Where do you see yourself in five years? This is a common question in job interviews, as it tells recruiters whether a professional has career ambitions and how dedicated they are to achieving them. However, answering this question isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have a career plan for the next five years . In five years, where do you see yourself? Hiring managers can use this classic interview question to see whether a working professional has career goals and how dedicated they are to achieving them. However, answering this question isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have a five-year professional plan. It’s natural that freshmen professionals or those who have worked for a long time at the same company or in the same job would not know what they want to do. But without purpose, they will stagnate and are unable to imagine a better job.

How do you determine your professional goals?

One of the reasons that it is so hard to define a career plan is that most individuals are not aware of where they are heading, or even where they visualize themselves being. Most firms have career plans and allow professionals to see what the future holds for them, but not always and sometimes professionals are lost, not being able to define a direction. So, first of all, professionals need to know where they go. Here is how:

Do a self-assessment

Which of the duties you perform at your present job makes you the happiest? What position would you take on in your company next? Would you like to look? Assessing your reality is the first step in determining what you want—or don’t want. Start this free-form assessment by writing down on paper what you enjoy most, what you value in a company, your key skills, and what motivates you at work. Rereading this list may begin to reveal possibilities.

Rethink certain concepts

Another factor that often hinders career progression is when professionals don’t believe they’re capable of achieving a leadership position . While not everyone aspires to become a leader or manager, there are many ways to develop leadership skills in their daily lives. But the truth is that for a career to evolve, it will eventually involve management positions. And that’s not a bad thing, as these professionals become references and, despite having more responsibility, they also have more benefits and become more competitive in the market.

Identify personal goals

Personal objectives and aspirations might be linked to work goals. In five years, do you want your own house? Perhaps take a trip abroad? Or maybe learn a new language, study abroad, or buy a better car. All of these desires can influence professional decisions, whether it’s choosing a lifestyle that allows flexibility or a company that offers stability.

Career plan for the next 5 years

These reflections will guide decision-making and serve as the basis for creating a concrete plan. By answering these questions and assessing their current career path, professionals can finally establish a goal that will guide their choices. It’s not about knowing how to answer a question in a job interview, but about developing a purpose that will guide you to the positions you apply for. Here’s how:

Ask for feedback

No matter how much a professional seeks to know themselves better, through the eyes of other employees and managers they have a clearer vision of what kind of professional they are. It can be challenging to hear criticism of oneself, but if you have coworkers who share your desire to see you succeed, you’ll discover how other people perceive you, how to change your behavior, and what skills you should study to further your career.

Create realistic goals

Knowing where you want to be in five years makes it easier to see how you’ll get there. This lets you know what can be done in the upcoming months and what will take longer. From there, schedule each stage with a due date and establish reasonable objectives that may be accomplished gradually. For instance, you can get a postgraduate degree online in six months; you must be fluent in English to begin applying for jobs at global corporations in a year; you wish to have acquired leadership abilities in three years, etc.

Assess your soft skills

Soft skills have their upsides and downsides: the upside is that, because they’re behavioral, they can be practiced and perfected. The downside is that this doesn’t happen overnight, and often doesn’t involve classes, just constant awareness of one’s own behaviors. Therefore, exercise patience before placing undue strain on yourself and see how minor actions can transform you. Asking how to assist a coworker who is behind on a deadline is a good place to start if you want to be more cooperative with them.