Day 5 – Making the Plan

By now, I hope you are very excited about your future and are ready to plan the steps to get there.  Let’s jump right in:

Lesson #1: Planning Your First Step

If you are planning for the future, you may not be looking for just any job, but rather a great job that will lead you to the place you desire to go or a business that will allow you to fulfill your dreams.  In some cases, a position may be needed as a stepping stone.  If you are looking for a job, be sure it provides the opportunity to:

•    Develop your skills and knowledge
•    Build your network
•    Find a path to advance your career
•    Bring happiness and contentment

By creating your Target Profile, you will begin to outline the type of position that will best provide you with the career you desire.  Use the following sections when creating this profile:

1. Name & Contact Information – It is best to include this information so that your Target Profile can be shared with others. You may decide to leave a copy of this profile with your contacts at networking events and informational interviews or with your mastermind group when brainstorming your next business.

2. Areas of Interest – List the areas in which you have related education, experience, and interest. Your ideal position might include some exposure to all of these areas.

3. Objective – This is really a high-level summary of your interests and experiences. Think of it as a mini-resume. Use this statement to highlight your most valuable skills and coveted accomplishments. Your goal here is to discover where you stand out from others.

4. Target Organization Profile – This is really the “meat” of the profile. Describe what industries or industry sectors you intend to enter. Think about and describe the type of company and industry you desire to work in.  This could be by running your own business supplying products and services to those in the industry or by working in the industry as an employee.  Remember that the profile you create should be in line with your results from past focusing, assessing, and targeting exercises.

5. Target Organizations – This section allows you to do research on specific organizations in the industry.  Depending on your situation, it can be a list of would be competitors if you start a business in this space, or a list of potential employers, or a list of those that would be prime targets to buy your product or service.  Do not be concerned if you cannot complete the list at this time. Later in this Excursion, you will learn how to perform additional research to find organizations that match your target profile.

Lesson #4: The Elevator Pitch

Congratulations on creating your target profile.  Do you feel more focused now?  You should.  You can now summarize exactly what you are looking for in a concise method.

Let’s now take this a step further.  In the next Excursion, we are going to get into networking, so while your target is fresh in your mind, create an ‘elevator pitch.’  This pitch, named for the short conversations you have in an elevator, is an outstanding tool in creating the future you want – either landing the dream job or starting a business.

It should be short, but filled with specifics so you can share your exact target.  Make sure it’s specific, but not too specific.  What does that mean? It needs to include specific items (such as industry, area, etc.) to jog the person’s memory so they will be able to help you find potential future clients or employers.  On the other hand it cannot be so specific that it would rule out all possibilities.

So, go for it.  Take the time now to write down this pitch.  Try it out a few times and then try it in front of a mirror.  Then, practice it with a few friends or family members and you will be on your way to networking into what you want.

All the best,

Patrick

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