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Career Mapping:
So You Don’t Get Lost Along the Way
By Gordon Miller, Executive Career
Coach
“Just as companies who use
a business plan as a “road map” find
the path
easier to negotiate, people who use a “career
map” have a much better chance of reaching
their destination. Think about it. If you’re
in Winnemucca and you want to get to Wichita, a
map is a handy thing to have. Without it you might
eventually end up Wichita. Might. Eventually. But
it could take much longer than it needs to and it
most likely will be a forgettable trip. Sound familiar?
Making a career map can be beneficial
at any stage of the game for many of us. If you’re
just entering/re-entering the workplace, or perhaps
been in the fray for decades, career mapping can prove
to be an invaluable tool. Particularly if you are
thinking of switching fields. (According to the surveys
I have done for my new book, 57% of us are considering
a change. Just thought you should know). More importantly,
your Career Coach thinks
the “C-Map” is necessary to help you better
navigate the rapidly changing workplace rules. Changes
like continuing record layoffs, mergers and acquisitions,
the advent of technology and it’s impact on
many of our jobs.
When I talk about developing a career
map, I’m referring to an actual document. Typically,
it’s a one or two page piece, a summary of your
career strategy going forward. It’s a road map.
A guide. It doesn’t mean you absolutely have
to go by that route. If you get to someplace in your
travels and the road’s under construction, you
may have to take a detour. Your company has been sold?
Your department has been outsourced? Your position
is being eliminated? Not to worry (too much). You
have a plan. A strategy.
The career mapping plan which has worked wonders
for many clients, is made up of nine (9) specific
steps as follows;
-
An Overview: this first step consists
of a ten thousand-foot view of want you want to
accomplish in the future. One year, five years,
whatever makes sense for you. There are times when
the map will need to be changed suddenly. Perhaps
your significant other finds a great job in another
city, or you realize that the new boss and you don’t
jive.
-
Identifying Your Market: the next
step is to identify who your market is. It’s
the same step a business goes through. Decide which
industries or companies are most likely to continue
to grow and need you.
3.The Marketing Plan: if you are working long hours,
not making the money you want, and are quite unhappy,
it may be a matter of focus.
Decide which aspect of your profession is the most
appealing for you
And develop a plan to market your knowledge, skills
and experience
To get the position you want.
-
Identifying Your Strengths and Weaknesses:
the idea is to maximize your strengths and minimize
your weaknesses. But first you have to know what
they are. Ask the people in your life you most respect
to help you with this one. Put them down on paper.
It may give you a new understanding of you.
-
The Positioning Statement: in order
to be good at what we do, we have to know what business
we are in. The positioning statement is no more
than one paragraph long. It spells out here’s
who I am, and here’s how I’m going to
position myself going forward, and here are my capabilities,
and here’s how I fit into my industry or company.
-
The Action Plan: now that you know
what you want to do for the next year or two, you
need to identify the tactics you use to carry it
out. You might include research, talking to experts
in your industry, and mirroring people who are already
successful doing what you plan to do.
-
The Financial Plan: the key here
is to understand that a change in career direction
may have a impact of your finances. I recommend
you determine up-front what could happen, good or
not so good, and have a plan to deal with it.
8.The Review: how often should you stop along your
journey, take a look at where you are on your map,
check weather patterns and road conditions? If you
are new to “mapping,” I suggest you
do it once a week. Once you are more comfortable
with the process, once a month is probably often
enough. The key is to set a pattern for regularly
looking at your progress.
Today’s job market is changing
so rapidly that the people who hope to do well are
those who have an idea about where they are going
and how they are going to get there. I see too many
of us making career decisions without a real strategy
behind them. It’s a little like Ready!…Fire!…Aim!
Occasionally you’ll get lucky and hit the target.
Most often you won’t.
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