Careers Guide | Taking a strategic approach to career planning

When you’re starting out in a sector, it’s easy to apply for anything and everything, and not think too much about where you see yourself in five, 10 or even 20 years’ time. However, while being open-minded about your career is a good thing, career planning is still something that you should consider.

The expectation is that we will work until we start receiving the state pension (66, 67 or 68 depending on your current age), which means there are benefits to thinking more meaningfully and strategically about your career. Adopting a more intentional approach ensures that you use your time effectively, managing your energy and your response to success or rejection.

A career plan captures your ambitions, records your next steps and helps you monitor your progress. While the plan is not set in stone, it can help you look at your future more objectively and enable you to make decisions more readily if an opportunity arises – for example, whether you should leave a permanent role for a fixed-term post that would support your professional development and networking.

Produce a timeline

Create a timeline that spans the age you got your first job to retirement age, adding in details of time spent studying and in paid or volunteering roles.

This will allow you to see the bigger picture and the time available for career progression, as well as enabling you to track your achievements.

Determine your goals

Career progression is not always about vertical promotion – ultimately, it’s about what career success looks like for you.

The following tasks may help you think about your immediate next steps, as well as your longer-term success.

• Imagine you are at the end of your working life: how would you like to describe your career when asked? While this may be some years off, this is, essentially, your career goal.
• Reflect on your values. What elements of work do you find most interesting or rewarding? What else is important to you – for example, work/life balance or a specific issue such as tackling climate change? The answers will provide insight into other career drivers.
• While it would be wonderful to get everything you need from one role, the likelihood is that it will provide only some elements. What are the most important elements from your answers to step two? The answer will help you rule in or rule out vacancies as they are advertised, ensuring you don’t waste time and energy applying for just any job.
• Create a master CV to capture all of your achievements, responsibilities and other evidence to support future applications. This will save you a significant amount of time in the long run.

Repeat the above steps on a regular basis, as your personal circumstances and career goals are likely to change over time.

Develop a professional development plan

Your career plan is supported by a professional development plan. Once you know what your current skills and competencies are, you need to address any gaps in your experience.

Use “job description” for roles you’d like in the future and highlight what essential elements you would need to apply for something similar. Also look at the Museums Association’s Competency Framework, occupational standards for apprenticeships or tenders for work if you are a freelancer.

Reflect on how you learn best, and develop and identify development opportunities – whether that’s through online learning, conferences or reading a book.

Career planning helps you identify your ambitions and enables you to move more purposefully and effectively, by helping you prioritise the roles you are applying for, the professional development you need to be successful and the relationships you will build to help you get there. Good luck!

Tamsin Russell is the workforce lead at the Museums Association

Associateship of the Museums Association

The Museums Association’s professional development programme provides a flexible way to become a well-rounded museum professional.

“Working towards my Associateship of the Museums Association (AMA) has helped me achieve so much in a few short years and has made the heritage sector feel so much more familiar. The skills and relationships that I have developed will be invaluable for my career.”
Beth Elliott, senior collections and house officer, National Trust

“The AMA has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It has given me the chance to learn about different areas of the sector, which has greatly helped me to reflect on and develop my own practice. I’ve enjoyed meeting people from across the sector, sharing common issues and celebrating successes together.”
Ellie King, evaluation and visitor experience consultant

“Working with colleagues across the sector has helped develop my understanding of the profession. The sense of fellowship and support from peers kept me inspired and motivated. After over two decades in museums, I’d wondered whether it was worth starting the AMA. I needn’t have doubted it – it’s been one of the highlights of my career.”
Tom Hughes, access officer, Dumfries and Galloway Museums

See our AMA careers page for more information