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What do you want to achieve from your career and where do you want to end up? 

Planning for your career should be a continual process that allows you to monitor and alter your plan as and when circumstance dictate. Your life aspirations will change as you go on. As you get older, get married, have children and develop in your career, your idea of your end goal may change. Don’t be tied to your plan and be willing to change it as necessary. However, maintain a clear idea of where you are going throughout this process of change. 

Below are some steps that will help you with this.

Step 1

Review your current position

Consider your current position and how it suits your current skills based on what your future aspirations are.         

Questions to ask when you consider your plan: 

    •    Where am I at now?

    •    Where do I want to be in my career?

    •    What do I want out of my career as a tax professional?

    •    What do I enjoy doing the most?

    •    What are my strengths?

    •    What am I average at?

    •    What skills do I need to develop?

    •    What are you willing to sacrifice to make it happen?

    •    What am I not willing to give up?

    •    What do I want in in my private life?

Step 2

Gather information.

This step is about exploring and learning about areas that interest you.

    •    What skills do you have currently and what do you need to develop?

    •    What opportunities are available in your current rm to improve your skill set?

    •    What skills do I need?

    •    Where is the work?

This will allow you to understand what direction you need to take.

Step 3

Identify the right direction

This will allow you to compare what you have with what you need to develop.

    •    What are your options for developing?

    •    How does your current role match your skill set and interests?

    •    Will your current responsibilities allow you to develop into the profession
that you want to?

    •    What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?

    •    What will help and what will hinder me?

    •    What can I do about it? 

At the end of this step you will have narrowed down your options and have more of an idea of what you need to do next to help you achieve your goals. 

Step 4

Take action.

This is when you plan what actions you need to take to make the next move.

Your analysis of your current role, skill set and immediate career path will allow you to understand what you need to do to create your plan.

    •    What actions must I take to achieve my career goals?

    •    What specific actions must I take to improve my position?

    •    What support and assistance will I need to achieve my aims? 

You now have a plan that should meet your goals in the time frame you are hoping for. Take the time to react to your plan regularly and reassess how it is working for you right now. Ask yourself the same questions whenever you waver and ensure that the end goal is still suited for your current needs.