Guest Author - Maria G. Martinez

It is very true that every journey starts with the first step. It is also true that without some planning, you may never reach your destination. Goal setting is very important in the world of careers, especially when it comes to computer careers. If you are new to the world of computers or a seasoned IT professional, there is no need to tell you about the broad world of possibilities within the computer world, and in a world so vast, a good set of goals can be the difference between sinking or swimming.

The ultimate goal.
Begin with the end in mind, says the old adage, and your first step should be your ultimate goal. Do you want to end up a senior programmer, CTO (Chief Technical Officer), senior IT manager, a business owner, a leading designer for a major website? This should be your first step. When reading a map (or for our advanced geeks, calculating a route on GPS) the first step is where is your final destination. It should be this way for your career roadmap as well.

If you are still too green or still exploring the broadness of the computer world, do not fret: try to imagine at least a branch: database? design? programming? networking? security? training? This should give you an idea of the direction in which you should head.

Where do you stand?
The next step is to figure out where you are in the grand scheme of things. When calculating a route, the first thing you do is find where you are going. The next thing you do is find exactly where you are. While these two steps may seem interchangeable, there is a reason I am setting them in this order: by choosing the final goal first, you don't tie yourself to whatever it is you do right now. In other words, you won't see where you are and the possible obvious route. Sometimes the obvious route leads to a dead end.

What education, certifications, knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience do you currently have? Make sure you list everything, and that you are completely honest with yourself, too. The only person you would fool by lying in this exercise is yourself. This step should almost look like the rough draft of an unpolished resume.

What do I need?
The next step is to figure out what you need in order to get to where you want to be. Is it experience that you need? Education and certifications? A specific skill?

Make sure that you explore all possibilities. If you need experience, can you get a job in that area? Can you do an internship? Is there a college course you can take? Is there someone you can have as a mentor? If you are currently attending college, a good place to start is a career counselor. Most are available on a walk-in basis, although many require an appointment. They are a wealth of knowledge and can guide you directly to books and people that can help. If you are not attending college, and/or a career counselor is not an option, most libraries have a wealth of resources on this. A mentor, basically, someone who is already where you would like to be in the future, can teach you with their own living example how to achieve the goals that you have set for yourself. The internet is also a valuable tool in assisting your research. Just make sure to verify that the website you visited is legitimate. University websites usually have loads of resources in career paths, are freely available, and are credible sources of information.

One good practice that I highly recommend is keeping a journal on the little and big details you find about your chosen career path. Evaluating the pros and cons is always helpful in determining whether you need to stop, think, and recalculate your route.

Determine what you need in order to achieve your goal. Write it down. Study it. Act on it. Do your research. Stick to it. It will pay off in the end. And don't worry if you make a mistake in your route - you can always stop and recalculate, and you can ALWAYS find value in whatever experience you have.

Perhaps doing the research may seem very daunting, but just remember that if you don’t find out how to get to your destination, you may never get there.