Lexi had been a top-ranked supervisor for five years, and she’s done everything her boss has asked of her. She’s often the go-to person for her peers and has led multiple successful projects over the years. With all she’s done, Lexi is stuck in this career rut. Lexi has watched her peers get promoted or move into new career opportunities. She’s considered applying for a new position, but they all look and feel like the job she currently has. Lexi feels stuck. There are so many things that Lexi could do to move forward with her career but there’s one thing that’s holding her back: Strategically designing her own career path.
Does Lexi sound familiar? Have you spent the first half of 2021 watching peers get promoted or transition into better opportunities? Are you tired of the same old work routine? Tired of being overworked and under-valued? Well, now is the time to push past the stuck-in-the-rut mode. It’s time to design the career of your dreams.
In today’s blog post, we’re going to get you started and help put you on the path forward.
Let’s talk strategy plan: These are the action steps you will take to achieve the desired goal.
When it comes to designing your career, having a strategy is key. You can’t set the GPS if you don’t have a destination.
There are many things to consider when putting together your strategy. Factors such as your passions, skills, and what you value are important to consider. Once you have a good understanding of these pieces, you can start piecing together a blueprint for your ideal career.
Your strategy doesn’t need to be set in stone – it should be fluid and adjustable as needed. But having some sort of plan will help keep you on track and focused as you move forward.
So how do you begin designing your dream career? Here are four steps to help get you started:
1. Get clear on what you want.
Try writing down your goals and objectives and how they fit with what you do now, as well as links to the work that interests you. Spend time looking at the type of positions within your organization you may be interested in. This is a great exercise for those currently feeling stuck in their current role and for those who think they’re ready to move down a different career path.
2. Understand what you value.
People are motivated by different things – money, freedom, creativity, title, status, charitable work – which of these things is most important to you? Having a grasp on this now will help you make decisions as your strategy unfolds. Know what motivates you and what you value. Do you value time, family, loyalty, or significance? There’s no wrong or right answer.
3. Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
When developing skills, look at both your natural ability (strengths) and the effort you put in (weaknesses). Many people rely too heavily on their natural abilities- if they’re really good at something right off the bat, they may consider it not worth improving upon further. However, to master a skill, even those you already have, it takes discipline and continued growth. You must know what you’re truly good at and what is considered a weakness so you can put in the right amount of effort in the right areas. This also helps you understand your blind spots and areas you may need growth.
4. Make a plan.
Take the time to really think about what you want to do next in your career, investigate different paths and options, and figure out whether they would fit with your goals. Get clarity on where you see yourself in 5 years, 10 years, or more! Don’t make the focus too rigid. This is just a snapshot in time from your current vantage point. Leave room for the dream to get bigger and better.
Now that you have these 4 strategies, it’s time to put them into action.
If you know other “Lexi’s, don’t forget to like, share, and tag some career women on social media.
Blessings,
Coach Andrea O.
@coachandreao