---
name: career-planning
description: 'Skills assessment, career frameworks, OKRs, mentorship, board of directors, and career pivots'
metadata:
  author: cosmicstack-labs
  version: 1.0.0
  category: career
  tags: [career, planning, growth, development, goals]
---

# Career Planning

Design and execute a long-term career strategy.

## Frameworks

### IKIGAI — Find Your Direction
```
     What you love
         |
  What you're ——— What the world
  good at       needs
         |
     What you can be paid for
```

### Career Levels Progression

| Level | Focus | Timeline |
|-------|-------|----------|
| L3 (Junior) | Execution, learning | 0-2 years |
| L4 (Mid) | Independent delivery | 2-4 years |
| L5 (Senior) | Technical leadership, mentoring | 4-7 years |
| L6 (Staff) | Cross-team impact, strategy | 7-10 years |
| L7 (Principal) | Org-wide influence, industry | 10+ years |

## Skills Assessment

### Every 6 Months
1. List your top 5 technical skills (rate 1-10)
2. List top 5 soft skills (rate 1-10)
3. Identify 2 skills to grow next quarter
4. Check job descriptions for target role — what's missing?
5. Create a learning plan with specific milestones

## Personal Board of Directors
Curate 3-5 mentors for different domains:
- Technical mentor (senior IC or architect)
- Career mentor (manager or director)
- Industry mentor (different company, same field)
- Personal mentor (life/career balance)

## Career Pivot Plan
1. Identify transferable skills
2. Build portfolio projects in new domain
3. Network with people in target field
4. Get certification or targeted education
5. Start with adjacent role, then pivot fully