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➡️ Why you need a 10-year career plan (Hint: It's not what you expect)

💡learnshiv newsletter - September 18th, 2024

Author

Shivani Persad
September 18, 2024

Hi! Welcome to the 31st edition of 💡learnshiv. Here, we bridge the gap between personal growth and social consciousness by providing tools to survive and thrive within systemic barriers.

Here’s what we’re talking about in this week’s newsletter:

  • You need to create a 10-year plan, but not for why you think!

    • I recently saw this post from Leah Smart on LinkedIn

    • It made me think about how I think planning your career is important, but so many of us are over climbing a corporate ladder and over-working ourselves. We just want to make enough to survive, and then thrive a little.

    • I worked off of Leah’s post and built in how I think you should still build a 10-year plan… while also considering late-stage capitalism…

1) Build a 10-year plan that is more of a “vision”
Lesson: Your plan should include a vision for your life that doesn’t stop at work

Explanation: Imagine work that aligns with your values and contributes positively to society. Your plan should address both personal fulfillment and societal benefit, rather than solely pursuing wealth or status. This can include a 9-5 career you do to power your passion, but in this exercise, you should stay away from what seems “realistic.” Allow yourself to imagine your dream future.

What you can do: 
Spend 30 minutes writing a detailed 10-year vision for your career. Include specific goals for personal growth, financial stability, and how your work will benefit society. Revisit and refine this vision regularly as you progress in your career.

By looking at your 10-year plan more holistically and not tying all of your achievements to work, you’ll become clearer on where you need to be in your career to really thrive outside of it. You might find that you don’t need a VP position, with all the stress that comes with it, to be fulfilled.

2) Adapt, adapt, adapt
Lesson: Invest in rare, valuable, and adaptable skills to increase your career resilience and negotiating power.

Explanation: In an unpredictable job market, developing a diverse skill set is crucial. By consistently learning and practicing versatile skills, you build "career capital" that makes you more valuable to employers and gives you greater control over your career path. This approach helps you thrive within the existing system while preparing for potential shifts in the economic landscape.

What you can do:
Identify three skills that are both rare in your industry and align with your 10-year vision. What are you good at that maybe others aren’t? What do you enjoy doing? Create a learning plan to develop these skills over six months, allocating at least 3 hours per week to skill-building activities. BONUS: Share what you’re learning as you learn it, LinkedIn is a great platform for this and for employers to see that you invest in your learning.

Instead of constantly trying to predict the next trend, focus on developing skills you enjoy and excel at. The trick is to cultivate these skills to make them easily adaptable (always be open to learning). This approach creates a powerful formula for long-term success: you're doing what you love, you're good at it, and you can quickly adjust when change inevitably comes.

3) Balance personal growth with collective benefit
Lesson: Prioritize roles and organizations emphasizing cooperation, stakeholder value, and social responsibility.

Explanation: While competition is emphasized in capitalist systems, collaboration and social responsibility are increasingly recognized as drivers of long-term success. By seeking environments that align with these values, you position yourself in a happier work environment, innovate, address societal needs, and potentially reshape business practices from within.

What you can do:
Research three companies or organizations in your field known for their collaborative culture and social responsibility initiatives. Reach out to employees at these organizations for informational interviews to learn more about their work environment and how they balance business goals with social impact (you can also check reviews on Glassdoor!)

While finding a truly anti-capitalist company may be challenging, you can build a good career by seeking organizations that prioritize worker well-being, avoid exploitation, and allow for positive internal change. Focus on companies with supportive environments, good work-life balance, and cooperative cultures, even if they still operate within a profit-driven system.

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Remember, this 10-year plan isn't about succeeding (in the traditional sense) within a flawed system. It's about charting a course that allows you to grow professionally, contribute positively to society, and navigate the challenges of our economic reality. By taking this approach, you're not just planning a career—you're strategizing for a meaningful life that balances personal fulfillment with social responsibility.

Thanks for reading our 31st newsletter. Find me on Instagram or LinkedIn where I post even more little tidbits about learning and my life.

Have a great week, and stay curious,

Shiv 💁🏽‍♀️