Having a career map helps to gain clarity to what’s next in mid or late career - and it can be a game changer.  A career map helps to create a plan of where you think your career will go and thinking about your skills, your likes and dislikes and what others say you’re adept at doing.  It’s about looking at the near and far future and writing down steps to take to get there.  Figuring out the desired destination is the first step.  Whether your dream is being the next Director, VP or CEO of a huge company or creating your own startup, writing out a career map will help discern the next steps needed to move forward.  

A friend of mine was passionate about product design and human behavior research but was in a dead-end sales job.  Her friend owned a recruitment firm and said it would take a year to make such an extreme career change - maybe even longer.  Her jaw dropped. However, when she started working on her career map and taking courses and networking, she began to see that it’s attainable.  By envisioning something different, she began feeling more empowered and eventually landed a new position in product design research at age 55 after a year and a half of working on her skillset and aligning with organizations that were in the design field.

Here are steps to create a career map:

Collect Self Data

Take some time to reflect and write down your best skills, traits, passions, and talents. Understand what excites you and makes you feel engaged. 

Asking these questions may help to get started:

• What’s most frustrating?  
• What gives me the most satisfaction at work currently?  
• When was the last time I was thrilled about what I accomplished?

Ask for directions:

People enjoy talking about themselves, their knowledge, and often love being a mentor.  Talk to as many people as possible who are doing things that interest you. You’ll find that others who are in the industry you want to be in are equally passionate about it and may offer to make an introduction.   

• Search industry specific organizations that may need help or may introduce you to others in the field.
• Reach out to a related non-profit organization.  It’s a great way to expand one’s network and attain an apprenticeship. 

Continued Growth:

Maybe it’s time to get a professional certification, or even learn another language that will be useful for you in the future.  One way to lose enthusiasm at work is to stop learning. When we are learning, we often find ourselves reengaged. It’s not easy to do if you’re ready to jump but try identifying one part to improve significantly. Trying out different and creative ways to do what you have been doing for years might help.

These should all go on the map. Lifestyle considerations should also be on the map. For example, if you want to live in Southern France in 10 years, place that on the map and if it’s an image, even better.

Celebrate:

Rediscovering the joy of achievement and the belief that what we do matters is the goal.  Don’t forget to celebrate big and small achievements.  Even if it’s a phone call with someone new who is in the field you’d like to be in some day, that’s considered a win.  Write it down in your “celebration column” and at the end of the year, you’ll notice hundreds of “small wins” that add up over time.

Things Look Different Now:

In mid and late career especially, oftentimes people want more meaningful careers - something that will leave them a legacy to be proud of and something they can’t stop talking about when asked.  It’s ALL about feeling useful.  Believe it or not, anyone can save the world and move the needle in every interaction they have - if one has made up their mind to do so. Rediscover the deeper purpose of your work. Each day ask, “How can I make someone's day a little bit better?”

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How To Make A Career Map That Actually Works