Be Flexible Instead of Having a Five-Year Plan for Flexible Careers
When you’re just starting your career (or a few years before graduation), many people may ask what your five-year plan is. Instead of having a strict plan that you absolutely must adhere to, be flexible and allow yourself to respond to career opportunities that you might not expect.
As Anna Bond, founder of Rifle Paper Co. , explains . , you can’t always predict what career opportunities will come your way. You are by nature the most inexperienced early in your career, so figuring out your trajectory before you start is a bit like driving without looking at the map. While a plan is good, it’s also important to stay flexible:
We still don’t plan far ahead because it’s really important to be agile and be able to respond to opportunities that come up very quickly, and how to change course if you need to. I feel like we’ve done a lot of this. Sometimes the unexpected happens and we say, “Oh, this is a really great solution – this is not what we planned, but let’s just do it,” and it can change the course of our intentions. but ultimately it’s great for the company.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a plan. However, this means that you must be willing to give up the plan when a good idea comes your way. It can be harder to do if the plan feels comfortable to you, but some of the best career opportunities tend to arise from paths you might not expect.
The Argument Against Five-Year Plans: You Can’t Adapt Without Opportunity For Change | 99u