How to Achieve Your Career Goals
(3-minute read)
Remember when you were a kid and were excited about who you wanted to be?
How’s that going?
Like most people, you may feel stuck, miserable at your job, or unsure if you’re making the right career moves. You’re not alone in this journey, and it’s okay to feel lost. Just because you are not where you want to be at this very moment does not mean that you are not on track to succeed.
What can you do to regain control of your career and happiness?
Answer: Conduct a Career Vision Exercise.
A Career Vision Exercise is a reflective activity that evaluates your current career situation against your original desires and personal values and helps you become more self-aware of the actions you can take to bridge any gap. If there is a disconnect between what you want to do and the work you’re actually doing, then there is most likely some degree of dissatisfaction, frustration, or confusion with your career or current job. On the flip side, when you prioritize your purpose and values, you win.
How does it work?
This Career Vision Exercise contains three sections of questions that help you reflect on your experiences and potential actions:
Section A: Your purpose and values
Section B: Your dream job
Section C: What you’ll need to achieve your career aspirations
This is one of my favorite exercises I do with my coaching clients. I recommend trying this out by having a trusted peer asking you these questions or feel free to reach out to me directly for a complimentary coaching intake session. Click here to learn more about Feed Learning coaching sessions.
There are no right or wrong answers to these questions, and some of them may not apply to you, so answer to the best of your ability. Also, the more thorough your answers, the more you’ll get out of the exercise. I generally find spending 60 minutes on this exercise is ideal.
Here’s the Career Vision Exercise
Section A: Your Purpose and Values
What do you feel are the 2-3 work-related things you do that are better than anybody else (or have been told that you’re really good at)? Why do you think that is?
What are 2-3 skills you enjoy that you’ve used in your previous work experience, but not so much in your current role? Why do you enjoy these skills?
What do you enjoy most about your current job? Why?
What is the career accomplishment you are most proud of? Why?
What are the values you will never compromise? Why?
What are the top 2-3 things you’re most passionate about? Alternatively, what are the types of projects at work you enjoy doing but most people dread? Why?
What do you want to be known for at work? Alternatively, what would you hate for others to say about you at work? Why?
What is a common theme you see in the answers you’ve provided to the questions in Section A? Why do you think that is?
Section B: Your Dream Job
What are your short-term and long-term goals?
What is your dream job? (It’s okay if you don’t know this answer).
What does your dream job involve you doing? Why is that important to you?
Describe the people you are working with at your dream job. What qualities do they possess?
How does your dream job align with your most important values stated in Section A?
Do you feel you are headed in the right direction in obtaining your dream job? Why or why not?
Section C: What You’ll Need to Achieve Your Career Aspirations
What are the skills you need to develop to help you achieve your short-term and long-term goals? Why? Check out the Feed Learning Skills Library if you need ideas.
What are the skills you currently possess that will help you achieve your short-term and long-term goals?
What role at your current company (or at another company) can get you one step closer to your dream job?
What are the special projects you can partake in at work or outside your job to get you closer to your dream job and build the skills you need to achieve your goals? (This can also include training courses, professional networks, conversations with others, etc.)
Who are the people you admire, respect their opinions, and can ask to be on your Personal Board of Directors* to help get you to where you want to be? For what reason would you choose each person?
What are the things you need from your manager, colleagues, or members of your Personal Board of Directors to help you reach your goals? (e.g., clearer direction on project goals, career development discussions, conflict mediation)
* A Personal Board of Directors is an informal group of people you can call on for guidance and mentorship. There is no formal action you need to take for them to be part of your board. You can simply let them know that you admire their guidance in your career and ask them questions as needed.
Now what?
Now that you have reflected on who you are and where you want to be, it’s time to take action and control of your career. Try taking the following steps:
Reach out to members of your PBOD and request specific guidance from them.
Request your manager for special projects that will get you closer to your dream job.
Check out the Feed Learning Skills Library to learn how to build new skills.
Determine special projects or trainings you can take to build the skills you need to reach your goals.
Use this Career Development Plan to track your progress.
Schedule a complimentary coaching intake session with me to explore other options.
The very first step to improvement is self-awareness. The Career Vision Exercise questions will help you identify the core values and north star that guides your happiness. It’s up to you to decide what action you want to take next to complete that journey.
Cheers and good luck!
Jesse