This week, we continued our January #ContentChat focus on professional development with a career development plan working session.
In addition to my content marketing consulting, I’ve been providing career coaching to marketing professionals for the past five years under my City Girl Career umbrella. One of my goals for this year is to take the structure I use for my 1:1 coaching sessions and convert it into an online course (leave a comment to get notified when I do!), to allow me to work with more marketers to find their ideal career path while giving them the support of others on that same journey. But to ensure this wasn’t just a crazy idea, I tried out an abbreviated version of my method in our #ContentChat Twitter chat format. Here’s what transpired.
In three years, how do you want to answer the question “What do you do for a living?”
A1: In three years I want my answer to be “head of a boutique content marketing agency.” #ContentChat https://t.co/H2PkyiVYtH
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
A1: I’d like to say, “I write words that stimulate synapses, touch hearts, & change minds.” #career #aspirations #contentchat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) January 15, 2018
A1. I want to keep saying “I’m an Ethical Digital Marketer”. #contentchat
— Megan McCarthy (@ImMeganMcCarthy) January 15, 2018
A1: There’s no title attached to it, but I’d like to answer I’m helping people and writing creatively is involved. #ContentChat
— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) January 15, 2018
A1: I want to be able to say I am a copywriter working remotely and enjoying work more than ever before. #contentchat
— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) January 15, 2018
A1: The same as I do now, but with more confidence in the “for a living” part. I want to shake that “cute little mommy business” shadow hanging over my businesses head. #contentchat https://t.co/1vtzKvm9M2
— A. B. England (@A_B_England) January 15, 2018
A1:I stay home and spend as much time as I wasn’t with my family while still doing what I love.#contentchat
— Amerci Totty (@amercitotty90) January 15, 2018
A1: Wow! such a great question. I would like to be considered entrepreneur specializing in #CustomerExperience and #CustomerService. #contentchat
— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) January 15, 2018
A1: In three years, I want to be running my own nonprofit. #ContentChat https://t.co/I6lbM1iORc
— Berrak Sarikaya | Content Strategist | Speaker (@BerrakBiz) January 15, 2018
A1: “We make cool software for cool smart devices for use by cool people.”
*Cool people not required for use of cool software. Uncool people are also acceptable.#ContentChat
— Bridgera LLC (@BridgeraLLC) January 15, 2018
A1: I’m helping businesses with effective M2Y (me-to-you) marketing that doesn’t need to scale (gasp!). #ContentChat
— T. Shakirah Dawud (@ShakirahDawud) January 15, 2018
A1. I want to be able to say “I’m a professional online content marketer” without having to answer: “is that a real job?” #contentchat
— Youness Bermime (@YounessBermime) January 15, 2018
A1 In three years I’d like to be able to say I’m using my creative skills to help clients fulfill their marketing goals #contentchat
— Mindvolt (@mindvolt) January 15, 2018
For those of you who don’t know what you want to do, you’re not off the hook!
OK, but for instance, are you going to go back to school and do something new? Or do you want to be using your writing ability and content marketing know-how? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
I hope to be working for a smaller company where I help them identify, craft, and tell their story. (How’s that?) #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) January 15, 2018
With this in mind, what steps do you need to take in 2018 to move toward that goal?
A2: I need to learn how to schedule my time wisely and efficiently around my kids. #contentchat
— Amerci Totty (@amercitotty90) January 15, 2018
A2: Launch the @PhilanthropyQ blog and spend more time with local nonprofits to understand their challenges. #ContentChat
— Berrak Sarikaya | Content Strategist | Speaker (@BerrakBiz) January 15, 2018
Step 1: Research. Step 2: Develop a package and test it out on myself and on willing clients/volunteers. Step 3: Refine. #ContentChat
— T. Shakirah Dawud (@ShakirahDawud) January 15, 2018
A2: Stop feeling like I don’t know enough and just launch my business! #ContentChat
— Carole Cudnik ✍️ (@cacudnik) January 15, 2018
A2: Stay up on trends, be focused on the clients needs and most of all be friendly and truly care! #ContentChat
— T-Shirt Cloud (@tshirtcloud) January 15, 2018
A2: A cleaned up resume, a sparkling cover letter, a little hope and someone willing to give me a chance. I would love to get into a job where I stay for a long time. #ContentChat
— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) January 15, 2018
A2: Collaborate more with designers. Understanding the art of making great visuals is critical to creating emotive content. #contentchat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) January 15, 2018
A2: I need to be better/more consistent with my marketing plan, book & work conventions outside of Huntsville now that I have a vehicle again, make some great new scents for 2018, and publish another book or two. #contentchat Taking some skill share classes would help too.
— A. B. England (@A_B_England) January 15, 2018
A2: This year, I need to expand my freelancer network and start taking on projects I can work through with a distributed team. #ContentChat https://t.co/M3hwFbbBJO
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
A2: Keep working on business development:
1. Engaging thought leaders for mentorship
2. Keep reading new content
3. Finalizing business offering#Contentchat— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) January 15, 2018
Q2 Convincing clients that their brand, as sound as it might be, could benefit from improvements in content and messaging. -Justin #contentchat
— Mindvolt (@mindvolt) January 15, 2018
A2. I need to get more comfortable seeking high-paying clients. I also need to start building those blogs I have, and start networking with as many of my peers as possible. #contentchat
— Youness Bermime (@YounessBermime) January 15, 2018
A2: Keep writing. Find a people-focused organization ready to make the world better. #ContentChat pic.twitter.com/Qx82S3R1di
— Alan Fleming (@alan_fleming) January 15, 2018
A2. This year I’m focusing on my mental health to improve my confidence. I’d also like to work on getting more “outside validation” of my skills and abilities. #contentchat
— Megan McCarthy (@ImMeganMcCarthy) January 15, 2018
A2: I’m going to start to put myself and my skills out there on social media and start offering my services to people to help build a following and build my work. #contentchat
— Maria Marchewka (@_MariaMarchewka) January 15, 2018
ALT Q2 for @martinlieberman and those of you who don’t have a clear picture of what you want to do: what steps do you need to take in 2018 to figure out what you want to be doing career-wise? #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
You need to have career dreams, Martin! I’ve always planned a few years in advance. Don’t focus on the job title, focus on what it is that engages you as work. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
I want to be working somewhere where I see the results of my work, and people care about the work I do. I need to be engaged. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) January 15, 2018
Definitely true. I sometimes struggle with identifying what I want to do, vs what I don’t want to do. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) January 15, 2018
Now for the SMART goals
Great! You’ve got your first step. But let’s turn it into a SMART goal— Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic, Time-related.
A3: By June 2018, I will double my freelance roster in size and engage in at least 3 projects where I work with a freelancer. #ContentChat https://t.co/OIzWkGWkQP
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
A3: Things like: Have my resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile professionally scrubbed by the end of January. Identify target jobs and begin applying by the beginning of February? #contentchat
— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) January 15, 2018
A3: This is where quarterly goals come in. I’m starting with banking a month’s worth of posts ahead by the end of January, resuming writing the rough of my next novel, & beginning design/production of this year’s nine new fragrances. #contentchat
— A. B. England (@A_B_England) January 15, 2018
A3. In 2018, I will have 5 high-paying clients (SEO and content marketing), 2 live affiliate blogs. #contentchat https://t.co/YMb5rMxXtz
— Youness Bermime (@YounessBermime) January 15, 2018
A3 – in 2018 10K followers on twitter, 3K on LinkedIn and 3k a month impressions for my blog… #contentchat
— Steven Dickens (@StevenDickens3) January 15, 2018
A3. Here’s one of my smaller SMART goals: By January 31st, 2018, I will finish my Google Ads certification. #contentchat
— Megan McCarthy (@ImMeganMcCarthy) January 15, 2018
A3: By end of first quarter of 2018 I’m planning to do the following:
1. Publish two articles on external considered websites
2. Create partnership with at least one known thought leaders in marketing / experience
3. Get business mentor to guide me.#Contentchat— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) January 15, 2018
A3; By the end of this month, I will have completed @HubSpotAcademy courses on #contentmarketing and #InboundMarketing, written a case study and launched my business. #ContentChat
— Carole Cudnik ✍️ (@cacudnik) January 15, 2018
Identify your strengths and areas for improvement.
Thinking through your core competencies, make a list of the key strengths you use in your work, and the primary areas you need to improve to work towards your goal.
NOTE: For a quick primer on core competencies see my post “How to Identify and Assess Your Core Competencies” #ContentChat
A4: Writing and other communications + my project management skills are strengths. Sales/BizDev/Public Speaking are my areas to work on. #ContentChat https://t.co/oOuFsUvF62
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
A4: I’m good at generating ideas, and hyper focus can be an asset at times. The flip side of all this though means I tend to get distracted and move to something else before I finish any given project. I always need improvement focusing on the not so fun aspects. #contentchat
— A. B. England (@A_B_England) January 15, 2018
A4: Pitching new ideas, writing/editing, communications are strengths. My weaknesses are project development/management and collaboration #contentchat
— Mindvolt (@mindvolt) January 15, 2018
A4:
Key strengths: Passionate, Eager to learn, Great people skills, approachable
Areas to improve: Become more focused, decisive, follow through despite difficulties#contentchat— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) January 15, 2018
A4: I write in layman’s terms easy to digest for the busy new business owner. I need to work on reading more in-depth. I’m a speed reader which has it’s good & bad. #contentchat
— Maria Elena Duron (@mariaduron) January 15, 2018
A4. Content writing and marketing, On-page, off-page SEO are my strengths. I need to work on Technical SEO, and client acquisition. #contentchat
— Youness Bermime (@YounessBermime) January 15, 2018
A4. I’m an expert in ethical marketing, from accessibility issues to inclusivity to ethical marketing practices. I’m empathic and find it easy to see things from a customer’s POV. I’m both a strategic and creative thinker. #contentchat
— Megan McCarthy (@ImMeganMcCarthy) January 15, 2018
A4: Customer Service is my #1 strength. (I <3 My Customers) I have experience in every aspect of the t-shirt printing process including art and production. I need to be more organized and perfect time mgmt. #ContentChat
— T-Shirt Cloud (@tshirtcloud) January 15, 2018
Next, briefly add a statement to each area of improvement, showing how improving in that area will help you attain your end goal.
Here’s an example: Improve my data analysis skills so I can evaluate customer research, marketing trends, and data to proactively implement marketing plan changes.
This step is a good point at which to enlist the perspective of a third party—such as a mentor, your boss, or a colleague—to give you feedback on the areas of improvement you’ve identified, and if they’re the best ones to lead you to your desired outcomes.
A5: I need to be able to voice my opinions and put my experience to use to make sure my employer/client is getting the best work from me. #contentchat
— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) January 15, 2018
A5: Improve executive functioning skills to stay on task and continue to improve overall. Take SEO classes to make better use of the work I’m putting out there now. #contentchat
— A. B. England (@A_B_England) January 15, 2018
A5. Technical SEO will make me better at SEO in general.
Client acquisition will help find and close clients when I need to. #contentchat— Youness Bermime (@YounessBermime) January 15, 2018
A5. Working on my confidence will make it easier to put myself out there and take calculated risks. And my writing skills have become a bit stale, so improving that will help me communicate my ideas more efficiently. #contentchat
— Megan McCarthy (@ImMeganMcCarthy) January 15, 2018
A5: Break down project management milestones into simple goals, and then track the progress of each. When collaborating, come up with a unified vision with your teammates, and assess the strengths/weaknesses of each approach #contentchat
— Mindvolt (@mindvolt) January 15, 2018
A5:
Become more focused – Create schedule with activities to keep me honest
Be more decisive – Need mental reminder each time I’m being in decisive (use sticker to maintain)
follow through despite difficulties – Consult colleague / spouse whenever I’m stuck#contentchat— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) January 15, 2018
A6 this is the fun part! You can look for opportunities in your current job that can help you grow your skills, moonlight on a project that will help you build the skills, or do volunteer work and learn while you help. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
A6 – engage with people outside of my normal field and step out of my comfort zone #contentchat
— Steven Dickens (@StevenDickens3) January 15, 2018
A6: Refreshers on writing to make sure I’m still happy with my skills. Confidence-boosting activities would probably be a good thing, too. #contentchat
— Jason Webb (@JasonLWebb) January 15, 2018
A6: I think that everything is theoretical until, you 100% committed.
For me, I’d like to assist real life customer for FREE, to get experience and help other in the process.#contentchat— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) January 15, 2018
A6: Subscribe to @CommArts. (Done!) #contentchat
— Shelly Lucas (@pisarose) January 15, 2018
A6: Start booking conventions farther out. Sign up for some classes. Continue to research and learn as I begin training my eldest in sales, customer service, and basic soaping/perfuming techniques. #contentchat
— A. B. England (@A_B_England) January 15, 2018
How can you build those skills?
Now that you have your goal and your areas of career development focus defined, you get to do the fun part — defining the activities to pursue to improve your skills and competencies. Share your ideas!
A5: Improve my public speaking skills by submitting pitches and accepting speaking gigs for at least two events in 2018. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
A7: I’m taking a tamale workshop and a macarons class to improve on my culinary skills and increase my recipe development skills for my blog. #ContentChat
— Erika Heald | Freelance Chief Content Officer (@SFerika) January 15, 2018
A6 I want to do more public speaking this year. Already have a gig next month! Also: Work on my video editing skills. #contentchat
— Martin Lieberman (@martinlieberman) January 15, 2018
A7. Some people ascribe that to an accountability partner or a business coach, but who is going to gently challenge you and support your efforts at the same time. My son has Autism and he needs pat on the back and a kick in the butt. #contentchat
— Dr. Dorrie Cooper (@sittingpretty61) January 15, 2018
A7: I’m working on definition of the condition that will allow me to pursue my goals.
Those condition are detailed, tangible and coherent about what I’m trying to achieve and what is pre-condition for this to succeed. #contentchat— Benny Gelbendorf (@BGelbendorf) January 15, 2018
A7: I’m reading what’s Bill Slawski, Ammon Johns, Dawn Anderson and others have written about technical SEO to improve my knowledge about how search engines work on that end. #contentchat
— Youness Bermime (@YounessBermime) January 15, 2018
A7: Get more consistent with my posting. – Work ahead – Write two articles per day, edit, and schedule. Each week has 3 scheduled articles, so it’s possible to schedule 4-6 weeks in one week of dedicated work. Then maintain. Started today. #contentchat
— A. B. England (@A_B_England) January 15, 2018
What support do you need?
Once you’ve identified an activity you want to include in your plan, note the support you will need from your boss/organization, a targeted start date (and completion date if applicable), and your expected results.
If you’d like to be notified when I launch the BETA for my career development course for marketers, leave a comment below.
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