Career planning is very important, and I thank you for asking this career planning question because it is something that so many people overlook and leave to chance.

I sometimes think that too many people allow themselves to drift into a career and just roll along with the breeze until they get to an age where they ask themselves: 'What happened?'

If you don't start planning your career, you will find that somebody else will direct what happens to you. And you may or may not end up in a satisfactory position, financially or intellectually. Would YOU be happy for someone to decide on something so important as your career?

OK you may say that no-one can control every aspect of their career, but if you don't try to influence what happens by planning, then you have no-one to blame but yourself if it doesn't turn out well.

In my mind there are 6 important career planning questions:

1. Do you know where you’re going?

2. Do you know how you’ll get there?

3. Are you making the most of your options?

4. Does anyone know about you?

5. What do others think about you?

6. How do you measure your impact?

You should try to start by answering the first question:

Do you know where you’re going?

* I know what position I want next. In my organization, the next natural progression for my career would be to work towards --- (fill this in yourself).

* I have a five-year plan for my career based on my own informal picture of the market. Other people tend to move into jobs like this (--- fill the gaps yourself) and I know whether that is a good direction for me personally.

* I have long-range goals for my career. By considering my career development plan over a long period, say 10 years, I know where I would like to get to. Using Steven Covey's principle of 'Starting With The End In Mind' I am able to work back from that point to determine my next steps.

* I have long-range goals for my personal life. These goals include health, family, spiritual, financial and social goals. Arriving at a balance of these goals provides greatest satisfaction and personal fulfillment.

* I know what skills or new knowledge will be required to progress in my job and my company. Taking careers planning issues into account plus current training and technology, I am certain of not only what I will need, but also HOW to achieve these skills.

The second career planning question is answered here.