Unprecedented times.

These two words, which are so innocent by themselves, have become one of the most prominent and maligned terms of recent memory. Used primarily by politicians and media outlets as a softer way of saying that this a chaotic and scary period to be living in, it has become a common refrain of pessimism, a way for people to say, “this is beyond my control.”

It’s undeniable that the disruptions of the past two years have been overwhelming and there is much beyond your control: where you can and can’t work from, the extent of the lockdowns, whether you are able access vaccines, and whether the people around are choosing to be vaccinated.

But it is important to remember that there is still much within your control.

For example, you are still the arbiter of your own career destiny. Whether you are looking for a promotion or considering leaving your current role and seeking greener pastures as part of the Great Resignation, the onus is upon yourself to make this happen.

In a time like this, the best way to achieve a goal is to use the SMART Method, which means that your goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. You must stay aware of the inherent restrictions around you, but by focusing on what you remain in control of you are best positioned to be productive and attain your intended goal.

The first step is to assess where you want your career to go. Are you looking for that next promotion? Do you want to make a major shift and change career track entirely? Or do you simply want to build upon your skillset so that you can be more capable and confident in your current role? 

Once you have answered this question, once you have decided upon your destination so to speak, then you can plan exactly how you intend to get there and when you are hoping to arrive. As espoused by the SMART Method, having a schedule for your goals is essential to their successful attainment and ideally you will build a plan made up of discrete stages with their own smaller goals. This will make the whole project more manageable and you will gain confidence and momentum as you complete each individual stage. A simple schedule that you can plan around is the fiscal quarters of the year, with a unique goalpost every three months (for instance, one goal for a quarter could be to advance your ability to work with Excel)

AIM is committed to supporting Australia’s workforce achieve their career goals, especially in highly disruptive times. To do so, we are offering everyone in the country a voucher that is worth $500 that can be used as credit towards a vast range of AIM training programs. This includes all of our Short Courses, which are delivered on-campus, in virtual classrooms, and as self-paced online study, the Mini MBA, and our already discounted Vocational Qualifications. Your voucher can be applied to any course running this year and has unlimited uses, so you can use it for the entirety of your 2022 career development plan.

However, you must book each course that you want to attend by the 28^th of February, so it is imperative that you create your plan for the year as soon as you can.

Click here to claim your voucher now. Use this opportunity to carve out your professional development path through 2022 so you can reclaim the time you lost to last year’s chaos and take command of your career trajectory.

If you would like help with creating your career development plan or would like assistance with booking a course, please call 1300 658 337 to speak with one of AIM’s expert Course Advisors. They will also ensure the $500 credit is applied to every training program you book into.