You're an Environmental Design professional. How do you know if you're on the right career path?

1 Your motivation

Why did you choose environmental design as your profession? What are the values and principles that guide your work? How do you measure your impact and satisfaction? These are some questions that can help you clarify your motivation and purpose as an environmental design professional. Your motivation can also influence your choice of projects, clients, and collaborators. You might want to align yourself with organizations and causes that share your vision and mission, or challenge yourself with diverse and complex problems.

2 Your skills

What are the core skills and competencies that you need to succeed as an environmental design professional? How do you keep them updated and relevant? How do you showcase them to potential employers or clients? These are some questions that can help you evaluate your skills and identify your strengths and weaknesses. Your skills can include technical, creative, analytical, and communication skills, as well as knowledge of environmental issues, policies, and standards. You might want to invest in continuous learning, certification, and portfolio development to enhance your skills and credibility.

3 Your network

Who are the people that support, inspire, and challenge you as an environmental design professional? How do you connect and collaborate with them? How do you expand and diversify your network? These are some questions that can help you assess your network and its value for your career. Your network can include mentors, peers, clients, partners, and experts from different fields and backgrounds. You might want to engage in networking events, online platforms, and professional associations to build and maintain your network.

4 Your opportunities

What are the current and emerging trends and opportunities in environmental design? How do you adapt and respond to them? How do you create and pursue your own opportunities? These are some questions that can help you explore your opportunities and their potential for your career. Your opportunities can include new markets, technologies, challenges, and innovations in environmental design. You might want to research, experiment, and innovate to seize and create your opportunities.

5 Your challenges

What are the common and specific challenges that you face as an environmental design professional? How do you cope and overcome them? How do you learn and grow from them? These are some questions that can help you identify your challenges and their implications for your career. Your challenges can include competition, constraints, conflicts, and uncertainties in environmental design. You might want to develop resilience, flexibility, and problem-solving skills to deal with your challenges.

6 Your goals

What are your short-term and long-term goals as an environmental design professional? How do you set and achieve them? How do you monitor and evaluate your progress? These are some questions that can help you define your goals and their feasibility for your career. Your goals can include personal, professional, and environmental goals that reflect your motivation, skills, network, opportunities, and challenges. You might want to use SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) criteria to plan and execute your goals.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?