Career planning is more than just making a decision about a job. It's a process of determining where you are and where you want to be.
It’s about developing strategies that support your career and life goals; and it’s about making the most of the opportunities that are available to you throughout your life.
Here are 15 ways to help you create your career plan:
1. HAVE A CLEAR VISION
What do you want? The question sounds deceptively simple, but it’s often the most difficult to answer. Allowing yourself to explore your deepest desires can be very frightening. You may also not think you have the time to consider something as fanciful as what you want out of life, but it’s important to remind yourself that a life of fulfillment does not usually happen by chance, but by design.
2. DEVELOP YOUR GOALS
Develop a set of goals. They need to be specific and manageable. Break them into short and long-term goals. Short-term goals are quick, simple activities to get you started (going to networking events; considering postgraduate courses, joining professional or industry association etc). Long-term goals are your ultimate career goals - to become a lawyer, a research scientist or a journalist, for instance. Download a Career Planning Worksheet here. Download a Career Planning Worksheet here
3. IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
Make an effort to learn new skills and practice them as much as you can. Always be learning. Seek out training and education. Take night courses. Read business books, blogs and trade magazines. Learn from your mentors, heroes, and enemies. And learn from your mistakes.
Make a habit of reflecting on what you learned each day. And be creative with what you learn. You may learn something completely unrelated, but perhaps there is a parallel that fosters a new idea to grow business. Look for these kinds of opportunities.
4. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF
As your skills increase, you gain more experience and confidence. Believe in yourself, your skills, and your ability to succeed. Focus on your strengths. Do what you’re best at, and what you have a passion for. Don’t spend time trying to make your weaknesses strengths. Focus on self-awareness and self-management. Being clear about your values and living them; continually being aware of your impact on others; and learning how to manage your emotions and thoughts can be the greatest contribution or downfall to career success.
5. SPREAD THE WORD!
Spread the word if you’re currently searching for a job. The key here is to actively tell people that you are looking for new opportunities. Make a list of past employers, colleagues, industry contacts, friends etc. and keep them updated about your interests and what you can offer. If you don’t have a LinkedIn page, set one up now. Send out your resume to people in your network and check if they have heard about any exciting opportunities. Many positions are filled through people’s personal networks so don’t feel bad about reaching out to your network. If they or anyone they know have jobs vacant, they will be pleased to hear from you.
6. VOLUNTEER
Volunteering helps lift your spirits by making you feel needed and productive. That’s an important psychological benefit for people dealing with a prolonged job search. Keeping a positive mindset is arguably the single most critical element of success for finding work. And volunteering also lets you expand your network of contacts easily and effectively. Finding a job these days is all about networking. And when you volunteer, you gain access to people you might not otherwise meet, creating opportunities to develop positive relationships outside a traditional work environment. Those contacts could be people who might ultimately hire you or who could refer you to others with job openings.
7. JOIN ASSOCIATIONS
If you are just starting out in your career, consider joining a professional or trade association. There are associations for nearly every profession or area of interest and many have national, state and regional chapters available to join. Whether you are looking to learn about job vacancies in your field, network in your professional community, gain access to current events or courses in your career area, or just have some fun while meeting new people, joining a professional association can be great for your career. It also looks good on your resume!
8. CREATE A GREAT RESUME
Start saving documents and projects to build your resume or portfolio. Write a targeted resume and cover letter for each job you are applying to, complete application forms, respond to key selection criteria. Refer to Lessons 14 and 15 for some great resume tips and examples.
9. MANAGE YOUR TIME
Think like a business owner, not an employee. If you do this you will want to prioritise your work according to which activities best grow your career. Be efficient with your time. Stay focused on activities on which you are measured. And, although "The Four Hour Work Week" touts success with only 4 hours of work per week, the truth is that most of us need to put in the time to be successful.
10. BECOME AN AUTHORITY
In years gone by, you were competing with a very small and local group of candidates for the position you sought. Today your competition could very easily be someone across the ocean. To really stand out you need to develop yourself as an authority. The easiest way to do this is to start a website, blog, twitter or Instagram, and then start sharing your ideas and skills. Once you are seen as an authority, or expert, in your particular field, it can open up the door for higher paying jobs and other opportunities like speaking engagement that can grow your career and fuel your success even more.
11. FOCUS ON EXCELLENCE
Management legend Tom Peters, in his book by the same name, asserts that 'A Passion for Excellence' is what distinguishes extraordinary achievers from average ones. This fact has huge implications. In everything that you do, do it well. Dress well. Be on time. Deliver on your promises. Produce high quality work. In turn your career will manifest in accordance with your focus on excellence.
12. FIND A MENTOR OR COACH
You might be wondering why someone would want to mentor you. The reality is that being a mentor provides an individual with an opportunity to contribute to someone else’s learning and a chance to share their knowledge and experience. Most people are flattered to be valued and sought out in this way.
Almost every successful person you ask will tell you they had a mentor at some point along the way. Find someone you admire, look up to - someone who’s where you want to be - and ask them for guidance to help you improve who you are and what you want to become.
13. KEEP A DAILY ‘ACTION’ JOURNAL
Keep a daily journal. Set goals. Plan what you are going to do every day; work at it and when it’s finished move on to the next project. It is challenging to be a student of your own life, your own future, and your own destiny. Don’t trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down. Take the time to keep notes and to keep a journal.
14. FOLLOW YOUR DREAM AND TAKE RISKS
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.” Sacrifices, compromises, risks and mistakes are all part of the process when you’re planning your career and following your dreams. You won't achieve automatic perfection. Learn how to enjoy the process. Following your dream means you are taking a chance, and everyone knows when you take a chance you can win or lose. But what happens if you never try?
15. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
Adopt the motto 'If it is to be it is up to me'. Take responsibility for managing your own life and career. This reflects a belief you should embrace. Take responsibility for everything that happens in your life. Never blame or find excuses for failure; instead, find ways to succeed.
- Continue to update your skills
- Evaluate and adapt
- Volunteer
- Stay focused and keep moving ahead.
- Persevere!
“If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” Jim Rohn
VIDEO TO WATCH
Oprah Winfrey on Career, Life and Leadership
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