Creating Your Career Blueprint
Kathleen Kessler
Carole Stacy MSN, MA, RN
Ready..Aim..Shoot
If you don’t know where
you’re going, any road
will get you there.
Before you create your plan….
• Understand yourself
• What do you really like to do?
• What do you do really well?
• What do you dislike doing?
• Talk to nurses in a variety of roles.
• Job shadow
• Get out of your comfort level, be a little
adventuresome (or may a lot).
Goals Need to be..
• Personal (Your own)
• Practical (Worth the time and effort)
• Possible (You need to think you can do it)
• Pleasurable (Enjoy the process)
Barriers to Achieving Our Goals
• Too many at one time
• Unrealistic standards
• Negative self talk and
surroundings
• Measuring by failures
Goal Categories
• Family
• Job
• Spiritual
• Intellectual
• Social
• Physical
• Financial
CPR
• Categorize your goals
• Prioritize your goals
• Recognize your priorities
Personal SWOT Analysis
• Strengths: What sets you apart from others?
• Weaknesses: things you aren’t good at, or
areas where you can improve.
• Opportunities: Identify elements you can
build on or take advantage of to improve
your chance of success.
• Threats: Things that can derail your success
Define your Career Objectives
• What do you want to accomplish?
• Why is this important to you?
• Write a Career Mission Statement
“ have my DNP by the time I am 40 with my
own family practice”
Ideally this should be a 5 to 10 year
perspective
Set Major Career Goals
• Specific- make sure your goal pertains to one particular
outcome
• Measurable- definable end point
• Achievable- you must be reasonably able to accomplish
• Relevant- must relate to what you are trying to accomplish
• Time bound- otherwise you may not ever get it done.
Creating your blueprint
• Conduct a skills audit, what you have, what
you need, where you can get what you need.
• Create an action plan for each career goal
• How will you accomplish this?
• What support do you need?
• Where can you get this support?
• Find and use mentors!
Create a Career Development Plan
• Do your homework
• Be realistic in setting your goals
• Make a plan and update it yearly
• Don’t over promise yourself
• Accept that you may need to go at a slower
pace, one missed goal doesn’t equal failure.
Questions and Comments

Creating your career blueprint

  • 1.
    Creating Your CareerBlueprint Kathleen Kessler Carole Stacy MSN, MA, RN
  • 2.
    Ready..Aim..Shoot If you don’tknow where you’re going, any road will get you there.
  • 3.
    Before you createyour plan…. • Understand yourself • What do you really like to do? • What do you do really well? • What do you dislike doing? • Talk to nurses in a variety of roles. • Job shadow • Get out of your comfort level, be a little adventuresome (or may a lot).
  • 4.
    Goals Need tobe.. • Personal (Your own) • Practical (Worth the time and effort) • Possible (You need to think you can do it) • Pleasurable (Enjoy the process)
  • 5.
    Barriers to AchievingOur Goals • Too many at one time • Unrealistic standards • Negative self talk and surroundings • Measuring by failures
  • 6.
    Goal Categories • Family •Job • Spiritual • Intellectual • Social • Physical • Financial
  • 7.
    CPR • Categorize yourgoals • Prioritize your goals • Recognize your priorities
  • 8.
    Personal SWOT Analysis •Strengths: What sets you apart from others? • Weaknesses: things you aren’t good at, or areas where you can improve. • Opportunities: Identify elements you can build on or take advantage of to improve your chance of success. • Threats: Things that can derail your success
  • 9.
    Define your CareerObjectives • What do you want to accomplish? • Why is this important to you? • Write a Career Mission Statement “ have my DNP by the time I am 40 with my own family practice” Ideally this should be a 5 to 10 year perspective
  • 10.
    Set Major CareerGoals • Specific- make sure your goal pertains to one particular outcome • Measurable- definable end point • Achievable- you must be reasonably able to accomplish • Relevant- must relate to what you are trying to accomplish • Time bound- otherwise you may not ever get it done.
  • 11.
    Creating your blueprint •Conduct a skills audit, what you have, what you need, where you can get what you need. • Create an action plan for each career goal • How will you accomplish this? • What support do you need? • Where can you get this support? • Find and use mentors!
  • 12.
    Create a CareerDevelopment Plan • Do your homework • Be realistic in setting your goals • Make a plan and update it yearly • Don’t over promise yourself • Accept that you may need to go at a slower pace, one missed goal doesn’t equal failure.
  • 13.

Editor's Notes

  • #4 Ask 4 or 5 colleagues to use 6 adjectives to describe you.
  • #9 Handout SWOT worksheet