State your 5-year professional goals.
Be sure to choose attainable goals. For example, it’s not feasible for a business student to set a 5-year goal of becoming an astronaut. The steps to reach such a goal would take longer than 5 years to achieve.
List at least five actions needed to achieve your 5-year professional goals.
Sample actions include:
completing degrees and continuing education classes
earning certifications
landing jobs
participating in externship, internship, and volunteer opportunities
joining professional organizations
acquiring a mentor
attending webinars, workshops, and conventions
Describe at least five of your strengths and provide specific examples of them.
The examples you choose should illustrate your strengths in action.
A strong example of intelligence: At work, I designed an express process for billing our clients.
A weak example of intelligence: My family has always told me I’m smart.
Identify at least five self-promotion strategies you can use to broadcast your strengths.
Sample strategies include:
My CAP480 E-portfolio
Create business cards where I market myself as the inventor of the “Irresistible Mint Brownie.”
Craft a website featuring photos of the brownie I invented and other examples of my culinary achievements.
Network during the conventions I attend.
Market myself through LinkedIn.
Determine and explain at least five areas to improve upon in order to achieve your 5-year professional goals.
Be honest with yourself about your shortcomings and explain each one in detail.
Specify strategies for strengthening each of the five areas in need of improvement.
Focus on one area at a time. How can you improve each area?