Great careers don't just happen randomly
Talent, hard work, a sprinkle of luck and a carefully managed and implemented plan are the key ingredients for truly fulfilling careers.
Do you have a strategy for advancing your career?
Do you have a written plan for your career? Have you taken the time to write down your long and short-term objectives, new areas of interest, and wishes for further study or development? Have you written down your strengths and gaps for your own benefit?
I'm not referring to what needs to be done every year for performance evaluation either. You know the drill: HR requests that you write something in that ominous box and so you arbitrarily scribble a few short sentences in the hope of ostensibly outlining your rough goals for the coming year.
But , deep down inside, you and me both know that those goals you've hastily conceived as a box ticking exercise are rarely remembered until it's time to revisit them again. Why should your employer put more effort into your career development then you? It's time you took an active role in the process.
Here are three reasons why you should make and stick to a career plan now, regardless of what sector you work in, whether you're self-employed or unemployed, and whether you're nearing retirement or just starting out:
1. Having a career growth plan will assist you in determining your future career path.
We lose out on the chance to steer our careers down a meaningful direction if we don't cultivate the practise of setting and achieving specific goals. Would you like to wake up one day and know that instead of making a difference, you plodded through your days in a job you despised? You wouldn't, of course.
Making a career development plan enables you to progressively evaluate not only the tasks you excel at, but also the aspects of your job that bring you joy and purpose.
2. A career development plan will assist you in taking control of your own progress.
Making the time and developing the discipline required to create a personal career development plan makes us accountable. In this way, we begin to take responsibility for our own actions and reactions, rather than falling into the habit of blaming external factors for any negative change or event at work.
Making a career development plan effectively gives you control over your future. Instead of being passed over for a promotion because you lack the necessary skills, you get the computer training you need by attending afternoon lessons, putting yourself in a position to get the job you want. You begin taking ownership.
3. A career development plan would provide you with the assurance you require to succeed.
A career development plan allows you to control every aspect of your professional life.
But what does that actually mean? For one, you'll start to understand your own strengths and weaknesses from the inside out. Second, you'll set meaningful goals and make practical plans on how to achieve them. Thirdly, you'll have a clear idea of what you want to do and how far you've already progressed. And, finally, you'll find that you have a sense of intent when you go to work each day. To others, it will appear as if new inspiration for your work will appear out of nowhere!
The benefit of keeping a solid plan is that you won't have to try to list your strengths or summarise your accomplishments when it's time for a performance review either. Another positive is that you'll be able to plan for appraisal and promotion meetings with confidence. You will be able to easily update your CV and will not feel nervous about going to a work interview.
Do you have a written plan for your career? Have you taken the time to write down your long and short-term objectives, new areas of interest, and wishes for further study or development? Have you written down your strengths and gaps for your own benefit?
I'm not referring to what needs to be done every year for performance evaluation either. You know the drill: HR requests that you write something in that ominous box and so you arbitrarily scribble a few short sentences in the hope of ostensibly outlining your rough goals for the coming year.
But , deep down inside, you and me both know that those goals you've hastily conceived as a box ticking exercise are rarely remembered until it's time to revisit them again. Why should your employer put more effort into your career development then you? It's time you took an active role in the process.
Here are three reasons why you should make and stick to a career plan now, regardless of what sector you work in, whether you're self-employed or unemployed, and whether you're nearing retirement or just starting out:
1. Having a career growth plan will assist you in determining your future career path.
We lose out on the chance to steer our careers down a meaningful direction if we don't cultivate the practise of setting and achieving specific goals. Would you like to wake up one day and know that instead of making a difference, you plodded through your days in a job you despised? You wouldn't, of course.
Making a career development plan enables you to progressively evaluate not only the tasks you excel at, but also the aspects of your job that bring you joy and purpose.
2. A career development plan will assist you in taking control of your own progress.
Making the time and developing the discipline required to create a personal career development plan makes us accountable. In this way, we begin to take responsibility for our own actions and reactions, rather than falling into the habit of blaming external factors for any negative change or event at work.
Making a career development plan effectively gives you control over your future. Instead of being passed over for a promotion because you lack the necessary skills, you get the computer training you need by attending afternoon lessons, putting yourself in a position to get the job you want. You begin taking ownership.
3. A career development plan would provide you with the assurance you require to succeed.
A career development plan allows you to control every aspect of your professional life.
But what does that actually mean? For one, you'll start to understand your own strengths and weaknesses from the inside out. Second, you'll set meaningful goals and make practical plans on how to achieve them. Thirdly, you'll have a clear idea of what you want to do and how far you've already progressed. And, finally, you'll find that you have a sense of intent when you go to work each day. To others, it will appear as if new inspiration for your work will appear out of nowhere!
The benefit of keeping a solid plan is that you won't have to try to list your strengths or summarise your accomplishments when it's time for a performance review either. Another positive is that you'll be able to plan for appraisal and promotion meetings with confidence. You will be able to easily update your CV and will not feel nervous about going to a work interview.
The days of being hired or promoted purely on the basis of time served are long gone. If you allow yourself to become accustomed to only performing the duties for which you were employed, you might as well agree to be overworked and underpaid for the remainder of your working life.
Worse, the system is rigged so that, despite your loyalty, you can be laid off and replaced by someone with lower entry-level skills who is paid less and can do your work much faster. You could be putting yourself at risk of taking the long and difficult path to an unfulfilling career if you don't have a good career plan.
People of all types may get stuck in a rut at work and they all have one thing in common: they've taken their own professional growth for granted. Don't be one of those individuals!
For those who are unsure of how to begin forming a career plan, or those who need some input in theirs or even those who would like some much-needed support, there are a series of workshops running now that can help you find your own set of keys to unlock the doors to your brighter future.
If you are interested, more details are here
Got more questions? Just drop me a message and we can have a chat.
Great careers aren't created by chance.
Worse, the system is rigged so that, despite your loyalty, you can be laid off and replaced by someone with lower entry-level skills who is paid less and can do your work much faster. You could be putting yourself at risk of taking the long and difficult path to an unfulfilling career if you don't have a good career plan.
People of all types may get stuck in a rut at work and they all have one thing in common: they've taken their own professional growth for granted. Don't be one of those individuals!
For those who are unsure of how to begin forming a career plan, or those who need some input in theirs or even those who would like some much-needed support, there are a series of workshops running now that can help you find your own set of keys to unlock the doors to your brighter future.
If you are interested, more details are here
Got more questions? Just drop me a message and we can have a chat.
Great careers aren't created by chance.
Using a mix of motivational, cognitive and practical techniques, we will help you work through the existing difficulties in any area, look at the problem from the outside, see solution, develop an action plan and achieve what you truly want and desire.
You have the opportunity to receive career advice or become a member of a career coaching program to build a career development strategy, choose a future specialty or change career path in search of a calling.