It’s about the inner career
In order to explain what I mean by strategic career design or active career design, two terms need to be clarified: career and strategic. In contrast to a common understanding, I do not necessarily see a successful career as maximizing hierarchical advancement, social prestige and income. These are the socially accepted criteria of an external career. I define a career as successful when someone has found the professional situation in which he/she feels comfortable. This means that he/she has found a profession that builds on personal interests and strengths. I call this an inner career. Professional careers extend over a period of 45 years and this with increasing tendency. They should therefore build on personal strengths. Only in this way can people with a reasonable amount of energy be successful over the years. To achieve this goal, I recommend a strategic or active approach.
Personal and professional assessment as a prerequisite for strategic career design
When designing my own career, I have to decide what criteria I want to use to shape it. Above we have mentioned criteria that many people use. Other people choose a career that follows a current trend. And finally, a supposed long-term job security is a decision criterion. This is easy to understand. The disadvantage is that nobody can predict what professions will be sought after in 10 years. Therefore, I recommend to build the career on the only thing that remains constant: your personality. People are different in their talents and abilities. In a personal and professional assessment you find out what your strengths and inclinations are. This determines the direction of career development. Most people are forced to change jobs or even professions several times in their life. The common denominator of all these professional activities should be skills, strengths and interests.