Do you enjoy your work? Then now is the time to think about how to move forward. Because when you are on top, you have the energy to consider your vision for the future.
You may also find yourself in a situation where you've landed in a job that wasn't quite right for you, or you're just entering the labour market. In this case, the platform burns a little more underneath you to clarify which direction you want to go in, but the considerations are the same. We've put together some advice for you on how to approach career planning.
A good way to learn more about your career is to stop every two years and take a look at the situation you find yourself in. This can help you realise what you're good at and what energises you at work, because that's where the good job lies.
Start by making two lists of your tasks: the ones you're good at and the ones you're not so good at. Then think about whether the tasks on the two lists motivate you.
Once you've done that, you can sort the tasks into four categories:
With this list, you can identify what a good job looks like from your point of view and then act on it. You can either use the personal development review to move there in your current workplace, or start looking for the workplace and job that matches your desires.
Read more about the personal development review
Even if you're happy in your job, it's good to think about what the job will look like in two years' time. Many people think that a classic career is about moving up, getting more responsibility and maybe getting a management position. But it doesn't have to be that way.
You can also move horizontally and get ahead by getting professional challenges and exciting tasks. Others plan careers to get out and gain more autonomy and independence, while still others think about getting job security. Security from redundancy rounds or security in a permanent job rather than more unstable forms of employment.
Finally, there are those who want to develop their careers to find a balance between work, family and leisure.
It's a huge challenge that the stage in life where many people think about a career for the first time is also where they start a family and buy a house in the suburbs. Where young parents want to stay at home with their children, but also know that it is bad for their careers.
Many people experience pressure from all kinds of sources: themselves, employers, colleagues, partners, children, day-care centres and friends.
Here, you may need to find a job that can be combined with everything else you want in life. For others, balance is about the meaning and value of the job — choosing a job not because of what they are trained to do or what it pays, but because they can be proud of their workplace.