Isn't it time you have a way to measure how your career is working for you? Is your career living up to your expectations? Would you like a few tips to evaluate where you are at?

Your career can be evaluated in terms of the amount of administration involved, money earnt, leadership and management of yourself and your peers, education and perception.

Administration
Administration plays a part in every role. The extent to the part it plays is up to you. Administration skills show that you are capable of doing the hands on work and are willing to get your hands dirty. If administration is taking up too much of your time it may be a sign that you need to delegate more work to your team members. Where does administration fit for you? Administration refers to the management of an office or business. How much of your day is spent on doing administration? How much value are you adding? How could your time be spent more productively?

Money
Money is very important in any career choice. Lifestyle and money are linked hand in hand. On the other hand, it could be said that money doesn't buy happiness. I was speaking to a friend of mine the other day who mentioned that people who have less financial responsibility walk differently and make decisions from a different place when it comes to personal risk in their roles. I'm curious to know, how does your current salary meet your personal goals? Could you earn more money by using your knowledge in a different way? How much of your earnings come from one income source? How would your decisions change in your role?

Leadership and Team Management
The leadership of your current organisation and the way that the people are managed can have a great impact on your career. It has been said that people leave managers not organisations. Great leadership can assist you to achieve things that you thought were unimaginable. Managing a successful team can have a great impact on your reputation and further opportunities can open up. Leadership and management are two different concepts that can be used interchangeably. Is the person you report to a leader or a manager? How is the leadership team within your organisation perceived? How are the people managed within the business you work?

Education and Innovation
Education is essential to career success. It has been said that knowledge is power. Education in 2010 is more than attending an institution. Education simply put is acquiring more knowledge and the form of that knowledge depends on you. I attended a networking event this week where I caught up with the presenter afterwards. I asked him, so who is your mentor? Who do you look up to? He replied, "Books. I read one book every fortnight whether it is on business, life or spiritual I rotate the topic each time." When was the last time you read a book that was relevant to your area of expertise? How could new knowledge change the way that work is done in your role? What could you learn that would give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace?

Perception
Perception is vital in any career. A positive perception in your current role can provide endless opportunities whereas a negative perception can be truly damaging to your career. I worked with a young man who received feedback on a regular basis about the way that he was perceived. As with any feedback it is your choice whether you take it on board and move forward or watch as you put your career in somebody else's hands. Perception is what people see, hear and feel about you. What perception do you create by the language you use, the clothes you wear and the people you hang out with? How can you find out how you are perceived within your organisation?

Taking time out to evaluate where you are at in your career is valuable in assessing whether you are on track to achieve your goals or need to change course.

Kelly Treloar is a Career Specialist and founder of Find Your Perfect Career - offering coaching and training services to assist people find their perfect career. For more information please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit www.findyourperfectcareer.com.au