Module 6

MODULE 6:

Career Plan

Rachel Rodriguez

Arizona State University

OGL-482 Pro Seminar II

Prof. Willmott

24 April 2022
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Section 1: Creating your BHAG

1) What is your BHAG (***one amazingly HUGE, your world-changing goal***)?

To create one of the most sought after mentoring programs in the U.S.

2) Why is this your BHAG?

It is important to me that I lead a life of kindness and empathy. One of my

passions is helping others, in particular, it brings me great joy to mentor others. I
have been able to pivot position as an executive assistant and administrative team
lead into a more mentor focused role. This is an area that I would love to expand
on and continue to cultivate as I grow older.

3) How does your BHAG align with your vision statement from Module 4?

Vision Statement: To be of service to others and honor my personal life while

excelling professionally.

Creating one of the most sought after mentoring programs in the U.S. aligns with
my vision statement because it would directly impact others in a positive way.
Also, I would hope that such a successful venture would yield profits handsome
enough to provide me with the freedom to honor my personal life.

4) How does your BHAG align with your mission statement from Module 4?

Mission Statement: To lead a life of kindness and empathy and incorporate these
attributes into my career choices whenever possible.
My BHAG aligns withmy mission statement because mentoring others comes
from a place of kindness and empathy through wanting to help others improve
and strive for bigger goals.

5) List your top five (5) obstacles in order from number 5 being least difficult
and number 1 being most difficult you need to overcome to obtain your BHAG and
explain the relevance of each one.

1. Making the time

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Setting aside time to work on such a big passion project will require that I set
aside time regularly. I think that breaking down the over-arching goal into smaller
goals and setting a schedule would be helpful in overcoming this obstacle.
2. Keeping the momentum
With longer term goals, it is easy to let the initial excitement taper off as time
goes on. A way to overcome this obstacle is to create a visual board where I can
see all of my accomplishments and end goal laid out. Reminding myself that this
is going to take hardwork over a long period of time is essential.
3. Not letting failures get me down
It is inevitable that failure or hardship will occur when aiming for such a lofty
long-term goal. Maintaining a good support system that will remind me to keep
my grit and get back up when this happens is important to overcoming this
obstacle.
4. Avoid burnout
When encroaching on such a big endeavor, it is important to maintain good
work/life balance to avoid burnout. Making sure to adhere to a calendar where I
can clearly see where my time is allocated will help ensure that this balance is
protected.
5. Ignoring negative commentary
With any long-term goal, there will inevitably be negative feedback or others that
have unkind things to say. This is another area where a good support system
comes in handy.

Section 2: Career Vision

1) Analyze the type of career you want to have, in terms of an organizational

career or a protean career, make sure it is clear you understand the concepts as
outlined in the textbook. Why?

My preference is for a moderately organizational career. While I thoroughly enjoy

autonomy in a role, I do not want the stress associated with owning my own business.
Therefore, I am always aiming to be in a role where I self-manage and am encouraged to
take the lead on projects. Due to my strong preference for maintaining a healthy and well-
nurtured personal life, this type of setup works best for me.

2) Analyze your career with an explanation as one that moves you up the
organization or one you develop seeking alternative career paths. If you see yourself
taking an alternative career path, which one(s) sound the most likely? Why?

My intention is to continue to expand my career. I do not have any intention of pivoting

my career path at this time. I feel that my experience, education, and preferences align
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with being an executive assistant and I would like to continue down this path and watch it
grow.

3) Discuss and explain if you see yourself working an alternative or flexible

work schedule/arrangement? If so, which ones and why?

Currently, I work from home and my company allows for a lot of flexibility regarding
taking time off. This type of arrangement is my preference since I am always striving for
increased time freedom. It would be my preference that a flexible work schedule be
offered if I decided to change companies.

4) Research and post current, or past, job postings from your local area, across
the country, or from around the world which illustrate how you might reach your
BHAG. Be sure to provide the Job Title, a small description and why it supports
your BHAG when you provide the URL. Websites such as CareerBuilder, Monster,
or Indeed might be a good place to begin. Also, career-specific websites such as
SHRM.org or AICPA.org often have job postings. Provide 2 listings for each of the
following time periods:

a. 2 years from today

i. Executive Assistant

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/2948695661

I intend on continuing as an executive assistant and administrative team lead

because it is helping me foster my skills as a mentor while building my
reputation.

ii. Executive Assistant Business Partner

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3040439430

A senior level EA position will allow me to mentor others entering into the
administrative world. This will provide me with the opportunity to sharpen my
skills and continue to build my career.

b. 5 years from today

i. Mentor Volunteer- Teen Girls

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3031508058
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Acting as a mentor volunteer will provide me with more valuable training and
allow me to see how other mentor orgniazations operate firsthand.

ii. Mentor Volunteer- Career Development

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/2995767798

I would like to volunteer for various mentor programs with the intention of
widening my perspective and knowledge of what it means to run a mentorship
program.

c. 10 years from today

i. Director, Partnerships & Engagement

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/3008677707

Once I have a significant amount of volunteer work under my belt in various areas
of mentorship, I hope that I am able to secure a position where I can run a
mentorship program.

ii. Senior Director, Program Policy and Development

https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/2909359410

A role like this would further assist me in my journey to fully understand the
mentorship industry before I make the leap to starting my own program.

d. BHAG Achievement Year

i. CEO of Mentos

https://www.linkedin.com/in/afmarcus/

I would love to start a company that offered mentorship to those wanting to

further their career.

ii. CEO of Bravely

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobyhervey/

Here is another example of a position that I am striving for.

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Section 3: Long-Term Strategy

1) Critically think about and then list out the interim steps or milestones you
have laid out for yourself that will aid you in reaching your BHAG (you should have
at least 10 to earn a rating of excellent and be referenced by time)

1. Graduate with my B.A. in Organizational Leadership

2. Continue to mentor and build the (currently) 7 member administrative team that I manage
3. As my team grows, utilize them to brainstorm on how to pilot a mentorship program at
our company
4. Work with my team to draft a proposal of what a mentorship program looks like
5. Fine tune the proposal into a finished product and present to the executive team
6. Work with my colleagues to implement the program
7. Continue to work on the program’s maintenance and its staying power/success
8. Volunteer at various mentorship programs in an effort to learn more about the industry
9. Obtain a position at a mentorship organization where I can further my hands on
experience
10. Start my own mentorship company

2) In addition to career-related roles, consider your other life roles concerning

your career goals. Revisit your responses to the Identities Exercise that you
completed in Module 1 of the course. Based on your long-term strategy what are the
3 most precious things you are willing to sacrifice, besides time, to achieve your
BHAG? Why?

I am willing to sacrifice being in a leadership position if it means I am working

towards a goal. My concern is never with holding power or needing to be in charge.
Instead, I enjoy being a quiet observer, taking in other’s expertise and learning from
mistakes that are not my own. This helps provide me with a good foundation for when it
is my time to lead.

I am willing to do work that is not the most appealing if I know that it is building
towards future goals. I understand that one must work hard and sometimes in situations
that are not ideal in order to get to where they want to be. Taking on grunt work does not
bother me if I feel like it is helping me achieve bigger things.
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I am willing to adjust my personal schedule so that I can volunteer. While family and
work/life balance are of the utmost importance, I have a supportive partner and feel
comfortable taking the time to volunteer, even if it takes time away from loved ones. As
long as there is a purpose and I feel that it will benefit everyone in the end, this sacrifice
is easy to make.

Section 4: The one to two year plan

1) What is your #1 Goal? (at least one of the following must be related to your
BHAG)

Goal: Build a mentorship program at my current company

a. Specific- Create a mentorship program at my company that encourages

more skilled colleagues to mentor those that are less skilled and wanting to build
their career.

b. Measurable- I will measure my success by the following milestones-

brainstorming, proposal, pilot program, successful implementation.

c. Attainable- This program is possible because I have personally spoken to

colleagues at varying skill levels and many of them are enthusiastic about the
possibility of such a program. In addition, the executive that I report to has
encouraged me to give it a go.

d. Relevant- This project matters to me because I find great joy in helping

others strive for bigger things and providing the tools to do so.

e. Time-Based- I would like to have this program up and running within 2

years.

2) What is your #2 Goal? (at least one of these must be related to your BHAG)

Goal: Start a family- I waited until the clock is almost done ticking to start trying to
have a baby and now I am scrambling to see what I can do to make it happen.
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a. Specific- My partner and I want to have a baby

b. Measurable- This feels a bit odd to type, but I suppose a healthy baby
would be the postive measureable outcome.

c. Attainable- Having a baby with some medical assistance is possible

because there have been countless families before me that have had success.

d. Relevant- Starting a family matters to me because it is something that I

have always wanted but put to the side because I did not feel prepared.

e. Time-Based- I would like to see a positive pregnancy result by the end of

the year given that I am 40!
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References

Harrington, Brad; Hall, Douglas T.. Career Management & Work-Life Integration. SAGE
Publications. Kindle Edition.