To Plan or Not to Plan
30 May 2025
YOUR PERSONAL CAREER DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY
Career journeys often follow unplanned paths shaped by opportunity and circumstance. Many professionals and senior executives could have taken vastly different routes. So, if much of your path has evolved organically, why consider a personal career plan now?
A successful career requires ongoing personal development to ensure that you are continuously building on the skill set you have, gaining new skills and keeping up with the rapidly changing environment in which we work. Taking some time to map out your career ambitions and understanding the skill set required for you to get there is important. This clarity enables you to take purposeful action and proactively plan the steps necessary to reach your goals
No matter what stage you’re at in your career, taking the time to reflect on your current position and conduct a thorough self-assessment of your skills, qualifications, and experience is highly valuable. This process allows you to critically evaluate your strengths, identify any gaps or areas requiring further development, and pinpoint opportunities to expand your experience. It can also help clarify the connections and networks you may need to build to progress toward your career goals.
Next, it’s important to assess the broader environment and consider how political, economic, socio-cultural, environmental, and other external factors are currently influencing your chosen industry. These dynamics can shape both the opportunities available and the potential barriers to achieving your career goals. As these factors are constantly evolving, regularly reviewing and adjusting your career plan ensures it remains relevant and responsive to changing circumstances.
Having clear understanding of the criteria for your next role is essential. Take time to assess your current skill set against the requirements of your ideal position and identify any gaps or areas for improvement. Incorporate these into your personal career plan. Be both strategic and creative in exploring opportunities that will help you build the capabilities and experiences needed to move forward.
Then there are the stretch goals. This can be your ultimate career goal and may be very different to your next role. These may seem unattainable but if you don’t dream, if you don’t envisage the possibility, if you don’t have faith and confidence in yourself and you don’t prepare, then they will be unattainable. Consider the options and put into your plan the types of development, experiences and networking that could get you there. Join in, put your hand up and ensure you contribute. These are the things that will put you on the radar of people that can help you get to where you ultimately want to be.
As all good planners know having a detailed Action Plan including steps, timelines and milestones is important. Include development opportunities and networking – who to know and connect with. Make considered steps to get there.
Finally evaluate your progress, review and adjust as necessary. In reviewing your progress consider the opportunities that you have taken up which have given you additional skills or experience and map these into your career plan or tick them off as complete. Consider whether taking up these opportunities has opened up other options on your career journey and whether you want to map these into your career plan.
And ultimately enjoy the trip as it will have many detours, some sliding door moments and possibly some hits and misses but all of these will hopefully lead to a fulfilling career journey and get you to where you want to be.
About the Author
LIZ HLIPALA
Principal Search Consultant
Liz Hlipala has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the healthcare sector in Australia today. She brings more than three decades of experience working in the healthcare sector at senior executive levels to any consultancy she undertakes.
