Career Planning For 2023

CAREER PLANNING FOR 2023

If you are seeking to achieve job satisfaction and success in your career, and are determined 2023 is the year to start, then planning is essential.  No matter what level you are at, understanding how to set those goals and being aware of what is required to get you there will definitely help with your personal ambitions.

Planning and applying key principles, setting goals, and creating a realistic action plan will assist you in formulating a career development plan and keep you on track and heading in the right direction. Read on to see how to write a career plan with actionable and clear objectives.

WHAT IS A CAREER GOAL?

It is a clear statement of intentions that helps define the job role you aspire to and the direction you see your career moving in.  It provides you with an outline plan as well as actionable development needs, helping you work towards and achieving your professional aspirations.

STEPS TO SET AND ACHIEVE YOUR CAREER GOALS

RESEARCH:

The initial step in formulating a career plan involves researching and exploring what interests you and determining the skills, qualifications, and path you need to take to move forward.  Here are some questions you might ask yourself:

• What training and qualifications are required
• What skills do I need to succeed and where are my gaps
• What would my responsibilities be and am I really comfortable with them
• What advancement opportunities are open to me
• What will the renumeration package be
• What will my work-life balance be

COMPARE:

In order to narrow down your options and focus in on the direct goal, it is a good idea to compare:

• What best matches my current skills, interests, and values
• Does the timeline suit my narrative
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking this path
• How can I achieve the desired salary, but maintain my work-life balance
• What do I actually picture myself doing long term
• Will it make me happier than I already am

By taking this step objectively you will have a better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses and whether your idea of the perfect job is actually the best fit for your overall goals and personal wellbeing.

ESTABLISH SHORT TERM GOALS:

Setting goals is one thing, starting to progress them is another, rather than looking too far ahead establish the immediate needs and focus on them.

• Do I need to obtain specific qualifications to move forward
• What experience do I need to become a suitable candidate for my next move
• What skills do I need to develop to progress further in the short term
• What is the next role I should focus on that will help me achieve my overall goal
• Do I need a mentor to discuss my plans with and help me set clear goals

It is also a great idea to review as many job descriptions as you can in a variety of companies and industries, they will highlight the competencies, experience, and mindset you will need to focus on to develop the necessary skills and attributes required.

CONSIDER LONG TERM GOALS

Whilst you want to focus on the here and now, looking at the bigger picture is key to reaching your overall goal, and understanding the stages you need to go through to reach it.  It will increase your productivity and enhance your time management skills.  You may look to change your working habits and mindset and look at mapping out a more detailed financial plan.

Dividing a long-term goal into small short-term goals and celebrating milestones is easier to manage in terms of deadlines and personal expectations.

SET SMART GOALS?

Start by asking yourself “where would I like to be in one year?” – “where would I like to be in five years?”.  What experiences will help me achieve my goal and what skills would I need to get there.

Using the acronym SMART will help you to write effective goals:

FLEXIBILITY AND PROGRESS MEASUREMENT

Remember to be kind to yourself along the way.  It’s great to have set goals, but there are many reasons why we can’t always achieve them in the timelines we set ourselves.  Objectives must be flexible as often factors outside your control can affect your progress.  Check your development from time to time and tweak your plan accordingly to help keep you focussed and on track.

It’s a great time to identify areas where you may be falling behind and see if you can allocate more time in your schedule to dedicate to those sections.

It’s OK to ask for support too, if you feel you aren’t moving forward in certain areas, maybe consider a mentor, or a training programme, or even a life coach.  If your goals are worth achieving in the long term, do what you need to get yourself where you want to be.

Think about completing a monthly, quarterly review on the status of your goals and use it as an opportunity to reflect and reconsider if your goals are achievable and also if they still match your criteria.

JOURNAL YOUR GOALS

Typing up your goals helps you to keep a clear focus and make notes against any of your achievements along the way.  Your career is for life so taking time to note down your goals, targets and achievements is an excellent record of how far you are travelling along your career path, and how close to accomplishing your objectives you are.

TIPS TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

• Writing down your goals and steps on how to achieve them will help you remember the stage you are at and what is next on your to do list.
• Setting deadlines is a good idea as it will help drive you on, however, don’t beat yourself up if sometimes these need to be moved.
• Talk to people on your journey. Having someone to talk to on your progression will give you another perspective on your goal setting and achievements.
• Reward yourself. Looking to set goals is an achievement in itself, you have made the decision to invest in you.  Take time along the way to compliment yourself on how far you have come and motivate yourself to keep going.  Nothing worth having comes easy.

WHY ARE CAREER GOALS IMPORTANT?

Like any goal we make in life, for instance, where do I want to go on holiday this year, what is my next house move etc goals are essential to help us focus on our personal wants and needs as well as our personal development. Here are some reasons why it’s a good idea to set some career targets.

• Career goals help you focus on improving your skill set
• They help you use your time more effectively
• They can give you a sense of purpose
• They can help boost your self esteem
• Stop you procrastinating and make things happen
• No regrets

 SUMMARY

There are no strict guidelines on how to set your career goals – they are personal to you.  However, here is a check list to help you start your journey on setting your 2023 career goals.

• Find your motivation and be disciplined in your approach
• Break down your goals into manageable bite sizes
• Use the SMART process to help you set targets
• Track your progress and evaluate on a regular basis
• Re-evaluate and modify at any time in the process and be realistic with timelines
• Always balance your work life balance with your career goals
• Create a defined Career Goal Statement
• Don’t hesitate to look for support along the journey
• Be kind to yourself, stay positive and work hard to achieve what you want and that will fulfil you.

If you approach your career planning with the right attitude, you will gain experience along the way, making your professional knowledge and aptitude stronger regardless of you achieving your final goal.  Maintain your positivity and enthusiasm as pushing yourself and promoting yourself are not necessarily easy to do, but with passion and determination and just STARTING NOW, will prove to benefit you overall, whether in your work life or your personal life.