Many think that decisions about the future and career are taken substantially once in a lifetime, usually when you finish high school or during college years or just after graduation. In reality, career planning is a constant activity that is repeated several times over time. Considering the possibilities of advancement, the changes in the sector and the opportunities for specialization, one must always be ready to reflect again on one’s own future. It’s never too early or too late to improve your life!
Career planning should not be considered a stressful, demanding or strenuous activity; on the contrary, planning the future should always be pleasant, liberating, satisfying. We must always ask ourselves new challenges to face, goals to reach, and goals to be overcome: these activities, in fact, are rewarding and allow you to face your working life with a positive approach.
Here are 7 tips to plan your career that will allow you to succeed …
1. Turn career planning into an annual appointment
Most people have fixed appointments that are repeated from year to year; whether it’s a visit to the dentist or an attic cleaning, these deadlines are always respected. Why not include career planning among the various annual commitments? Give yourself a weekend dedicated only to you, your projects, and your expectations for the future. Maybe you are thinking about making a change to your work or maybe you are looking forward to a promotion or you may have decided to completely change the industry; whatever your desire, take advantage of this free time to understand what you really want from life. Get away from any distractions and focus exclusively on your goal.
If you dedicate time to reflections on your career every year, you will be able to face the working life with greater confidence and confidence. You will have less doubts when you are faced with important choices and you will be ready to face the difficulties that all the work inevitably bring with you. Continue reading Companies are betting on the career of marketing in digital media and social networks
2. Make plans for the future
Reflecting on career means first of all thinking about what will happen in the future, the immediate and the farthest. Whenever you plan your career, therefore, you have to think about the upcoming events you are facing. You do not have to be trapped in the past, but without a doubt you have to look back to know and better understand your path, which can be a flat road or a path full of curves and dead ends.
After taking a look at the past, focus on the present and what you are doing to ensure a better future. Are you happy with your work? Could you have done something different or more useful? What could you change to improve your condition? What goals are you setting for the future? Advice for planning your career helps you answer these simple but important questions.
3. Reflect on your tastes, your needs and your desires
Life and a journey made of changes: everything changes sooner and later, just as the things we like and those we do not like change. There are things we love to do in a period of life and that, just a few years later, we cannot stand anymore. Reflect on your life, both professional and private, and identify those that are your certainties.
Make a classic two-column table and write down the things you like the most and the ones you would like to eliminate: this simple list will help you reflect on your life and your career. If most aspects of your work fit into the positive column, you’re probably on the right track. If your activity carries too many negative aspects, you should consider evaluating other opportunities.
Finally, ask yourself how your work can satisfy your needs and desires. Has your activity made you economically independent? Or maybe through your work you hope to become famous? Do you think you can make a difference and make a significant change in your field? Answer with sincerity to understand which path will lead you to success and happiness.
4. Analyze your hobbies and your hobbies
Advice for planning your career does not focus exclusively on working life: planning a career, in fact, means thinking about what you do during work but also about what you do when you do not He works. It may seem strange, but actually reflecting on passions and interests helps to look at the career from a different perspective. What do you enjoy or really get excited about? Can you find it in your work?
Many think that turning a simple hobby into a job is an impossible task. Yet many people have done it and continue to do it today. Among the great names of the past one cannot fail to mention Paul Gauguin: the famous painter was in fact a very successful businessman who dedicated himself exclusively to painting in his spare time; it was the advice and encouragement of an artist friend to mark a turning point in Gauguin’s career and life. Anecdotes of this kind show that obtaining excellent results in an activity does not necessarily mean to love it and to be satisfied with your condition.
5. Take note of all the results achieved
Many people do not constantly update their curriculum vitae and tend to forget the most significant experiences that could be exploited during the search for a new job. To make a successful presentation, you must have a clear vision of what was your path. In the same way, to plan your career, you must know what goals you have already achieved and which new goals you can aim for.
Therefore, among the tips to plan your career, there is undoubtedly a careful reflection on past work experience. You may have completely forgotten a completed project, a prize won or another important detail that would now allow you to revolutionize your career. Do not be afraid to face change if the work you are going to do will make you happier and more satisfied.
6. Concentrate on transferable skills
One of the mistakes that is often committed is that of focusing exclusively on one’s own role and not on the skills that are put into play. If you think of yourself exclusively as “clerk”, “clerk” or “receptionist”, you will probably never be able to imagine yourself in other shoes. Focusing on personal, relational, organizational and technical skills and competences, however, you will discover that you have many other opportunities at your disposal.
The transferable skills are precisely those qualities that can be spent in many different sectors. A reporter, for example, will only turn his attention to the possibilities of working in the journalistic field. But what are the transversal skills of this professional figure? Writing and research skills, managing one’s time and respecting deadlines, managing different tasks and still investigative spirit and strong relational skills: all these skills are transferable and can be exploited in many different areas.
7. Consider the progress of work and current trends
Everyone must plan their career in an absolutely personal way, based on their experiences, skills and expectations. If your career is stalled but you think you can aspire to a role of prestige, most likely you will not have difficulty changing jobs. In any case, taking a look at the progress of work and the trends currently underway will help you plan a successful professional path.
Consider that the most popular sectors in a given historical period could enter into crisis after one or ten years. Focus your attention on the forecasts for the future: which sectors are the fastest growing? Would you like to work in one of these areas? Informing you about current trends will allow you to adapt your profile to the needs of the market: THE KEY TO SUCCESS!
