Decide. First you must determine your path. Ask yourself the following question, "Where do I want to be in 10 years?" In other words, what is your ultimate goal and where do you see yourself? Sometimes it is easier to start at your destination and work backwards. For our purposes, we will say your goal is to be CFO of a corporation.

 

Research. In the first step, Decide, we said to "start at your destination and work backwards." This is where the research comes in. For instance, you know you ultimately want to be a CFO, so you first have to determine what kind of experience, education and training this requires. Think about your trip again -- before you leave for any vacation, you need to know what to pack -- the essentials and the extras. 

 

Internal Assessment. Get to know yourself first. Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses. You know what it takes to reach your goal, but now you have to analyze what skills, education and experience you already possess for this type of career, and what you still need to learn.

 

Versatility. Think outside the box. Many of the skills and experience you need can be gained through memberships in associations, volunteer work or temporary or contract work. Remember that temporary work is no longer just clerical. More companies are outsourcing more and more of their core accounting and financial functions in order to streamline costs associated with short-term and specialized projects. It is an excellent way to gain experience crucial to reaching your goal and it gives you the flexibility and opportunity to see what types of jobs are out there.

 

External Resources. Once you have determined your career goal, find someone you trust and use them as a mentor or career counselor. Consult with them often to discuss your career plans. Have them perform periodic checks against your "map" to determine if you are still on track.

• Talk to your immediate supervisor about opportunities within your company. Ask them for advice on how to broaden your skills or grow into another area where you can gain additional experience. Since you are a proven employee, chances are your employer will not want to lose you. They are often more willing to let you move into another role, rather than see you leave the company.
  
• If advancing within your current company is not an option, you could face a dilemma. You may have to take a step backward in order to move forward, unless you can find a company that is willing to give you a chance. At any rate, you will need to analyze your current skills and develop a strong resume. First, make a list of your past experience, training, and expertise. Identify any skills that are transferable, and relevant to the position you seek. Let's say you are the cost accountant at the consulting firm for example. You should look at your overall accounting experience. Do you have anything that can transfer into the financial world such as forecasting, budgeting or analysis? If you have experience with budgeting, you have a chance of getting a job as a Sr. Financial Analyst, particularly if you have some supervisory experience. Then, focus your resume on the skills that are interchangeable and emphasize those areas that apply to the job you want.

• First and foremost -- set a goal. Even if you are not sure what you ultimately want to do with your life, at least have a general objective in mind. This will give you focus and get you on your career path early in your professional life.
• Don't focus solely on salary. Instead, focus on gaining the skills and experience that will take you to the next level. We understand you have student loans and bills to pay. But, don't worry so much about today. Think long-term about the advantages you can gain with a little planning. It could mean the difference of $5,000 today or $10,000 -- $20,000 later on down the road.
• Look at who your boss will be and what you will be able to learn from them. Be a "sponge" and soak up all that you can. It will make you much more valuable and will help you advance faster. 
• Be willing to "serve the time" necessary to gain all the knowledge and experience you can, even if it means entry-level work in the beginning. 
• Take your map and refer to it often. Always know where you are on your journey and how long you estimate it is going to take you to get there.
• Find a mentor. It can be a person you know who is already a CFO, a career counselor or even a recruiter that you trust. Remember that recruiters are in touch daily with companies of all sizes, and they can keep you apprised of opportunities to gain additional experience.
• Look for companies with growth opportunities. It could be a small company that will afford you the opportunity to gain more responsibility outside your area of specialization, or a large company with multiple divisions and departments with room to advance and grow.