CHAPTER 2

Developing a Strategy for a Life of Meaningful Labor

by Brian Fetherstonhaugh

In a world of constant disruption, both opportunity and uncertainty exist in the workplace. All of us need a new way of thinking about work and taking personal responsibility for our careers, which last 45 years and beyond.

Over the past three decades, I have been counseling and mentoring people and conducting research on the topic of career strategy. I’ve been struck by how many people at all stages of life are extremely anxious about their career but have invested little time in creating a strategy for it. If you are one of those people, take the time to change that: Set aside a day to create a plan for pursuing the most purposeful and rewarding work possible. Whether you’re a millennial, a Gen Xer, or a baby boomer, here are five actions you can take to get your career strategy rolling.

Calculate How Much Longer You’ll Be Working

Most people vastly underestimate how long a career lasts, so do some simple math. Tally up how many years, days, and hours you expect to be working, even part-time. Hint: The current average retirement age in the United States is 65, but it’s going up. Many are choosing—or needing—to work well into their seventies.

Figure Out What Career Stage You Are At

There are three major career stages, each lasting about 15 years. You’ll need to adjust as you pass through them.

• Stage one: start of career through midthirties. Make this your time to discover, learn, and try different things. Sign up for some special assignments at work. Take an online course. Volunteer for a not-for-profit organization that might stretch your skills. Be open to opportunities inside and outside of your company if you believe they can accelerate your learning. You’re sure to take a few wrong turns, but even mistakes and learning what you don’t like are valuable.
• Stage two: late thirties to early fifties. This is your time to reach high by building on strengths and differentiating yourself from others. You’ll want to find your sweet spot, which is the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, and what the world values.
• Stage three: midfifties and beyond. At age 50, you could easily have more than 20 years of work life left. Your work should be sustainable and keep a reasonable pace that could last for decades. One of your main areas of focus at this stage should be to stay fresh. Nobody wants to hire someone who is only concerned with the past. Stay relevant and well connected so that you can become a practitioner of “active wisdom” for years to come. Try some reverse mentoring—share some of your expertise with a younger colleague in exchange for what they know about today. Remain a lifelong learner. Read up on current technologies and emerging industries and think about how the principles and knowledge you have accumulated could be applied into the future.

Take Inventory of How Much “Career Fuel” You Have

The people who are most successful in the long term are those who have an abundant supply of what I call “career fuel”: transportable skills, meaningful experiences, and enduring relationships.

Transportable skills include problem solving, being adept at persuading others, getting things done, and knowing how to take smart risks. These are skills you can carry with you from job to job, company to company, and industry to industry.

Meaningful experiences take us out of our comfort zone and make us more adaptable to changes in our job environment. Think travel, intense community service, launching products, or starting your own business.

Enduring relationships are perhaps the most powerful form of career fuel: the connections, experts, critical colleagues, and mentors who make a huge difference in your career progression.

Assess whether your fuel levels are growing, stagnating, or perhaps even declining. Ask yourself what you can do in the next year to replenish them. You don’t always need to change jobs or industries to add fuel. Look for new pathways within your own organization through a special assignment, job rotation, expanded responsibilities, or structured training.

Grade Your Current Work Situation

Don’t depend on your gut or how you feel late on a Friday evening to evaluate your job satisfaction. Get objective by asking these four questions: Are you learning? Are you having impact? Are you having fun? And, finally, are you being fairly rewarded?

Regarding the last one: Look at the full package of rewards, including salary, benefits, vacation, and workplace flexibility. Is it fair for what you are contributing to the organization? How does it compare to the going rate in the marketplace?

What do the answers to these questions show you? Could you boost some of the low ratings? Can they be fixed in your current situation, or should you look elsewhere?

Invest Your Time Wisely

Time is the currency of our lives, and how we spend it speaks volumes about what we think is important. Sketch a simple pie chart of how you have spent your time over the past couple of months, using categories such as work, family, community, health, and relaxation.

What does your pie chart say about how you’re investing in yourself? What balance of work and play is sustainable for the journey ahead? Are you devoting enough time to the things that really make you happy, even in small doses? Should you adjust your time as you transition from one stage to another? Are you using your precious time to build fuel? How does your time portfolio relate to your answers to the job satisfaction questions?

A career is a long ride, and it’s more than just work: It’s a huge part of life. Take time to think strategically about your career journey. Only one person will be with you for the whole ride, and that’s you. Don’t just worry about it—take some action.

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Brian Fetherstonhaugh is global chief talent officer of The Ogilvy Group and the author of The Long View: Career Strategies to Start Strong, Reach High, and Go Far (Diversion Publishing, 2016).

Adapted from content posted on hbr.org, September 5, 2016 (product #H0341F).