Recently, I met with a workplace mentor to discuss my career. She had a lot of great insight from her nearly 20 year career where she moved quickly from student employee to senior management. The original reason I looked for a mentor at work was because I have NO IDEA where I want to go from here!
Just a few months ago I was just hoping to be brought in as a full time employee after working for 2 years as a student. I was worried about having to join many of my friends in the unfortunate job situation they find themselves in:
- Little or no jobs available in our fields
- Higher requirements than previously required (Masters for entry level?!)
- Short term contracts with no renewal
- Forced contract bouncing
- And less than ideal work environments
So after I was given my job, management started my career profile and training plan. One of the questions: Have you discussed your career plans with your manager? Nope! I hadn’t even discussed them with MYSELF yet. And frankly, I had no idea what I wanted. This needed to change, but I never had a role model who really progressed in a career (changing positions, changing businesses, etc.). So how am I supposed to frame this in my mind?
My mentors suggestion? Write a letter to myself. She said a great exercise to plot out a career path was to write a letter to your future self in 5 year increments. These letters should outline where in your career you want to be at that time. So, I took her advice and wrote the letters. So without further ado…my letter to myself in 5 years RE: MY CAREER!
Edited for privacy.
Emily,
As per my mentoring meeting with a member of the senior management team, I have decided to write a letter to you, my future self, about where I expect to see myself in 5 years’ time in terms of career.
In five years’ time, I hope to be well established in my career. If I remain in my current area of work, I hope to be in a mid-level career. Ideally, this would be met with $$$ pay plus benefits to ensure my husband and I have a stable life and can meet our needs.
As for what type of work I want to be doing? Now that is a loaded question. Right now, I enjoy working with data, but I am not sure if being a data analyst or statistician will keep me entertained in the future. After talking with my mentor I realized I want a career like hers, where people know her name and ask for her. I don’t need to be management, but I want to be someone people look to for solutions. Perhaps my best option would be to progress to a senior position, or an assistant to senior management.
In terms of where to work, I enjoy the atmosphere where I am but am being encouraged by my mentors to seek out opportunities wherever they may be so as to expand my skill set. This thought process makes sense, though it will require me to change my perception on worker’s loyalty. So, in five years I could be anywhere, but wherever I am I want to be happy.
Now, there is always the option of working outside in a different area. I think working for a corporation could hold amazing opportunities for me due to the dynamic environment and never-ending career possibilities. If I go this route I hope to have at least dabbled in business analytics and maintain the data focus I have built thus far. The ideal scenario here would be a consultant in this area though that is a lofty goal in 5 years considering a career change would be in order.
I hope in 5 years I still have a good working environment, chances to improve my French, more challenges and opportunities, and a more flexible schedule (something that hopefully changes on a larger scale).
So tell me, what have I accomplished in 5 years? Did I get to the career I wanted or do I have a ways to go?
Emily Marie
April 16, 2015
