Successful career planning is a program – not a project. It should be something that becomes part of your life – even if you love your job, even if it is the best job you have ever had, even if you think you might go directly from your current job to the golf course you should always keep your eyes open. I cannot tell you how many of my clients haven’t updated their resumes, gone on an interview or explored their options for years; and one day they find themselves bored with their jobs, frustrated with a new boss or worse laid-off due to circumstances beyond their control.
Following the guidance below even if you ever actually desire a new job or find yourself forced to look for one and at least you will remain sharp and agile. Career planning is something that you should look forward to doing because it allows you to set new goals and work towards achieving things that will make you productive and happy in your professional and personal life.
Below are guidelines to help you with a successful career planning strategy:
1. Review your career goals throughout the year.
This does not mean that you should be reviewing your plan continuously. Rather set aside time every three to six months to evaluate your needs and ensure you are fulfilled in your current position. Make a list of the things you really enjoy and the things that you would like to be doing as part of your professional life. This will give you a head start as you move forward and allow you to be better prepared for choices – those that you know about and those that might come as a surprise. Consider what you really want and make sure it matches what you are doing.
2. Create a career roadmap.
A career roadmap is something that I always talk about. This is the plan that you establish to create short- and medium-term goals. Evaluate potential opportunities and the skills and competencies you possess that will allow you to contribute in a future role. As I tell my children – “look where you are going, not where you are coming from.” This same concept applies to career planning and management. While you want to take lessons learned from past experiences, you don’t want to live in the past. The amalgamation of the things you have learned can be applied to new opportunities. Consider the path you want to take and formulate a skill map to help you along the path of your choosing.
3. Consider what you like to do and what you want to do.
Many of us do not have the luxury of working in an area that we truly feel passionate about. You might enjoy your work, but your true passion might be something entirely different. It is important that you work in an area that you enjoy and want to continue to make a contribution. Make a list (I like lists) of the things you enjoy doing in your professional life and the things that you don’t enjoy. This does not mean that in your next role you won’t find yourself doing things that you don’t like. All positions are filled with work that has both components. The value of this exercise though will allow you to pursue opportunities where the likes outweigh the dislikes. Think about how you would like to contribute in an organization and the things that motivate you to facilitate your happiness. As you explore new opportunities, you will be able to apply the things on your list when conducting a search. It will help you narrow your focus and choose something that will continue to inspire you to want to contribute and facilitate your growth.
4. Develop a plan B.
I know it sounds strange but you should have a back up plan. There are so many people who do other things on the side as a hobby without ever realizing that it could be (if necessary, and desired) a full-time opportunity. Since we all know that we cannot control the future, your Plan B will enable you to gain other opportunities without you even realizing it. It’s important to consider things, think about them as you go – you will be better prepared for change and more willing to embrace it should the time come.
5. Keep a journal of your achievements.
As you move throughout your career you will no doubt have a lot of things that you achieved. Perhaps you saved a company a lot of money, or created a system that improved performance. It could be anything! If you don’t write it down or keep some kind of record, when the time comes to draft a well-written and powerful résumé, you will be lost. A strong résumé is results-proven. This means that you have demonstrated achievements on there that you are sharing with your reader. It is critical to ensuring your résumé gets noticed – enough so that it gets you the interview where you can then secure the job on your own.
6. Evaluate and pursue educational opportunities.
It is always important to maintain a current understanding of the happenings in your industry or field. Pursuing training or continuing education will benefit you in numerous ways, including the opportunity to share ideas with others. Educational environments create camaraderie. You never know whom you will meet. Of course, though, you will continue to challenge your mind and explore new concepts related to your current career. It is a wonderful way to stay updated and continue to enhance your value.
7. Leverage your transferable skills.
It is amazing how many people I do work for that want to change industries but do not see the forest through the trees. Within your role, there are many possibilities! You simply need to look for them. Over the course of your career, you will develop a lot of skills that can easily be used in another arena. Here’s another example why writing down accomplishments can really work in your favor! No doubt you are conducting research, writing, using communication skills, interacting with others in the workplace to gain consensus for new ideas – and many, many other things. These few things are just the tip of the iceberg. These skills are definitely valuable in many other areas. Apply them if you are considering a transition to something else.
8. Do the research.
It’s a wide, wide world out there with many opportunities. Unless you start conducting some research to determine what a particular career or job holds, you will never know. It is so easy too! You can simply turn the computer on and start typing in words or phrases. Use Stumbleupon (a great plug-in for the Firefox browser that will lead you to all kinds of cool and interesting places) or Wikipedia.com to follow your stream of consciousness! Research opens up so many doors. Evaluate your current position and consider your short- and medium-term goals. What skills would you like to use going forward? Of those skills which ones do you already possess? Where might you need additional training and education? Research regarding your interests and desires will help you see things that you otherwise would have missed.
9. Establish and maintain your personal brand.
Your personal brand is a very important component to ensuring you continue to do things that work in your favor. How you perceive yourself and how others perceive you are closely intertwined. Make sure that you always maintain a professional approach to job search, including posting information on social media and networking sites. Information is available everywhere. Nothing is a secret unless you are the only one who knows. So, in sharing information about yourself, be sure that it is positive and professional. When the time comes for you to review opportunities there should be nothing floating around out there that will cause doubt in the mind of a hiring company.
10. Understand the market and ongoing trends.
It is up to you to continue to expand your understanding and knowledge of where your industry is headed. Perhaps your industry is going through some changes. It would be in your best interest to understand the direction of the industry and plan accordingly. You don’t want to be caught without a secondary plan of action. Keep your finger on the pulse of your industry through networking and reading trade journals and other publications. This will also provide you with insight to potential openings.
Career planning is a valuable thing to do to ensure you maintain your knowledge and awareness of how you see yourself progressing in future roles. The tips above will help you prepare and establish a framework for ongoing success.
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