3 Tips for Developing Your Career Master Plan.
Written by HRuprise coach, Michelle King.
Nothing is more surprising than to arrive at a milestone you have spent years reaching only to realize what got you here is not going to get you, well anywhere. Even more surprising is to discover there are no clear instructions on what you need to do in order to keep moving forward. Whether you are just beginning your career, have been working for a few years and aren’t sure what’s next, or are ready to transition to a new career path, these tips will help you design a master plan for your career.
Why do you need a career master plan?
The workplace of the future looks nothing like the workplace of today. The World Economic Forum estimates “that by 2025, 85 million jobs may be displaced by a shift in the division of labour between humans and machines, while 97 million new roles may emerge that are more adapted to the new division of labour between humans, machines and algorithms.”
The workplace of the past is one of org charts and a hierarchical approach to career management with two primary paths: individual contributor to expert, or individual contributor to people manager. The workplace of today is still structured in the same hierarchical framework, but now the work gets done within a network of teams. That trend will continue into the future as technological advances create new jobs that do not exist today.
If you are planning for a career in a specific role, technological advances and the rise of team-based structures will change the way you work, and may eliminate the work entirely. As an example, demand is projected to grow for Data Analysts but decrease for Data Entry Clerks and Administrative Assistants. If you are not preparing for your career with an awareness of how the job market is quickly shifting, you may end up trying to upskill to a different career with little notice.
💡Expert tip: Reach out to someone who is doing the type of work you are interested in and set up a “coffee chat” with them. Let them know you are interested in their work and ask the following questions when you meet:
“What is challenging about your work?”
“What do you love about your work?”
“Who do you know that I should know?” (Save this one for the end of the conversation. It’ll keep your network growing with help from your contacts.)
How do I get started on my career master plan?
Developing a career master plan begins with asking yourself two questions.
What types of problems do I want to solve?
What do I enjoy the process of doing, not just the outcome?
Work is essentially problem-solving. What kinds of problems do you enjoy solving, either in your workplace or outside of it? If you can answer that question you will begin to reveal other career possibilities you might not have considered. For me, the problems I want to solve involve how to create environments where people are able to learn within their workflow as effortlessly as possible. I want to give people the chance to grow and evolve through their work, not just to complete their tasks and call it a day.
When you answer this question, think about something you love the process of doing and then break that down into specific characteristics. Personally, I love to cook but I do not want to be a chef. Just because you love the process of something doesn’t mean you need to make a career of it, but it’s important to consider what you love about the process. Cooking is flexible (I can change a recipe), innovative (I can make up my own recipes), creative (I can add new flavors or spices), educational (I can never learn everything there is to cook) and it helps people (making food for my loved ones is something I enjoy). Instead of saying, “I love to cook so I should be a chef,” I say, “I love that cooking is flexible, innovative, creative, educational and helps others. What work can I do that incorporates those characteristics?”
💡Expert tip: If these questions seem overwhelming or you aren’t sure if you know the answer, try doing a self-evaluation I call a SGOT analysis. List your strengths, gaps (what skills do you want to develop), opportunities (how can I use my strengths), and threats (what could stop me). You may discover new insights that help you answer the questions.
What should I start doing now?
To begin your master career plan, you must do the one thing almost no one does: track your accomplishments.
I have coached hundreds of clients, and not one (with the exception of people who work in sales) can tell me their major accomplishments over the past year. Why is this important? Because we work with a “Get this done, now what’s next?” mindset which causes us to only focus on preparing for the next project, meeting, program, etc. After a few months we forgot what we did last month, last quarter or last year.
Tracking your work accomplishments as they happen can help position you to ask for a raise, apply for a surprise opportunity, or simply speak with confidence about your learnings and growth in casual interactions with industry leaders. See this fantastic article from TopResume for more reasons why it’s a good idea, and suggestions on how to make it a regular practice.
💡Expert tip: It may feel like your day-to-day job is not filled with accomplishment, especially if you haven’t worked on something that stands out or has been recognized lately. To help yourself see your accomplishments, ask yourself this question at the end of every week, “What went well this week because of me?” Write it down and look for themes in the answers. Are you a great communicator? Are you a proactive problem-solver? Take note!
Developing a career master plan will ensure you are always ready for the next step on your career path. Remember that YOU own your career. Developing a strategy for your career lets you advocate for yourself and helps you avoid common career traps that prevent you from working in a career that energizes you. Where do you want your career path to take you?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHELLE KING
Michelle King is a professionally certified coach, mindfulness instructor, author, speaker, chief diversity officer, and self-proclaimed HR rebel. As an HR coach, she works with clients in the areas of strategic career planning, difficult conversations, negotiations, leadership, and mindfulness. LEARN MORE
