I don’t think I need to tell you there’s a lot that goes into a Career Path.

You have to first, look at all the options out there.

Then there’s the deciding on wtf you want to do.

And you have to do find the job within that career and then you have to get the gig and start your “Career” with a capital C.

It’s enough to make you want to say, “Ready, Set, Run.”

But here’s the thing:

When you really nail it, having an intentional Career Path presents an incredible opportunity to be successful in the ways you want to be. And I’m going to give you a blueprint for success.

In this Career Path guide, I’ll be answering 7 common career choice questions people ask me. And I’ll give you the real scoop – based on years of my own trial and error and another decade of working with over 900 clients – so you can rest assured you’re getting answers from an expert.

These are the answers I wish I had in the early days of my job hopping, and my hope is that they’ll clear up any confusion you have around career pathing so you can maximize your results.

Before we dig in, I created this FREE workbook with all the steps to get you started with choosing a career path.

Download your free copy of “5 Big Questions To Find A Career That Makes You Happy” now!

#1. What’s the best way to approach crafting a Career Path?

There are loads of different ways to approach the process, and the key is to find one that resonates with you. At the end of the day, the best approach is the one that works for you and your definition of success.

That said, here are some approaches I recommend:

Approach #1 – Reverse Engineering

Start with your ultimate goal and work backwards to decide on each step you need to take to get there.

This is great for folx who have an idea of what their ideal future looks like but don’t have a set idea of how to get there.

For example:

Ricki, a client I had, knew that they wanted to retire early so that they could travel and play music. Lofty, and 100% doable actually! We worked out a path that meant starting at the year she wanted to retire and the amount of money she needed to retire with to make her traveling troubadour dreams a reality.

Knowing how much money she’d need was the key. She didn’t love her job, but was good at it and knew that she could get at minimum two promotions and raises within the timeframe needed. SO she created a goals & milestones plan based on those.

She also decided on adding a second income stream of doing contract work for smaller companies than her ‘day job.’ She then chose to add a third income stream into her plan of teaching music to adults.

A strict timeline was created beginning with 3 income streams and the ultimate promotion. Then working back to the first steps that needed to be taken. She then began working towards those promotions and pay raises step by step. She was very clear with her leadership team that she wanted more responsibility and fast. She worked with them to make it happen.

Then once the first promotion was secured, she began implementing her ‘side hustle’ for a solid year. By the second year she was in line for the next promotion and ready to add income stream #3.

I can report that she in fact hit each of those milestones that had been planned out and was actually able to retire a full year earlier than her original plan by giving up her expensive Bay Area rent and starting her traveling journey earlier!

Approach #2 – Start With Your Now

Instead of focusing on the future, focus on what you want to do in your day-to-day.

This is my personal approach to my career path. But I didn’t start doing this until I was in career change number two, and it made every difference in the world for me.

I couldn’t get a fix on what I wanted my future to look like but I knew what I did (and didn’t) want to do each day.

Most people don’t put enough intentionality into this approach, and so they don’t create a true career path effectively.

This isn’t about just drifting along and hoping it works out. This is about taking stock of what role responsibilities you truly enjoy and want to engage in and intentionally finding ways to expand that into a longer term career path.

You need to first understand in what ways you like to work and on what and then map out ways to do those things intentionally and with purpose.

Approach #3 – Experiment

This is for those who are ok with things being ‘up in the air’ a bit. You set some basic parameters and then ‘try on’ a few jobs, careers, or fields to see what feels like the best fit.

This is a tactic I used during my first career change and it’s a tactic I encourage my clients to use if they have a support system (both emotionally and financially).

I was in what I called ‘Trial & Error” mode for over 3 years before I realized what I was doing was Experimenting and that I needed to be more mindful over my actions.

To create a career path through experimentation you need to do what my client Laura did. Which was to create a list of parameters that your career needs to meet. These could be emotional, logistical, financial - whatever you need to get out of your work.

Once you have your checklist of parameters you can try on as many jobs, careers, fields and roles as you like until you find one that not only meets your parameters but makes you happy.

For Laura her parameters included things like: $85k minimum salary, creativity based, benefits, ability to engage in different tasks and a hybrid work model.

As I write this, she’s on job number three and is liking it. She thinks it’s a close match but isn’t 100% certain it’s the one. She is considering trying one other role.

She’s ‘trying on’ these jobs by taking on contract work that lasts from 3-6 months. You can do this by taking full time jobs or several remote jobs at once. There is no right or wrong way!

#2. What should I be doing every day / week / month?

The best way to actually execute on the career plan you create is to set daily goals and action items and review your progress each week. You can then adjust your plan based on your progress.

Here are some specific focus areas that will help you achieve your career plan:

Daily: focus on action items that truly move the needle
Weekly: keep track of your progress and wins
Monthly: check in with your mentor/manager/career coach

To help you stay on track, use any method that actually works for you. Some of my clients like Notion, some use Asana, some just a google doc and others an actual journal.

#3. How long will it take to make my Career Path happen?

I know you’re pumped about crafting your career and want to get to the “there” as fast as you can, but you can’t cut corners when it comes to your career. You’ll only find yourself either spinning or burnt out, both of which will delay your career path coming to fruition!

You’ll have much better results if you focus on one or two small goals at a pop. For example, “get 3 pieces of good feedback form leadership” or “research market salaries for new role.”

Before you know it, you’ll look back and the rest will be history.

Instead of focusing on how long it will take, focus on the process and making progress.

Here’s how you’ll know when you’ve executed your career plan:

You’re meeting your parameters
You know how to define success for yourself, and are aware of when it occurs
You no longer feel like you’re drifting

#4. Is there a faster way to create a successful Career Path?

I get it. Getting to a point where you feel you’ve hit your career stride can take a long time. You have to figure out what you want, plan the thing, and then do all the things.

It’s hard to stay focused and motivated, especially if you already have a demanding job and a family to care for.

Here’s what you can do to stay motivated:

Create a visual that allows you to track progress (one really crafty client created a digital candyland tracker for her plan!)
Discuss your plan with and get support from a mastermind group
Throw yourself a celebration or treat yourself at each milestone completion

But the most important thing you should do?

Keep your eyes on the version of future you that’s just waiting for you to get there!

#5. How do I know what to focus on next?

Sometimes it’s hard to know if THIS strategy or THAT strategy will work best for you. Should you try taking yet another career assessment test? Or just follow your company’s growth plan?

It all depends on where you’re at in your Career Plan journey:

If you’re still trying to figure out what career you’re even trying to plan a path for, focus on that exploration first
If you’re in the early stages of a chosen career, map out your ideal complete career path
If you’re in the middle or at the end stages of your career, focus on the finish line

Remember, more than anything else what should steer the course of your career plan is your personal definition of success.

#6. What tools or resources should I use to craft my Career Plan?

If you’re ready to level up your career, you’ll want to use the right resources & tools for the job. Tools that help you achieve your career plan faster and easier so you can reach that level of success you’re looking for.

The best tools will help you hit those career milestones without leaving you feeling overwhelmed.

Here are three of my favorites and how to use them:

Your mentor: Lean on their expertise, insight and network to get where you want to go
The free university: AKA YouTube. Any and every question you could ask yourself about your individual career and how to become more skilled in it is answered there
A career coach: Meet with your coach so they can advise you on how to reach those milestones and goals

#7. What am I doing wrong with following a set Career Path?

If you’ve been following a particular career plan for a while but not getting results, don’t worry. It’s one of the biggest things my client struggle with, so take a deep breath. It’s not you.

What’s likely at fault here is that you’ve set your plan but you’re lacking some control over our path.

The way to fix it is to work with your manager and your leadership team if in a corporate environment and your mentor or coach in any other type of situation. No mentor or coach? Grab a trusted friend or create a mastermind to help each other reach goals.

Wrapping it Up

Now you have the real scoop on career planning and creating a career path.

If you stay intentional and keep your eye on the end game, you’ll see the results you’re looking for.

Did I answer all your questions? Let me know in the comments.

Take a first step at putting this into action by downloading my FREE workbook “Set Yourself Up For Career Success”

This quick, actionable guide will help you DEFINE SUCCESS FOR YOURSELF, SET MEANINGFUL GOALS, CREATE A PLAN TO ACHIEVE THEM, & ACTUALLY GET STARTED!

Click here to download it now >>

Want to know even more about how to choose and create a career path, here are 3 related posts for you:

Yours in follow your path goodness-

EBS

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EB Sanders | Career Coach for Creative Types
ebsanders.com

ebs@ebsanders.com

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Finding Your Career Path: What It Is, Tips, Tools, How to Do It