Executive Director Report - Gateway PGA

With the advent of a new golf season Ialways took the time to make sure mycareer plan was on track and also if Ineed to make any changes to my goalsand objectives. Career planning is not done just onceduring your career or something that is dreaded andput off, but rather should be an uplifting and rewardingexperience that provides a road map to your future nomatter what your age or current position. Doing thisnow will make you more prepared for making decisionsabout your career now and in the future. Pleaseconsider the following points when planning your careergoals.Make this planning stage an annual event. I recommendthe spring or summer due to the fact thatobviously in our area the movement to new positionsusually occurs in the fall or winter.Take advantage of the content of the Career FitnessManual available on PGALinks in the employmentarea. This document has a wealth of information ifyou are in the job market, transitioning betweenjobs, or evaluating your career.Keep track of your past and present accomplishments.Most people do not do this very well andthen struggle to put them on paper when needed,say in a resume or portfolio for an interview.Set career and job goals. Develop a roadmap foryour job and career success. Can you be successfulin your career without setting goals? Of course.Can you be even more successful through goalsetting?Most research says yes. Set short term andlong term goals and then adjust them as necessaryin your annual review of your plan.Educate yourself! One of the most significantparts of career planning is that information leads topower and success. You can never pass up an opportunityto learn whether it is education from insideor outside of the PGA. Find out what types ofeducation fit with your plan and then seek themout. Do not be a passive learner, but rather go beyondto find new ways and means to educate.Picture yourself in your future. Where do youwant to be in a year or five years from now andEmployment ServicesCareer Planning –What are the necessary steps to consider!what steps do you need totake to get there. Planning tomeet those visions iswhat will make you successful.Keep your career informationup to date andready to go. Look at your resume often and makethe necessary changes to update it. If you needhelp with your resume please contact me and wecan work together to make it a competitive document.Understand your presence on the internet make itwork for you. Are you part of LinkedIn, Facebook,and/or do you have your own professionalweb site? Our industry is still paper resume driven,but having a professional presence on the internetcan also be helpful.Are you planning for your economic future?Whether you are just starting in the business or justa few years from retirement have you worked witha professional to make sure your economic goalsare being formulated and met?Make sure you are building your networking influenceinside and outside of our industry. Networkingcan be an important part of your future so giveit the necessary attention it deserves. Networkingalso includes getting involved with your Associationeither locally or nationally. The more youbecome “known” the better off you may be in thefuture. Working with groups such as the Boys andGirls Clubs, Special Olympics, and other organizationsnot only help you make a name for yourself,but also helps to spread the word about golf andthe PGA Member!These are just a few items to consider when puttingtogether a plan for your present and future career. Ifyou need additional help please do not hesitate to contacteither myself or Craig Liddle (Gateway SectionEmployment Chairperson – at 636-227-9962 or cliddle@meabrk.org).I hope that you have a terrific 2012 season!Tim Marks, PGAEmployment Consultant815-630-5196tmarks@pgahq.comGateway Section | 17269 Wild Horse Creek Rd, Ste 110 | Chesterfield, MO 63005-1360 | gateway@pgahq.com | www.gatewaypga.org4