“How to generate ideas for longer-term paths” by Benjamin Todd, Arden Koehler

Find the full career planning series here. The most important sections in each article are marked with ★'s. Why to make longer-term plans People that we speak to in our one-on-one career advising often try to either make overly specific longer-term plans, or make none at all. Both are mistakes.

Narrated by AI.

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Outline:

(00:18) The goal

(02:55) Why to make longer-term plans

(05:35) What should a longer-term plan look like?

(07:58) ★Why to aim high, think broadly, and not rule out potential paths too early

(11:21) Luisa Rodriguez

(12:41) ★Aim at top problems

(17:42) ★Develop transferable career capital

(22:59) ★Roles we think are unusually promising given our views on global problems

(23:25) ★Capitalise on your strengths

(25:10) Julia Wise

(27:49) Coordinate with others in a community

(32:30) Yet more ways to generate options

(33:46) If you don’t have any ideas you’re excited about

(34:38) ★Narrow down longer-term paths to a shortlist

(35:16) Steps for doing an in-depth comparison

(36:40) Key factors for comparing longer-term paths

(38:33) How to assess paths based on your factors (i.e. how to do step 3)

(40:50) How to assess your long-term fit

(43:31) ★Make your shortlist and write down key uncertainties

(44:15) Recap

(45:18) Clarify your strategic focus

The original text contained 8 footnotes which were omitted from this narration.

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First published:
May 16th, 2021

Source:
https://80000hours.org/career-planning/process/longer-term-paths

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Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.