Meeting agenda for your most important career discussion this year

The employer landscape in Canada is quite a bit different than one might think.  We have been trained to believe that large employers are the key to a healthy economy and for keeping Canadians gainfully employed.  During the last recession, so much was made about the need to bail out financial institutions and the domestic automotive industry.  Well, that was not actually the case then and it is certainly not the case in 2020.  According to Statistics Canada, out of all the Canadian companies in existence, 1.18 million or 97.9% are small businesses.  1.9% were medium-sized businesses and ONLY .2% are large businesses. (the companies that received the bulk of the government funding in the last recession) 

 What this means for the average Canadian is that there is much less opportunity to climb a “corporate ladder” in their company.  The career progression model that applied to our parent’s generation, no longer exists.  It is now incumbent for all Canadians to be paying much more attention to their own career than ever before.  Sitting back and assuming that your production and your work ethic will provide promotions and keep you moving in your desired direction is a crucial mistake.  

I recommend checking in with yourself twice a year and comparing your current position to your overall career objective.  Do not rely on company performance evaluations! (if your company is even still conducting these) These are one sided and delivered from the company’s perspective which may not be in line with your aspirations.      

Even if you do not have a mentor or a coach, I suggest scheduling a meeting with yourself every 6 months.  The following should be continually reviewed. 

·      Where do you see yourself in five years?

·      What made you apply for your current position? How does it align with your long-term plan?

·      Are you happy in your current role?

·      What is your dream Job?

These are sometimes difficult questions to ask ourselves which can often lead to people avoiding these questions all together.  Once those questions have been answered, proceed with the following questions that will provide more depth of knowledge:

1.  Review your goals and objectives for the year.  Review your progress towards those goals.

2.  Outline your 5-10 year plan and how you plan to achieve your goals.  Determine any skills necessary to achieve these goals. 

3.  Review any challenges in achieving work/life balance.  Create a plan to ensure that you are able to achieve professional success without sacrificing your personal/family life. 

4.  Outline any challenges that you face in being part of a team.  Are there any traits you need to develop in order to make you a better performer.  How can you improve your leadership skills? 

5.  Review issues that you faced over the course of the year.  Outline any lessons that you have learned.   

6.  Evaluate your year at the end of the fiscal year.  What worked and didn’t work?  

As we all know, people who plan, tend to be the ones who realize their dreams and full potential.  We must not forget this as we get caught up in our busy lives.  By scheduling career touch points with yourself, you are much more likely to organically guide your career towards your end goal in both an effective and efficient method. 

Farewell, 

Mike