Like his father before him, Brendan Sheehan enjoyed accounting — taking abstract situations and quantifying them. For several years after university, Brendan worked in his field and thought he would likely become a chartered management accountant.

Along the way, however, something shifted and Sheehan realized he wanted a very different kind of challenge: he decided to become an emergency room doctor. “Medicine promises daily crises and days without dull moments,” says Sheehan. “I thrive in stressful rapidly changing situations and think well on my feet. I also feel applying the energy to helping patients is time better spent.”

But because this career change would take nearly a decade, Sheehan had to be sure this was not simply a whim. He had already volunteered for a wide variety of organizations, including a cancer centre, the campus’ emergency response team and the local airshow, so he knew his interest in helping people in this field was strong. He talked with family, friends and his girlfriend about his decision. Once he decided this was something he was fully committed to, he began the planning process. “I started with the end of the plan first,” he says. He researched the specifics of medical school and residency in Ontario, requirements for entry and whether he would be able to accomplish this in his hometown of Waterloo, ON. He returned to university and will complete a BA in psychology this summer and will begin a BSc in Kinesiology this fall.

The five year plan

Many people finish school with no clear plan of what the next phase of their life will look like, or quickly discover they want to do something different. For people with young children, a work-life balance can be a key priority. People in the later stages of their careers often look for meaningful ways to contribute the skills and knowledge they have acquired.

Career goals change at different phases of life but regardless of where you are in your career journey, many experts recommend developing a five-year career plan: this offers enough time to meet significant objectives without it becoming too overwhelming or impossible to project.

The term “the five year plan” was first developed by the Soviet Union in 1928, in an effort to develop their economy and improve efficiency in a time of change. Adopted by other countries, as well as by businesses and individuals, a five year plan puts a medium-range timeline on objectives. For some people, making such a plan comes naturally. Lee-Ann Bainbridge, assistant registrar at North Island College, knew early in her career that she wanted to work in middle management in an academic setting. She turned down other opportunities and took what some would see as menial positions in order to stay focused on her medium-term goal.

For other people, planning is more difficult. Susan Malcolm, career consultant at Wilfrid Laurier University says, “Students who come into my office often have excellent critical thinking skills but haven’t recognized how they can use these skills to develop a plan for themselves. Graduating students at times are unsure of where to start and can sometimes be unrealistic.” Being overwhelmed by stressful work situations or too many choices can lead people to make quick decisions, poor decisions or no decisions at all.

Why plan?

An old adage says, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

Malcolm advises, “Plans can provide benchmarks towards which people can aim, increasing motivation or a place to review if goals have been met. A plan can provide a reminder to check in — have I reached my goals, have I surpassed my goals, is my current situation not allowing me to meet my goals?” She also notes that a career plan helps people avoid “negative surprises”, like not being aware of a trend that they could have capitalized on, or a credential that is needed to get into a certain field.

Sometimes failing to plan can be an act of denial. Many staff in nonprofit organizations are hired on a contract basis, with the contracts dependent on government or donor funding. Ursula Vrkljan, vice-president human resources for the YMCA Hamilton/Burlington/Brantford has seen long-term contract staff forget this reality and be shocked when their contract is not renewed. She reminds staff — whether contract or full-time employee — to keep thinking two steps forward by continually being aware of realities and keeping their resumes up to date and polished so they can take advantage of opportunities and not be left scrambling.

How to make a plan

Pauline Daniel, life coach at Coaching Connections, says, “I believe that fear governs much of what we do — deciding on the life we want to live takes enormous courage in today’s world.” She adds, “Once we can accept the fact that we are 100% responsible for our lives — it makes more sense to live with more joy and less fear and allow a plan to emerge that contains both our hearts and our logic.”

Malcolm advises people to start the planning process as Brendan Sheehan did: research, networking, self-reflection and/or strategic volunteering. This process helps individuals develop a sense of where they would like to go and where they need to start to get there.

“Career planning involves both self awareness and career awareness,” says Malcolm. “Knowledge of both of these areas is necessary to make good decisions, which are essential when developing a plan.”

Vrkljan believes it is important for people, whether or not their organization supports this process, to regularly do a self-inventory to develop their own career growth map. “Know your strengths, the things you are comfortable with, the things you are willing to improve on, the things you can’t, your needs and wants and where you want to be,” says Vrkljan. “This allows you to take advantage of opportunities when they arise within your organization.” She advises people to stay aware of what their organization offers and keep an eye out for opportunities. She also believes that self-promotion is a vital aspect to career planning: sometimes managers are unaware or forget about an individual’s experience or interests, especially in a larger organization.

Many people use a template to develop such a plan or self-inventory (see sidebar) while others rely on career planning books or career counsellors. All of these resources help people stay realistic about their immediate and longer-term goals, and to learn about themselves, potential careers, and make decisions that lead them to where they want to go.

Like Sheehan, a growing number of people volunteer in the early stages of formulating a career plan. Volunteering can offer a low-risk way of exploring an interest. It can also allow an individual to get a foot in the door. Noreen Mian, program manager at Volunteer Manitoba notes that many organizations hiring new staff approach their volunteers first, as these volunteers have already demonstrated commitment to the organization. She observes that, “The voluntary sector is becoming a two-way exchange: organizations that need skills and talent are benefiting from skilled, educated volunteers, while those same volunteers are getting career opportunities that might not otherwise be available to them.”

Helping staff to plan

There are tremendous benefits to organizations that take time to understand what staff want and need, helping them to be successful on their own terms. The YMCA’s strategic planning process includes individual performance objectives that include opportunities for personal development. They also identify staff suited for management, and provide challenges, opportunities and mentoring through their internal coaching school.

“The number one benefit [to supporting staff in their career goals],” says Vrkljan, “is you have a captured audience — staff who are presumably doing what they need to do and doing it well, and who know and are committed to the organization and its mission. What better way to further the work of the organization than to allow individuals within it to grow and to support them in their career?”

Taking a detour

“Developing a plan is one thing,” says Malcolm. “Re-evaluating it regularly is another. Planning may include revising based on new research, insights or information. Embracing serendipity in the process is important too.”

Kate Holt, development officer, stewardship at the University of Alberta, is a “huge believer in serendipity.” Holt has approached career planning in a variety of ways. When she graduated with an education degree, she had a six-year plan. For the first three years, she stuck with the plan, but then she decided to do a six-month course with a volunteer organization. That detour ended up shifting her career path from education into work with charitable arts organizations, using her teaching degree in new and unexpected ways. For a number of years, she made career decisions based on “what seemed right at the time.” As she has gotten older, however, she says she tempers intuition with seeking “the counsel of a very small but trusted number of good friends when she has a decision to make.”

Holt says, “Intuition is important, but it’s no substitute for research. I think having a plan is fine, but to über-planners, I would say, stay open. Be willing to be flexible with your plan, or you could miss out on something wonderful.”

For Brendan Sheehan, a positive unplanned opportunity has already arisen. He says, “The life of a medical student is a pretty hectic one. I had pretty much resigned myself to singledom until its completion. Along the way though, I managed to meet my current girlfriend and it just so happened that our future plans are in sync.”

Susan Fish is a writer/editor at Storywell, a company that helps individuals and organization tell their story well. She has written for the nonprofit sector for almost two decades and loves a good story.