Your job is not your job. Your job is to find a better job
I read this quote in Scott Adams’ “How to fail in almost everything and still win big” and found it pretty hilarious. But in a sense, it captures the very essence of strategic career planning.
In today’s hectic job market when things move so fast and there’s so much uncertainty,
it’s essential to take a pause every now and then and think of your career path with intentionality and foresight. Your next big job opportunity might be hiding under your nose, and you’re not even aware of it.
The good news is that now with Gen-AI and Chat-GPT at your fingertips, gaining valuable insights on your career has never been easier.
So in this post, I’ll let you in on a sneaky little trick that will help you gain valuable insights on your career, and how to make your next career move, with the help of our not-so-secret friend – Chat GPT.
Step 1: The Trend Is Your Friend
Understanding the pulse of your industry is a crucial first step for strategic career planning.
In the old days (that is, before chat-GPT entered into our lives) I would advise you to immerse yourself in research of the macro-economic environment and read insightful reports like the Future of Work by the World Economic Forum, and Coursera’s Skills Compass 2023.
But nowadays, all you need is a chat-GPT Plus account, you can upload these reports and ask Chat GPT for the summary of the top 10 insights and key trends from each report. You can continue the conversation and ask further questions about trends that pique your interest.
Don’t worry if you don’t have the paid version of Chat GPT, there are plenty of free tools out there like Chat PDF, that allow you to take the same approach.
If you have any reliable research for your specific industry, make sure to repeat the process.
One great tool you can use to gather some more research in your field is Preplexity.ai, which will rovide you with the relevant links and resources to credible sources.
Step 2: Personalize Your Journey
Now that you’re equipped with industry insights at the macro level, share your story and aspirations with Chat-GPT. Upload your CV and provide relevant information about your career preferences and goals.
Whether you thrive in collaborative environments or prefer to work autonomously, Chat-GPT will be able to tailor its advice to your unique preferences.
Step 3: Craft Your Career Path
Engage Chat-GPT as your virtual career coach and unlock five personalized career paths tailored to your interests, expertise, and industry trends. Don’t settle for the ordinary – refine your preferences and prompt Chat-GPT for fresh ideas until you discover the paths you feel most excited about and wat to explore further.
Step 4: Embrace Your Uniqueness
One thing you should keep in mind is that you don’t need to be an expert in any particular field to create a great career for yourself.
More often than not, having a broad enough skillset will make much more sense for your future employer to choose you over an expert with a narrow set of skills.
Here’s an example: Think of two candidates for a software engineer role in a fast-growing company. One has a clear advantage in the tech stack and demonstrates the ability to understand technical concepts. On the other hand, his people skills are sub-optimal and the sheer thought of leading a team makes his palms sweat.
The other candidate, on the other hand, has less experience in the particular tech-stack of the role, but is showing great communication skills, management experience, and also took a strategic part in product management in his previous role at a small startup. Who do you think will shine more in the long run?
What about an “okay” web designer, with good copywriting skills? Or an instructional designer with graphic design and facilitation skills? See where I’m going with this?
Your job is to uncover your professional edge by leveraging your distinctive skills and experiences. You are a unique snowflake, and all you need is to package your skills in a nice way that shows your true value and competitive edge.
Step 5: Bridge the Skills Gap
This is the final piece of the puzzle.
With potential career paths in sight, it’s time to address any skill gaps standing between you and your future dream job.
Not sure where to start? Worry you not!
You can always find some guidance from Chat-GPT. Ask it for the necessary skills and available resources to ensure you’re well-prepared for the journey ahead. Seek out thought leaders and other professionals who are a few steps ahead of you on the path, and see what you can learn from them.
Making a shift in your career is never easy, but now you have the tools and knowledge to think of your career more strategically. Take the first step with Chat-GPT and see for yourself what a transformative journey you can potentially take towards your next professional move!
Let me know in the comments what came up in your research and what are your tips for strategic career planning.
Great article, thanks!