How To Get The Career Of Your Dreams In 2018

Generating change for yourself at work is always possible, no matter how daunting or challenging it may seem, but it must start from within. When you inhabit the full scope of your own authentic talents you quickly unlock the secret of lasting self-confidence that will help you achieve even more than your next pay rise or promotion.

Achievable goals are key. Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg sets himself a personal challenge each year. In 2017, he pledged to visit every US state* (Texas in January, followed by the Southern States in the Spring, ultimately reaching over 40 destinations so far.) Of course, while UK corporate culture can be affected by influencers across the pond - your own individual challenges should be custom-built - by you, for you. You just need to take the time to consider what you really want and then how you can get it.

That is not to say that achieving your career dreams in 2018 must be a solo endeavour; support is at hand. Zena Everett is a London-based motivational speaker and executive coach, with extensive experience of helping people to smash their career goals. Zena specialises in working with women to boost career confidence, set work goals, and improve productivity and performance issues. She can help provide the answers to burning questions that preoccupy many of us as we look to a fresh start for the New Year, such as: I feel like the Mum in the office, what should I do? How do I handle rejection after a failed job interview? Should I be a middle-aged intern? Why am I afraid to go for a promotion? Why do I feel like an imposter in work now I'm the boss? I want to ask for a pay rise but how?

Mind Flip is Zena's must-read career manual. The book focusses on successful tactics for those looking to change jobs, achieve promotion or find more fulfilling work. "All of us need to figure out our unique cocktail of skills, knowledge and experience that makes us indispensable," says Zena.

Mind Flip distils pithy chunks of support with insights and exercises to bone up with. Easy tips and pointers help the reader to identify the types of work that are most meaningful. With stronger insights about work goals and productivity, you get to inhabit a bigger future with transferable skills that are primed and ready for fresh external challenges. These highly personal audits can be undertaken regularly and Zena shows you how!

Your work may span decades - but change is always the main constant. The second key action is to examine your performance and make adjustments. Mind Flipping applies to everyone who wants the career of their dreams.

In a recent op-ed for the WSJ** Sheryl Sandberg highlighted the ongoing need for gender parity. To start the process, Sandberg suggests that we must first acknowledge what remains to be done… "While younger men and women were more likely to say that supporting women in the workplace is important, there's a big disparity between the way the youngest generation in the workforce prioritises this work. The largest gap in personal commitment — saying gender equality is important and being willing to address it — shows up in this age group, with young women being the most committed and young men being the least committed."

Zena Everett adds: "Women, in particular, do not want to return to work to be the office Mummy; we are there on our own terms, not as a ‘Returner', but as a vital contributor. Organisations do value our wisdom, gravitas, networks and expertise."

Although some millennial men sound like feminists, levels of misogyny and imbalances in household chores have seen no significant improvement in this generation. The infamous Google Memo*** by James Damore is the tip of the iceberg; there is a scarcity of women in male-dominated industries, too few in leadership roles and women still take less pay home than men in virtually every sector.

Flip in the changes in 2018: they start with you, for you. Make now the time to show, rather than tell. Mind Flip to keep your work success front and centre this New Year.