Is career planning right for you? and how to do it…

When it comes to shaping your career, there are two broad paths you can follow: a planned approach and an organic approach. Neither is right nor wrong, rather each suits different personalities and stages of life. Understanding these approaches, and knowing when to use which, can help you make confident, well-informed decisions about your future.

The Planned Approach

The planned approach involves setting an objective (a job title, financial target, set of responsibilities or skills etc) and plotting a route to get there from where you are now – I’ve summarised how at the end of this blog.

Planning works better for individuals who:

• have a clear vision of where they want to be at some future stage of their life/career;
• feel unsettled as to whether or not they are doing the right things if there isn’t a clear route ahead; or
• feel stuck in a rut or are looking for a career change.

The Organic Approach

With the organic approach you don’t set yourself targets but consider opportunities as and when they arise.

The organic approach to a career tends to suit people who:

• struggle for a clear vision of what they will find particularly enjoyable or fulfilling;
• find self-imposed targets to be an unnecessary stress; or
• believe there is too much uncertainty for meaningful planning ahead to be possible.

NB - Even those who prefer the organic approach, should consider researching career paths at crossroads in their careers and life as I’ll explain in the next paragraph.

Planning always pays off at nodal points in your career and life

When you have choices which will result in you specialising (or not) in a discipline then planning will help avoid regrets down the line. Salaries, work life balance, future opportunities etc can be very different depending on which route you take and it isn’t always easy to switch once you have gone down a path. For example, having specialised in procurement for housebuilding, if you subsequently realise salaries for procurement for infrastructure projects are better and want to switch then you will likely need to take some steps backward on the career ladder to enable that.

At these nodal points, it is worth mapping alternative future career paths and considering them in relation to your motivations. Take time to think about what your role might look like in 3, 5 or even 10 years’ time depending on the paths you choose. Consider both positive and negative elements with all paths. Sometimes a clear winner will emerge, other times a clear loser. Eitherway, you will make better decisions.

It is also worth career planning around life events. For example, having a family is a significant financial decision and also often shifting motivations around work-life balance. Different career paths will offer different trade-offs and considering these well in advance will often leave you with better options.

Does planning accelerate your career development?

“Sometimes but not always” is the unhelpful answer.

Not only does planning avoid ‘detours’ that can slow career progression, but it demonstrates a conviction and a commitment to that career path which may position candidates well for promotion. Many hiring managers also value the clarity and ambition of these candidates so long as their vision is informed, realistic and pragmatic. Finally, in the current economic climate many construction companies are actively looking for ambitious candidates rather than the finished article to keep wage bills down and the planning mindset often reflects that structured ambition that they are willing to take a risk on.

However, an organic approach to career development, where a candidate remains openminded and adaptable, can make it easier to pivot in response to new opportunities and market changes. The more ‘take it as it comes’ approach also reduces the likelihood of candidates burning out, either because they put too much pressure on themselves or because their career path doesn’t match their plan. Finally, the open mind set of many candidates who take an organic approach to career development can also lead to a more rounded candidate, with a wider experience and better understanding of their role within the business, something that hiring managers value.

A four step method on planning your career

Planning a career isn’t rocket science but it may take a little thought and effort.

Here is a light touch way to approach the process:

1. Set your objective – identify what motivates you (money, job title, power, passion etc) and set a realistic target e.g. a salary of £75,000 per year.

• Set a timescale – this is optional but it can be motivational i.e. £75,000 by aged 50.

• Plot the career path – starting at your destination plot your career path back to where you are now. The path may be job titles, skills development, experience or a combination of the three. Speaking with a recruitment consultant can often help with this.

• Assess and amend the plan – determine whether the career pathis realistic, will fit with your broader life goals and whether it still appeals. Recognising you may need to make trade-offs, revise it until you are happy.

Of course, once you have created your career plan there is nothing stopping you from changing objectives, taking a diversion or being blown off course, however many people find that having an end goal is reassuring and gives confidence they are making the best decisions they can at the time.