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As December comes, many of us are starting to wrap up the year with the holiday season. No surprise that we’re all taking our year-end leave and winding down.
But that doesn’t mean we stop planning for our careers because come New Year, we will return to our jobs and start the daily grind all over again. Instead of going into another year not knowing what to do, it’s important to prepare a career action plan to let you hit the ground running in the right direction when you return.
Having a career action plan is essential to taking control of your professional growth and achieve long-term career success. It’s a strategic roadmap that outlines your career goals and skills to develop, with clear actionable steps to follow. In a rapidly changing job market, a career plan keeps you moving in the right direction by making informed decisions and seizing the right opportunities that are aligned to your career aspirations.
So how can you create a career action plan to ensure you stay on course and achieve a meaningful career? Here are 10 steps to help you move towards career success and start the new work year on the right footing.
1. Perform a self-assessment
Before you can identify steps to move forward, you’ll first need to know yourself and where you are in your current professional life. Then ask yourself questions such as:
- What motivates you
- What do you enjoy doing
- What are your priorities
- What are your strengths and weaknesses
These fundamental questions let you better understand your personality, preferences, experiences and values in your career plan, as well as identify key areas for improvement or expansion.
2. Research possible career opportunities
After completing your self-evaluation, do some research on what possible career paths there are, the qualifications skills required to have and better knowledge of opportunities available. You can also research your current industry trends and market demands to ensure your skills and qualifications are aligned with your field. Try visiting career fairs to speak to those working in the industry and gain insights that you may not find simply through online research.
3. Identify your desired career and possible options
After conducting some research, you may now have a better understanding of your desired career and even options you may not have thought of. Visit job portals like MyCareersFuture to read job descriptions and gain insights into qualifications required for job roles. You can then make a full list of careers to pursue that align with your credentials and passions.
4. Have career conversations
This is where your connections come into play. To find out more about your desired career options, attending relevant networking events and speaking to industry professionals will be very helpful to ensure you have a good understanding of what the role is about and the skills necessary. This will help you to plug any skills gap you may have and work towards developing yourself. You can also schedule conversations with your manager to discuss how they can assist. If possible, find a mentor to help guide you along the correct career trajectory and have regular check-ins to make sure you remain on the right track.
5. Define your career objectives and goals
Now that you have an idea of what you want to achieve, you can work out how you can get there. Define your short and long-term goals and ensure they are SMART – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. Use questions to break your goals down into achievable milestones, such as:
- How can I achieve my goals
- How can I gain additional skills and experience I need
- How can I expand my network
6. Analyse your skills and experiences
Assessing and understanding your existing skills and experiences, alongside your personality traits, values and preferences, can give you insights into whether your desired career is within reach. Identify both your soft and hard skills, and whether they are aligned to the necessary skills, so that you have clarity of the areas for development.
7. Identify development areas
After you have identified your career objectives and the skills you need, here’s where you can plug in the gaps you may have. Outline specific ways to do so, such as enrolling in courses and pursuing certifications to enhance your qualifications. This puts you in a better position for career growth and opportunities. At work, you can also seek out opportunities to gain experience relevant to your career goals by volunteering for projects, take on new responsibilities or pursue freelance work.
8. Create actionable steps with realistic timelines
This is where you can start to put your career plan into action! Actionable steps, that is. You can plan what your next career steps are and how you want to get there. This helps you to stay focus and ensure you’re always working towards the next opportunity. Organise the steps you need to take in a logical order and assign realistic timelines to keep you on track. Break your larger milestones into smaller, more trackable parts to measure your progress.
9. Monitor and evaluate your progress
As you move along and complete certain milestones, it’s important to keep track of your progress regularly. Consider scheduling check-ins every three to six months. This helps you ensure you’re moving in the correct direction and hitting your milestones. Share your career roadmap with your mentor or a trusted colleague who can help hold you accountable for your progress. Don’t forget to celebrate achievements along the way, no matter how small, to keep you motivated.
10. Make adjustments along the way
Just because you’ve charted your career plan doesn’t mean it’s all done and good. Times change, and so do market demand and even your own interests. It is important to stay flexible and open to new opportunities. Constantly evaluating and reevaluating your career plan lets you identify how you can and should evolve and plan alternative routes if initial plans don’t work out.
A career plan is a crucial tool for your professional growth. It is a continuous process of evaluating, learning and adjusting to ensure your career stays on the right track. Having a career plan makes sure you take ownership of your career journey and are in the right position to achieve a fulfilling and rewarding career.
