Do you have a career plan for 2016?

Published by Espresso-Jobs, February 4th, 2016

The chips are down: we have made our New Year's resolutions and ever since, we repeat them each morning: "get back in shape, make savings, eat healthier, drink less alcohol, spend more time with my family" etc. You're not stupid! You know like we do that the beginning of each year rhymes with a fresh start  and good intentions and when the routine sets in, it begins to take over our daily lives and gradually, our resolutions fade. To take the reins of your career in 2016, you need much more than resolutions: you need a career plan!

What's a career plan?

A career plan is a memory aid, a very useful tool in managing a professional project that we have close to our hearts. Aspiring to becoming a manager, to traveling within the scope of your work or reconciling your job and your family are all projects that can be covered by a professional plan. A career plan can take all kinds of shapes: calendar, timeline, to-do list, diary, agenda, memo on the desk, etc. The main thing is that it must be clear, realistic and structured in steps and periods. Here are a few steps to follow to build your career plan:
• Put down your professional aspirations for the short and medium term on paper;
• Establish priorities;
• Dissect the project or projects into micro-steps;
• Set realistic goals and deadlines for each step;
• Think about the different resources and tools necessary for achieving and reaching the goals;
• Get into action.

How do you put it in place on a daily basis?

The simple fact of thinking about our professional ambitions for the coming year or years enables us to reflect on our true aspirations and makes us become aware of the different resources available to help us achieve our goals. For example, if, in thinking about your plan, you decided that this year the time has come for you to change jobs, naturally, you will be more on the lookout for proposals, offers and career possibilities that present themselves during the coming months.
If you wish to start a family, for example, you must take it into account in your career plan, because this (wonderful) life project will have considerable impact on your work. By establishing the priorities in this way, you will think twice before accepting or rejecting an offer, a new mandate or an enticing proposal.
We therefore suggest you opt for a realistic career plan, with quarterly goals to achieve. A future entrepreneur, for example, must be aware that it will take a lot of time to implement their project. Their career plan will therefore be staged over several years and must be regularly updated.
A career plan is an essential tool for any professional! Take advantage of this new year to draw a portrait of your previous achievements, and thereby think about what you want to accomplish over the next few years.

Good luck!