If you've been a faithful reader, you'll understand the necessity of having a "Career Partner." Now that you have successfully secured a "Career Partner" (or should be in the process of doing so), it's now time to take that step a bit further. By the way, if you don't have a "Career Partner" please refer to the entry on Monday, February 16th for details. Time to get to work...with a partner in crime in place, you are now ready to take action and hit the ground running. What does that mean, you may wonder. It means that you need to get a CAREER JOUNRAL!!! A career journal is a book that houses NOTHING but information concerning your current career or future career. It is simply a safe haven for ideas, goals, thoughts, plan of action, to-do lists, contacts, and any and all professional related topics. Note: You are not allowed to scribble anything else in this notebook. The point of having a career journal is that it allows you to store all of your information in one place, forcing you to be organized. It also allows you to be self-reflective, as it is a good idea to go back and read your professional thoughts and goals.
In order for your journal to really be effective you should note the following:
- Any time you have an idea, write it down (don't rely on your memory)
- Always date your journal entries (keeping a timeline is helpful)
- Be specific in your entries (the more details you provide, helps to piece together the puzzle)
- Don't be afraid to share your ideas (others may have the missing piece you're searching for; however, don't share everything...)
- Write in your journal OFTEN (everyone's writing style is different, but you should at least be writing once a week at the minimum)
Once you have gotten into the habit of tracking your professional progress, you will start to feel more in control and powerful. Information is power. We must take responsibilities for ourselves and our futures, having a career journal is a major step in this process.
If you have a career journal, congratulations! If you don't, you have homework!
Start tracking your professional stories today!
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