Why You Should Know Your Career Limitations
How to avoid a setback in your career
Limitations can limit your career success.
Beware!
A friend of mine moved to Australia.
Let's call him Ben.
Ben was a top professional in his home country and was doing well.
He hoped to replicate the same level of success in his career in Australia as in his home country.
Upon landing, Ben started looking for work. He was lucky to land an interview because the demand for his role was high.
Ben performed well at the interview, and the panel was so impressed with his skills that they immediately offered him a role.
Once he got the offer, he accepted it, and it was just about time to start doing the paperwork for the onboarding process. He was asked for his visa and presented it to the hiring manager.
Immediately, the hiring manager said,
We are sorry. You have limited work rights, and we can't put you on this job.
Ben's heart melted. He felt like a dream. He couldn't believe it.
He had put in significant work to apply for the role and ace the interview, only to be denied by paperwork.
Why all this story?
A constraint can set you back significantly
In your pursuit of success, you must identify and understand the constraints that can hold you back.
Ignoring any constraints in your journey can significantly limit your success.
Not only that, but you might have wasted time, resources, and energy chasing the wind.
Of course, it might be a good learning curve for Ben, especially as he got to practise his interviewing skills; however, sometimes, you don't have this much resources or time to waste.
Know your limitations and fix them ASAP
In your quest for career success, you need to identify and account for any challenges or roadblocks that might come your way.
Some professionals solely focus on strengths.
While this is good, the challenge is that one major constraint can outshine your strengths, as with Ben. And this can be very disappointing for you.
Of course, you might not necessarily have a visa or issues with work rights. Yours can be work experience, certification, education, etc.
So, rather than ignoring your constraints, I encourage you to consider them and work on them. You will have a better chance of success preparing for them in advance.
Ben could have researched his visa type and work rights and compared this to the job's requirements. He might have saved himself travel time, application time, and ultimate disappointment.
Closing Thoughts
One major constraint along the way can overshadow our strengths.
Consider your constraints as well as their strengths as you job hunt. It will help you understand where the gaps are and how to account for them and save you tons of time, energy, and effort.
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Banji Alo
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