Stalled in your career? Considering consulting a career coach? UNE Careers Counsellor Kate Pardy provides 10 suggestions for how to be your own.
1. Establish what your career goal is and where you want to get to.
2. Blur the edges of that goal.
"Give yourself more options, remembering that the bigger the target, the easier it is to hit."
3. Chart a realistic path for how to reach that career goal.
4. Identify and access the resources you will need to get you there.
"This could be specific knowledge and skills, which you'll need to acquire through additional training and study."
5. When your plans go awry, as they will, don't despair or panic.
"Sometimes you have to go around obstacles or travel the long way."
6. Access support and get help when you need it: help helps!
"It's important to be okay showing your vulnerabilities. Consider accessing counselling to make your journey easier and your goals more attainable."
7. There are always other ways to reach your career goals
"Consider the range of alternatives for getting from A to B. It may involve a little more work than you originally thought."
8. Accept that you might change career goals mid-stream.
"The important thing in this process is to be open-minded, flexible and adaptable. Always be open to considering other avenues of work and other work arrangements."
9. Don't let other people define your success and what it should look like.
10. Accept that your career is a work in progress.
"Your career goals may change and career planning should not be one-dimensional. Keep reassessing whether your work is personally and professionally rewarding. For most of us, work is more than just a job."
Kate Pardy is a member of UNE's Careers Concierge Team, which provides students with career-focused guidance to help them tailor study to their professional aspirations.
