New kid on the block alert! Abigail Botten recently joined BGCA’s Programs & Innovation team, and she’s already got totally radical tips for youth development professionals thinking about their career paths.
What do I want to be when I grow up? That is something I still ponder today, 7 years into my career… and that’s how it SHOULD be.
Your career is a journey, not a destination—but you’re in the driver’s seat. As Youth Development professionals, you dedicate your days to empowering young people to dream big and take charge of their futures. But what if the best way to inspire them is by first charting your own path? Like they say on the airplane safety videos, put your oxygen mask on first before helping others. Whether you are in college or 20 years into your career, these six steps will allow you to take hold of your career journey so that you can show up best for the young people you serve.
Reflect on your Passions and Purpose
What gets you excited to jump out of bed in the morning? Where do you find joy throughout your day? What can you passionately talk about with a stranger for hours?
Your career doesn’t have to define your purpose—it can be a vehicle to help you live it out. Whether through meaningful work or by creating stability to contribute to other areas of your life, aligning your career with your purpose can bring fulfillment. For example, someone in the youth development field might strive to create opportunities for young people to discover their potential, build confidence, and pursue their dreams. This work directly connects to a purpose of empowering others and leaving a lasting impact.
- Start by identifying your core values: What truly matters most to you?
- Then, assess your strengths and what brings you joy: Reflect on times when you felt deeply engaged or proud of your contributions—what activities or tasks do you excel at and enjoy doing?
- Finally, think about the impact you want to make: Who do you want to support? What difference do you want to create? By clarifying these elements, you can use your career to help fulfill your purpose and inspire others to do the same.
Career and Passion Mapping
- Reflect on your current career and what you enjoy about it.
- Envision your ideal role and impact.
- On one side of the paper write your current role, on the other side of the paper write the role you are interested in pursuing.
- Create your path between the two in a visual format.
- In the space between, list key steps, skills, or connections you’ll need to bridge the gap.
Here’s an example of one way a visual career map might look like. You can choose a role as either a short-term or long-term goal, and as shown at the bottom, there would be many steps needed to bridge the gap. This example is simply meant to demonstrate how a career map could be structured.
Set SMART Goals
Now that you’ve identified your passions, purpose, and strengths, and mapped out where you are now and where you hope to be, it’s time to create actionable steps to help you reach your goals. Using your findings from the first two steps, develop 2-3 SMART goals for yourself:
- Specific: The goal should be clear and specific, outlining exactly what you want to achieve.
- Measurable: There should be criteria to measure progress and determine when the goal is achieved.
- Achievable: The goal should be realistic and attainable, given your current resources and constraints.
- Relevant: The goal should be aligned with broader objectives or personal development needs.
- Time-bound: There should be a deadline or timeline for achieving the goal, helping to maintain focus and motivation.
Boys & Girls Club staff can access training on setting SMART goals on Spillett Leadership University. Log in to SLU through myBGCA.net and search for “SMART goals.”
Invest in Professional Development
Wow, look at you—self-discovery superstar and goal-setting genius! Who knew you had it in you to map out your dreams like a pro?
Just as we encourage young people to invest in their growth, it’s essential that we do the same for ourselves—finding professional development opportunities that will help us reach our goals and continue to thrive. You can do anything, but you cannot do everything!
Choose one thing you want to focus on this year in terms of professional development. Maybe you identified you want to be a stellar fundraiser or salesperson, so you may want to focus on growing in communication. Research 2-3 professional development opportunities that will support your growth in the area you identified. These opportunities could be reading a book, taking a class or certification, or asking for a different project at work, among others.
Build a Support Network
Connect with peers, mentors, and leaders who can support and guide you. This network isn’t just for you—it also models the importance of building networks, something you can encourage young people to do as well. Ways to grow your network:
- Set up coffee or lunch with someone who holds a role you aspire to have.
- Join your company’s resource groups. At Boys & Girls Clubs our Movement Resource Groups give you the opportunity to network with other professionals across the country.
- Seek out local opportunities, such as volunteer opportunities, social clubs, or professional networks.
Remember that your network is your net worth!
Model Resilience and Adaptability
Finally, embrace change and share your learning moments—both successes and setbacks. Show youth that career paths are not linear and that challenges can be stepping stones to growth. Life and careers are about embracing twists and turns, and setbacks are opportunities for reflection and growth. Sharing your experiences demonstrates that there are many ways to reach a goal, encouraging young people to explore different paths, take risks, and stay adaptable.
About Abigail Botten
What advice do you have for young professionals? How do you stay motivated in your youth development career? Comment below, on the BGCA Youth Development Facebook page, or email ClubXBlog@bgca.org.
Leave a Reply