(Re)igniting Passion for Career Development
You’ve recently started your full-time job, or you’ve been in your current position for a few years and wondering where to go next. At this stage, you might feel like your plan is very tentative — which is not unusual at all. However, it’s crucial at this point in your career to consciously put time aside for reflecting on your trajectory and development goals.
Below are 5 easy steps that you can incorporate into your weekly or monthly routine to ensure that you’re staying sharp and igniting your passion for developing your unique career path.
1. Set aside time for career reflections
Block time on your calendar for 30 minutes to 1 hour, and make sure you don’t neglect it! Carving out this short amount of time each week can make a big impact because you’re taking that step and making effort to do something really important that a lot of people forget: self-reflection.
If you’re unsure of where to start, in the beginning I’d suggest you allot this time towards reflecting on your current skills and researching various career paths related to your role. You can do this by perusing LinkedIn for profiles that are similar to yours, or look through your company network for colleagues with whom you might want to connect.
2. Draft a “game plan” — even if it’s subject to change
Next step is to write down your short-term (next 1–2 years) and long-term (5–10 years) goals, and don’t be afraid to write down things that you might change later on. This should be an iterative process.
Creating S.M.A.R.T goals will set you up for success. Make sure your short-term and long-term goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, below are two versions of the same goal that a UX designer might set for herself:
Goal version 1 (not “SMART”) — I will earn a promotion.
Goal version 2 (“SMART”) — By the end of 2024 (T), I want to earn a promotion (M) and transition into a strategy-focused role within my team (R), so that I can be more involved in the overall vision for each product from start to finish (S), in addition to my current responsibilities with conducting user interviews (A).
3. Speak regularly with your manager and/or mentor(s)
You should have regular check-ins with your manager, which can be spent discussing your recent performance, manager feedback, goal-setting (refer to Step 2!), and just to get comfortable communicating with each other. In these meetings, you should be direct and specific about your interests and ambitions (do NOT assume others will know what you’re looking for).
In addition, you should find a mentor and work on strengthening that mentor relationship (you can also have more than one mentor), where you meet monthly or whatever works best, as long as it’s on a consistent schedule. Take this opportunity to share your experiences, gain insights, and learn from a third party perspective. The beauty of having a mentor is that you can be honest and transparent about what you’re going through, and they can give you an outside POV since they’re not directly on your team! Mentor relationships can seem tricky — stay tuned for another article specifically about how to find a mentor, then how to navigate and strengthen those partnerships.
4. Revisit and revise your plan every month
Hopefully you have started some kind of documentation where you write down your career reflections, research, and goals. If you didn’t, I’d suggest starting that ASAP! Every month or few months, go back and revise your plan to be even more specific. Break down your short-term goals into 6 months. Maybe even change your plan. It’s important to maintain a flexible mindset.
It might also help to document what skills you’ve learned or achievements you’ve made on a monthly basis. Trust me, this will save you a ton of time when end-of-year self-performance evaluations come up.
5. Share your plan with someone
This last step is simple but very significant — find an accountability partner:
An accountability partner is someone working solely to keep us in check and accountable. It can be more than one person who will keep you focused and committed to your goals and make sure that you take the right steps on your way to success.
You might think you can do this alone since it’s your solo career, but to really commit to the process and feel motivated even when you don’t want to put in the time, you will benefit from someone who will uplift and support you. This doesn’t have to be serious with lots of deadlines because then it might start to feel like a burden, but igniting that passion to pursue your own career development will sometimes require an external push. And you might enjoy talking to someone else about your own goals, path, and ambitions. I personally derive a lot of clarity from talking to my accountability partners. It’s nice to have a friend along on your journey.
The bottom line is…
There’s never going to be one linear and clear pathway for your career. The key is to go through these 5 easy steps, while remembering to be flexible in your approach. If you take one thing away today: Clarify your goals and write them down.
Once you’ve established your goals and written up a draft plan, hopefully things will feel a little bit lighter. Now you have more direction. Keep investing your time into this, and make sure to voice your interests and ambitions — no one else is responsible for charting your path besides yourself.
If you’re interested in discussing more or have any questions/feedback, please connect and reach out to me (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryyoonjushin/)!
