Reacting to Opportunities for Your Career

I read an article in the recent issue of Management-Issues that got me thinking about the trajectory of my own career. The article , entitled Reacting Matters as Much as Planning, challenged the notion that a thorough plan or budget is always the most valuable road map for an organization. As is often the case with many small businesses that skyrocket to success, reacting to an unexpected challenge or opportunity can become a defining moment and a launch pad to greater things.

The same can be said for our careers. We're all dealing with a tough economy right now, which has brought the career plan of many accounting professionals to a screeching halt. Perhaps you have recently been laid off, or have decided to earn another degree now that your planned promotion has become a thousand times more competitive to win. I myself had a career plan all mapped out when I finished my undergraduate accounting degree. I intended to immediately pass the CPA exam, work in public accounting until I made senior manager, then move on to start my own business or become an executive at a small company. Life has certainly changed all of that, but I do not regret a single deviation from my initial career path. When I had my first child, my goals shifted. I wanted to make motherhood my full-time focus, while still keeping my part-time attention on continuing my accounting career. I initially moved from a life of intense client-focused travel in public accounting, to a corporate accounting job that allowed me to be home at 6pm every night. But even after that, I needed more time with my son, so I quit my job, not knowing how I would continue my career. The time off gave me an opportunity to write a book, start a blog, and expand my network. Through professional organizations, I met someone who was looking for a qualified part-time CPA to manage curriculum and tutor students for several online accounting MBA courses. It was the perfect opportunity for me, and one which I hadn't planned on at all. While I've been positioning myself to make my next career move when I am ready to get back into the full-time workforce, I am still keeping my mind and network open for the right opportunity for continuing professional development.

So while I've deviated quite a bit from my original career plan, the side trip was much more fulfilling than my original path could have been, and my flexible perspective has enabled me to grasp hold of opportunities that have unexpectedly come my way. If you are disappointed that your career is not moving exactly where or how you planned, take a step back from your career road map and look for new opportunities open by unexpected circumstances. Perhaps your new degree, company, or another change in the economic environment will unexpectedly move you up a few rungs on the professional ladder when the time is right.