Process mapping is a powerful tool for visualizing and improving workflows, but did you know that it can also help you identify and overcome career development roadblocks? In this article, you will learn how to use process mapping to analyze your current situation, define your goals, and plan your actions to achieve them.
Process mapping is a technique for creating a diagram that shows the steps, inputs, outputs, and roles involved in a process. It can be used for any type of process, from manufacturing to customer service, but it can also be applied to your own career development process. By mapping out your current state, your desired state, and the gaps between them, you can gain clarity and insight into your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges.
My clients find the key to job search success is to have a systematic process with metrics to assess your progress. Process Mapping is just one such process. I like that it is a pictorial view because, like so many people, I am a visual learner. I recommend a project management-based methodology. It does not matter what system you use; just have a system and follow it.
To map your current state, you need to identify the main activities, outcomes, and stakeholders that make up your career development process. For example, you can list the tasks you perform, the skills you use, the feedback you receive, the goals you have, and the people you interact with. Then, you can arrange them in a logical sequence and draw arrows to show the flow and dependencies. You can use different shapes, colors, or symbols to indicate different types of elements, such as inputs, outputs, decisions, or problems.
To map your desired state, you need to envision the ideal scenario for your career development process. For example, you can imagine the tasks you want to perform, the skills you want to learn, the feedback you want to give and receive, the goals you want to achieve, and the people you want to collaborate with. Then, you can create a similar diagram as your current state, but with the changes and improvements that you desire. You can also use different shapes, colors, or symbols to highlight the differences from your current state.
To identify the gaps and roadblocks, you need to compare your current state and your desired state and look for the discrepancies and obstacles that prevent you from reaching your goals. For example, you can ask yourself questions like: What skills are missing or underdeveloped? What feedback is lacking or ineffective? What goals are unclear or unrealistic? What people are supportive or unsupportive? You can mark these gaps and roadblocks on your diagrams with labels, notes, or icons.
Here are some roadblocks I have seen in my clients: 1. Not knowing where or how to start networking, 2. Constantly revising/reviewing their branding materials (i.e. resume and LinkedIn profiles) seeking the perfect at the expense of good enough and preventing forward motion, 3. Not taking control of the process by always setting the next conversation date. 4. Minimal to no follow-up after every conversation with someone in your job search process - networking contacts, hiring authorities, admins, recruiters, etc.
To plan your actions and solutions, you need to prioritize the gaps and roadblocks that you identified and brainstorm ways to address them. For example, you can think of actions like: Taking a course or reading a book to learn a new skill. Asking for or giving more constructive feedback. Setting or revising SMART goals. Seeking or offering mentorship or coaching. You can add these actions and solutions to your diagrams with arrows, boxes, or circles.
To monitor and evaluate your progress, you need to track and measure the results of your actions and solutions and compare them with your desired state. For example, you can use indicators like: The level of proficiency or confidence in a skill. The quality or frequency of feedback. The achievement or satisfaction of a goal. The relationship or communication with a person. You can update your diagrams with data, scores, or comments to show your progress and achievements.
Choosing the right goals or metrics is as important as taking steps to achieve them. I suggest these as your goals: 1. You should strive to always have 2 interview processes in progress. 2. Need more interviews, Talk to more hiring authorities. I recommend 5-6 ongoing conversations with hiring managers at all times. Over the course of 2-3 months, at least 1 or more should become interviews. 3. Not talking to enough bosses? Then you need to do more networking with people who can introduce you to hiring authorities, which usually means more people who work for your desired organization. I found 8-10 such conversations at all times is a good number.