Scrap career ladders

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Having a career plan in place and a comprehension of mid and long-term targets is always a good idea. But becoming too fixed on a roadmap could lead to missed opportunities.

President Eisenhower once famously said: ’Planning is indispensable, but plans are useless.’ And there is little doubt that remaining flexible and open-minded to unexpected offers and possibilities is a more beneficial approach that could leave you better placed to reap the rewards.

‘It is always advisable to have a plan in place and to have an outline understanding of where you want to be at certain points in your career,’ says Steve Sully, regional director at Robert Half.

‘However, it is equally important to recognise that these plans can and likely will change. This will vary from role to role and company to company, but it is safe to say that having a dedicated and concrete plan for your career is not as important as it once was.’

Open

One way to plan for the unexpected is to make it clear to mentors, colleagues and managers that you are always open and interested in branching out on to unexpected paths. This can help generate unexpected doors to open.

Career plans can frequently be more about what we think is expected of us, or following the ‘traditional path’ that others have used and been successful with. But branching out into new directions can pay dividends, even though it can require a high degree of self-awareness and risk taking.

It may also require you to honestly evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, as that process can help to provide a great roadmap to pursue opportunities and avoid threats as we branch out from the core plan we thought we had established.


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Dynamic

‘Professionals are now staying in roles for less time than ever before and the world as a whole is a much quicker and more dynamic place than in the past,’ adds Sully. ‘This means that new opportunities can arise that might lead to you changing position suddenly, or having to seek new roles when you didn’t expect to do so.

‘If you are looking to make more money, then yes, leaving a company is probably the quickest way of doing so. But if you are looking for more stability, and the chance to develop at a gradual pace, then it is worth remembering that the grass is not always greener.

‘Sometimes, it can also be worth taking what looks like a step down to accelerate your progression in the future.

‘Being overly fixed to any one plan will likely hinder your development and it is key to remember to be flexible and to adapt to whatever challenges and opportunities you might face in your professional and personal life.’

Planning

Remember that it is easy to get stuck in a career plan rut and into a paralysis around your planning itself. If you find yourself in this position, consider establishing a roadmap that is open to changes at the key crossroads we hit.

As such, rather than building the ideal career plan, consider a search of the best possible balance between job commitment and openness to new opportunities. Finding that balance requires an intentionality and nimbleness that is not easy – but it can be incredibly valuable in the process of opening new doors.

Author: Alex Miller, writer

This article was first published in Student AccountantGet the SA app now

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