
Your Boss is a Hot Mess
Have you ever found yourself sitting at your desk wondering if this is all there is? Or thought that your boss is a hot mess and you have no idea how they got the job? You could rock your company’s socks off if given the chance! You’re good enough, smart enough and doggone it, people like you. Except for the fact that no one really cares. Nor is anyone really watching you. Your immediate boss…maybe. However, above that spot you have relatively no visibility.
Therefore, no one knows how well you’re performing or what you want to do with your career. Again, your immediate supervisor might but they’re more concerned with their own issues and career trajectory than about your “path”. YOU have to take charge of your career and it starts with creating goals. You have to know where you want to go and why before any of the real magic happens. Otherwise, if you don’t plan the only promotion that comes available might send you to managing the mail room in Poughkeepsie if you’re not careful.
Why are goals important? Goals allow us to take charge of our career by giving us a preapproved road map. We can set positions that we want to hold and reasonable timelines to achieve them. The power in this is that if a position comes available that is out of alignment with our goals, we know we don’t have to worry about chasing after it. Let some other schmo get it. You have other plans.
MEDITATE
The first step in establishing our career goals is determining where it is exactly we want to go. Do you want to be the CEO (slow down killer) or do you just want to take the next step up the ladder? Do you want a decent raise or a position making $100k a year? Knowing the end game for yourself is critical in knowing what goals would be in line or out of line with your overall plan.
This is the most crucial part of the exercise. If you skip this step (which most do) you’re really doing yourself a disservice because you have no North Star. You have to understand where you want to be or you’ll never know how to get there. If you take the time to figure this out you will have a leg up on 90% of the people within your company because, again no one takes the time. So, take the time.
ANALYZE
Are your goals realistic? Can you actually be the CFO? If you don’t have an accounting degree or experience in accounting, probably not. Don’t immediately sabotage yourself by setting unrealistic goals. The point in this whole exercise is to give ourselves a pragmatic path to success.
If you are an extremely ambitious or optimistic person and you do have your eyes on a high level position it is important to also establish intermediary goals on the path to your ultimate achievement. If you want to be CEO and you’re in project management then you should plan on several intermediate positions over the course of time. You will not magically get any position just because you write it down. But you can if you have a plan and stick to it.
For example, if you’re in project management you should look for either another position at the lower management level first, then a district level position, then a regional position, etc. You should also focus on positions in other lines of business if available to make you a more rounded candidate.
BIG PICTURE
Can you achieve your goals at your current company? Another important function within this process is figuring out if your company can support your goals. If you want to be a District Sales Rep but work for a mom & pop pawn shop, you’re not going to make it. If you want to run your division but they just filled the position, you might have to reevaluate either your goals or the company you work for.
Switching companies isn’t as difficult or as frowned upon as in the past. Therefore making a move is still a viable option in truly gaining what you want from your career. Consider which is more important: the goal or the company. If you really LOVE your company, reconsider the goal. If you are really determined to fulfill the goal, reevaluate the company. Shatter your passivity and embrace determination.
GOT SKILLS?
Will your current skill set allow to fulfill the roles you have planned for yourself? If you want to be the Head of Product Development for Nike and you have no product experience, you are dead to me. If you find a position that is truly interesting you have to make sure your skills are at least somewhat aligned with the job qualifications. For example, do not go after an accounting position if you cannot crawl in bed and snuggle with spreadsheets. However, if that is what you want, your first step is to start learning spreadsheets or taking some classes on accounting.
An important point to distinguish here is the difference between Under-qualified & Unqualified. The point in this is to make sure you at least somewhat qualified. There is a huge difference between being under-qualified and unqualified. Being under-qualified means that you at least meet some of the metrics a hiring manager would use to evaluate candidates but not all. Maybe you only have two years of experience when the position calls for five. This is being under qualified and it is a hurdle but not a barrier. Being unqualified means you cannot do the job. You cannot be a neurosurgeon if you’ve only ever been an Uber driver (hopefully?).
All of this goes back to having realistic, achievable goals. Make them clear but make them attainable. Do the work!
