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Our world is indeed an unpredictable place where everything changes rather quickly. In order to remain an in-demand specialist in your field for many years, one needs to set long-term career goals. Therefore, the best thing one can do is always have a strategy and to follow, adapting to the circumstances. Career advice experts say that planning a career path increases the chances to succeed. So, where should one start?
Be Realistic
Perfectionism and high expectations are a big problem that needs to be addressed before you start planning out your career. No matter how accurately you plan your future, reality will not fully correspond to this plan. There will be mistakes and failures – and that’s okay. You will have to constantly change, adapt and update.
However, there’s one great way to avoid mistakes when it comes to writing business. Many cannot accurately describe their experiences in applications or don’t know what qualifications to indicate.
Another common mistake is ignoring the fact that the CV will be checked by ATS bots. They scan the application to search for the necessary words, and only then it falls into the hands of human recruiters.
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Know Yourself
Make a list of everything that you like. These are the things that inspire you and activities to which you are ready to devote time and energy to. Write down your accomplishments and key skills: both hard (such as completed courses and education) and soft ones (flexibility, time management, attention to detail, etc.).
Be Proactive
Being proactive is a golden rule – both when you are already working in a company, or when you are only looking for a job. Let’s say you want to find a position as a web designer. You can analyze the site of the company which interests you and write them a letter about elements that can be improved. Send them some of your recommendations. The point is to show how valuable you are. This will be an amazing way to invest in your career.
In case you already work for a company, but want to grow, ask for extra tasks that you can do in your spare time. Formally, they won’t be your duties – you just take the initiative and experiment. But if you manage to perform them at a high level, you may become the first candidate for a new position. And then you’ll certainly have to learn how to write a salary increase letter – using the right words, you’ll convince your employer to meet you halfway.
Consider Both Market’s and Your Personal Demands
It is crucial that the place of work and its conditions meet your personal expectations and criteria. Because an attempt to get used to what you dislike leads to burnout and depression. So, analyze your values, making a simple table. Divide all working processes into 3 categories:
- Things I want: here, write down tasks which bring you pleasure;
- Things I can do: tasks that you can handle;
- Things I have to do: tasks that occur naturally during the workflow.
Conducting such an analysis is essential as an applicant often doesn’t realize their true values. Many try to ignore the fact that their priorities are contrary to the employers’ principles. For example, your boss may want you to stay in the office from 9 AM to 6 PM regardless of your completed tasks. At the same time, you may want to leave as soon as you finish the work. This is a good example of a contradiction between «I want» and «I have to».
So, when choosing a job, consider not only financial prospects, but if it suits you in terms of motivation.
Ask Yourself These Questions
- What field of activity interests me?
- Do I want to work for a large international company or a small local business?
- Is there a particular company where I want to start?
- What position do I want to get?
- What responsibilities do I want to take on?
- What terms am I willing to agree to?
- Do I want to work as part of a team?
- What salary do I need?
- Can I move to another city or country?
Consider Your Today’s Needs
In the course of a lifetime, our desires, opportunities and priorities change. At one point, you may pay attention to the company’s prestige, relations between employees and prospects. And at the other, psychological comfort, or medical insurance will play the most important part. When choosing a job, pay attention to your values and see if your future employer shares them.
Don’t Believe Myths
It’s easy to fall into a trap not knowing the specifics of an industry. A well-built image of the company and stereotypes about an area can mislead anyone. For example, some believe that all PR managers do is attend glorious events, have fun and constantly communicate with artists or celebrities. Without realizing the ins and outs, you may think that it’s a dream job. But don’t forget that a three-hour event needs months of complicated preparation, sleepless nights and years of networking.
So, the best thing you can do before you apply for a job is communicate! You can always reach your potential colleagues on Linkedin and find out what difficulties may await you. Attend industry seminars or webinars during the job search – this way, you’ll develop useful connections and understand whether this is what you need or not.
See How You Can Grow
When it comes to career development, there are four main areas:
- Leadership position;
- Expansion of functions;
- Transfer to another position;
- Complete change of field;
Once you define a direction for yourself, take a closer look at your current place of work if you have one. Is this your desired position? Meet with your manager or recruiter to ask whether there’s a new level you can reach in the company. Alternatively, they may offer you a short orientation interview to see where you can be useful.
To Wrap Up
Perhaps the most widespread problem many job seekers face is difficulties with self-organization. First of all, you have to set adequate deadlines for completing certain tasks. Start writing down what you are doing to achieve the goal, what you have already done and what you have not started yet. Also, calculate how much time is spent on each of the points and find a professional help at resume genius reviews.
Professional development may be compared to a raging sea, and setting clear goals is a lighthouse that will help you get from point A to point B. Everything in between is the task of effective personal management, so brilliant self-organization must become your best friend.
