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