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Advice / Succeeding at Work / Getting Ahead

Links We Love: Career Planning 101

We always hear talk of the importance of five and 10 year plans, but when it comes to actually making them, things become less clear.

How long should your plan really be for? What should you think about? How do you even go about starting? And what happens when your career doesn't go, well, as planned?

To help answer these questions and more, we've gathered some of the best articles from around the web on planning out your career path.

  • Let's start with the ultimate question: How far in advance should you really plan your career? (Bullish)

  • If you've made a plan, make sure you re-visit it regularly. (Lifehacker)

  • Instead of planning, why not try customizing your career path? (The Glass Hammer)

  • It sounds contradictory, but it's worth planning to take steps backward as part of your ultimate career trajectory. (Fast Company)

  • Learn how you can use mind maps as a more creative way to career plan. (Prolific Living)

  • Is it possible that career plans could be dangerous? (Forbes)

  • Even if you don't have a formal plan, you'll need to be prepared for a career discussion with your manager. (Careerealism)

  • In the end, it's alright if your career plan doesn't work out like you thought. (LinkedIn)

    • Want more? Check out some of our great articles on career planning!

    Grown Up Without A Grown Up PlanHow to Deal: Being a Grown-up—Without a Grown-up Plan

    It’s OK not to know what you want to be when you grow up—even if you’ve reached a grown-up age. If you’re still pondering that age-old question, here's our advice for making the best of it.

    130301 Emily BenningtonWho Do You Want to Be? A New Way to Think About Professional Development

    When you think of achieving career success, you probably think of setting and achieving goals. But career expert Emily Bennington has a different idea for professional development—one that focuses more on who you are now than who you want to be.

    Photo of woman planning courtesy of Shutterstock.