Why Is it Important to Develop Long-Term Career Stategies?
It is hard to reach a destination if you do not know how to get there. Long-term career strategies perform the same sort of function that a map does during a trip. Long-term career strategies spell out the steps and actions you must take to reach your career goal. They also help to keep you on track and moving in the right direction.
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History
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Career paths are no longer linear progressions up a single ladder. Just a generation ago, you could start in an entry-level job content with the knowledge that if you worked hard, did what you were supposed to do, displayed loyalty and were reliable, you would retire from a higher, well-paying position in the same company. Those days are over. Quite often, to advance in your career you have to direct your career path and create opportunity to succeed.
Identification
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A career strategy is an action plan you can use as a form of guidance for how you manage your career. It also serves to answer questions about opportunities that may present themselves. Since career paths can be full of twists, declines and plateaus, a career strategy provides focus and a way to ensure that any career steps you make lead you to your final career goal. Career strategies break down career paths into smaller, more manageable steps.
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Considerations
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Selecting your career goal is a crucial step in creating a career strategy. Your goal may be very different from the goals of others because it is based on an honest assessment of your individual skills and interests. Some people want to be on top in a high-profile position. Others want money over power and prestige. Still others desire ultimately to be of use or to make a difference. Selecting a clear goal that is meaningful for you will keep you motivated and focused while developing your strategy.
Effects
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Determining the support you need to reach your goal and how you will get it is important. Your goal may cause you to have to move. It could require additional education or training. Pursuing your goal could make demands on your time and personal life. Placing those items into an overall framework lets you see how much it will cost to pursue your goal. This could help you see how achievable it is, or it could make you realize that the cost is too high so you can adapt your goal.
Benefits
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When you have a career goal and a strategy to make it happen, you can begin to enlist the help of others. You can identify the people who are in the right position to be of the most help, such as mentors or supervisors. You can share your strategy with them and get their feedback on adjustments you might need to make based on their professional experiences. This also puts your intentions out there so that people know that you are open to certain opportunities and welcome them.
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References
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