Identifying Your Career Goals

Almost every time I speak with juniors or college students, I get asked the same question: “I’m not sure what field I want to work in. How do I decide what to do?” It’s a completely normal feeling — and honestly, I’ve been there too. When I first entered college, I had no clue what specialization to take or what career path to pursue. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to have it all figured out right away. What you need is a plan to explore and narrow it down. Here’s what I tell anyone who asks: 📍 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 — 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 List a few things you genuinely enjoy or find intriguing — like writing, data analysis, designing, or public speaking. Don’t worry about how they translate into a career just yet Action Step: Write down your interests without worrying about how they translate into a career. The point is to recognize your natural inclinations. 📍 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 Try out your interests through short-term activities like joining a club, taking a beginner’s course, or volunteering for a project. Give it 2–4 weeks and see if you enjoy the process Action Step: Try something for 2–4 weeks and assess: Did you enjoy the process? Did it feel meaningful? 📍 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗗𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝘁 Reach out to people working in fields you’re curious about. Ask about their day-to-day work, the skills they use, and what they enjoy or dislike about their roles Action Step: Message 3 professionals on LinkedIn and politely ask for a 15-minute chat. Most people are willing to help if you’re genuinely curious and respectful of their time. 📍 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝘀 Identify the skills you want to develop rather than getting stuck on job titles. Whether it’s data analysis, storytelling, or management, skills are transferable and will shape your career regardless of the role Action Step: Pick one skill you’re curious about and spend an hour a week learning or practicing it. 📍 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗶𝘃𝗼𝘁 Your first choice doesn’t have to be your final choice. Reflect every few months to see if you’re still enjoying your current path. It’s okay to change directions as you learn more Action Step: Set a reminder to reflect every 3 months: Are you still enjoying your current path? If not, what’s next? The Bottom Line: You don’t have to know your exact career path at 20. Just focus on exploring, learning, and building foundational skills — the clarity will follow. To everyone feeling overwhelmed — take it one step at a time. And remember, not having it all figured out is okay — it’s part of the journey. What’s one career option you’re currently exploring? Share below — I’d love to hear your thoughts!👇 #CareerAdvice #CollegeTips #FindingYourPath #SkillBuilding #CareerExploration #EarlyCareerInsights

Are You Aligning Your Strengths with What Your Organization Values? A few years ago, a talented professional, came to me feeling frustrated. Despite her hard work, she wasn’t moving forward in her department. After a core competency analysis, we discovered the reason: She excelled in technical skills, but the company placed heavy emphasis on leadership, initiative, and innovation—areas where she wasn’t fully demonstrating her potential. To fix this, we crafted a plan to develop these core competencies. We assigned her small team projects to build leadership experience, and encouraged her to share her innovative ideas. Within six months, she was recognized as a natural leader, and new opportunities started opening up for her. 🌱 📊 Here’s How You Can Assess Your Organization’s Core Competencies: 👉Review Job Descriptions: Look at the required skills for your current and aspirational roles. Companies often include key competencies in job postings. 👉Pay Attention to Company Culture: Observe what behaviors are praised and rewarded—this is often a reflection of the core competencies the organization values. 👉Engage with Leadership: Ask for feedback and guidance on what the organization sees as vital for success in your role. 👉Study Performance Reviews: Look at what’s being measured in performance evaluations—this will reveal the competencies your company values most. 💡 Key Action Points: 🔆Assess the core competencies your organization values most. 🔆Identify where your strengths align with those competencies. 🔆Take proactive steps to develop in-demand skills like leadership and innovation. Feeling stuck in your role? It might be time to reassess your competencies and align your strengths with what the organization values. Start today and unlock new opportunities! #Leadership #CareerDevelopment #CoreCompetencies #Innovation #Initiative #ProfessionalGrowth #LeadershipSkills #CareerAdvancement #SkillDevelopment #LearningAndDevelopment

We often tell people to work harder, learn, or adopt a growth mindset. But what if those aren’t the strongest drivers of career success? This visual summarizes one of the clearest findings from our 1,200-person study conducted earlier this year, where we linked four common predictors to a comprehensive measure of perceived career success. The picture that emerged was not what most people expect. Personality had an effect, but a modest one. Growth mindset, despite its popularity had almost no measurable impact. Learning agility mattered more, yet still left most of the variance unexplained. What stood out above everything else were strategic competencies. They explained nearly half of the differences we saw in how people evaluate their own success across dimensions such as recognition, influence, meaningful contribution, and overall satisfaction. In other words, the way people think, decide, and act in complex situations is a stronger driver of career outcomes than the traits they were born with or the motivational ideas they adopt. This is good news. It means career success is not predetermined. It is shaped. It grows with practice. And it expands as people learn to understand their environment, set direction, move others, deliver reliably, and adapt when conditions shift. This is exactly why we created The Big 5 of Strategy competency framework. To help people assess their strategic strengths and development areas. And it is also why we have launched two more cohorts of our Big 5 of Strategy certification program. If you want to learn how to develop these strategic competencies in others, or strengthen them in yourself, now is the time. The January cohort starts soon, so you will need to be quick if you want a seat. The April cohort is open for those who prefer a bit more breathing room.

I’ve coached thousands of job seekers who felt lost and overwhelmed. Here are the 10 steps we start with to find the right path: 1. Your #1 Priority Clarity should be the first thing you invest in. It makes career success SO much easier (at every stage). When you have clarity, you can invest 100% of your energy into that goal. So before you start applying to jobs or grad school? Find your path. 2. The Myth Of “Passion” People think passion is a lightning bolt that suddenly hits you. One day you wake up knowing what you're supposed to do. That's BS. Passion stems from action. It's the result of trying new things. If you want to find your path? You need to act. 3. Map Out Your Ideal Lifestyle Career happiness doesn't come from a job title. It stems from the ability to meet your lifestyle needs: – Target salary – Ideal living situation – Surrounded by people you love – Work that fills your cup Start by defining all of these things. 4. Label Your Energy Next, grab a piece of paper. Make two columns: 1. Energy Creators 2. Energy Drainers Now list out every single activity, task, and project you've worked on. Label each as a creator or drainer. Your career path should be filled with energy creators. 5. Clarify Your Strengths Success is easier when your path plays to natural strengths. I recommend the High 5 Test. It's a 15 minute quiz that will define your top strengths. It'll tell you what each means and how to harness it. Talent: A natural way of thinking, feeling, behaving × Investment: Time spent practicing, developing your skills, or building a knowledge base = Strength: The ability to consistently provide near-perfect performance 6. Find People Doing "Cool" Stuff Now you've created clarity around your strengths, energy, and ideal lifestyle. Next, I want you to find people already living that life. Who has a job you admire? What jobs have seemed “cool” to you in the past? Make a list of 30+ contacts. 7. Reach Out & Learn Make a daily habit of reaching out to one person. Be honest about your situation and desire for clarity. Then make sure to build up their achievements and mention why you admire them. Here's the email template I used when I was on this journey: The Winning Template: Subject: Quick Question  Hi [Name], My name is [Your Name] and I came across your information on LinkedIn while I was looking for people who transitioned into [Industry/Field] from a non-traditional background. Your background is really impressive! I saw you do different fields and [Industry/Field] really piqued my interest. If you have a few minutes, I’d love to hear more about your journey and how you landed in your role today. I know that’s a big ask so no worries if it’s too much. I totally understand. Either way, hope you have a great rest of the week!  

You landed your first job and then what? Most professionals hit pause on goal-setting after getting hired. But that’s exactly when your real growth begins. If you don’t set a direction early, you’ll drift. So today, I’m sharing my complete career goal-setting framework. (Save this guide for future reference) 🟢 Here’s how to build that path: Step 1: Start with your current position - List your daily responsibilities - Identify your key performance metrics - Note areas where you already excel - Spot gaps or improvement areas Step 2: Create SMART goals - Specific: Define clear outcomes - Measurable: Attach success metrics - Achievable: Be realistic - Relevant: Align with your role - Time-bound: Set deadlines Step 3: Build your action plan - Break goals into quarterly targets - Set monthly check-ins - Track progress and adjust as needed - Celebrate small wins Goal examples to focus on: ✅ Short-term (3–6 months): Learn tools, join new projects ✅ Mid-term (6–12 months): Take ownership, build visibility ✅ Long-term (1–3 years): Plan promotion path, develop expertise 📌 Pro tip: Block one hour a week—call it your “career development hour”. Use it to reflect, adjust, and plan ahead. You don’t need to wait for an appraisal to think about your growth. You just need a system. What’s one career goal you’re working on right now? Drop it in the comments, I’d love to hear. #goals #students #career

Career happiness is a formula. It requires greater self-awareness. Before your next career move... Work out exactly what good looks like. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝟲 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗿:👇 (Only move to the next step when you have full clarity on the one before. Don't skip any steps.) 𝟭/ 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 & 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀 ↳Define what is important (e.g family, health, security) ↳Understand motivators & drivers (e.g recognition, impact) ↳Create a career vision based on these 𝟮/ 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 & 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 ↳Specify which strength/s you most enjoy using ↳Identify what your interests are ↳Know what gives energy and takes it away 𝟯/ 𝗖𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 ↳Build on your strengths & interests through up-skilling ↳Build confidence and leadership ↳Be aware of your development needs and blind-spots 𝟰/ 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 ↳Define the work that utilizes your strengths and interests ↳Look at internal and external roles ↳Job-craft your own role 𝟱/ 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 ↳Specify: size of company, type of culture, kind of people, hours, remote or hybrid ↳Do your due diligence before you join another business 𝟲/ 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 ↳Invest in and leverage your existing relationships ↳Build new, diverse networks for fresh perspectives ↳Create a Personal Board of Directors Greater self-awareness will allow you to build a happier, more purpose-driven career that feels authentic and is sustainable. --------- 👋 I am Deena Priest 📈I help high achievers get unstuck and create happier, more purpose-driven careers. 🔔 Follow for content on → Career Mastery & Leadership.

𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐁𝐢𝐠 4 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦. A partner shared with me, "Technical skills is still far more important than soft skills." That was in 2014. Fast forward to today, the same firm just asked us at Influence Solutions to expand our 𝐅.𝐈.𝐑.𝐒.𝐓. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦, with Strategic Thinking, Innovation, Navigating Paradoxes & Leading for Change skills. Over the years, we've seen a marked increase in commitment from participants too. Since I started my career in a Big 4 firm nearly 30 years ago, the 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 has changed. 𝐎𝐥𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚: Technical Skills = Job Security 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: (Technical Skills × Business Acumen) + Leadership = Career Success KPMG Singapore’s Managing Partner Sze Yeng Lee recently shared that “creative thinking is the new accounting competency.” Accountants are fast evolving to become “creative designers of businesses” who have to embody the tenets of design thinking & innovation. Data from 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐞 (𝐀𝐖𝐑𝐂) also reveals: ⚡68% of accounting professionals now say career growth depends more on 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 than technical skills ⚡Top 10% of 𝐡𝐲𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐝-𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐝  professionals earn 40-60% more than peers ⚡Demand for 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 is growing 3x faster than traditional roles 𝐒𝐨 𝐢𝐭'𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐢𝐠 4 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫: ✅ 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐬 who can pivot audit teams into advisory roles ✅ 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 equally fluent in delivery & people strategy ✅ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬 who inspire teams to thrive on change Reflecting on how my career has evolved - from assurance, consulting, fashion, not-for-profit & organisational transformation, I realise these are 3 actions that helped: 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐩 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 (𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐭' 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞) Sharpening the axe will get you further faster, while working less. 2️⃣ 𝐕𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐞. Helping victims of sexual trafficking in Amsterdam & saying yes to public speaking transformed my life 3️⃣ 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - Instead of "The numbers show..." , try "What this means for your strategy is..." If you have more ideas on how to navigate the future, do share! PS: Love this evolving profession: Here's a #throwback pic when I spoke on 'The Attitude Advantage' at a European Conference of a Big 4 Firm.

AI is here. Markets are evolving. Job roles are transforming faster than ever. By 2030, 70% of the skills we use today will change. So, how do you stay ahead? By upskilling—strategically. LinkedIn News India’s ‘Skills on the Rise 2025’ highlights the 15 fastest-growing skills—from AI Literacy to Strategic Thinking—that are defining the future of work. But knowing what’s in demand is just the first step. The real question is: How do you actually upskill? Here’s how to do it the smart way: ✅ Pick skills that align with your career goals. Don’t chase trends blindly. Choose skills that enhance your strengths and open new opportunities in your field. ✅ Learn by doing. Watching courses is great, but real learning happens when you apply new skills in projects, case studies, and problem-solving scenarios. ✅ Make AI your co-pilot, not your competition. AI won’t replace you—but someone who knows how to use it might. Start with AI literacy, Prompt Engineering, and LLMs to stay relevant. ✅ Sharpen your human skills. Creativity, Strategic Thinking, and Communication will always be in demand—because machines can’t replicate them. ✅ Network and engage. Surround yourself with people who are already excelling in these skills. Join discussions, share insights, and build connections. The future belongs to those who adapt. What skill are you focusing on this year? #LinkedInInsiderIndia #LinkedInNewsIndia

As economic conditions become increasingly unpredictable, professionals must strategically position themselves as indispensable assets rather than expendable costs.   After 25+ years in executive recruitment, I've observed consistent patterns during economic downturns: Companies retain employees who demonstrate measurable value across multiple business functions. The thread above outlines five critical competencies that consistently protect careers during workforce reductions.   These skills share common characteristics: Cross-functional applicability across departments and industries Measurable impact on operational efficiency and business outcomes Adaptability to changing business requirements Strategic value that transcends individual role descriptions   Key insight: Recession-proof careers are built on documented value creation, not job tenure or educational credentials.   The professionals who advance during challenging economic periods are those who: • Quantify their contributions with data • Improve systems and processes • Bridge organizational silos effectively • Adapt to technological changes • Document their problem-solving methodologies   This approach transforms individual contributors into strategic assets that organizations prioritize retaining regardless of economic pressures.   Sign up to my newsletter for more corporate insights and truths here: https://lnkd.in/ei_uQjju Which of these skills would strengthen your current position most significantly?   #executiverecruiter #eliterecruiter #jobmarket2025 #profoliosai #resume #jobstrategy #layoffs #jobsearch #careeradvice #jobsecurity #careertips #skillsdevelopment #skillstacking #skillbuilding

Are you planning your 2026 product training strategy yet? Most companies treat team development like emergency room visits, only when something's broken. But the best product organizations are already mapping out next year's skill development alongside their product roadmaps. Q4 is the perfect time to get strategic about this because when you plan a full year ahead, you can align skill building with your actual product challenges. If you need to launch in new markets, your team can master market research before they need it. If you're rolling out AI features, get them up to speed on tech fundamentals now, not when deadlines are looming. I've seen too many companies scramble for quality training when skill gaps become urgent. The options shrink, the costs rise, and your team spends months playing catch-up instead of driving forward. The complexity of product work isn't getting simpler. Your teams need everything from user research to market analysis to technical fluency. But when you plan ahead, you can build these capabilities systematically rather than reactively. At Product Institute, we're seeing smart organizations lock in their 2026 development plans now. They're treating upskilling like the strategic investment it is, not an afterthought. How does your company approach product team development? Strategic planning or emergency response?