Most people start out with the first job that accepted them after they graduated university. A few months in, they begin feeling lost and wonder if they are in the right place.
Does this feel familiar?
Don’t worry if you’re feeling lost in your job. People start out in one job and figure it out along the way. They get to work on an idea that they’re truly passionate about and feel fulfilled in life.
But how does one figure it out? And more importantly, how do we know where to go?
"Plan in decades. Think in years. Work in months. Live in days." -Nicholas Haralambous (@nicharry) via @CaroKopp) pic.twitter.com/7WKULsrkpk
— Buffer (@buffer) November 10, 2015
In today’s guide, the The Mega Maxi will help you turn your dreams into reality through our step by step career plan. After reading, you will have gained actionable steps that you can execute to bring you closer to your goals.
Step 1: Identify your dream career
When you were a kid, did you ever dream of becoming the President or an astronaut? While these may not have panned out, it’s important to keep dreaming even as an adult.
Be honest with yourself and list down what your heart truly desires. Create the destination and work backwards from there.
Break it down into several categories so you can get more specific with your goals. Try to make your dream as S.M.A.R.T. as possible.
Here’s an example:
- Function: Chief Operations Officer
- Industry: Blockchain or Web3
- Company Type: Startup
- Skills Needed: Leadership, Web3 experience, critical thinking, communications
- Timeline: 10 years
This is by no means an exhaustive list and the more categories you can add on to your career plan allows you to identify exactly where you want to go.
You may be thinking of working in certain countries or may be focused on the type of impact you provide; the latter part is especially important.
Step 2: Provide a self-assessment
Once you’ve identified your goal, it’s time to evaluate yourself.
A solid career plan takes into account your individual skills and abilities to determine if the goal is somewhat realistic. It’s a balance between achieving your dream career and what is attainable in your lifetime.
Plot out on a table where you are versus your goal and make an analysis.
| Myself | My Goal | How close am I? |
| Operations Manager | Chief Operations Officer | Very close – same target function |
| Sports Drink Company | Blockchain or Web3 | Very far – totally different industries |
| Big Multinational | Startup | Close – easier to go from big company to startup than vice versa |
| Creative thinking, strategy, individual performer | Leadership, critical thinking, communications | Far – more of individual performer than leader |
The assessment defines how close or far you currently are from your dream career. The areas which are close to your target will require less work compared to the categories which are very far.
Through self-assessment, you can guage your career plan and analyze if it’s worth chasing your dream career.
The table would look very different if say you’re a 27-year rold Ballerina and are targetting to be a Commercial Pilot within 6 months. This obviously requires lots of industry and skill shifting which may not be possible in the desired time frame.
You also need to examine your situation in life.
There are practical reasons which make some career plans unattainable – time, money, and age.
Step 3: Bridge the gaps in your career plan
Now that you know where you excel at and where you need to improve in, you can tailor next steps that will get you from point A to point B.
Going back to our example where you’re working in a sports drink company but are targetting the Web3 space, the next step could be as follows: apply for a job within the Web3 industry. While theoretically, it is possible to get a new job in this target space, it may not be straightforward and may require several jumps.
Here are several steps you can take to bridge gaps in your career plan
- Get a mentor: not only do you learn from a mentor, you also get opportunities that your mentor may refer you to.
- Develop your professional network: you never know whom you may meet from your network. He/she could be your next business partner or can give you your next big idea.
- Go back to school: some dream jobs require certain educational requirements. That could manifest in the form of a CFA, MBA, or educational credits.
Don’t forget to tie the steps to a timeline so that you know when to act on them.
Step 4: Act on the career plan
Creating the career plan is the easiest step, acting on it is the hardest. Especially as you encounter setbacks, your mettle and commitment will be tested.
Many career plans fail because the owner of the plan cannot execute it for a variety of reasons – financial, personal, or psychological blockers.
We are only human afterall.
Before embarking on your career plan, make sure you understand what it means and the sacrifices that you have to make.
Ready for the next step of your career? Make sure to check out our guides.
