Write a future resume to get out of your career rut

Many American workers are searching for new job opportunities today. While some want to change jobs in search of better benefits, others want to switch careers to pursue higher salaries. Some others are considering?launching their own business venture ?but don’t know where to start. A considerable portion of workers is in search of a second job to help pay the bills.

If you, too, are searching for a new job, you might be feeling stressed out. It isn’t easy to put yourself out there when you have already settled into your current job. Visualizing the progression of your career will help you a lot. This gives you the clarity to help you stay focused on your future career goals while you get where you want to go. Think about the end result you want. Is it early?retirement ? Or a long, fulfilling career as a CEO? Writing a resume for your future self will definitely help you. Let’s see how you can do that.

Identify your finish line

What’s the job you want to display at the top of your resume? And by when do you imagine yourself sitting on that chair? Give yourself a reasonable timeline. If you are a technical officer right now, you might want to give yourself a few years until you climb up the ladder to your goal. Great! Now you’ve listed “CTO” for the year 2030. What are the responsibilities you will perform in this role? What achievements do you think you’ll make?

Fill in those resume gaps

This is where the fun begins! Now, you get to select all the different jobs, educational qualifications, training, achievements, and other stuff that you will need to get to your dream position in 2030. Will you earn a master’s degree in two years to qualify for a management role? How many online certifications do you plan to acquire by 2026? What kind of achievements as a technical officer do you think will get you noticed by the management to qualify for a promotion? Carefully consider your?career values ?when you plan your next move.

Let your creativity flow

There’s no need to let your future resume be all work and no fun. Be a little bit creative with the writing process. Remember, you are not just writing a future resume, you are planning out the next eight years of your career and life. Think about the stuff you haven’t considered so far. Will you have to move two states to the west to grab that opportunity you have been eyeing for a while? What are your?career advancement ?prospects like? Are you planning on taking up a Spanish or French course to polish up your?language skills ? Ask a mentor or senior worker to help you with your future plans.?Career counseling ?will help you a lot when you make plans for a competitive job market.

Now that you’ve got the plan laid out, make it all happen!

You have now considered every aspect of your future career for the next decade. You’ve got all your moves carefully figured out. The only thing left to do now? Make it all happen! You need to get out there and make some changes so that you can get out of this career rut. Look at the next step on your resume. Have you planned to complete an online certification in a few months? Sign up for a course that ticks all your boxes and start learning away.

Don’t let your future resume get stagnant

Just like your real resume, your future resume also needs to be updated at least twice a year as you progress in your career. Updating your resume as your experiences change will ensure that you don't overlook any worthwhile accomplishments or achievements. Sometimes, your career goals may change over the years. In such cases, you can take a Saturday evening and rewrite your entire future resume to align with your new plans. Feeling lost while making decisions? Consider getting the expert advice of a career coach or?life coach ?to help yourself out.