Do You Need a Career Plan?

5 mins

Before we get stuck into this, let me ask you a question- Do you have a career plan in place...

Hannah Hemsley

By Hannah Hemsley

Before we get stuck into this, let me ask you a question- Do you have a career plan in place to help you get to where you want to be?

I speak to a lot of professionals daily who are looking for a fresh start and a new environment to thrive in, but do you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and how to get there?

As a consultant the conversations I have with professionals looking for new roles are structured around what values are important to you within your professional career and where you see yourself in 5 years. Most importantly, how does this impact your nearest and dearest. Majority of the time this is something that has never been encouraged or discussed and this often leads you into another job of the same bad experiences putting you off that sector all together.

Here’s how we can work together to create a positive career plan with defined and achievable goals helping you step into the right working atmosphere.


Where are you in your career right now?

To look forwards to where you want to be, you need to stop and think about where you are currently. Evaluate your current surroundings, what is currently serving you and what do you want to change?

What are your most important values that are non-negotiable?

What motivates you?

What De-motivates you?

What are my key priorities?

What are my strengths and weaknesses?

What is important for me in a job?

5 years from now, where do you want to be and how can you get there?

You’ve identified your interests, motivations, and values and can either take this to your employer to activate change, or you can start to think about what you would like to do. What industry do you want to work in? What company inspires you?

Using a mind map to help you brainstorm (or whatever method helps you get all your ideas out) and write down everything that comes into your mind! This will help you rationalize what you are looking for and help you develop your interests.

You can then narrow all those ideas down into a plan of what you want to do and what you need to do to get there, discovering what your next step looks like!

Next match this against your current skillset and identify what skills you need to get you to where you want to be. This will help (and hopefully inspire) you to open to new opportunities of learning as another step closer to where you want to be.

Putting this plan into motion

You’ve now got a great plan, tailored to you by you. Let’s get thinking of how you can get there!

What do I want to achieve?

What additional qualifications or training do I need to get there?

Can I start networking in that industry now to aid me in the future?

Where do I want to be 1 year from now, 2 years from now and so on.

You now have a plan in place to remove yourself from a job that isn’t aiding your career and re-ignite the passion for what you do. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day stresses of your role and leave yourself as an afterthought, which is why every small goal counts.

Your plan doesn’t have to be a major life change, it could be-

Gaining extra qualifications

Stepping into management

Or it could be a move to a different sector

If you are struggling with a plan, and want someone to support you throughout the process, we are here to help. We will always ask you the right questions to discover your values and priorities. Feel free to call us to discuss: 01244 621477

If you already have a plan in place, we can work with you to find the best career move that takes you in the right direction, allowing you more potential within your career.