Ensure your career success and significance in 2009
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Unfortunately, people seem to spend more time planning their holiday than they do their careers. Planning the year ahead and setting clear actionable steps should be an important step you take as part of your career management plan. Getting clear about your goals and writing them down can have an amazing impact on just how successful you can be.
To ensure you ‘shine in 2009’ (a phrase coined by one of our colleagues – Yasmin Dale from REC Head Hunters) here are 4 steps from our Executive Brand goal-setting processTM. |
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Stage 1: Dream
Often, we find it very easy to identify exactly what we don’t want. Remembering that what we concentrate on expands, we want to make sure that what we are stating takes a positive and empowering approach. Stage 1 has us articulating our goals in the positive, so that we are stating exactly what it is that we want to achieve.
Block out some time from the general hustle and bustle of a busy schedule to brainstorm and incubate your thoughts. Set yourself up a quiet and relaxing environment; ask yourself the question “If I knew I wouldn’t fail, what would I be doing” to get rid of that inner critic (that inner voice that often stops a dream in its track by saying “Ha – are you kidding, you’ll never achieve that – what on earth are you thinking” etc); and just write down the things that you would like to achieve.
Stage 2: Clarify
After you have generated your list in Stage 1, now is the time to get even clearer on your goals, by going through the clarify stage.
Narrow down the items on your list to a three-column table with the headings: ‘short term goals’ (this year); ‘mid-term goals’ (2-5 years); and ‘long term goals’ (5+ years). For example:
| Short-term goals |
Mid-term goals |
Long-term goals |
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1. Complete my Accounting Grad. Certificate. |
1. Gain valuable experience and knowledge within the accounting field. |
1. Secure an Accounting Management role within a small/medium size organisation. |
| 2. Connect with 3 key leads within the accounting field. |
2. etc |
2. etc |
| 3. Become known as a valuable resource within my current place of employment and be placed in upcoming influential projects. |
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When looking at your list of ‘short-term’ goals ask yourself the following questions:
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What is currently in my control to achieve this?
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What resources do I have that can support me in achieving this?
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What resources do I need to support me in achieving this?
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What will I be seeing once I achieve this goal? What will I be hearing?
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What will I be feeling?
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What is my evidence that I have achieved this goal?
Asking the above questions will not only allow you to get clear on what you need to do specifically to ensure you move closer toward your goal, but will also allow you to answer any objections your inner critic has.
Stage 3: Believe
A great quote by Wayne Dyer sums it up beautifully: “You’ll see it – when you believe it”.
Sometimes the fear of change or the fear of success (or other similar fears) is enough to keep you stuck with unrealised goals. So what do you need to ‘see’ in order for you to really believe that this goal is achievable?
Ask yourself:
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What internal barriers do I recognise that may prevent me from stepping fully into my action steps to ensure I keep working steadily towards my goals?
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What external barriers (ie your external environment such as negative people) do I recognise that may prevent me from stepping fully into my action steps to ensure I keep working steadily towards my goals?
Stage 4: Achieve
Going through Stages 1 through 3 is imperative; however what you have compiled still only remains ‘information’ and is useless to you if you don’t take action steps towards achieving your goals. Here are a few steps that will ensure you power through this stage.
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Write down steps you will take including the due dates by which you will have completed them.
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Organise an accountability partner who will regularly connect with you to ensure you are completing your action steps.
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Set up a reward system along the way, with small incentives each time you complete another one of your action plans. Or alternatively a large reward once you achieve your goal. This is a great way to keep you inspired and motivated to taking action.
Once you follow each of the four stages of dream; clarify; believe; and, achieve, you’ll be amazed at how confidently and quickly you can achieve your goals.
To your success!
Annemarie
Despite the media’s bleak portrayal of 2009, we have an exciting year planned and believe there are solid opportunities out there for people who are adopting solid job search and career management plans. The team at Advanced Employment Concepts are committed to continue sharing loads of new job search and career management tools and resources to support you in tapping into these opportunities. 
Advanced Employment Concepts are thrilled to announce their partnership with JibberJobber Career Management 2.0 – the gold standard in career management technology.