Success isn’t tangible; it’s not something you can weigh on a scale. So how do you measure your success in your professional career? Is it when you get that certification, some might disagree. Is it when you land that job with the corner office?
Or do you measure your success on the success of others? As HR professionals so much of our job is centered on helping other succeed; leadership training, coaching, counseling, selecting the right fit. Do you feel a certain pleasure in knowing you’ve helped an employee put her career back on the right track? Or feel satisfied when you’ve placed a well qualified candidate in that open position?
For me, success isn’t about that corner office with a large window and private restroom. Don’t get me wrong, those things would be wonderful and I wouldn’t turn them down, I’m not a crazy person. Success for me is about knowing I’ve helped my customers, the employees, be successful in their careers. Coaching that one employee, you know the one who is a diamond in the rough but just can’t seem to say the right thing at the right time, that’s the employee I want to coach to greatness. Help that employee learn communication skills and other ways to improve their weak 
points. Telling an employee where they are weak without providing any type of guidance is counterproductive. The same holds true for pointing out strengths, help that employee nurture those strengths.
Seeing that employee become a shining star, seeing her recognized for her outstanding performance…..that’s success for me.
How do you measure your success?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
At the moment, success is measured by how many things I can juggle at one time. I’d like to pare down my total responsibilities and have a focus on just a few that I could improve upon.
I think my success at my current job will be measured by how well I do the assigned tasks, but in my own mind, it will be determined by how far beyond my assigned tasks I can go. I’m successful when I blast so far beyond the expectations that people are in awe of what is possible.
And I’m marginally successful in my nutrition plan when I can turn down a milkshake or bowl of ice cream. Only “marginally” because I know I’ll end up eating it later.
I remember those days, overworked and underappreciated. That was how I defined a successful day, how much of my to-do list did I mark complete. I still have some days like that but for the most part I’ve narrowed down my focus. Part of it’s with the new job (been there since Oct), I’m finally part of an HR team which means I don’t do it all. This was the first quarter in four years that I grew more hair than I lost
Stress does strange things to women….
How could you turn down ice cream?!?!
In my particular job, as with many jobs, my success is measured in monetary value. Am I worth the investment of my salary b/c I bring a return interest via less loss, risk, etc…. My superiors only care about numbers. You can have good numbers but not be successful. I like to think, I am successful when I feel good about the work I do and my current disposition in life. When I can look back on my day and say, good job. When I get home and sleep soundly, play with my pets, and spend time with my family. When I wake up in the morning and I’m excited at the possibility of learning something new. I measure my success with how I feel. I leave the number crunching to the others b/c I know I do a good job and the success numbers will be there b/c of that.
I’m lucky in that I work for an organization that strongly believes in internal promotion. So I get to see tangible success every time I hear that someone I helped to hire or develop has moved onto new opportunities within the company.
@lucentabella You always do a good job. You’re the best BSA Officer that place has ever seen, mostly because you care about the work.
@CCC That is a good validation of a hire well done. That was my point in how I see my own success, the hiring of a qualified candidate and subsequent professional development and advancement of that employee.
I’m a bit pragmatic, my first measure of success is when I sit down and analyze how much money I made the company, and how much money I saved the company vs. how much money I cost the company. In recruiting that’s much easier to quantify than other areas of HR, I know.
The second measure is simply, am I happy in my life. Success to me is less about “work” and more about ensuring their are no missed opportunities in life.
@Puf Happiness is a key determining factor in my own success. If I’m not happy in what I’m doing, why do it. Goes back to my post on Passion (shamless plug).