Make this the year you strengthen your professional biography. How ready are you to demonstrate your knowledge and experience to your management, industry peers, clients (if applicable), or even potential future employers? Following is a list of six actions you can take. The first one is something I overlooked when leaving my P-Card program manager role to work for the NAPCP full time. I wish I had kept more specific data on how the card program evolved during my tenure. I thought I would remember all the numbers...

1. Document your accomplishments, including quantifying your impact on the card program (or, if you’re a provider, a client’s card program). Keep these notes in your personal records, so you can share them during your next job performance review. Also ensure your resumé and LinkedIn profile communicate key information. Sometimes new jobs find you when you least expect it.

2. Pursue new workplace endeavors, such as volunteering for a work group, committee or project. You will likely learn something new as well as expand your network.

3. Identify how you can further contribute to your organization’s goals. Be willing to express ideas at appropriate times. You especially do not want to be at a loss for words when your boss solicits possible solutions to a problem. 

4. Broaden your industry knowledge and/or increase participation. There are many ways to do this: pursuing speaking roles, subscribing to relevant publications, completing surveys (and receiving the benefit of the resulting research), becoming certified in your specific field, taking advantage of continuing education, and so on.

5. Refine your “elevator pitch,” so you are prepared when opportunities arise. For tips, refer to content from Mind Tools. Your familiarity with the organization, your card program trends, industry news, etc. can help make you memorable.  

6. Consult with your boss or professional mentor. Describe how you think you can improve, but also seek their input. One executive told me that he sees a lack of writing skills in the workplace, which can hold people back, so he encourages subordinates to write more often and obtain feedback from an impartial source.  

Other Resources to Kick Start the Year

• Annual P-Card housekeeping tasks to get the new year off to a great start

• The previous blog post on the best unquantifiable goal for 2016

A Note of Gratitude

I thank the individuals (end-users and providers) who took the time to contribute to the Recharged Education website content in 2015. Such participation is another example of how to enhance your professional biography. 

• Greg Anderson, Application Design Resource LLP

• Michael Campbell, Radiate Presentation Design

• Larry Coffey, CPCP

• Linda Dyck, CPCP, Canadian Blood Services

• Tanya Grosz, University of Northwestern – St. Paul

• Diane Kush, MUFG Union Bank N.A.

• Diane Merrigan, CardConnect®

• Mary Schaeffer, Accounts Payable Now & Tomorrow

• Julie Simpson, GoldSpring Consulting LLC

• Margie Strong and Chad Robison, Intermountain Healthcare

Please contact me if you are interested in contributing this year.

About the Author

Blog post author Lynn Larson, CPCP, is the founder of Recharged Education. With more than 15 years of Commercial Card experience, her mission is to make industry education readily accessible to all. Learn more…

Subscribe to the Blog

Receive notice of new blog posts.