Short, Mid, and Long-Term Career Management

Short, Mid, and Long-Term Career Management

By Jose J. Ruiz

To be a successful executive, managing your career well is imperative. While many executives rely on their employers to manage theirs, taking charge of your own future should be done strategically. You’d need a well-kept record of measurable milestones and goals. You’d also need to continuously upgrading skills and updating knowledge and information.

Now, the question is: what is the most effective way to do so?

There is no singular way to answer this question. Every individual approaches things differently and every situation must be dealt specifically. However, you can start with creating short, medium, and long term career management plans. For each term, ask yourself what your goals and requirements are. Take a good note of them.

The short-term career plan is designed for the next two years. Start with identifying the career goals. For example, you can write “be promoted to Lead Supervisor” position. To achieve this goal, you’d need to achieve goals set by the company and obtain certain skills on your own.

Write down those two goals down in a notebook or an apps. Set the steps required to accomplish each of them. Be as detailed as possible. Write clearly on what you’d be accomplishing every month. This way, you can see clearly where your career is heading.

The medium-term career plan is created for the next two to five years. It can be anything from developing a larger professional network, pursuing a Master’s degree, to becoming a director in the company. If the goal can be planned with deadlines, such as obtaining a Master’s degree, start a timeline.

The timeline should include the dates when you’d need to prepare for the GMAT, take the exam, start the application process, and start the semester. If you’re saving up for the tuition, include a timeline of how much you’d need to save every single month. Be realistic and as detailed as possible.

The long-term career plan is developed for the next five years and beyond. Still it is still far away and things can change, it will be less specific. However, it should clearly include what you wish to accomplish. For instance, it can be anything from starting a second career, opening a business, writing a book on small business management, to investing in commercial real property.

Develop a timeline using one-year blocks for the fifth, the sixth, the seventh, the eighth, the ninth, and the tenth year. Writing down long-term goals will help you understand where you’re heading and what will be required along the way. This way, your subconcious mind will start working on achieving those goals.

Last but not least, career management involves more than managing a career. It requires a clear vision on what the future you’d love to have for yourself and identifying the skills you’d need to have to achieve it. This way, you can keep track of the goals and milestones, which are in alignment to the long-term plan. Revisit your career plan from time to time, so you can adjust and revise the goals as needed.

ABOUT JOSE J. RUIZ

Jose Ruiz serves as Alder Koten’s Chief Executive Officer providing vision, strategic direction and the roadmap for the executive recruiting firm’s future. He is also involved in executive search work focused on board members, CEOs and senior-level executives; and consulting engagements related to leadership and organizational effectiveness helping clients create thriving cultures. An important part of his time is spent on research work focused on organizational effectiveness centered on leadership and culture. Prior to joining Alder Koten, Jose was a Principal with Heidrick & Struggles’ Global Industrial Practice based in Houston, TX and Monterrey, Mexico. His professional experience also includes leadership positions in engineering and operations management for manufacturing organizations in the US and Mexico. This experience includes serving as vice president and general manager at Holley Performance Products. Jose serves on the board of Shelmex and on America’s Council of the Association of Executive Search Consultants where he also chairs the Boutique and Independent Search Firm Forum.

Jose holds a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Gonzaga University and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical and electrical engineering from the Instituto Technologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey. He is fluent in English and Spanish.

Jose can be reached at jose.ruiz@alderkoten or at his office in Houston +1 (713) 476–9000

ABOUT ALDER KOTEN

Alder Koten has recruiters and research teams in Mexico and the United States. The firm was founded in 2011. Its headquarters are located in Houston and it has offices in Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexico City with partner firms in New York, Boston, Chicago, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and United Kingdom. Alder Koten recruiters serve multiple industries including automotive, building products, construction & projects, consumer markets, energy & chemicals, equipment & industrial products, financial services, life sciences, medical devices, maquiladora, mining & metals, professional services, renewable resources, technology, and transportation & logistics. The firm is a proud standing member of the Association of Executive Search Consultants. The Association of Executive Search Consultants was founded in 1959 as the Association of Executive Recruiting Consultants (AERC) for the dual purposes of creating a professional association for the most competent and reputable search firms, and for providing clients and prospective clients a means by which to differentiate qualified and ethical practitioners.