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5 Ways To Increase Your Career Capital

This article is more than 10 years old.

In November 2013, Accenture conducted a career survey with 4,100 executives from large and medium-sized business, including equal thirds of Boomers, Generation X, and Millenials, and 50/50 men and women. This global research attempted to better understand 3 areas: career capital; the future role of women in leadership; and career satisfaction. Here are 5 key takeaways from the survey and my advice for how to incorporate these findings into your own career success:

91% of respondents believe the most successful employees are the ones who are able to adapt to change

If an overwhelming number of your professional peers recognize change management as a key issue, then you need to embrace change and learn how to deal with it. To be seen as a team player and as a potential leader, you need to remain flexible and optimistic, even in times of uncertainty. If you’re not sure how you feel about change or whether people perceive you as a change agent, think back to the last change that was announced at the company. Did you grimace at the meeting or did you volunteer for the new task force? Do people bounce new ideas off of you, or are you the last person to hear?

44% of respondents said their companies are preparing more women for senior management roles than in the past year

If almost half of companies have jumped on the bandwagon to promote more women into leadership roles, then it’s a good time to raise your hand if you’re a woman and that’s of interest. If you’re a man, it’s a good time to make sure your network is gender-balanced so you’re not shut out when the landscape changes. If you’re not sure if you’re on the leadership track, think about a recent win in the eyes of your boss or senior management? If you can’t think of a win, you need to get on higher visibility projects. If your win seems inconsequential, you need to ensure your projects impact the bottom line. Check in with your boss to make sure you’re working on the clients, projects and day-to-day activities that matter. Business conditions change, and what you did in your job a year ago may not be what is most needed now.

English: The Accenture building in Reston Town Center in Reston, Virginia. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

77% of respondents who asked for a raise received one; 68% who asked for a promotion received one

Clearly, there is a benefit in asking for a raise and/or a promotion. The Accenture study also found that more men than women asked for raises and promotions. Hopefully, this is a survey result that changes for next year! If you need help in preparing for your next raise request, check out this webinar on seven steps to prepare for your next negotiation.

Most marketable skills in the future are: ability to multi-task; speak more than one language; be a team player; and navigate most computer applications

Diversity is clearly an advantage – diverse tasks, diverse language, diverse relationships, diverse technical skills. How varied are your skills? If you’ve been at your job for a while, you may be running on auto pilot and not focusing on what matters. Make sure you maintain your technical proficiency and take time to learn new computer applications and hacks that will help you do a better job. Make sure you expand your work relationships so that you have allies and supporters in different areas of the company. Cross-cultural experience doesn’t just have to mean learning a foreign language or working abroad. You may be able to serve international clients or work on a global project.

Above all else, respondents expand their personal and professional networks as a way to increase career capital

Networking increases career capital. In addition to ensuring you work with a variety of colleagues and possibly cross-cultural teams, you also want to look at your network outside your company, outside your industry and outside your functional role. Mix it up. Here are 3 ideas for getting a fresh start on your networking.

You don’t have to be in job search mode to work on your career. The Accenture research survey highlights interesting career trends, and given its global scope and the mixed demographics of respondents, it underscores how important these trends are for you and me. What are you going to do to increase your career capital in the coming year?

Caroline Ceniza-Levine is co-founder of SixFigureStart® career coaching. She has worked with executives from American Express, Citigroup, Condé Nast, Gilt, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and other leading firms. She’s also a stand-up comic, so she’s not your typical coach. Connect with Caroline on Google+.