Most people drift into their next career move. They wait for the right opportunity to land in their lap, or worse, they stay in their current role past the point where they’re learning anything. The difference between people who progress meaningfully in their careers and those who stall comes down to intentionality. You need a career goal, and you need a specific plan to get there.

Define What You’re Actually Chasing

“I want to move up” or “I want to make more money” aren’t goals—they’re vague directions. Get specific. Are you trying to become a director of engineering, a principal product manager, a VP of sales? Are you trying to transition into a completely different function? Are you trying to move to a specific industry or company? The more specific you get, the better you can plan. Also, be honest about what you’re optimizing for: compensation, title, autonomy, learning, balance? Different goals require different strategies. You can’t optimize for everything at once, so know what actually matters to you.

Reverse-Engineer the Skills You Need

Once you know your goal, look at the people in that role. What do they know how to do that you don’t? What experiences have they had that you haven’t? What are their most valuable skills? Make a list. Then prioritize ruthlessly. You don’t need to become an expert in everything. Focus on the two or three skills that will make the biggest difference in whether you get that role. Maybe it’s learning a new technical skill. Maybe it’s becoming better at public speaking. Maybe it’s developing strategic thinking. Build a focused development plan rather than trying to improve everything at once.

Seek Out Stretch Assignments in Your Current Role

You don’t have to leave to level up. Before you jump to the next role, see if you can take on responsibilities that move you toward your goal in your current job. If you want to move into leadership, ask for an opportunity to lead a project or mentor someone. If you want to transition into product, see if you can work more closely with the product team or take a project with product responsibilities. These stretch assignments let you develop skills in a lower-risk environment and help you confirm that the goal you’re chasing is actually what you want.

Build Your Network Intentionally

The best opportunities often come through relationships, not job boards. Start building relationships with people already doing the work you want to do. Attend industry events. Join relevant communities. Find mentors who are one or two levels ahead of you. These relationships have multiple benefits: they give you insight into the role, they increase your chances of hearing about opportunities before they’re public, and they often lead to introductions that matter. Don’t do this in a transactional way; focus on building genuine relationships where you’re adding value too.

Create Visible Evidence of Progress

Build a portfolio of work that demonstrates the skills and capabilities required for your next role. Write articles. Speak at events. Ship projects. Get involved in visible work that shows you can do the thing you’re trying to move into. This serves two purposes: it builds actual capability and experience, and it creates a track record that hiring managers or internal promotion committees can point to. When you’re ready to make the move, you have proof that you can perform at that level.

Set a Timeline and Review It Regularly

How long are you willing to invest in reaching this goal? Two years? Five years? Set a realistic timeline based on how much you need to develop and how competitive the market is. Then review it quarterly. Are you making progress? Are you learning the skills you need? Are you building the relationships that matter? If you’re not progressing, reassess. Maybe you need to pivot strategies. Maybe you need to take a different role to get closer. Maybe the goal itself needs to shift. Regular review keeps you from staying in a holding pattern for years without moving forward.

Your next career goal isn’t something that happens to you. It’s something you engineer. Get specific, build a plan, and execute it consistently.