As a wise person once observed, "If you don't know where
you're going, any road will take you there." An employee who doesn't take
time to look at where he is and where he wants to be runs the risk of
overlooking opportunities, spinning in his tracks and never quite feeling that
he has control over his own destiny.
Fortunately, developing a career path isn't as daunting a task
as it may appear. Here, experts offer tips on how to chart a course --
including when to stop and evaluate that you're still heading in the direction
that's right for you.
Self-awareness
Knowing what you want begins with knowing yourself. An honest
appraisal is key to figuring out your ultimate goals.
"I've consulted with people about their careers for over 20
years, and what I've learned is that there are threads that run through our
entire lives. It's also true of our careers," says Aricia LaFrance, a
career consultant and founder of marketyourway.com. "It's likely that
you have, for example, always loved numbers or maybe you've always enjoyed
helping people. Awareness of those threads can create a satisfying career path.
Think life-long interests when it comes to career planning and you'll likely be
happier in each job along the way."
Joel Garfinkle, founder of dreamjobcoaching.com, recommends
thoroughly reviewing everything you have accomplished in your career.
"Focus on the experiences that have taught you important lessons and
helped you learn new skills. Look at your résumé and peruse any performance
reviews and other feedback you have on hand. Then, assess what you have
learned. Take note of any parallels and key information that stands out. As you
analyze your past, define and characterize the current state of your career,
your 'point A.'"
Sara LaForest and Tony Kubica -- co-founders of KubicaLaForest
Consulting (a management consulting and performance improvement company
serving clients nationwide) -- suggest taking a business personality and
performance profile assessment to use as a guide as to what you are likely to
do well at, what you are likely not going to enjoy and conditions that can
potentially stress you and limit your success. They also recommend talking
about career ideas and goals with people who know you well and asking for honest
feedback.
Creating a plan
"A properly prepared plan of action for your own future
career will help you focus on where you are heading and not the immediate
day-to-day demands of your job," Garfinkle says. "Goals describe your
destination, your 'point B.' If your goals are unclear, your career progression
will be unfocused and haphazard." Questions that he suggests asking
oneself in order to help clarify goals include:
·
What level of responsibility do
you want to have?
·
What projects would you like to
head?
·
What results do you want to
achieve in your department or organization?
·
What type of company do you want
to work for (culture, size, integrity, reputation, etc.)?
·
What problems or concerns do you
care enough about to focus your entire career on solving?
·
What type of environment do you
want to work in?
·
What type of people do you like
to work with?
·
What compensation (salary,
benefits) do you desire?
·
What type of work/life balance
is best for you?
"When you're setting goals, think about the end result and
then work out the details," LaFrance says. "Then, break those details
down into do-able pieces. Each goal should have small, clearly defined action
steps to help you get there."
Re-evaluating goals
Don't think of a career path as a one-way road from which you
can never divert. Instead, plan on periodically looking at the map you've
devised to see if it is still your best route. Pay especially close attention
any time there is a major life event (such as the birth of a baby) that may
impact your priorities.
Likewise, the job world itself is not a steady entity.
"Mapping out a career 10 to 15 years into the future is difficult and can
quickly become obsolete because there are many variables that affect a person's
career, such as the changing economy, the changing focus on how work is done
and rapid technological advancements," LaForest and Kubica note.
While it may seem that creating a career path would be limiting
in the face of changes and challenges, the opposite is actually true. A
well-designed roadmap makes for easier navigation by laying out the larger
picture.
"A career plan -- whether it's 5 to 10 years down the road
-- helps you take a long, thoughtful view of your working life. You'll be able
to look at things in terms of what's best vs. what's speediest, what's
meaningful vs. what's easy," Garfinkle says.
Know where you want to go, and chances are you'll get there.
