"Where do you see yourself in five years?"

It's a cliché job interview question that rarely gets asked anymore, but it provides value well beyond the interview. Sometimes, 40 hours can feel like a light week, and we're so distracted that we don't take a step back to look at the big picture.

But we should.

If you don't know what your goal is, you're not going to get there. Creating a plan to bring those goals within reach isn't rocket science. A personal journal, for example, is a great way to hold yourself accountable by looking back and evaluating your progress—but that’s only if you maintain it.

Think of your career ambitions and set specific actions you can take to achieve them today, next month and over the next year. There's always one little step or goal you want to accomplish today. Maybe it's just a clean inbox or better organization at work. Over the next few weeks, you can chip away at bigger projects, which should lead to significant career development throughout the year.

By employing a few career hacks, you can develop a strategic plan for more effective efforts. Appropriate whether you're focused on short- or long-term ways to better position your career, these hacks fall into three general categories:

Personal Hacks

Because people commonly focus on professional growth, they often put personal growth on the back burner. But your emotional intelligence, personality and experience often combine to either set you apart or holding you back.

Give yourself a personal performance appraisal. What do you bring to the table? What are your strengths? Don’t sell yourself short. Get a clear picture of what your strengths are so you can leverage those strengths in your job.

It's also important to focus on the beliefs that make up who you are. Discover where your personal values align with your organization's values, and work to expand your role in those areas. And don't limit this to your current position or organization—look at the entire insurance industry. Where would your values have the biggest impact? Pursue opportunities today, next month and later this year that put you in a better position to realize those values on the job.

Syncing your knowledge, skills and values with the work you do every day isn't just a fast route to a better position. It also translates into greater personal satisfaction in the work you do.

Knowledge Hacks

Knowledge hacks really come down to professional development. Always be on the lookout for ways to improve your standing in the industry. Attending corporate training opportunities like conferences, webinars and association events are one way to do so. Risk managers specifically may want to seek out designations and formal education, like postgraduate certificates in risk management or leadership.

Also be sure to stay current in your segment of the industry by always filling your well of knowledge. Grab a stack of articles for your commute, bookmark industry news sites—do whatever it takes to stay in the know about the issues related to your job.

One particularly effective knowledge hack is to become an expert in something. Be the go-to person at your organization for emerging issues or a particular software your organization uses. It's a great way to establish your personal value in an organization. Position yourself so that, when someone has a problem, they think, "I know exactly who can help me with this."

Professional Hacks

The best professional hacks center on networking and mentoring. Networking is hard work, partly because the work never stops, and there's a lot of competition. In a recent survey by The Institutes, more than 40% of insurance professionals said networking was the No. 1 way they planned to advance their careers in 2016. 

Always be on the lookout for ways to maintain and cultivate your professional network. When an opportunity arises, you can use your network to better pursue it. When a problem comes up, you can use your network to solve it.

Mentoring is another useful professional hack. If you're at an early stage in your career, get coffee with a more seasoned colleague a few times a month. Ask how they got where they are today and what they would have done differently. Once you have a few years of experience under your belt, you can start mentoring a younger insurance professional in turn.

And remember: Knowledge doesn't have to flow only one way in the mentoring process. Reverse mentoring is a growing trend we'll hear more about as four generations share the workplace for the first time in American history. This is especially true as the role of technology continues to increase in driving business. Younger employees who are newer to the workplace may have better technology skills or work better in team settings. Older, more experienced workers, meanwhile, may be stronger in customer relations or decision making—which creates new opportunities for sharing ideas and talents.  

Ann Myhr is senior director of knowledge resources at The Institutes.