Whomi Blog
By now, you should have updated your career plan with an initial goal for the next step in your career. Did you have a clear goal in mind? If so, congratulations! Did you struggle to come up with a good answer? Don't worry, you are definitely not alone!
Whether you believe you are 100% committed to your goal or you are still thinking about it, we strongly encourage you to get feedback on your goal. Why? Because our experience shows that many careers don't grow quickly because people set goals that are too small.
Bigger Goals drive Bigger Results
A mid-career finance manager at a tech company had a goal to become a senior manager and get a 10% promotion. After speaking with her advisors, she realized she should be positioning herself into a bigger role as a division CFO. She followed the Whomi process and tripled her income in a matter of months
Setting a bold, but achievable goal is critical to your career advancement. Advancement can be about compensation, seniority, work/life balance, or meaningful impact. However you define it, think BIG!
A great way to stretch your thinking is to get feedback from people you trust. To do that we have to start identifying your Trusted Advisors.
Identify Your Trusted Advisors
To identify your Trusted Advisors, think about people you know and trust from your work history, school, family and friends. You are likely connected with these people in other social networks already.
Ask for Advice on Your Goal
If you have a clear goal, use this:
Hi <Name>! I'm starting to think about my next career steps and was hoping you could share some advice. I am thinking about trying to become a <insert goal her> because <insert reasons why here>. Before I confirm this as my goal, I'd love to know if you have any other ideas that could help me take an even bigger step forward in my career. I'd very much value any input you can share to help me think more broadly. Thanks so much for your help!
If you don't have a clear goal, use this:
Hi <Name>! I'm starting to think about my next career steps and was hoping you could share some advice. My priorities are <insert priorities here>. I'd love to know if you have any ideas that you think I should consider as I determine my next career goal. I'd very much value any input you can share to help me think more broadly. Thanks so much for your help!
Next we will finalize your goal and begin defining the skills you need to have to earn your goal job.
If you are a Mentor or Advisor, challenge all of your mentees to go through this exercise. Helping your mentees expand their Trusted Advisor network and getting more input on their career goals will give you even more support as you help them with their careers.
Good luck and feel free to post to "Everyone" on Whomi if you have any questions!
Whomi Career Advancement Team
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