career planning

Most people will tell you that when you want to get ahead, you have to do some career planning. The problem with that is that most have no idea what this means. For the longest time, this was not something I thought about, but it does make sense to think ahead, even if you don’t know what you are supposed to be thinking ahead to. In other words, aside from dreaming, how do you plan your career?

Most people who need help with career planning find someone who has been around and can mentor them. This gives them a chance to see where they can expect to be in ten or fifteen years, and also gives them a leg up on where they should go and what they should do next. Career planning is never the same for each person, but by watching and learning from someone else, things may suddenly fall into place in your mind. Ideas and hints always lead to the answer as long as you are paying attention. In fact, you may find that by watching others you learn their success secrets and they have no idea that they are giving themselves away or giving you a leg up.

Some are good at career planning, and they instinctively know what to do. They know how to negotiate the best salary, and when they should ask for a promotion. They may have ties with others in the business that aren’t at the same company. This networking can often point to job leads that are not known to the general public. Some of the best positions are never advertised, but are filled by word of mouth. Those who are on top of career planning know this, and they also know when they are ready for that next challenge.

If you don’t know a lot about career planning, don’t give up on yourself. Listen to what your dreams tell you, and that can give you answers you can’t find anywhere else. Sometimes we go into a career thinking one thing, but we end up going in another direction. That’s okay too, as career planning should be a day by day thing. If you find your goals change, that is the way it should be for you. Go ahead and modify your plans so you are going in a direction that makes you feel good and gives you a sense of purpose in your career.