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Nail that dream job to an action plan
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Nailing your dream job is conditioned on putting fantasies aside and taking a more sensible route: define the work you enjoy, create a realistic work model and develop a plan to achieve your career objective.
With today's topsy-turvy economy, expect to change jobs, perhaps shift careers or industries several times during your working life. Accordingly, you have two options: be tossed about the market in positions you accept because of expediency and painfully tolerate, or dictate your role to the extent possible.
A growing number of employees seldom consider whether jobs they take meet their interests. Circumstances limit their choices because they look for work at the wrong time — when they're unemployed, need income and are driven to accept the first decent offer. The best time to pursue your career dream is when you're employed and have the luxury to shop around.
Begin with an operational definition of the position. Elements might include:
— Type of work — Work with data, people, ideas?
— Type of organization — Large/small company? Private/public/nonprofit? Stable and secure/growth-oriented?
— Industry — Retail, manufacturing, finance, government?
— Location — Local? Other markets, including international?
— Work culture — Process-driven, cost-oriented, customer-focused?
The career map is incomplete without an execution plan. Using the job profile, determine the progression of skills, experience and education you need to achieve the dream job. Set milestone goals and target prospective industries and organizations. The model is now ready to implement.
You can gain maximum value and satisfaction if you are both a dreamer and doer. Having a dream job brings structure to the careering process. Having a vision-based action plan brings results.
Bellbrook resident Steve Stromp is a professional career consultant, lecturer and writer. Contact him at sstromp@sbcglobal.net.
