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Like any serious step you’ll
take in life, you must first determine the number of baby steps needed to
get from one spot to the next. In
other words, where are you headed and how will you get there?
Outline every obstacle or challenge that will hinder your progress
of taking these steps. Each
small step (short-term goal) will take you closer to satisfying the big
steps, known as long-term career goals.
First, take a good look at the
types of positions you’ve held to date along with your college major.
Ask yourself, do I like where I’m at and where do I see myself in
5 years? Don’t be ashamed
if you’re not sure. Visit
your favorite job bank, type in keywords for your intended career field,
and examine those positions to determine if any meet your satisfaction.
Second, write down job and career
goals (preferably 6 months before graduating or the start of your intended
job search). Job goals pertain to the position you currently hold now,
whereas, career goals are the “big picture” (e.g. career change in
less than two years or targeting a six-figure salary). Research 2 or 3
positions that you would love to obtain TODAY along with those you’re
striving for in a couple of years.
Third, prepare yourself, your
credentials, and your resume based on your predetermined career
opportunities and goals. Prepare
to go back to college, join business groups, serve on committees, or alter
your resume to encompass all (or any) of these.
In a career journal, make
notations of the positions that interest you along with the skills
required for each. Add other entries pertaining to outstanding credentials, and
miscellaneous obstacles in the order that’ll need to be completed, with
resolutions and proposed dates of completion.
The object is to not stand still.
Navigate your future by performing a self-assessment that will get
you from a to z in your career. Jay
Block says it best in his book, The End of the Job Search, Mastering
the Art of Career Design: “Defining your career aspirations is an
essential step in the process of transforming abstract thoughts into
tangible realities. Everything
ever accomplished by man or woman first started as a thought.”
I challenge you to assess yourself and create a master plan …
it’s ONLY your career! |
