As I mentioned in my previous blog, success in the new economy is going to be about stepping-up and taking charge. Your career is your own and it will be up to you to decide how you are going to make it happen.

I truly believe that success in any endeavor requires having a plan, a plan that is custom created by YOU and for YOU. This is why the focus of my upcoming book, The YOU Plan, is on creating a personal career plan designed to meet your needs, as YOU see them, instead of meeting the needs of some generic boiler plate prototype.

The YOU Plan is based on the VIPER approach. VIPER stands for Values, Intrinsics, Passions, Essence (brand), and Roadmap. The idea is for you to think through these five areas and really ask yourself to what extent are you actually in command of yourself, your assets, and your direction.

The idea behind the VIPER approach is to get you back to the fundementals. Whether you are new to the job market or back out on the hunt for the first time in years, the task is daunting and your sense of urgency is high. The new economy has created a norm of uncertainty, which can be tremendously stressful. As reality sets in, you may panic and find yourself moving too fast and not strategically picking your battles. This is where having a plan helps. When faced with ambiguity and uncertainty, the best thing you can do is create your own certainty through planning.  

Over the next couple of weeks I will spend time walking you through each of the five VIPER steps and challenging you to push yourself by asking those tough fundamental questions to get you started on creating your very own “YOU Plan”.

Stay tuned!

Dr. Woody

To find out more about The YOU Plan go to www.DrWoody.com