Stephanie Hinen, MBA, PMP originally wrote this post for an interview regarding the secrets to her successful career as the founder of a thriving consulting business-for-a-cause that provides meaningful work for its employees, drives growth through its clients, and fights economic inequality through its mission to uplift entrepreneurs of all backgrounds.
That’s not exactly true. But it’s not a lie—I’m just practicing visualization. Ren is yet in its early stages, but with the right mindset and clear goals, there’s no reason I can’t make that opening statement a true one.
Visualization is a psychological technique that helps add concreteness and control to abstract feelings and actions, and it’s an easy method to apply to a career and boost motivation. The best way that I’ve found to practice visualization in my career is with my resume. I keep a version of my resume that has been written for five years from now, detailing the experience I’d like to have under my belt in the future.
Here are a few tips for creating your own future resume:
- Use real companies, certifications, and schools. If you are a financial analyst, put your dream financial firm, no matter how selective they may be, as your future employer.
- Use specific job titles. If you are a computer programmer, perhaps in five years you would like to be “Senior IT Project Manager.”
- Add detail to your job descriptions. This will not only make your visualization more realistic but will also help you narrow down your goals and verbalize your skill sets in order to further hone them in the present.
- Don’t forget to add any certifications, trainings, and degrees you want to earn in the future. These are more concrete than a dream job description and give a better face to your goal.
Once you’ve written your dream resume, go ahead and daydream. Imagine yourself actually presenting this resume to an employer. This kind of daydreaming isn’t a waste of time; it’s practice. Just don’t accidentally turn in your dream resume for an actual job application!
