After making a career decision, you are ready to develop a word picture that describes your chosen career destination. We call this a vocational mission statement. It represents the skills and interests you are motivated to use and the needs you feel enthusiastic about helping to meet.
Vocational Mission Statement
One of the seven habits of highly effective people, as defined by Stephen Covey, is to begin with the end in mind. Writing a vocational mission statement does just that by having you focus on your motivation and ultimate vision for your career.
Without a vocational mission statement, many people find themselves going from one job to another without a sense of direction. Like an incandescent light bulb, their time and energy are diffused and aimless. They may end up in dead-end or unsatisfying jobs that lack meaning and purpose.
In contrast to the diffused energy of a light bulb, your vocational mission statement will allow you to be purposeful in focusing your priorities, energy, and goals like a laser beam. Just as a high-powered laser beam can cut through solid steel, your mission statement can help you focus your energy, priorities, and goals so that life is full of purpose rather than finding yourself in a job with little meaning that pays the bills.
How to Develop Your Own Vocational Mission Statement
Your CFT Skills Map™, along with your career research, will help you develop a vocational mission statement. Don’t feel that your mission statement has to be perfect. Mission statements are dynamic and may change as you grow and develop in your career.
Here is an example of a vocational mission statement using all three skill groups (transferable, personal, and content):
“As a caring and responsible high school teacher, my mission is to use my skills in teaching, mentoring, and writing and my knowledge of biology to help students live healthier lives and prepare for college success.”
As you can see above, “caring” and “responsible” are personal skills. “Teaching,” “mentoring,” and “writing” are transferable skills. Biology is a content skill.
Here is a sample format for developing your vocational mission statement:
“As a personal skill and personal skill chosen career, my mission is to use my skills in transferable skill, transferable skill, and transferable skill; and my knowledge of content skill to help… ________________________________________________________
_______________________________(referring to a need that you are enthusiastic about helping to meet).
Here are more examples of vocational mission statements:
As a creative and imaginative web designer, I aim to use my skills in designing, improving, and synthesizing my graphic design and visual arts knowledge to help small business owners develop a successful personal brand online.
As a friendly and responsible financial planner, my mission is to use my skills in planning, advising, and knowledge of money management to help middle-class men and women achieve financial security in retirement.
As a reliable and hardworking general contractor, my mission is to use my skills in planning, managing, and building, as well as my knowledge of construction, to build quality residential homes.
Here is a Vocational Mission Statement Worksheet for developing your vocational mission statement incorporating your transferable, personal, and content skills.
Goal Setting and Action Plan
After writing your mission statement, the following tasks are to develop priority goals and an action plan of achievable “bite-sized” steps to move your life in the direction you want. Many people just let life happen to them. You can, however, join a small, elite group of people who choose to live intentional lives when you develop and write down your priority goals. Zig Ziglar said, “Everyone has individual goals that might be positive or negative, but 97 percent of the people in our society do not have an organized goals program. . . . Only 3 percent of all Americans have goals programs designed to reap the most benefits from life itself.” Completing the Action Plan Worksheet [make this a link] in this section will set you apart from 97 percent of other Americans and position you to experience success in your life.
Even a simple goals program enables you to do more than you ever thought possible. You will be repaid many times for the effort you expend in developing your goals program. “Writing down goals… may sound like a lot of work,” acknowledges Tim Hansel. “But when they are tied up with your vision, your dreams, about the things you love to do and want to do,” he continues, “they easily become part of the path to your dream. And they never seem like work again. If you don’t set your own goals, you will always be accepting other people’s goals.” Living your career dreams requires focusing your goals on what you want to do with the hours, days, and years of your life.
Your action plan is a tool for setting achievable goals that align with your vocational mission statement. Many people have goals, dreams, or visions they want to achieve. However, they may fail to take action because the dream or vision seems so large, distant, or overwhelming that they don’t even know where to begin. They give up on the dream before they even get started. Your action plan can transform the seemingly impossible into the achievable.
Your action plan breaks down your priority goal into “bite-sized pieces” by outlining and organizing the chronological action steps needed to accomplish your career dream. Your action plan can make a crucial difference in your life, moving you from daydreaming about what you feel gifted and called to do to make it happen. You will reach a significant destination if you consistently take small steps in the right direction.
Make each goal a SMART + IE goal or SMARTIE Goal – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound, Inspirational, and Evaluated
For a goal to be a goal, it needs to include the following:
• Specific (create a clear picture of what you want and need to do)
• Measurable (determine how you will know when you have accomplished it)
• Achievable (determine how you will know when you have accomplished it)
• Relevant (It ensures that efforts are directed toward outcomes that make a meaningful impact and support the overall vision)
• Time-limited (assign dates and deadlines to create accountability, energy, and activity)
• Inspirational (The goal is crafted in a way that inspires and motivates individuals or teams to go above and beyond in their efforts)
• Evaluated (The goal includes built-in mechanisms for regular evaluation and reflection, allowing for adjustments and improvements as needed)
After creating your priority goal(s), develop the smaller action step goals necessary to accomplish your priority goal(s). Here is an example:
Priority Goal: My goal is to begin working as a financial advisor by the end of September 20xx.
Action Step Goals:
- Explore colleges to complete a bachelor’s degree in finance and business by January 20xx.
- By March 20xx, research and apply for at least three finance-related scholarships or grants to support academic pursuits and reduce financial burdens.
- Enroll in a degree program by September 20xx.
- Attend at least two monthly finance or business-related networking events to expand professional connections and knowledge. Start by January 20xx.
- Secure informational interviews with at least five professionals in the finance industry to gain insights and advice on career paths and opportunities. Complete by September 20xx
- Participate in a mentorship program or seek guidance from a professional in the finance field to receive personalized career advice and support. Begin by October 20xx.
- Develop LinkedIn, target resume, and cover letter to obtain an internship by December 20xx.
- Attend career fairs or job expos focused on finance and business industries to explore internship and job opportunities and network with recruiters. TBD
- Join a finance or business-related student organization or club to gain leadership experience, network with peers, and participate in relevant activities and events. Begin by January sophomore year.
- Complete two internships in finance-related roles by January of senior year.
- Update LinkedIn, target resume, and cover letter to obtain a financial advisor job after graduation. Complete by July 20xx.
- Complete a degree in finance by May 20xx.
- Obtain first financial advisor job by September 20xx.
Here is a Priority Goal and Action Plan Worksheet to help you achieve your career plans.
If your action steps involve job search activities, here is a step-by-step guide, Find Work You Love, to help you conduct a successful job search.