August Means It's Time to Plan for Planning Right by Marc LeVine

Because schools usually start in the fall, the season has come to be associated with new beginnings - time to reset and make adjustments to optimize our success in everything we do.

Over the next 30-45 days, we will all be bombarded with e-mails from a variety of learning organizations offering all sorts of classes, certificates, and degree programs. The temptation is great to jump on the?Back to Fall?bandwagon that leads many of us to impulsively sign up for random pursuits from "Sip Wine and Paint" to PhDs in Nuclear Physics. Everyone seems to get caught up in this same autumnal pattern, year after year.

We should not be waiting for fall to arrive before taking steps to improve ourselves. We should be learning and growing, all year long. But one thing is for sure during all four seasons - we should never make rushed and potentially irresponsible decisions about education and training. These decisions should be well-thought out; be based on knowledgeable input from others; and always be career strategic. Skill development programs can be long and expensive and require a great deal of focus and commitment to see them through. Make wise choices.

Give yourself adequate time to think about what you really need to advance yourself. Then, ask yourself:?"What skills do I need?"

Look deeply into soul and ask yourself?how much you are are prepared to do?to get where you want to go. Be sure to know those shortcomings you absolutely need to address and be prepared to invest considerable time and money in yourself. Also, be aware of the changes taking place at your job and in your career that may require upskilling or even reskilling. Do not get left behind in a rapidly changing career landscape. Roll with change.

Seek out the input of others “in the know.” Speak with your managers, human resources' learning and development staff and professional colleagues to gain valuable recommendations about what to study that will help you grow. They know you best and know what it takes to succeed at your company.

At the end of the day, most of the onus is on you. Patience and persistence are needed. Your learning goals may or may not call for a multitude of training activities to accomplish them. Take your time and do not accept more than you can manage, all at once. Dedicate yourself to the goal that it is?successful completion or bust!?If you accept a challenge at the start, you need to be there to keep the commitment in the end. That is what winners do.

Listen to Marc's latest interview on The AutomationBlog Podcast with Shawn Tierney.

Marc LeVine is a graduate of Syracuse (NY) University with a degree in Industrial Psychology, Marc is currently Talent Acquisitions and Learning and Development Lead at Thermo Systems. He is the recipient of the Excellence in Talent Acquisitions Award from HR Awards in 2021. His prior employment includes senior Human Resources and staffing industry management roles with Edgewood Properties in Piscataway, Brickforce Staffing in Edison, InfoPro Inc. in Woodbridge and Plainsboro and Harvard Industries in Farmingdale, NJ, a former Fortune 500 company. He also served as Director of Human Resources for New Jersey Press, the parent company of the Asbury Park Press, Home News and Tribune and WKXW-NJ101.5. Earlier in his career, Marc served as Director of Career Services and Placement at Union Technical Institute in Eatontown and Neptune, NJ. In addition, Marc owned and operated Integrity Consulting Associates, a Human Resources consulting firm in Freehold for 11 years.