
Planning your career takes time, effort, and commitment. Think about what you’re good at, what matters to you, and what motivates you. This will help you choose the right path and make good decisions along the way.
Assess where you are now
To help you assess where you are in your career it's useful to identify:
- what you value in your work
- what your skills, strengths and attributes are
- what you are particularly knowledgeable or experienced in
- what are your achievements to date
Tips and tools
- Values, Achievements, Skills, Knowledge and Experience questionnaire (Word).
- Behavioural Attributes Templates.
- SWOT analysis.
- Keep the information you record in each of the tools so you can use it for your CV and job applications.
Other questions to ask yourself
- What motivates you?
- What doesn’t motivate you?
- What aspects of your work are you particularly good at?
- What aspects of your work do you enjoy the most?
- What aspects of your work do you enjoy the least?
- What appealed to you about the job description for your current position?
You need to feel motivated in the work you do. If you‘re not motivated there’s a risk that you won’t realise your full potential.
Figuring out what makes you feel unmotivated can help you skip certain jobs when you’re looking for work.
Answering these questions can help you work out what you like in your current job and what you want in your next job.
Identify your career goal
When identifying your career goal it's important that the goal is SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Time-Limited
Examples of a SMART career goal
Scenario
You’re happy in your current role but helping others is what motivates you.
SMART goal
In the next month I will set up a meeting with my manager to discuss mentoring opportunities in my role.
Scenario
You want a new challenge in your career and a priority for you is to spend more time with your family.
SMART goal
In the next 3 months I will identify jobs that offer a working pattern that fits with my family schedule.