is, that I absolutely wasn’t – and that was a real turning point for me. It made me question not only what could I do to make myself more visible, but also to look for what new responsibilities and challenges would ultimately lead me to increased career satisfaction.
Strategies for Taking Control
2. Have a Plan – As a Paraplanner, you are guaranteed to be good at the detail, so have a clear plan in place. What is it that you are looking to achieve? Do you want to raise your professional profile, potentially attracting new roles and opportunities? Or maybe you are perfectly happy where you are, but you want to push beyond the boundaries and career parameters that may have unintentionally been set for you? Whatever your goal, it is important to be strategic in your approach.
2. Where will you start? – Do you want to build your network and increase your visibility within the profession? If so, LinkedIn can be an excellent starting tool. Start by posting regularly and engaging with people that you are genuinely interested in, those who have similar values and aspirations.
It is easy to get caught up in the daily grind and remain invisible, but you would be surprised how quickly a meaningful network can develop through consistent engagement. Interacting with others will inevitably open up new opportunities and provide you the motivation to keep going.
Join or follow as many professional groups as you can, there are so many out there to choose from. PFS Paraplanners is obviously just one of many options, we are constantly working on content that will help with all of the areas that I have mentioned. There are also several mentoring schemes and WhatsApp networks available, where friendly advice and guidance is always on hand.
3. Expand your knowledge – Attend as many webinars, training sessions and online courses as possible. In an ever changing profession, it is important to keep learning new skills to stay competitive. Being well versed in best practice will make you a much more valuable member of your team.
4. Go beyond the day to day – If you want to stand out, you have to look for ways to go ‘above and beyond’. Volunteer for additional projects or tasks that are aligned with your interests. Take the lead on developing additional resources or procedures that will enhance the operations within your organisation.
Why not offer to deliver a short presentation within a team meeting – by sharing your expertise, you will establish yourself as a subject expert and demonstrate your value within your team.
5. Speak up and be pro-active – This is the most important part of pushing out of that ‘comfort zone’. It is common to feel that you are being overlooked, and not given enough opportunities – but have you ever actually voiced an interest in this?
If you are waiting on someone to approach you with the new opportunities, then you may be waiting a long time. If you want to gain visibility and recognition, then you are going to have to put yourself forward.
Stop hesitating about reaching out to your line manager, ask for feedback on how you can further develop your skills and contribute to your team in new ways – you may be surprised at what follows!
The Power of Self-Belief
To summarise, to take the next step in your career, however that may look for you, the first step is believing in your own potential. Only you have the power to shape your future career path.
By embracing new challenges, you can build that stronger professional profile and make a significant impact. It is your journey – and there is no one specific way to achieve it – it is finding what works for you. But you will need to speak up, take initiative and be pro-active.
Push yourself to grow and do not let self-doubt hold you back – your future is waiting for you!
Main image: zac-durant-_6HzPU9Hyfg-unsplash
