Connectnigeria Articles

During the period of one’s career, he/she might decide to effectively transit from one career to another based on various reasons. It is important to note that having a level of career adaptability as an individual serves as a link to an individual’s ability to be successful throughout their career.

Read more about Career

Adaptability means the ability to be flexible and adjust to changing factors, conditions or environments. It is true that being adaptable is highly valued in almost all workplaces, since every industry and business can be unpredictable. Career adaptability can be learnt and practiced, and it leads to career satisfaction, promotions and overall career success. Concisely, career adaptability is the ability for an individual to blend in and cope with current and future tasks, transitions, and challenges bound to occur within their career. It is a person’s willingness and ability to adapt and adjust to changing work environments. Career transitions, changing environments, and work processes are some of the factors that make you a competitive job candidate and a strong overall professional. Career adaptability has been linked to the ability to achieve more career satisfaction despite the position the individual occupies. To become career adaptable, you need to be focused on what it is that you wish to achieve and properly groom and discipline yourself to blend into any position you find yourself, or effectively switching work roles with a colleague. Specifically, people who are career adaptable show signs of being forward thinkers and planners about their career goals, due to the opportunities available to them and the possible changes in their chosen career that may require them to adjust their current career path. Having adaptability skills means you are open and willing to learn new things, take on new challenges and adjust your personal life to suit transitions in the workplace. In addition, it could also mean developing other soft skills like communication and interpersonal skills, this is important because these soft skills would come in handy when you need to adjust or adapt to another work position or process.

Sign up to the Connect Nigeria Daily Newsletter

Developing career adaptability also involves assessing your current skills and interest areas, and identifying how these skills can be of help to you in the near future, and the necessary steps to take to achieve it. Once this is done, you can focus on building your confidence in your direction and in turn, your own capabilities. Without looking particularly at your career plan, it is very hard to build confidence and self-esteem, which are fundamental personal attributes needed to become adaptable, but also to be focused on your career development. ATTRIBUTES OF ADAPTABILITY

Concern for the future: This is an important attribute of career adaptability, because it helps you focus and plan properly for the future. This in turn has a way of preparing one for upcoming career tasks and challenges; looking ahead and preparing for what might come next.
Keen Interest about Possible Future Roles: This will have you creating or painting a picture of yourself in different situations and roles. This would help you effectively place yourself in different future scenarios.
Control over Personal Success Factors: Shaping and developing yourself and your environment to prepare for what comes next through self-discipline, effort and persistence.
Confidence and self-belief about adapting in a new role: This involves turning your goals into reality and successfully solving problems and overcoming challenges. Seeking information about possible future and exploring options for yourself in different future scenarios to build confidence and gain aspiration.

How to Improve Adaptability Skills

Be conscious of changes in your environment
Develop a growth mindset
Set goals for yourself
Ask for feedback
Learn to acknowledge and accept change

Career adaptability is not just about skills or qualifications or previous work experience, it involves blending yourself into futuristic roles and positions. It involves being adaptable and showing that you are willing and capable of foreseeing something new and unknown and moving into it with optimism and confidence. Believing this yourself and showing others this will help you achieve your dream job. Featured image: kobo line

Did you find this article useful? Contact us: editor@connectnigeria.com

You might also like:

This article was first published on 27th January 2022 and updated on January 30th, 2022 at 6:47 am

grace-christos

Grace Christos Is a content creator with a proven track record of success in content marketing, online reputation management, sales strategy, and so much more.