Career Planning: How to Create a Clear Career Plan for 2026

As we head into 2026, do you know where you want your career to go? For many people, this isn’t an easy question to answer. Career paths are rarely linear, and it’s common to feel unsure about long-term direction — especially after a busy or challenging year.

The New Year provides a natural opportunity to pause, reflect and think more intentionally about your future. Creating a career plan can help you clarify your five or ten-year career goals, while also identifying practical steps you can take right now to move in that direction.

So, what exactly is career planning, and why is it such an important part of long-term career success?

What is career planning?

Career planning involves creating a roadmap for your professional life. This typically includes setting personal and work-related goals, as well as identifying the steps needed to achieve them.

Developing a career plan also involves assessing your skills, interests and values, and using these insights to guide future career decisions.

Why is career planning important?

Career planning plays a key role in professional development for several reasons:

• It helps you understand your skills, interests and career goals, allowing you to put strategies in place to achieve what matters most to you.
• It enables you to set both short-term and long-term career goals, helping you maintain momentum and direction in your career development.
• It increases the likelihood that your career decisions will align with your long-term objectives, rather than being driven by short-term circumstances alone.

How to write a career plan

Start by thinking about what is most important to you. Many people don’t have a clear idea of where their career could ultimately lead, so it can be helpful to consider where you would like your career to end up over the long term.

At the same time, it’s important to recognise that you can’t achieve everything at once. Breaking your long-term vision into smaller, more immediate career goals can make the process feel more manageable and achievable.

Whether short-term or long-term, your goals should be SMART — meaning they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and time-based. This helps ensure your goals are realistic and clearly defined, with a clear understanding of the steps required to achieve them. Setting deadlines can also help keep you accountable.

Committing to action is essential. Writing down your career plan can help turn your goals into practical steps and reinforce your commitment to following through.

It’s also important to remember that developing a career plan takes time. It’s okay if you aren’t 100% certain about where you want your career to end up right now.

Finally, keep your career plan flexible. Over time, your interests, priorities and circumstances may change, and unexpected challenges can arise. Rather than focusing solely on increasing your salary, aim to prioritise skill development and long-term career growth

Setting career goals and developing a clear career plan isn’t always easy — particularly if you’re feeling uncertain, stuck or overwhelmed by the options available. Many people benefit from tailored support during this process. Guidance such as career counselling or professional application support can help you clarify your direction, identify your strengths at work and turn long-term goals into practical next steps.

Are you looking for a new career? Selection Criteria Writers can help. We offer a range of services, including professional resume writing and LinkedIn profile writing, to support your career planning and job search.

Article References

Seek (20 April 2024) ‘Career planning: What is it and why do it?’, Seek, accessed 2 January 2026.

Seek (10 December 2019) ‘How to write a career plan’, Seek, accessed 2 January 2026.