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Yes, You Need a Career Plan. Here's How to Make One

Updated 6/19/2020
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Take charge of your professional development, so you can own your career. Use this guide to identify your dream job and make a career plan.

Whether you’re at the start of your career with only a faint idea of what you want to do, or you know exactly what you want but aren’t sure how to get there, having a career plan is the key to plotting your next steps.

And if you’re in the former category, don’t worry—everyone has to start somewhere. Even the most impressive of careers started with entry-level positions and the nagging feeling of “what’s next?”

Actively planning your career allows you to take control and groom yourself for your next step. Plus, a career plan will help you navigate which lateral moves to make, milestones to aim for, and sequential promotions to approach all the way to your dream job. Let's get started.

Infographic design by Heat Index


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Anne Shaw is a writer and marketing consultant with a side passion for helping people find work they love. If she's at her desk right now she's either crafting content or planning integrated marketing strategies. Otherwise, she's initiating a dance party with her preschooler and toddler or trying to navigate an obstacle course in the backyard.
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