For professionals today, long gone are the days of gold watches and lifetime employment. The employment market will remain highly competitive and professionals will migrate between businesses at regular intervals. In such an environment, professionals have to be equipped to advance their broad personal goals by being proactive, adaptive and agile in their career management. They have to be equipped with career strategies that they can execute for success.

Today’s professional is in the “services” business – providing services to many businesses over their career lifetime. Every successful business needs a business plan and an executable strategy.

Your Career is Your Own Personal Business

As baby boomers retire, clearly we have leaders leaving traditional leadership roles. Now that we are living longer, many of these executives are wondering what they are going to do…they still have something to give. This group is going to introduce options of hiring proven talent for less money and time without having to pay benefits. These trends are changing the landscape of traditional search firms and showing great popularity in companies that house “consultants” for client needs. Regardless of the professional’s discipline, these folks have to learn how to sell themselves like never before. They need to practice personal business development and ride the rollercoaster of BD while producing for client(s). This, coupled with already fierce competition for good jobs, shows even more need for all employees to position themselves with a career strategy that separates from the competition! A strategy that communicates the value differentiator against a diverse pool of talent.

Customer Service

Sometimes it is hard to locate your value differentiators. Those traits and skills that make you different and stand out in the minds of others. It does not matter what you do for a living, customer service is always a way to get noticed. Sounds easy enough! But, perception of your customer service is more important than what you think is being provided. Your customer service and that of your business MUST be sincere. Do you really care about the experience of those around you? What about during challenges as apposed to when everything is great?

The presence of customer service must be everywhere, all the time - part of your culture. Customer service goes beyond your customers and clients. How are you servicing your co-workers and partners? Customer service goes way further than smiling and acting pleasant - although that is super important too! Is it easy to do business with you? To communicate with you? How do you deal with problems - do you make it right? Do you do what you say you are going to do? Customer service goes further than listening well. Those practicing great customer service give more than expected. They know the environment and are proactive on your behalf.

The service you provide extends past the final products or results. The process getting there is the feeling people remember and the story they tell.

About the Author:

David Sandusky built Your Brand, LLC. and programs to help you define yourself, understand your market trends and manage your personal brand with a Strategic Career Plan positioning you to achieve your greatest goals. For more information on Your Brand, LLC visit http://www.yourbrandplan.com and join the FREE business and career forum.