l times, just in case anything happens, good or bad. How can you turn all your useful knowledge and experience into a “what-if” plan?

Common sense tells us that being prepared is the best form of crisis prevention. For example, you probably have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home, right? Not because you think there’s going to be a fire, but because you want to be prepared, JUST IN CASE.

Your career exit strategy works the same

If you read books on investment or business, you’ll know that all the experts tell you to develop an “exit strategy” for your investments or your business, even while writing the business plan. Without using a bunch of financial jargon, basically it’s setting up a plan to make sure you get the MOST out of your assets when you sell or close the business or investments.

So how does this relate to you? Developing an exit strategy should be an essential part of EVERYONE’S career plan. Why? YOU ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET! Think of yourself as Me, Inc. You are your own CEO. You want to be in control of your own career, on your own terms. In your current position, you’ve no doubt invested a lot of time and effort to get where you are, to know what you know.

Think about the following scenarios:

• Your great boss leaves the company for a better opportunity. A terrific position opens up at her new company, and she calls YOU to send your resume and come in for an interview with key management. Is your resume updated with all your recent accomplishments? Are you prepared for a job interview? Or would you scramble around trying to get your resume ready, and worry about how you’ll perform at the interview?
• There have been rumblings at work about more layoffs. One day, the dreaded news comes in that your department is getting downsized. Do you have an escape plan?
• Your boss leaves the company, and now there’s an open management position. You’d really like the opportunity to be a manager. Have you positioned yourself to replace your manager? Does your resume reflect the accomplishments necessary to show someone that you’re the best candidate? Have you practiced interviewing for a management position?

You should be in control of your destiny at all times, just in case anything happens, good or bad. How can you turn all your useful knowledge and experience into a “what-if” plan?

Common sense tells us that being prepared is the best form of crisis prevention. For example, you probably have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home, right? Not because you think there’s going to be a fire, but because you want to be prepared, JUST IN CASE.

Your career exit strategy works the same w

art of EVERYONE’S career plan. Why? YOU ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT ASSET! Think of yourself as Me, Inc. You are your own CEO. You want to be in control of your own career, on your own terms. In your current position, you’ve no doubt invested a lot of time and effort to get where you are, to know what you know.

Think about the following scenarios:

• Your great boss leaves the company for a better opportunity. A terrific position opens up at her new company, and she calls YOU to send your resume and come in for an interview with key management. Is your resume updated with all your recent accomplishments? Are you prepared for a job interview? Or would you scramble around trying to get your resume ready, and worry about how you’ll perform at the interview?
• There have been rumblings at work about more layoffs. One day, the dreaded news comes in that your department is getting downsized. Do you have an escape plan?
• Your boss leaves the company, and now there’s an open management position. You’d really like the opportunity to be a manager. Have you positioned yourself to replace your manager? Does your resume reflect the accomplishments necessary to show someone that you’re the best candidate? Have you practiced interviewing for a management position?

You should be in control of your destiny at all times, just in case anything happens, good or bad. How can you turn all your useful knowledge and experience into a “what-if” plan?

Common sense tells us that being prepared is the best form of crisis prevention. For example, you probably have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home, right? Not because you think there’s going to be a fire, but because you want to be prepared, JUST IN CASE.

Your career exit strategy works the same

up at her new company, and she calls YOU to send your resume and come in for an interview with key management. Is your resume updated with all your recent accomplishments? Are you prepared for a job interview? Or would you scramble around trying to get your resume ready, and worry about how you’ll perform at the interview?

There have been rumblings at work about more layoffs. One day, the dreaded news comes in that your department is getting downsized. Do you have an escape plan?

Your boss leaves the company, and now there’s an open management position. You’d really like the opportunity to be a manager. Have you positioned yourself to replace your manager? Does your resume reflect the accomplishments necessary to show someone that you’re the best candidate? Have you practiced interviewing for a management position?

You should be in control of your destiny at all times, just in case anything happens, good or bad. How can you turn all your useful knowledge and experience into a “what-if” plan?

Common sense tells us that being prepared is the best form of crisis prevention. For example, you probably have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home, right? Not because you think there’s going to be a fire, but because you want to be prepared, JUST IN CASE.

Your career exit strategy works the same

downsized. Do you have an escape plan?

Your boss leaves the company, and now there’s an open management position. You’d really like the opportunity to be a manager. Have you positioned yourself to replace your manager? Does your resume reflect the accomplishments necessary to show someone that you’re the best candidate? Have you practiced interviewing for a management position?

You should be in control of your destiny at all times, just in case anything happens, good or bad. How can you turn all your useful knowledge and experience into a “what-if” plan?

Common sense tells us that being prepared is the best form of crisis prevention. For example, you probably have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home, right? Not because you think there’s going to be a fire, but because you want to be prepared, JUST IN CASE.

Your career exit strategy works the same

l times, just in case anything happens, good or bad. How can you turn all your useful knowledge and experience into a “what-if” plan?

Common sense tells us that being prepared is the best form of crisis prevention. For example, you probably have smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home, right? Not because you think there’s going to be a fire, but because you want to be prepared, JUST IN CASE.

Your career exit strategy works the same way. You should have a plan in place, just in case something happens.

Unfortunately, we’ve seen far too many companies downsize or completely go under in recent years (remember Enron, and WorldCom?). You certainly don’t want to be at the mercy of the company you work for.

Okay, you get the picture. So what can you do?

Here’s a simple plan to follow to put your exit strategy in place. Putting this into action won’t be done overnight, so it might be easier to break up into smaller chunks.

1. Document at least 3-5 accomplishments or challenges you overcome each week. This is probably best done on Friday, but it’s really up to you. Try to be as specific as possible, and also in line with your personal, team or company goals.

   TIP: To make the most of these accomplishments, send them to your immediate manager each week. This helps you at performance review time, because you have a specific list of accomplishments, and will help you get the most out of any merit pay increases. Also, this is the information that you will use to update your resume. When you’re ready for a new position, you simply select the accomplishments that are in line with the requirements of your new position, and presto! You have an amazing resume!

2. Know what you want to learn and set goals. Is there a particular skill or some type of software you need to learn in order to get you where you want to be? What will help you be successful here is setting specific, attainable goals (heard of SMART goals? Simple, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Tangible) and not trying to do too many at a time. Many companies have e-learning and live training courses you can attend. See if you can take advantage of some of these opportunities.
3. Stay Positive. AVOID the negativ