A lack of awareness of why Career planning development is important in today’s world of work constantly floors me. Writing this blog will hopefully turn the light as to why it is important to have a career development plan regardless of whatever age or stage of life you are at.

So many still believe that if they complete some free online career assessments, have a great resume, and have a few interview skills under their belt, they will follow a linear path and enjoy job happiness.

The harsh reality check is that reasoning is so 20th century, out of date, and outright wrong.

I am passionate about Career Development because I see the everyday consequences when individuals lack this vital education.

Making a difference to shift and empower individuals so that they live an authentic and happy career life in a fast-changing working landscape can be a challenge.

Many individuals are entrenched in previous generational assumptions on what it takes to be successful in gaining work and job satisfaction.

Time is money and it’s frustrating to see individuals waste countless hours trying to solve their career problems on their own. We have a society where seeking help has a stigma.

One can suffer in silence reading every career self-help book available or try the DIY online approach like seeking advice on Reddit searching for the magic answer to ‘what should I do next?’.

6 Reasons to Engage in Career Planning Development

1. You will spend about 63% of your life working

From the age of 20 to 70 years of age, you will spend on average 88,000 hours at work. In that time, you will spend 16,000 hours away from work on a holiday.

If you hate your job this means you are spending the difference of 72,000 hours of your life in a place of pain and making a decision to do nothing about it. You are choosing to spend thousands of dollars on planning and going on holidays to escape the job you hate and yet investing no dollars in yourself.

Reflect on whether this makes logical sense.

2. Your livelihood depends on it

To have a job must never be underestimated. The COVID-19 Pandemic is proof of that.

Millions of Australians had lost their jobs out of a global event that literally happened overnight. Many did not know how to adapt quickly.

Work provides you with survival with the most basic of needs being shelter, food, water, clothing, and safety. It pays your mortgage or rent, it pays for your child’s nappies, it pays for your first car, a relaxing holiday and the list goes on.

Professor David Blustein in his book the Psychology of Working highlights more as to why having a job is so important, Getting a Job- Why it is so Important. The idea of having cradle-to-grave employment with one or two employers is dead and buried.

What you prioritize is always your choice. Not prioritizing the development of career in today’s world of work, however, does have consequences.

If you lose your job or your work situation changes (which by the way is guaranteed to happen), not being agile, resilient, and career knowledgeable will have you scrambling.

You wish you had done something about it earlier when you were able to think with a clear & stress-free mind. Planning for a Change in Career could have been a Plan B strategy up your sleeve.

3. Your well-being depends on it

As humans, we are hard-wired to connect to others. Regardless if you are introverted or extroverted, we all need the ability to form meaningful connections and have relationships. These relationships allow us to negotiate the ebbs and flows of work.

Not having this connection, can isolate you and can have a significant negative impact on a person’s mental well-being.

It makes sense to actively engage in planning for a career pathway while you are working so that you can ensure that you always have continuous work to maintain those connections.

4. Increases your motivation, learning, personal development, and confidence

Regardless of where you are in your career journey if you are not motivated to get up in the morning your career life becomes a chore.

Dissatisfaction kicks in and your negative feelings ultimately affect your self-confidence and flow on to affect your relationships with family and friends.

Put simply, your Career Life needs to work for you and those around you.

Life is too short! Attend a funeral and the reality will hit you pretty hard.

5. Find work that has meaning and purpose

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could be your natural self at work and you wouldn’t need to fake it every day! Performing work that ticks every box that makes you feel like you matter is the most fulfilling work you will ever do in your life.

If you can’t say that you love your work, chances are you are in the wrong job.

Unfortunately, it is quite common in many Australian workplaces that people are unhappy and unfulfilled with the work they are performing.

To have a job is one thing, but when you have a job that gives you meaning and purpose, this takes you to a level of happiness and fulfillment that others will envy.

Getting that meaningful and purposeful job in an unpredictable work environment requires career strategy, career smarts, and a career development action plan. Here lies the importance of development of career to an individual.

6. Your career knowledge may be out of date

While there is an overwhelming amount of career information on the internet, your specific career life situation is unique.

Getting to the heart of your career issues with a professionally qualified career practitioner will save you time, money, and pain. The world of work is chaotic, changing, unstable and unpredictable.

Learning how to drive your own career will only happen if you make use of a knowledgeable career driving instructor who understands the new road conditions.

Development in Career and Planning gives you the power to control your own destiny if you are prepared to engage in it. It simply gives you a competitive edge and moves you to work that matters and motivates you.

At the start of any new year, I challenge you to take stock of what you are doing in those 72,000 work hours and ask yourself ‘Am I currently happy with my Career Life and do I have the career skills that will make me resilient for the many changes I will encounter along my career journey?’.

If your answer is No, what actions are you going to take this year to change and be prepared?

The wise action of career planning may be the key to your happy career life.

Written by Gina Bell

Gina Bell is a university-qualified Sydney Career Expert in Career Advice, Career Coaching, and Career Counselling. She also works as a Talent Development Consultant for commercial organisations. She is passionate about aligning a person’s work purpose in a work environment where they can find fulfillment & reach their potential.

Her qualifications include a Graduate Diploma in Career Development, a Graduate Diploma in Chartered Accounting, and a Bachelor of Economics. She is registered with the Career Industry Council of Australia, Professional Member of the Career Development Association of Australia, National Career Development Association in the USA, Asia Pacific Career Development Association & Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand.

In her free time, she loves to travel, cook, and learn.

Follow her on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/gina-bell/