A Career Action Plan Is Your Road Map to a Successful Career

Some people set out on a trip without directions, a map or a gps. I'm not one of those people. Not only do I need clear directions to my destination, I prefer to have a set of alternate directions as well. After all, what happens if a road is closed or there's a lot of traffic and I need to take another route? Having a plan in place will keep me from getting lost (hopefully) and having an alternate plan will save me the trouble of having to stop at a gas station to ask for directions.

Just as you need directions to guide you on a road trip, you also need directions to guide you through your career. And like those driving directions, a set of alternate directions could come in handy too. I like to think of a career action plan as a road map to your future. You should develop one as soon as you decide what occupation you want to pursue. In your career action plan you will identify the steps you need to take to become employed in your chosen field. You should take it further than that and include in your plan the steps you will eventually have to take in order to grow your career.

Remember that a career action plan should be flexible. Things change. The career choice that seems perfect for you today may not be so a few years down the road. The economy, as we've seen way too clearly lately, can change, necessitating a remapping of your plans. Your own life circumstances can change or you may simply decide that the career you picked isn't right for you anymore. That too would require amending your career action plan.