Make goals, and crush them. Goal setting is key in successfully planning your career.
If you’re not ready for that dream job now, then what do you need to do to get there? Determine what skills you need, what projects might help you build your resume. If you’re considering a career change, how will you get that experience? Do you need a formal training program? Your goals may change over time, but having something set will ensure you’re moving in the right direction.

Set Goals

Asking for advice from knowledgeable sources is possibly the best way to form a career plan. <ul><li>Rely on the advice of people who have done it before. This could be someone internal in your organization or someone outside of it. </li><li>Professional networking groups can be a great tool in syncing you up with others in your industry. However, don’t just rely on those. Surfing around LinkedIn can also be a great way to get in touch with the right people.</li><li>If you applied for a job and didn’t get it, try to ask for advice and look for reasons why they didn’t hire you. This can give you direction on what to work on for the next time around.</li></ul>

Ask for career advice

Research is huge when planning the rest of your life’s work. Do you know which companies you would potentially want to work for? Do you know what job title is fit for your qualifications? Do you know what kind of salary you need? These are all questions that you should know the answer to when looking for work. Use the internet to your advantage when looking for your dream job.

Obtain as much information as possible

Professional social networking sites are a great way to help you keep tabs on your accomplishments. Your future employer can’t and won’t hire you if they don’t know what you’re capable of. Additionally, when it comes to making a case for yourself you don’t want to have to scramble to remember details. Keep samples of your work and notes on some of your accomplishments!It’s all about creating an impressive resumé/portfolio of yourself and making an action plan. Also, professional experience is becoming increasingly more influential to managers when compared to a college degree when looking at your job application. However, many employers still look for formal education, and having both is a big-ticket to success.

Keep a solid record of your accomplishments

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<li>Job shadowing: Just like buying a car, trying out a job before taking it is always a great idea. What if you love the clean environment of working at an accounting firm, but you lack the necessity of being able to stand up and walk outside when necessary? Many organizations may allow you to do some job shadowing as part of your role, especially if you express interest in furthering your career with them. However, even if your organization doesn’t permit it, then consider looking for other places to get the skills. </li>
<li>Education: If you don’t quite have the skills you need to reach your career goals, then formal education may be a benefit. Do you need a degree? Would a Masters help? Sometimes just a class, certification, or other training might be all you need.</li>
<li>Take on new projects: If you’re on the right path but short a few skills, there may be room within your current job to get there. Look at what new projects and responsibilities you can take on that will help you advance your career.</li>
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Getting skills

If you’re ready to look for new jobs, here are some suggested steps:
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<li>Build an impressive portfolio/resume. Impress employers by showing them what you’re capable of.</li>
<li>Add your portfolio to online job marketplaces. Your portfolio isn’t any good if it doesn’t reach the eyes of employers. While sometimes sites like this can be spammy, they can also be a good way to find leads on jobs that you may not have considered on your own.</li>
<li>Apply to as many jobs as possible. With today’s technology, you have no excuse for applying as many job applications as possible.That means you could potentially apply for hundreds of jobs in one day. However, it can also be smart to customize your resume and cover letter for individual jobs, so don’t skimp out on effort here!</li>
<li>Be prepared for responding to job offers. Shooting at a wide range of targets means you could get a lot of responses. Be sure to respond quickly, keep an eye out for follow-ups, and be attentive. You should be prepared for multiple interview stages, have examples of your work to provide, and be prepared for the long haul — finding jobs can take a long time.</li>
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Going on the hunt

<ul><li>Sifting through career options is a task with near-limitless possibilities, so have fun with your job search. Be open to different options. Keeping an open mind open mind when it comes to your job position or job title will help you find a suitable fit easier.</li><li>Don’t box your options into one category. You might be qualified for jobs that you didn’t even know about.</li><li>Having experience in more than one spectrum makes you invaluable to employers, so a career change could result in making substantially larger amounts of money.</li></ul>

Career exploration with an open mind

Planning your career can be challenging. What do you really want to do with your life? Are you on the right path? Is this job just a dead end or is it