Your work makes up a substantial portion of your life, both quantitatively and qualitatively. You will very likely be working for fifty to sixty years, and you don't want to get stuck at some point without a way out. Monster suggests how to plan your career.
Creating a vision for your career - where you want to be in a few years - in two, in five, in ten - is very important to your career. Knowing what you want and how you're going to get it is necessary for you to focus on the moment at hand.
So follow these steps to make sure you are not drifting about in the wind where your career is concerned.
1. Know what you want
The very first, all-too important step is to know what you want. Unless you know what that is, and identify it as best as you can, you can not proceed to the next step, which is planning how you are going to get there.
2. Know what you do not want
This is equally as important as the first one. This is a very overwhelming question for a lot of people, but once you answer it, it only gets easier. Don't be scared to admit what it is you absolutely cannot live with. And then own it. Accept it. If you don't want to move to a different city, or if you don't want to work at a big company, admit it to yourself.
3. Don't let the fear get to you
Once you know what your dream is, then comes the fear. What if you can't do it? What if you're not good enough? What if everyone hates you for wanting the things you want? What if you fail? This is a stage that will come, no doubt about it. The key is to face it, be calm and rational and do not let the fear overpower your desire for success. Owning your dreams and carrying them out is an act of great courage - and a whole lot of blind faith.
4. Ask yourself these questions:
1. If I was in charge of everything I wanted, what would I be?
2. What is my dream job? What kind of work/what kind of company/what kind of responsibilities do I want?
3. What kind of hours do I want to work?
4. How much do I need to make?
5. What kind of place do I want to live in?
