" Career Success Story Online Coaching Series"
Create Your Career Vision
Our annual company conference was well underway and Orlando, Florida could not have been more welcoming. The second day of conference activities included a review of anticipated changes across the entire company. The company was moving towards a centralized structure and we had been managing a series of changes for two years or so. The day started out with a keynote address, team building exercises, and an interesting sketch performed by regional directors which ended with the phrase: “Mission Possible!” By the afternoon, the staff was pumped with a sense of purpose and direction.
Within minutes, my purpose and direction were completely derailed.
As one of the executive vice presidents proudly announced a newly formed committee to oversee changes across all regions, I realized clearly that my days with the company were marked. I had not been chosen to serve on the committee. As the presentation continued, I sat in my chair and began to connect the dots. Although it was 95 degrees in sunny central Florida, my body was frozen solid as I morphed into stages of denial (“this is just a committee”); disbelief (“I cannot believe they overlooked me”); and then anger (“what could they possibly know about my state or my affiliate?”).
Hours later, after picking over a completely indigestible meal during an employee recognition dinner, I received one of many blessings that would come my way. One of the directors from a mid-western office casually sat beside me and said: “You should have been selected to the committee.” We both nodded... both of us in full recognition that politics is alive and well and runs a cruel course during organizational change. The blessing came later as the mid-western director shared with me the "backstory," and explained what the conference in Florida was really about.
Later that night, I called one of the best contacts in my network: my husband. I said, “Everything we’ve been talking about for the past two years is starting to play out.” He was prepared to talk about the viability of all our previously discussed plans...and the acceleration of Plan B, Plan C, etc. I knew it was time to make a move before the organization took a move against my best interest.
I'm sharing this experience to help you uncover what career moves you should be taking to preserve your best interests. Your best interests should link directly to your long term goal, which I prefer to call a Career Vision. Hopefully what you have been able to do is create an effective structure to support your progression towards accomplishment of your short and long term career plans. Without a Career Vision, or a long term concept of where you're heading, it's not always easy to keep on track with where you want to end your career. This month's coaching will focus on how to create your own Career Vision.
The steps to creating your vision are similar to the process of drafting a company mission statement or long term plans. If you've ever participated in this process, you will understand the concepts. However, due to the size and functioning of corporations, it can take months - - sometimes years - - to complete a mission statement.
That's not the case when you create your own personal vision; the process is considerably shorter and there's no need to get an entire management team together to complete it. What's most important is that yours be based on your "reality" and your "dream." Between those two areas is a gap of compromise that allows you to create a successful vision of your career. Whether you're searching for a new job, a promotion, or career satisfaction, it's important to have a vivid picture in your mind of where you're heading.
What is A Career Vision?
Within the structure of my coaching, I refer to what we want to achieve in the long run as our Career Vision. Your Career Vision should provide a clear and vivid picture in your mind. It should not be the attainment of a specific job - -rather, it should be about the collective journey of your career. It should provide a dynamic picture of your actual and anticipated achievements, contributions, successes and trials, work results, and impact in the workplace.
It's important that your Career Vision be drawn directly from your personal values, family background, financial desires, geographical limitations, physical limitations, etc. At least 25% of your Career Vision should deal with your reality - - the realistic conditions you face. The remaining 75% is based upon your dreams - - the bigger the better. Your life long dreams provide the basis of your desires.
Answer Some Tough Personal Questions
One way to get to the heart of creating your own Career Vision is by answering some tough questions about your career path and plans. Are you trying to achieve something that's greater than where you believe you could possibly be? Do people doubt you'll ever reach that achievement? If the answer is yes to both questions, then it’s highly likely that you're on the right path.
Every step you take towards securing a new position, obtaining a highly desired promotion, reaching short-term career plans should be based upon a big picture - - your career vision. It is what provides the pathway for your personal success. It is what keeps you on track during disappointments and in the midst of organizational or personal changes.
Don't Lose Track of the Big Picture
Every step you take towards securing a new position, obtaining a highly desired promotion, reaching short-term career plans should be based upon a big picture - - your career vision. It is what provides the pathway for your personal success. It is what keeps you on track during disappointments and in the midst of organizational or personal changes.
As the central character in this strategy, you're the one who has to articulate your dreams, capture your success stories, devise the steps needed to secure an interview, target desired companies, research each company to ensure they fit your interests and goals, and get the interview. As I mentioned earlier, you have to be fully aware of what you’re seeking to attain, achieve, and deliver over the course of your career. Your Career Vision should be a dynamic picture of your capabilities. It is with this picture that you’re able to create a successful, ongoing job search effort.
Beacon Career Management, LLC * POB 1271 Hightstown, NJ
Pamela Watson
Beacon Career Management
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Self Assessment: Given your industry and employment conditions, what obstacles are you likely to face as you work towards achieving your long term plans? Should you change your career path?
Coaching Assignment: Create Your Own CAREER VISION
Part ITake some time to review and answer the following questions:1)How do you plan to end your career? 2)What final position or job will you handle?3)Will you be self-employed or working for a company? 4)What type of industry? 5)What part of the country will you be employed?
What part of the country will you be employed? 6)How will you contribute to the workplace?Part IIBased on your response to the first question, how can you achieve this Career Vision? The best way to answer this question is by working backwards from the point of when you expect to achieve your goal to your current situation.Pre-Assessment: How do you anticipate that your career will come to an end? What do you want to accomplish by the time you retire?
Post Assessment: How do your long term career plans or Career Vision link directly to your current job search strategy or your career development efforts? If not, what obstacles do you face? How can you further create a successful Career Vision for yourself?
