Career Growth Design — #IDFBLR
Workshop by Mr. Raashid Navlakhi — I For Indya
“Define your relationship with work — One word”
Raashid started the session by throwing this question out to the audience. As anticipated, the replies were along the lines of “Confusing”, “Complicated”, “Happy about it” etc.
But even if you are happy or confused, there the question remains. How would you move forward? How do you ensure that your career continues to grow?
The best way to think about your ideal career is to visualize yourself in three years. You’re at a networking event or meeting someone for the first time. You introduce yourself and hand them your business card. What do you want the business card to say?
Take a few minutes to think about it. Write it down, sketch it out, doodle, do what works best for you to fully visualize your goal for 2020.
Once you’ve written that down think about and write down
1. Three things you know you need to give up to get to that goal
a. Procrastination?
b. Netflix binge sessions?
c. Your steady job/salary?
2. Three things you refuse to give up in the process
a. Having fun?
b. Spending time with family?
c. Weekly football/dance class?
The happiest people find their purpose by figuring out the intersection of the four sections in the diagram. Take some time to fill this out for yourself and make any modifications to the business card your just wrote down.
How to achieve it?
Now to bridge the gap between intention and action. I For Indya believes that you can achieve exactly what you want to with the three C’s below.
A good way to visualize these three components in relation to your career/life is to fill out your personal business model.
Fill out each of the sections in this order:
1. Key Resources — Who you are and what you have
What do you have to offer the world?
Communication skills? Design? Product Development? Writing? — List as many as you need but highlight the top 2–3.
2. Key Activities — What you do
What activities can you do to share your resources?
Blogging? Logo Design? Market Research? Public speaking? — Think of actions/activities specifically. List your top 2.
3. Customers — Who you help?
Who needs the resources you can provide through the activities you’ve mentioned?
Design startups? Enterprise software companies? Fashion bloggers? — Try to be as specific as possible. List as many as you need an highlight the top 3
4. Value Provided — How you help?
Combine your answers to the sections you’ve just filled out to figure out your value
Writing copy and content for fashion bloggers? Doing market research at large corporations for product development of enterprise software? — Tweak your answers to the first few sections if needed, until you’re able to put down this sentence
5. Channels — How they know you and how you deliver
Where can your customers find you and get a taste of your work?
Instagram profile? Online portfolio? Website? Partnerships? — Try to think outside of job portals. List as many as you need.
6. Customer Relationships — How you Interact
How do you meet/stay in touch with your customers?
Skype meetings? Events? Phone calls? Coworking sessions? — List your top 2
7. Key Partners — Who helps you
Everyone needs help and works best with partners. List those who help you with your work.
Co-founder? Manager/Mentor? Spouse/Significant other? Other similar businesses? This doesn’t necessarily need to be people who already help you. You could list partners that you would need in the future as well.
8. Revenue and Benefits — What you get
What do you get in return for providing value to your customers?
This could be benefits like money or experience, but can also include soft benefits like fulfillment, happiness, belonging, etc. — List all that you can think of
9. Costs — What you give
Think back to what you listed during the business card activity. What are some of the things you need to give up to reach your goal?
Time? Money/Financial investment? Energy? Opportunity cost of a high paying job? — List as many as you need to.
You’ve now filled out the first version of your personal business model. This is just the first step. As you grow your career or make changes, you’ll need to keep updating this framework. For each section you change, make sure that you go through every other section and change what’s needed.
Next Steps
Now that you have clarity on your career options and all the different pieces that will make it successful, the next steps are to make sure that you are committed and creative in your journey to achieving your goals.
I For Indya’s programs can enable you to work on your goals consistently and creatively, which can go hand in hand with the industry specific knowledge, networking, and experience that the Interaction Design Foundation provides.
You can check out I For Indya’s programs here
Contact their Career Growth Lead, Urvashi Goverdhan here: goverdhan.urvashi@gmail.com
Feedbacks
It was an interesting approach to thinking about our career and end goals. — Pradyumna surampudi
This session gives an Excellent opportunity to know yourself. — Nirav Kumar Chadda
