Have you created a career management plan?

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Yesterday I refocused a resume for a returning client who landed her new position in July 2010. Her new company’s rule is that you need to be employed with them for 1 year before you can apply for any internal positions. She has met this goal!

Capture your success stories

She now is targeting a trainer position to use training skills she built in other jobs. My client knew that though she had a successful resume which worked last time, she needed help in capturing her new success stories and re-focusing her resume to match her new internal target.

Clients who work with me at Design Resumes know they participate in an interview-based, mainly real-time writing experience either in my office or via Skype. As I asked her questions and she answered, it was very obvious she knows what she is talking about. Since her particular position and department is new to me, I role-played with her to get her to demonstrate the calls she makes in her current position.

As we finished the update, I not only grasped the details of her present position but I understood why she was successful. Her answers exuded confidence and enthusiasm! The clarity of her answers coupled with her obvious caring nature had made her a natural. I have no doubt she will be able to translate this experience to the new role as a trainer and be an asset to the company as she teaches others the job.

Do you have a career plan?

As we continued our appointment, I asked, “You’ve always had a career plan, right?” Enthusiastically, she answered, “Yes!”

I have worked with other clients like her before and I have to say that they are my favorite type of client. Here’s what differentiates them from the average job seeker:

• They don’t necessarily have a specific job target with each step but they know even part time jobs and internships will build specific skills can tie into your end career goal.
• They are dedicated and willing to work hard to achieve their career goals and typically they also understand the key role fiscal management plays in this economy. She has not only a career plan but a financial management plan and to reach it, she doubled up at one point and for 9 months worked 80 hours a week. She said it was tough but it built skills and helped her reach some financial goals.
• They follow a path much like stepping stones or building blocks using each step to get closer to their goals.
• They see each step as another way to grow specific skills so when opportunity knocks, they are ready.

We hear stories every day of people who are unemployed for two to three years and who claim there are no opportunities. This young lady has no gaps on her resume. In fact, she has overlaps but she has put in her time, is not afraid of hard work, and learns from every experience including challenges, problems, and set backs.

She loves her current company and believes in their mission. This attitude adds to why she may very well succeed in achieving her next target. Do you have a career plan?