Is it really possible to improve your career potential?

Some of you may feel that your career progression is somewhat out of your control. Whether you get accepted into the FRS; whether you pass your ADC; whether you are selected at interview, can all feel a bit like the decision is in somebody else’s hands. And if you have been unsuccessful in any of these activities, it can feel like it’s just a question of chance; you’ve done your best but you didn’t get through. What else can you do?

The good news that it is in your hands. It may not feel like it at times, but who else would it be down to? The assessors can only measure your potential against the set criteria. They have to take the evidence you provide and see if it matches the set criteria. Now this still might sound like a shot in the dark, if it wasn’t for the fact you know EXACTLY what the criteria are! There are no secrets; what the assessors need to match you against is 100% transparent and available. It is all laid out in the Personal Qualities and Attributes (PQAs).

So what can you do with this knowledge? It’s all very well knowing what the PQAs are- but how can you translate these into effective performance?

The analogy that springs to my mind is of knowing your destination and having a map, but still not being entirely clear how to put the two together. It certainly happens to me a lot! I have all the tools, but somehow I can’t quite make them work for me. Another map isn’t going to be any help- if I can’t use the first one, a second one isn’t going to make the slightest difference. So what can I do?

The answer lies with having the information presented in a different way. If a map isn’t that useable for some people, maybe the PQAs aren’t providing you with the guidance you need. So in my case, it’s my trusty Sat Nav which has saved the day. But what is going to help you get to your career destination?

The point of this is that just because you know your destination (success at interview, application form, ADC etc) and you have the map (the PQAs) it doesn’t mean you are going to get there. Sometimes you need to take a different approach. The information you need to use will be the same, but we all have formats which work best for us, so the trick is finding out which one suits you.

So in answer to the question, yes, you can improve your career potential, as the FRS have given you all the tools you need. And more importantly, it’s your life, your career, your skills, and your experience, so its all TOTALLY in your control! As daunting as that may sound, it’s actually also incredibly liberating, because you know that getting what you want can be affected by what you do to get it.

In order to progress in the FRS you don’t need to be able to pass exams, prove your IQ, have the memory of an elephant or be able to write a 15000 word thesis on an obscure topic. You just need to be able to show your ability to match certain behavioural characteristics. Now it might well be that you don’t have all the aptitudes you need at the moment. But attitudes, behaviours, approaches and perspectives can change, and therefore you can develop your potential. The hardest part of this is often accepting that perhaps not everything you do, say or believe matches what the FRS is looking for. Don’t worry if this is the case, you are not alone, and perhaps acknowledging your development needs is the first step to realising your potential. Do you want career progression enough to want to change these? Because if you do, you will.

 VCA specialise in helping people realise their career potential. To find out more about how we can help, return to the home page and find the section which is relevant to you, and follow the links to the products, services and support we can offer.