If you’re at a career crossroads and considering your next move, there are a number of things to think about to ensure you have the right plan in place to thrive going forward.

Here are 4 considerations you should take to help you navigate your way along your career path to achieving your professional goals.

Assess your current situation

Start by examining your current role and position within your company carefully.

Are you tapping into your full potential? What do you like and dislike about your day to day tasks and environment? Is progression a reality in the near future? Are you moving forward in your career?

By examining the pros and cons of your current position, it should help set the framework for what you’re looking for from your career and give you a better indication of what your next move should be.

Identify your skills gaps

Whether you decide to stay with your current employer and pursue career progression opportunities or move to a new role, self-assessment will be crucial.

Evaluating the skills, experiences and qualifications you have currently will help you spot any gaps you might need to plug for future success.

It’s worth also considering the emerging in-demand skills within the profession (AI, Data etc.) as well as your own soft skills and whether you need to improve these to become a more well-rounded profile.

Create a development plan

Once you’ve identified your professional and personal skills gaps, it’s time to create an ongoing development plan to address them.

Setting goals and investing in your own continuous learning and development will ensure you remain agile and up to date and will increase your value and potential to employers.

Taking professional courses, completing certifications and working with a mentor are all options worth exploring.

Build and tap into your network

Engaging with your peers and others in the profession has long been crucial to success in the finance sector.

Whether it’s building up a presence across online channels like LinkedIn or attending events and building meaningful relationships with other in your sector, your networking efforts will give you greater access to professionals who can support you in finding a new role and they’ll also boost your value to potential employers.

It’s also worthwhile connecting with specialist financial recruiters, like Invenire Group, who’ll be able to breakdown what you’re looking for and put you in front of the right employers offering the right opportunities for you.