Career Trajectory matters to anyone at all levels. For those who are impacted by the layoff, this is a chance to reflect on your professional life, no matter your role or industry. One day you are moving along in your career, satisfactory with the path you see in many models, and then one day, years or decades later, you find yourself feeling stagnant, uninspired, unengaged, or lost.

It’s rarely occasion and thinking what brings you to this point. It will surprisingly a big and seemingly insignificant decisions, compromises, and actions that pile up and leave you clueless.

This is quite a common phenomenon and as hybrid business models emerge and personal lives shift, it also challenges our priorities. Most will be worried that this scenario might happen to you or you are living through it now, it’s never too late to take charge of the trajectory of your career.

Given the fact that our professional lives are a huge part of who we are and take up a great deal of our time, it’s only natural to want to take some control over it, and #planningforyourcareer is just the way to do it.

WHAT DOES CAREER TRAJECTORY MEAN?

A career trajectory is the path your jobs take as you move forward, backward, or stay on during your working years.

Some will have defined milestones or goals in mind from the very beginning, others may take a job early on and follow the opportunities as they arise, defining and redefining their career aspirations as they go. Wherever you find yourself on the spectrum, getting yourself on a career trajectory that aligns with your personal and professional goals, values, and aspirations, will take some intentionality.

HOW TO TAKE CONTROL OF YOUR CAREER TRAJECTORY

Period Checks

Periodically stop and reflect inwards at any point in your career. Be mindful will ensure you are considering your feelings and surroundings. During this time, ask yourself - am I fulfilled in this role? Is my company or team bringing out the best in me? Are the projects I am working on engaging?

Asking questions like this are key to taking control of your career’s trajectory, as they can reaffirm your current job or indicate, hopefully, sooner than later, that a change of some type is needed to get you back on track.

Your Aspirations

As your career progresses, the exposure you get to different companies, colleagues, tools, and processes will either consciously or unconsciously adjust your career trajectory. For example, at the beginning of your career, your goal was to make it to the management level, and all the steps in your career trajectory were outlined to help get you there. But over time, you realize you actually enjoy tactical role and not strategic leadership role. You do not enjoy managing teams. This realization may change the career trajectory you once believed to be set in stone, but knowing what you want will make the trajectory of your career more authentic and inspiring.

 CROWDSOURCE INFORMATION

While your organization may provide you with a career path, to ensure you are the one in control of the trajectory of your career, your next step will be looking at others in your role or with your aspirations and examine their career path. Its better to speak to them and do a fulfillment plan. If you have career coach , you may be able to flesh out your goals and aspirations and turn them into an action plan.

 ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF

It is always compelling to agree on a new opportunity because it is put before us. Reflect and see if it fits into your career goals. If it is going to take you off track of a goal you have set your sights on and have been working to achieve, it is okay to advocate for yourself and decline.

In the end, it’s your career, and that decision could impact your professional life and your personal one too. On the other hand, sometimes opportunities can get us to our goals in a roundabout way. If you feel this might be the case, advocate your needs and requirements to take it on, so you feel you have some control over the unknown.

Extra Mile - Upskill and Reskill

No one is accountable for your career trajectory but you. While your HR team or professional coach plays a part in getting you there, in the end, it is up to you to ensure you reflect the path you have envisioned or defined for yourself. This may mean going the extra mile - upskilling, reskilling or seeking out a mentor. Things that may not otherwise be mandated by anyone but are essential to getting you to where you want to go.