--- title: Want Your Dream Job? Turn Your Career Ladder Sideways! description: There's a new workforce reality. Focusing on promotions & moving up the proverbial career ladder is an incomplete & archaic plan to achieve your dream job. image: http://m.c.lnkd.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAK7AAAAJDIyMDhkNTM2LWIyOGItNDEwNS1hMzM2LTNkNjlhOGNkZmIwMw.jpg --- ### [Featured](https://www.executiv.co/blog/topic/featured) // [Career](https://www.executiv.co/blog/topic/career) # Want Your Dream Job? Turn Your Career Ladder Sideways! August 19, 2016 About [![](https://www.executiv.co/hubfs/Profile_Photos/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAIcAAAAJDY4OGVjZTVlLWNmNDktNDUwNi05OGQ5LWE3MTQxZjQ1ZGE4MA.jpg)](https://www.executiv.co/blog/author/brandon-naber) ## [Brandon Naber](https://www.executiv.co/blog/author/brandon-naber) - - - - There's a new workforce reality. Focusing on promotions & moving up the proverbial career ladder is an incomplete & archaic plan to achieve your ultimate dream job. As a globalised, mobilised, digitized, specialised workforce with access to people & information in seconds, you have more career path options & dream job options than ever before. [![FREE COURSE: take action on this strategy and enroll in our effective leadership email course. ](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/505806/81d38ac5-78f2-4442-8f78-357f6a3a96b0.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/505806/81d38ac5-78f2-4442-8f78-357f6a3a96b0) The new path to reach your professional goals focuses on attaining a group of skills, knowledge, and experiences necessary to get you there. Grab some paper, a whiteboard, or Powerpoint. We're about to reverse-engineer a new game plan to your Dream Job. ### **Step 1: Write Down Your Ultimate Professional Goal** This is the reason you work hard - the ultimate purpose behind your work. **Example:** ![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAN-AAAAJGJiYWUyYTllLWE3MGItNDNhYi1iMmUwLTY0ZGI2ZTUzMTg0Yw.png) ### **Step 2: Write Down Your Dream Job** Your Dream Job correlates directly with your ultimate professional goal. Defining your dream job = setting a tangible target to achieve your ultimate goal. **Example: ** ![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAANnAAAAJGQ3MGZjNGIyLWEyMDgtNGUzMS05YWU2LWU1NmFlNGFmN2VhMQ.png) ### **Step 3: Fill-in Your Dream Job "Career Ladder Rungs"** Start at your Dream Job and work backwards to your current role. Add the preferred career steps you would likely take to reach your Dream Job.  **Example:** This path to the CEO role goes through Sales & Marketing. ![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAALYAAAAJGVjNWJjN2FhLTdmZmMtNGM3YS04NGFkLTA3MTYwZmNmMDhjZg.png) ### **Step 4: Turn Your Career Ladder Sideways: List the Skills, Knowledge, & Experiences You Need for Each Career Step** This will be the bank of skills, knowledge, and experiences you need to acquire. Start with your current role & move up the ladder.  **Example: **This example focuses on the Sales side of the "career ladder" **![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAMSAAAAJDU5NDA4ZGEyLTgxMTctNDQwMS05MGQxLTk4NWZjZGQ4YTliMQ.png)** ### **Step 5: Find Your Skill, Knowledge, & Experience Gaps** Which skills, knowledge, & experiences have you acquired? Where are your gaps? **Example: **This example focuses on the Sales side of the "career ladder" **![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAANCAAAAJDk0ZTI3MzFkLThhMWQtNGVmZS1iYWFhLWM2OWE3YmI3ZmE1ZQ.png)** ### **Step 6: Prioritize Your Current Gaps to Close** It's important to prioritize your gaps. Think about the realistic order, urgency, timing, & complexity of closing your gaps. As an example, one skill might be a pre-requisite to achieving another, or the timing of acquiring an experience may not currently be an option. **Example: **This example focuses on the Sales side of the "career ladder" **![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAANeAAAAJDkwNGYxOWQzLTVjOWEtNGI4YS1iMDliLWI0OTY5MGNmMDViNA.png)** ### **Step 7: Plan Your Focused 6-Month Game Plan** Focus is key for optimal development speed & quality. Aim to acquire no more than 1-2 skills, 1-2 knowledge sets, and 1-3 experiences every 3-6 months. **Example: **This example focuses on the Sales side of the "career ladder" ![](https://media.licdn.com/mpr/mpr/shrinknp_800_800/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAJBAAAAJDI1ZDQwNTIzLTczYmItNDRmZi1iYzdlLTU1MTBhYTk1NmY5ZQ.png) Stick to your new game plan. The discipline you use & execution speed you apply to acquire these skills, knowledge, and experiences are entirely up to you. Execution time. Go get it! Lastly, if you're ready to make the move from your current job, then don't forget to [write a great resignation letter](https://learn.g2crowd.com/how-to-write-a-resignation-letter). It's important to leave your existing role without burning any bridges. *This post was originally published on [Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/pulse/want-your-dream-job-turn-career-ladder-sideways-brandon-naber). Get in touch with Brandon over at [Sales Development Coach](http://www.salesdevelopmentcoach.com/). [![Free Email Course: Become an Effective Leader in Four Weeks](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/505806/7858d926-8418-4750-877d-4819cc1fb004.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/505806/7858d926-8418-4750-877d-4819cc1fb004) 1 Comments [![Brandon Naber](https://www.executiv.co/hubfs/Profile_Photos/AAEAAQAAAAAAAAIcAAAAJDY4OGVjZTVlLWNmNDktNDUwNi05OGQ5LWE3MTQxZjQ1ZGE4MA.jpg)](https://www.executiv.co/blog/author/brandon-naber) ### [Brandon Naber](https://www.executiv.co/blog/author/brandon-naber) On a lifelong mission to break down the boundaries of growth potential for hard-working, ambitious people & organisations around the world. An experienced consultant with experience working within 5 of the fastest growing businesses of all time - LinkedIn, Dropbox, Twitter, SurveyMonkey & CEB - as well as many ambitious startups. 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