Many career coaching and self-help groups refer to strategies that can be utilised in achieving career success. A general societal view of a successful career is that you must be high-earning, high-achieving and be well-respected by your peers to ultimately attain the coveted title. Most books assume the same also.
Career success is not about a big title or big money for many people. For some, it is a stable work environment with a good work-life balance where stress levels are low and promotion is just a hassle. For others, it is all about climbing corporate ladders, earning lots of money and being in a prestigious position both within your organisation and within society at large.
The first step in writing a career plan is focusing on “who you are” and “where you want to be” in order to achieve what you determine to be your own personal career success. Perhaps you fit the stereotype of having to maximise your earnings by climbing the corporate ladder. Perhaps you just want a secure pension from a semi-state organisation and that is your definition of a successful career.
The important thing is to recognise your own individuality and to think long and hard about how you would determine your own personal career success.
So how do you define career success?