How to Feel More Fulfilled in Your Career + Our Free Career Planner
As we know from our 2023 research, only 7% of the women report being ‘always satisfied’ with their careers.
A leading cause of career dissatisfaction? Lack of progression.
There are many reasons why women don’t progress in their careers - with nowhere to move up within their organisation, lack of confidence to pursue promotions, and lack of management support being the most prevalent.
And while yes, these are the current realities that many career women face in the workplace and that Women Rising was created to change and revolutionise…
Another reason why career progression can stall is because some women wait for their organisations to provide them with growth opportunities, rather than being proactive in their own development.
Curious about how you can be more proactive in reaching your career goals? Here’s some key ways:
STEP ONE – CREATE CLARITY
Very often, amongst the busyness of life, we stop dreaming and planning for our future, and focus on ‘get the job done’. While this is fine, what many women find is that this way of working lacks fulfillment, especially in the long run.
Your career progression needs you to have a vision for your future, and a plan to get you there (which we’ll get to next).
Take time to consider things like:
What are your top three career goals for 2024?
Which mentors and sponsors can support your career growth in 2024?
What obstacles will you need to overcome to achieve your top 3 career goals?
Want more prompts to deepen your introspection? Download our free Career Plan on a Page here.
STEP TWO – MAKE A PLAN
While goals are fantastic, they are hard to achieve without a plan to make them a reality.
Most career goals are too big to make happen overnight, which is why we suggest breaking them down into smaller ‘chunks’ that you can tick off and move the needle forward on each month.
The other benefit of setting monthly goals in this way?
Your big goals that may, at this current time feel overwhelming in their size, become more manageable and achievable - which means you're more likely to consistently work towards them, rather than putting them in the too hard basket.
Would you like support to do this?
We’ve created a monthly goal tracking tool for you, and have included it in our Career Plan on a Page. Download it for free here.
STEP THREE – STAY DEDICATED TO YOUR GOALS AND PLAN
Like all goals, it’s easy for your career goals to fall by the wayside.
A key way to stay dedicated to your career goals throughout the year is to focus on your ‘why’.
Why is progressing in your career and reaching your goals important to you? What will it support you to achieve? How will reaching your goals make you feel?
This bigger motivator can help us stay focused when life gets busy, when progress is slow and when we hit roadblocks (which are all inevitable in a busy woman’s day-to-day life).
While of course the monthly goal tracking tool in our Career Plan on a Page will support you…
We also offer free monthly community coaching sessions for career women. Each month focuses on a different topic that will help you grow yourself and your career, and keep you on track with your dreams and goals.
Save your seat at our next monthly coaching session here.
STEP FOUR – SHARE YOUR GOALS WITH YOUR BOSS
Our workplaces can only support us to reach our career goals when we share them.
Don’t keep your goals and dreams to yourself - tell your boss what your vision is so, where possible, they can support you to make it happen.
If this isn’t possible they’ll at least respect your self-leadership and confidence.
Are you ready to be more proactive in your career, so you can feel more satisfied and fulfilled in your work?
Our free 2024 Career Plan on a Page is a great place to start. Download your copy here and get clear on the steps you need to take and professional development opportunities you need to pursue, to move from where you are, to where you want to be.
About the author: Megan Dalla-Camina is an author, PhD researcher, Founder and CEO of the Women Rising Program and Male Allies Program. A globally recognised leadership expert, coach & mentor, she supports women and male allies to lead with confidence, clarity, and purpose in complex modern workplaces.
Read the full bio.
+ Why do so many women feel unfulfilled in their careers?
According to The Voice of Women at Work 2023 Report, only 7% of women say they’re always satisfied with their careers. A major reason for this lack of fulfillment is limited career progression, often due to a lack of management support, confidence to pursue promotions, or opportunities for advancement. Fulfillment grows when women take proactive steps to define their goals and invest in their own development.
+ How can I start creating more clarity in my career path?
Clarity starts with reflection. Ask yourself what your top three career goals are for this year, who your mentors and sponsors might be, and what obstacles could get in your way. When you take time to reconnect with your vision and values, you create a stronger sense of direction and motivation for your next career chapter.
+ What’s the best way to make a career plan that actually works?
Break your big career goals into smaller, monthly milestones. This keeps your progress achievable and consistent, rather than overwhelming. The Women Rising Career Plan on a Page includes a monthly goal tracker designed to help you focus, measure your progress, and stay accountable throughout the year.
+ How do I stay motivated to achieve my career goals?
Stay connected to your “why.” Reflect on what your goals mean to you, how achieving them will make you feel, and what they’ll help you accomplish. Motivation comes from a deeper sense of purpose. To stay accountable, use practical tools like our monthly planner and join our free community coaching sessions to stay inspired and supported.
+ Why is it important to share my career goals with my manager?
When you share your goals with your boss, you open the door for support, mentorship, and new opportunities. It demonstrates confidence, initiative, and self-leadership, qualities that managers value highly. Even if your manager can’t help right away, they’ll respect your proactive approach and clarity about where you want to go next.
