What’s the best way to plan your career path? originally appeared on Quora: the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
Answer by Charlene Walters, PhD, Business Mentor, Consultant, Corporate Trainer & Author, on Quora:
What’s so amazing about one’s career path these days is that it is much more fluid, which also makes it more challenging to plan at times. Still, the best way to keep up with this fluidity is to actually plan, do lots of research, and be fluid yourself. You should stay abreast of changes in your industry as well as overall trends in business. This will lead you down new paths and inspire you to grow your skills and expand your career.
The first step with any career plan is figuring out what you want to do. Then, it’s just a question of breaking the path to get there down into more manageable steps. Perhaps you need to update your skills, or network more to gain new contacts in fields or companies that you want to enter.
It may be that you need a more substantial plan if you are switching into an entirely new area. I know that, for me, I have continued to morph and grow my career, particularly as an entrepreneur. I’ve added new services and de-emphasized others. I’ve picked up new skills and given my career a complete overhaul at times. I’m currently in the midst of one right now, launching a new AI product, something that I had never originally anticipated.
Things change quickly in business, and with technology, the pace will only continue to accelerate. Therefore, you will need a plan, but not one that is set in stone. Your plans should be as fluid as your career path. No matter what, you are the navigator and have the opportunity to steer your career in new and amazing directions every day. Plan, research, brainstorm, and keep moving!
This question originally appeared on Quora – the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.
