Have you ever stopped to think about what the next step in your career is ? Some people have their professional journey mapped out, while others end up going with the flow and taking advantage of opportunities that arise, without considering the next step.

Although not everything needs to be planned and, throughout a career, new possibilities may arise, having a certain structure prevents professional stagnation and allows people to develop and achieve goals at work and in their personal lives.

Why plan your career?

Not everyone has a career as a central focus in their life and prioritizes other aspects. However, the truth is that people spend most of their adult lives working, so why not find satisfaction and success in the process?

Many stagnant careers and professionals who are unhappy with their positions cannot see ways to evolve or feel motivated to seek growth. However, when they have clarity about the next step, they have clearer goals and can plan better.

Understand why you should plan your career:

Best opportunities

By evolving professionally, people can achieve higher positions, specialize and acquire experience that sets them apart and opens the way to higher positions and positions with greater benefits and remuneration.

In addition to becoming more competitive in the search for new employment, or even in demand, they can stand out in their fields, become a reference and build a good reputation.

Motivation

Knowing where they want to go makes people feel more motivated. When planning a career, it is easier to see what needs to be done in terms of studies, training, and skill development, which keeps the professional focused and encouraged to grow.

Personal satisfaction

Pursuing a new career path requires a process of improvement that leads to well-executed and even celebrated projects. When achieving these new steps, in addition to feeling fulfilled for getting where you want to be, the professional also has satisfaction in the work they do.

Personal development

Whether it’s getting a better-paying job, realizing dreams such as traveling or owning a home, or even learning other languages, the actions taken to advance in your career also help in personal growth, whether it’s learning new behavioral skills, increasing your network of contacts, learning new places and people, and widening your worldview in general.

How to plan the next stage of your career?

We know that good planning helps to motivate professionals, prevents them from feeling dissatisfied and stagnant, and provides purpose and the achievement of plans and objectives. So, how can we plan and reach the next stage?

Here are five steps:

1- Understand your goal

There is no correct path, but the one that best suits every individual. Your aspiration can be to become a leader, to work in a specific company, to specialize in a specific field, or to achieve a specific economic status. There is no correct answer, but the one that is aligned with your plans and dreams.

2- Evaluate your reality

If this goal is not clear, looking at your current situation can serve as a reference: what would you like that you don’t have in your current position? It could be the search for flexible hours, or something closer to home. You may feel unmotivated because you don’t use your skills or would like to be in another segment.

Furthermore, your current moment is the reference for understanding what will be necessary for the new stage.

3- Develop self-knowledge

Aside from observing the environment they are already in, career-developing professionals must also build self-awareness so they can know their strengths and weaknesses. This will enable them to decide which roles to apply for, as well as enable them to create realistic goals on how to enhance themselves.

4- Make a plan

Think about planning a trip: as much as you want to leave room to decide what to do at the time, some planning is necessary, such as tickets, accommodation, money for transportation.

Looking at your career in the same way allows you to be objective in your actions, creating a concrete plan. If you want to be a leader in the company you work for, what is the average length of experience of professionals in the position currently? What characteristics do you need to improve to follow these steps?

The “plan” is your travel guide, and indicates the actions that need to be taken to reach this objective. The ideal is to create measurable goals, which in addition to motivating you, will give real indications of your development and preparation for the new phase.

5- Improve your knowledge

During this self-assessment process, you may realize that you have never led a project, or that you have no way of measuring the results of your work activities. This allows you to change certain attitudes in your current position to prepare yourself.