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Get where you want to go. It can be exciting to identify a career direction and create a plan to pursue it! At the same time, where you are right now can seem like a long way from where you want to be. These 5 steps will help you take action and shorten the distance between you and your vision of the future.

Take Action Using These 5 Steps

0 of 5 activities completed
Choose the career option you want to act on. Before you spend time and energy planning to pursue this occupation, it's important to be sure you've looked at it from all the angles. You can make an action plan without making a commitment. If you don't have a specific occupation in mind, you can choose one from an industry sector that you're interested in and use this process as research.

Use the 5 steps to help you identify tasks involved in taking action.

Whether you're identifying a career direction for the first time or making a change in your career, taking action involves thoughtful planning:

  • You can create an action plan for a specific occupation or a general career direction. Action planning can often clarify your options.
  • The most effective action plans are:
    • Based on accurate, up-to-date information
    • Concrete and detailed
    • Tied to timelines with specific completion dates
  • Basing your action plan on a specific occupation gives you a better understanding of both the action planning process and the occupation.
  • If you're not ready to commit, think of it as research.

Identify an Occupation

Before you spend too much time and energy planning to pursue this occupation, make sure you've looked at it from all the angles.

Identify Key Tasks

You will need to identify key tasks to help you move towards your selected occupation. These tasks may involve further learning, work or experience.

Identify Supporting Tasks

Some smaller tasks may also need to be developed to help you prioritize what needs to be done first, prepare to achieve your key tasks and to set yourself up for success.

Create a Timeline

Get started on your timeline now. When you say you will finish tasks according to a timeline, the tasks become real and you can get them done.

Stay Motivated

All of this planning can be a bit stressful. When you're under stress, you may resist making changes or delay taking action. Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to help you stay motivated.

Be SMARTER when you make your action plan

S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Achievable
R = Relevant
T = Time-limited
E = Evaluate-able
R = Re-adjustable

It can be exciting to identify a career direction and create a plan to pursue it! At the same time, where you are right now can seem like a long way from where you want to be. This planning tool will help you take action and shorten the distance between you and your vision of the future.