Plan Your Career
Very few people retire doing the same thing they did when they first left school. Don’t feel obliged to stay in one place doing the same thing.
But do create a plan. That’s how you turn a succession of jobs into a lifelong career that’s as satisfying as it is lucrative.
Here’s how:
Understand your interests
Make a list of the 10 activities you’ve most enjoyed over the past five years. Figure out what they have in common. Maybe they were all in the outdoors, or entertainment, or helped people, or provided a personal challenge. Whatever works.
Match your skills to your interests
Your skills don’t necessarily have to be job-related. Many people turned hobbies into great careers because they knew how to match what they could do to what they were interested in.
But if you don’t have the skills necessary to do what interests you, make sure you get them. That may be training programs, or college. Or more college.
Set some goals
You don’t have to have a 40-year career mapped out in your head. But you do need to keep in mind where you want to be in five or 10 years (or maybe 40).
So set immediate and mid-range goals and timelines to achieve them. It may be a specific job, or a field you want to work in.
Develop a plan
You know what you want to do. You know what you can do. You have some goals incorporating that. Now you need a plan.
You need to fill in the gaps to make sure you get the skills and experience you lack, meet the people who can help you get where you want to be, and build the resources you need to get there.
So write it out. And then refer back to it every now and then.
Request Career Coaching Services
We can assist you with writing and enhancing a resume, job search and strategies, interview preparation and practice, and more.
