This week, we look at how to create a career "map" that will help you plan out your career in the long term.

Firstly, examine your current role. Write down your job title, salary and benefits, responsibilities, existing skills, future prospects, and potential for skills development.

Use this to consider your long-term goals. List at least five goals and a date by which to achieve them. Make sure each goal is specific, challenging, realistically achievable, actionable and measurable.

Now you can plan for your career future. For each of the next one, three and five years, list the job title, salary and benefits you wish to achieve, the responsibilities you would like and the skills you will need in order to achieve your goals.

Finally, you can create a detailed action plan. Determine the skills you need in order to achieve each of your career goals and how you will go about achieving each one. Could you chair meetings, manage projects or train others in an area of proficiency? Could you seek a mentor, attend short courses or workshops, or learn by watching high-performers in your company or industry?

If you need help with establishing your goals, we'll look at some good goal-setting questions next week.

Marc Burrage, regional director, Hays in Hong Kong