Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Unit 3 Assignment:
Networking Plan Template
Section 1: The Career Decision Matrix
As you move through the data-gathering phase and begin to generate options for potential jobs
and potential employers, this is when you can build and use a Career Decision Matrix. Following
the information from Harrington & Hall text, Career Management & Worklife Integration,
Chapter 4, pages 92-94, you will research, gather, and analyze information from your
self-assessments (i.e. the Kuder assessments in Unit 1, in particular), thematic analysis (themes),
career resources and more to create your Career Decision Matrix.
Career options are broader than jobs. They are paths you can take to get to where you want to be.
Here is a resource that can assist you in determining:
https://careerwise.minnstate.edu/careers/pathways.html
1) As you have gathered your data, take the time to share and fully describe your top
four (4) possible career options. You want to be specific, as this creates a more
meaningful matrix. Describe each career with as much detail as possible. Consider
the following to be used in your 2-3 paragraph response per career option: career
field / organization / job-related responsibilities / opportunities for advancement /
future outlook of the career field. These responses need to demonstrate that you have
gathered your research and analyzed it, so there should be citations referencing
where you got your information, using APA standards. Remember to include why you
are choosing each career option.
Currently, I manage a student and local artist gallery in the Old Town Scottsdale
Arts District. I started working for the gallery as an intern at the young age of 14
years old. Over the years, I learned how to work closely with our clientele, excel
in customer service, and came to understand how the business side of how the
gallery works. I worked at the space off and on over the last 14 years and recently
the opportunity to take ownership of the gallery has presented itself. This
opportunity is something I have been working essentially my entire professional
career for.
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It has always been a dream of mine to own my own business. Owning the gallery
would allow for me to take it in the direction I choose and make necessary
changes to take it to the next step. While the pressures of owning a business can
be intense at times, as long as I surround myself with people who believe in the
cause, mission, and organizational culture, I will have the necessary support
system. This opportunity also allows me to take advantage of an already
established and highly reputable business.
There are many other opportunities which could arise from owning the gallery.
We have a niche in our current location in regards to our pricing, inventory, and
philanthropic efforts. Since we represent student and local artists, our students in
high school and below receive 100% of their sale proceeds. Our locals follow a
traditional 50/50 gallery split. Additionally, we have the most affordable, original
art in the area. This presents an ability to continue expanding the business with
hopes to open other locations in different regions and working with many more
aspiring artists.
This plan would require the members of the gallery to actively participate in the
day-to-day operations of the non-profit. We will need to raise funds, find a
building, and make the dream a reality with tons of hardwork and dedication.
After several hours of meetings, everyone seems to be on board and along for the
ride. We feel like our goal is attainable due to our reputation, connections within
the city, and having a highly supportable cause.
The efforts to open an “art center” will not be easy and require an ultimate test in
leadership. We will need to dive into the world of grants and non-profit funding to
secure our capabilities of maintaining a facility. I will be leading this project with
hopes to make an actual difference within the community and create a safe space
for art, creativity, and expression.
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Option 3: Education
The field of education has always been of interest to me at a young age. I used to
teach fake classes in my bedroom as a kid and always enjoyed the thought of
teaching classes. After taking many self-reflective assessments in this course, I
have come to confirm this field would most certainly bring me joy in regards to
my interests and workplace needs. I do not have any experience within this field
but I feel as if I would fit more within the administration side of things versus
actual teaching.
I most certainly do not think I would be capable of making the tough decisions
and opinions politicians are required to make. Working behind the scenes would
allow for my value to be present in raising funds, reaching new voters, and
coming up with creative ways to expand the “brand”. All of these activities are
similar to my current career, simply within a different industry. My leadership
skills could allow for me to lead creative teams, implement necessary changes,
and communicate crucial information as it pertains to the cause.
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A career in public service offers a wide range of variety. I could work on a
campaign, be a part of a community foundation, or even offer my service to the
PeaceCorps. Being of service to others is of great importance to me and wherever
my professional career leads, this will be a necessary aspect of everyday work
life. I may not be able to make millions of dollars, but I will at least be making a
difference in the lives of those I am aiding.
Now that you have determined these four options, take a step back and share a fifth
UNTHINKABLE (UT) career option, that you would never do, but are trained for
by what you have learned by earning your degree. Think about skills you have
acquired while earning your degree, which would be transferable to something
completely different.
2) Using the information you have gathered and shared above it is time to fill in your
Career Decision Matrix. You can find an example in Table 4.2 on page 93 of our
text. When you complete the matrix below, be sure to remove any unnecessary
labels.
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a. Down the left hand side of the matrix, you will list your ten (10) life themes
from your thematic analysis. You can also add more that were not part of your
presentation as Theme 11 and so on.
b. Across the top of the page, you will list the five (5) career options you are
considering.
c. Next, fill in each cell with a high (h), medium (m), or low indication of the
match between that theme and the alternative under consideration.
Higher sense of 5 5 5 3 5
responsibility
Achievement 3 3 1 3 3
Dedication to cause 5 5 3 3 5
Communication 5 5 5 5 5
Job Security 1 1 3 1 3
Team Motivation 3 5 1 3 3
Creativity/Innovation 5 5 3 5 3
Variety 1 3 1 5 3
Inclusion/Diversity 3 5 3 1 3
Emotional 3 5 5 3 5
Intelligence
CTCP (Summary) 34 42 30 32 38
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3) Now that you have determined these career options in relation to your life themes:
a. Reflect to what extent your Career Decision Matrix development process has
helped your career development decisions.
b. Share which career option(s) you feel would be worth researching more and
pursuing as you begin to think about your networking plan.
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Section 2: Networking Plan
Now that you have completed your Career Decision Matrix we now need to move forward and
develop a networking plan that you can use to help you reach your career goals. Review
Harrington & Hall text, Career Management & Worklife Integration, Chapter 4, pages 77-83.
Developing and managing your network of people who can help you is an important ongoing
process whether or not you are currently happy in your career.
Research on leadership development has demonstrated that people benefit from a variety of
developmental relationships, including short-term and long-term alliances with bosses, peers,
senior executives, coaches, subordinates, and family members. The more diversity and depth
there is in your developmental network, the better. Depending on our dominant learning tactics,
we are more or less likely to pay attention to the quality of our developmental network.
This assignment was adapted by Professor Kathy E. Kram from a worksheet developed by
Professor Deborah Kolb, Simmons Graduate School of Management. Adapted by permission.
1) As you think about the major changes that are likely to take place at your place of
work in the next few years, what major challenges and opportunities do you foresee
that you will need to deal with in the next 1-3 years?
Describe and explain why these are your top three (3) of Challenges here:
a. Making Tough Organizational Decisions
As the manager and possible owner of the art gallery, I will need to make some
tough organizational decisions in the near future. For example, I may need to hire
new staff, increase prices, and re-brand in order to remain relevant and sustain a
paycheck for myself and my employees. These decisions present a large challenge
because if I make the wrong choices, they could potentially have a detrimental
effect on the business. Because the business supports up-and-coming artists, there
is not much profit to be made. However, there are ways to expand the business to
new levels, which will take both risk, critical thinking, and thoughtful decision
making skills.
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b. Expanding Emotional Intelligence
c. Changing Professions
One of the largest challenges I could potentially face within the next few years is
changing professions. For the first time in my life, I might need to get a “real job”
as they say. I have been working for the gallery off and on for the past 14 years
and have an attachment to the business. To have to leave it, close it, or give it
away would be a very difficult personal and professional challenge for me. First, I
would need to accept some sort of failure if the business did not survive. I would
then need to accept a huge change by moving into a totally new profession. I
welcome the challenge at some point in my life, but I do not feel like I am quite
ready for it right now. I need some more time perfecting my skills.
Describe and explain why these are your top three (3) of Opportunities here:
d. Current Resources Present Various Career Opportunities
The art gallery has been in business for close to 28 years. I have been working for
the business for over half of mine and the gallery’s life. This presents an
opportunity to take over a reputable, respected, and established business I have
both experience and time establishing. Our clients respect my ability to keep our
business afloat and change with the times. We are more digital than ever, ship
cross-country, and update our clients as often as possible. This opportunity could
give me the ability to continue a business on the trajectory of success by bringing
new and existing clients along for the ride.
In a career of expanding the non-profit or owning the art gallery, I would have
more freedom to travel and experience different cultures. Being in charge of
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scheduling, hiring, and workplace culture presents an opportunity to take more
time for myself. When I want time off, I can simply arrange the schedule in a way
to allow travel and other experiences. This opportunity could be very valuable in
both my personal and professional life. I can bring these diverse cultural
experiences to the workplace to enhance our inclusive and creative practices.
Seeing other parts of the world opens our eyes to things we may have never seen
before and gives us completely different perspectives.
2) Given these challenges and opportunities, what type of help are you most likely to
need? Check one and explain why.
a. Help in getting the job done
b. Help in advancing my career
c. Emotional support
d. All of the above ✅
All of these challenges and opportunities will require assistance in getting the job
done, advancing my career, and emotional support. In order to get the job done in a
respectable, efficient, and professional manner, I will need to hire staff who are
motivated in working together for the greater good. I will not be able to do all of
the daily tasks by myself and I will need to work with others who understand what
we are trying to accomplish. In order to advance my career, I may need some
advice as to where to go. Working with a close team will allow for different
creative perspectives and opinions to help drive where the business goes as well as
my professional career. If the gallery does not work for example, I will need help
in finding somewhere else to work which best suits my capabilities, values, and
interests. Throughout this process, I am going to rely heavily on emotional support
from my significant other, family, and co-workers. I will need to continue to
surround myself with people who believe in me, want the best for my future, and
will do whatever they can to assist in the process. One of my favorite sayings is
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that it takes a village, and it really does. In order for anyone to find true success,
they must have the ability to work with those who share similar goals and make
them a reality.
3) If your major challenge or opportunity is related to your work, how well positioned
are you to get information, advice, and resources about new opportunities and
possibilities? Check one and explain who can help you and why.
Very Well ______ Okay ✅ Need to Expand My Network ______
Within the next few years, I believe my biggest challenge will be the improvement
of my emotional intelligence. Learning how to cope in stressful situations, react
positively, and eliminate negative emotions will all be crucial in bringing myself to
a more peaceful place professionally and personally. I do believe I am in an okay
position for additional information, resources, and guidance as to improving these
skills. First, I can always ask my current boss for advice. While he may not be as
sharp as he was 10 years ago, he still has experience owning a business, working
with others, employing a staff, and maintaining profits. He has done something
right all these years and could help me better understand the pressures of relying
on others and positivity to survive. I could then reach out for some external advice
such as therapy. I have always wanted to dive into the world of therapy because I
feel it will be crucial on my road to self-discovery and peace. I need to expand my
network in that sense, be willing to hear an external perspective, and make
necessary life changes to better myself and the others.
Absolutely! Not only would I heavily rely on my current boss and owner of the
gallery for advice and support, but also some of the other gallery’s in the area. I
could contact any of the other gallery’s in the Downtown Scottsdale Arts District
and they would likely know who we were. Since the gallery has been around for so
long, the community knows of its existence and its mission. We constantly have
new and existing supporters come into the space to see what is new and how they
can offer assistance. I would also reach out to my family for any leadership advice
if I was not sure exactly what to do. Although the OGL program has given me
much insight as to how to be the best leader I can be, there will always be room for
improvement and advice from an external perspective.
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5) If your challenge or opportunity means that you will need emotional support, to
what extent do you have people who can give you support? Check one and explain
who can help you and why.
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I selected multiple options here because I believe each serves as a unique way to build
relationships. Joint or shared work relationships are often based on professionalism,
however often lead to more personal conversations. Working on certain tasks in a close,
connected setting offers the opportunity for people to talk about similar interests.
Informal, no agenda social settings, usually present different relationship building
opportunities such as discussing one’s hobbies, goals, and preferences. Lastly, going for
coffee, lunch, or drinks allows for a relationship to build in a public setting. It showcases
how people act around others in a social setting and allows for different conversations to
spark.
a.
b.
Occasional phone calls or e-mails just to ask “how are you?” ✅✅
Phone calls, e-mails, or visits with specific requests or questions
c.
d.
e.
Holiday cards and letters
Dropping in or calling when you’re in the neighborhood
Arranging in advance to get together at professional meetings
✅✅
f.
g.
Relying on the chance that your paths will cross
Inviting people to join you for lunch, coffee, golf, and so on✅
h.
✅
Contacting people when you find some information, an article, or an opportunity that
might interest them
i. Other
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b. How will a well-developed network of contacts help you achieve your career goals?
There are very specific types of people I would prefer to be involved with within the
gallery’s network. Since the gallery is a community based organization, we rely on
motivated buyers who want to actively support our mission and overall culture. The
gallery has had the ability to survive the past 28 years due to the network the owner
has created. Some of our clients have been shopping with us since we opened and
these are the types of the relationships we are striving to maintain. We want people to
continue to support us for years to come. Even if they do not buy any art from us, as
long as they tell their friends and family about what we do, we are already ahead of
the game. Our best advertisement is word of mouth.
d. Where might you come in contact with these people? How will you grow your network /
initiate contact with new potential networking contacts?
The best way to continue expanding the gallery’s network is to continue our efforts of
reaching as many new supporters as possible. During COVID, for example, we went
on a public awareness campaign informing both new and existing clientele of our
efforts in supporting the local art community. The more we talk about what we do
here, the more we will be able to expand our network. Additionally, we need to
continue holding events and gathering in support of our artists. These events could
spark different conversations, peek at different interests, and result in growing the
network as a whole. The more we engage with our supporters, the more likely they
are to spread the word of our efforts and tell everyone they know.
e. Who in your network are you looking to enhance your relationship with? How will you go
about enhancing these relationships?
I want to enhance my relationships with the gallery’s existing clientele. Since the
owner has been involved with the gallery for the past 28 years, some clients only
want to work with him. They come in asking for him and when he is not there, their
mood changes and they do not necessarily want to work with me as much as they
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would with him. This has presented various organizational challenges, however I am
trying my best to ensure our older clients that I am here to continue his great work
and bring it into the future. Business is very different than it was almost 30 years ago
and making necessary changes will allow for hopeful growth, an increase in profits,
and public awareness.
f. How can you leverage your existing network? Might some of your existing networking
contacts know others who you should be in contact with?
One interesting way I would like to leverage my existing network is to reach out to
them directly and explain where I would like to take the business. Through our public
awareness campaign during COVID, we established a video series that we sent out to
our email list, social media, and website every few weeks. I would use this same
process to release a video message to our existing contacts explaining I am here to
continue the great work of the gallery’s owner. I am here to bring the business further
into the future by finding new, motivated, young artists, establishing connections
within the community, and offering a safe space for creation across the board. I
believe this effort will reassure our existing network that my goal is to make the
business bigger, more accessible, resulting in a capability of doing even more of the
great work we already do every day.
Develop a clear and detailed SMART plan, with facilitating goals and steps/actions required
to accomplish your selected goals. It should be evident, by looking at the format and structure
of your plan, that you have developed some significant skills with respect to project
management. Include Gantt charts or other visual project representations as you see fit, and be
sure to address your approach to tracking/measuring your progress.
(Insert your Career Goal above and provide short answers below describing your Career
Goal in terms of the SMART model. Finally, provide a Gantt Chart using the tools
provided).
a. Specific - My major career goal is to take ownership of the art gallery and officially own
my own business. I will need to acquire the business from the current owner, change the
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accounts into my name, and rebrand the organization to fit a model more designed for
continued success.
b. Measurable - The progress of this goal will be measured based on not only when and
where the acquisition takes place, but also how successful it will be once it has happened.
The first measurable portion of this goal will be to establish a timeline as to when the
acquisition will take place as well as provide follow-up evaluation points.
c. Attainable - This goal is attainable because I have been working for the organization for
most of my life. The opportunity to take over the business has been brought up to myself
as well as clients many times in the past ensuring it comes to fruition if it’s something I
want. The business is already established and we have clients who have continued to
support us over the past 28 years.
d. Relevant - Working for the gallery has been a passion of mine since I was only a
teenager. In more recent years, this acquisition is relevant to my personal and
professional goals and values in regards to supporting a cause and ensuring a higher sense
of responsibility.
e. Time-Based - The ultimate timeline for this goal would be to be complete within the next
year. There is a lot to consider when taking over a business, therefore there will be alloted
time for research and self-discovery.
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2) What is your Networking Goal
(Insert your Networking Goal above and provide short answers below describing your
goal in terms of the SMART model. Finally, provide a Gantt chart using the tools
provided).
b. M - I will establish measurable goals such as making the initial connection, following
up, and maintaining the relationship. There will be three different measurements
within the entire time frame.
e. T - The timeframe for this goal will be ongoing however the initial connections will
need to be established within the next six months.
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