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How do I determine where I want my career to go?

Home » Careers » Career Management » How do I determine where I want my career to go?
Posted by Your Guide on September 27, 2005 10:24 AM

After you have chosen your career field and gotten your foot in the door, your work is still just beginning. Once you have a feel for the industry, you can set some goals as to where you would like your career to go; in other words, what direction you want your career to take.

The first step in this process is to set some goals. What kind of responsibilities do you want to have and how do you want your specific job to change over the next year? Five years? Ten years? Thirty years? Think of your career as one long road. When you chose your career field, did you have a specific job or goal in mind? If you did, what relationships can you strengthen and what opportunities should you take in order to move you towards that goal?

You may, however, have no idea of what specific job you�re working towards. You may have chosen a career field rather than a specific job. That�s fine, and if that is the case, don�t force or rush anything. Over the next weeks, months, and years, keep your eyes open to your entire career field. What specialties and opportunities that especially appeal to you exist in your career field? Do you have additional skills, passions, or goals that your current job doesn�t quite tap into? The grass is not always greener on the other side of the hill, but it�s worth looking into.

None of this is to say that your job has to change. A third-grade teacher may not want to become a principal. A policeman does not have to become police chief or transfer to working at the desk. There is no one-size-fits-all career path in any profession. Your career should match your goals and passions, not the expectations of your peers, your boss, or the culture.

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