Start by thinking about all the career-related decisions you’ve made till now.Most applicants lack clarity abouttheir career goals.Career goals cannot be learned from books.Your need to dream up goals that capture your imagination and burn in your heart.
How many times will you change careers in your lifetime? If you’re like most people, you’ll change careers at least several times over the course of your life. How successful you’ll be in making transitions among careers can at least be partially attributed to the amount of career planning and preparation you’ve done.
Career Planning Steps:
- Identify your next career move. If you have been examining multiple career paths, now is the time to narrow down the choices and focus on one or two careers.
- Conduct detailed career research and gather information on the careers that most interest you.
- Pinpoint the qualifications you need to move to the next step in your career or to make the move to a new career path. If you’re not sure, search job postings and job ads, conduct informational interviews, research job descriptions.
- Compare your current profile with the qualifications developed in step 3. How far apart are the two profiles? If fairly well-matched, it may be time to switch to a job-search. If fairly far apart, can you realistically achieve the qualifications in the short-term? If yes, move to the next step; if no, consider returning to the first step.
- Develop a plan to get qualified. Make a list of the types of qualifications you need to enhance your standing for your next career move, such as receiving additional training, certification, or experience. Develop a timeline and action plans for achieving each type, being sure to set specific goals and priorities.
Career Planning Tips and Techniques:
