My Signature Fail-Proof Career Plan Strategy
Nicole Schmitz
Coach | Speaker | LLB, BA-Psychology | Think. Speak. Connect Australian Small Business Champion ’23 Winner | International Business Awards ’23 Winner | Telstra Business Awards Finalist ’24 Thought Leadership | Influence
Do you have a long-term career plan, or are you ‘floating’?
There is this myth that hard work and dedication alone will eventually guarantee success. You join an eminent organisation with lots of growth potential. You dedicate yourself, do all your work diligently, and hope your leader will notice you. Maybe give you a promotion; get you one step closer to (what in most cases is) a vague vision of your dream career.
And then, before you know it, it’s been five years – and you are practically in the same place. Not nearly as close to that ‘dream career’ as you had first envisioned. So where did it all go wrong?
Well, let me ask you this:
What is your dream job and career?
Have you thought about what it looks like in practice?
And if so, do you have a structured solid plan to get you there?
If you’ve answered ‘YES’ to all of the above, let me congratulate you! You have already ticked two steps off my 3-step long-term career goal action plan.
But if not, then keep reading because this month’s newsletter will get you out of the ‘floating’ career space and into a fail-proof strategic career plan. One that will give you confidence, a sense of meaning and purpose, and motivation to get up each day and take the steps you need to get to the finish line of your dream job and career.
Did you know?
o ? You are 10 times more likely to succeed if you have goals in mind.?
and…?
o ? If you go a step further and write your goals down, chances are, you will be 3 times more successful than the person who doesn’t put pen to paper.
Hard work ≠ success
Now here’s the thing: so many people are of the view that hard work alone will result in success. Fair enough. But that mindset will only get you so far. The reality is that while working hard is a crucial aspect of success, it is only one part of a multi-faceted process. To land your dream job and career, and really make it to the top, you need to be strategic, and you need a plan. One that is targeted, intentional and aligned with your Authentic Leadership Presence, which is the first step of my 3-step long-term career goal action plan.
So let’s get to work!
Step #1
Discover your Authentic Leadership Presence
Before you construct your long-term career plan, you need to dig deep and find out who you are and where you stand as a professional.
Ask yourself questions like:
Answering these questions is the key to landing your 'Unique Leadership Blueprint' which then informs your ‘Authentic Leadership Presence’.?
Note: This step is all about cultivating who you naturally are. It is critical because understanding yourself on a deeper level and then acting on it with authenticity is a surefire way to gain confidence, which always leads to success.
What’s more, this knowledge is extremely valuable as it becomes your constant, and something you can carry with you throughout your career - wherever it may lead you.
That’s why I can’t stress enough how important it is to get this step right!
Step #2
Construct a 1, 2 and 5-year plan
Once you’ve discovered who you are as a leader, the next step is to construct a plan and give your journey structure. Set your final goal and then work backwards to define the steps you need to take to get you there in five years.
You can do this in a couple of steps:
Questions to consider in this process include:
Step #3
Review and refine your plan regularly
The final step in your fail-proof strategic career plan is, unfortunately, the one most people forget to keep up with; revisiting, reviewing and refining your plan. Checking in on a regular basis is one of the most crucial elements that determines your chances of success. It’s important to understand that effective career planning is not a one-off process. Because your skills, position and circumstances change over time, it is absolutely necessary to adjust your plan accordingly.?
Now, you can do this on your own, or you might go for more formal measures such as psychometric testing, which will give you a more targeted outline and – better results.?
I offer a DISC & Motivators Assessment - complete with a 60-page report to help you understand your personality type,?refine your authentic leadership presence, and re-evaluate your 1,2 and 5-year plan. There are two parts to this customised assessment:
Self-Awareness Creates Authentic Leaders
Understanding yourself from all angles can help you to understand exactly who you are as a leader - and, define your all-important Authentic Leadership Presence.
This in turn leads to increased confidence, certainty, authenticity, and strengthens your personal brand.
Want to know more? Watch this video.
3 Steps To Achieve Your Career Goals
We all want to feel a sense of accomplishment and achievement when it comes to our leadership careers.
But it’s about more than just doing well on a singular project or winning an award.
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It takes long-term strategic planning, concrete goal-setting, and deliberate, intentional, and conscious action towards the career and life you’ve always wanted.
Want a summary of the key steps? Watch this video.
Find Your Unique Leadership X-Factor
Want to know how structured long-term career planning fits within your entire holistic leadership development process?
Your 6-step leadership development process to be exact!
Watch this video for more details.
On The Fence About Your Leadership Direction & Progress??
Are you on the fence about your leadership direction and progress??
Perhaps it is because you aren’t clear on your strengths and weaknesses?
Find the answers in my Leadership X-Factor Scorecard.
It benchmarks your capacity for effective leadership communication and highlights specific areas for leadership development.
If you want to think, speak, and connect, like other charismatic, influential thought leaders, then this is your quick and easy starting point!
Current Read
Does your long-term career plan involve leading with authenticity? Read this book to help transform your leadership path - for the better.
The Road to Self-Actualisation: The Ultimate Goal
Popularised by Abraham Maslow, self-actualisation is the realisation of your full potential through the complete development of your abilities and appreciation for life. It is the highest form of self-fulfillment!
And - it’s a yearning that exists in all of us.?
What’s involved?
Common themes: Authenticity, goal-setting, and review!
Developing a long-term career plan is a deeply personal and individual process. Before you can lead a meaningful life and career, you need to do some self-analysis and evaluation. You need to put all your cards out on the table and get to know yourself. What is it you have to work with? What are you lacking or perhaps coming out on top with? What drives you? Which values do you want to advocate? All these questions will help identify your long-term career plan and how you will approach it.
I’ve partnered closely with hundreds of clients worldwide to help them find their individual paths to success, so I speak from experience when I say it’s not a case of ‘one size fits all’.
Each person’s path is unique, and what success looks like for one may not be for another.
So visualise your dream job, discover your Authentic Leadership Presence and make it a consistent practice to fine-tune your career plan. And if you would like to call in a professional to help get you on the right path, I’m here to help!
Til’ next time.
Nicole Schmitz
LLB, BA-Psych
Certified Leadership Coach, ICF Member
?2022 by Nicole Schmitz | www.nicoleschmitzcoaching.com
T: +61 427 279 969