Career Planning Process

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Career Planning Process

Career planning is the process of discovering educational, training and


professional opportunities that suit your interests, passions and goals. Before
searching for jobs, you should set achievable long-term goals that identify what
you want to be doing along your career path at five, 10, 15, 20 years and so on.
Then, you can set short-term goals between each stage to ensure you have
clear, actionable steps you can take to reach your long-term goals. Career
planning allows you to outline your goals and reevaluate them as you progress.

A career trajectory is a path an individual follows throughout their working life. It


includes any jobs they have, including those that help the individual move
forward or backward on their chosen career path. In the modern working world,
people are viewing jobs with new perspectives as they try to grow personally and
professionally. Many employees change companies and roles multiple times
throughout their careers as they work toward their goals. When creating a
trajectory, include:
What you want to do
Job opportunities to pursue
Events that contribute to your work life
Goals for your career path

After considering their career trajectory, some people discover they want to
move in another direction. You can include other career opportunities on your
trajectory if you're considering a change. Listing the steps to take to pursue a
new career path can also help you move forward and find a job that provides
more personal and professional growth opportunities and fulfilment.

Steps of the career-planning process


Depending on your path, you may complete each step just once, or you may
revisit the process to change direction and discover new career options. Here
are the chronological stages of the career-planning process:

1. Self-exploration and assessment


First you need to understand your needs, strengths, personality, skills, talents
and interests to make informed academic and career decisions. You can
determine these items on your own by making a series of lists or through a
variety of tests, including:

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- Value evaluations, which include factors such as the salary level you
desire, whether you prefer frequent interactions with other people or
solitude in the workplace, how much you want your work to contribute to
society as a whole and how important prestige is to your work and the rest
of your life.
- Interest evaluations, which gather data about your likes and dislikes
regarding a wide array of activities, people and objects.
- Personality evaluations, People with some personality types do better in
certain occupations than others. For example, an introvert might not enjoy
working with other people all day.
- Aptitude evaluations, which test your abilities and strengths. They can
let you know if you need more education or training and can also help you
decide if you want to spend the time, money and effort needed to start a
brand-new career.

2. Career research
After you determine your qualities and aptitudes, you can decide which types of
careers you're interested in with research. Start compile a list of characteristics
in the work environment, responsibilities and advancement opportunities you
want in your career. Start further research by gathering basic information about
each of the careers on your list. Look at the general description of each
profession, along with general labor market information, such as median salary,
common benefits, educational and training requirements and the likelihood of
being hired after meeting all the requirements. Continue narrowing down your list
of possible careers by learning what working in different fields is really like.
Consider using your professional network to find people already in those roles
and industries, or reach out to current professionals on career-focused social
media platforms. You can also read company reviews for specific roles to find
out as much as you can about the advantages and disadvantages of the field.
Reading first-person perspectives could be invaluable when it is time to make a
choice.

3. Career exploration and experimentation


After you have narrowed down your list of possible careers, find ways to
experience each career in person. Here are some ways you can get a first-hand
look at what a role entails:
- Informational interviews: Consider asking a professional in your desired
field to sit down with you to answer questions. You can discover the
education, training, entry-level roles and other aspects they followed along

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their career path. An informational interview can also help you build your
professional network within your intended industry, which may help your
job search process in the future.
- Job shadowing: This activity involves spending a day, a week or another
short period observing a professional on the job. You may accompany them to
meetings or watch them demonstrate how they complete their typical daily
work.
- Volunteering: Some organizations may allow you to volunteer for tasks
that your ideal role would handle to gain more hands-on experience. This can
also help you determine whether you can enjoy working in that role, industry or
type of workplace.
- Internships: Consider an internship for more direct field experience.
These opportunities are likely to give tasks more relevant to your intended
role.
- Part-time work: Part-time versions of many jobs may be available with
fewer entry-level requirements. You can find them in specific companies that
you might consider working for and in assistant-type roles that directly interact
with your intended role.
- Find a mentor in the industry: Watching an experienced mentor and
listening to them talk about the realities of a career can be very informative. You
can consider applying their career path choices to your own planning to
identify steps that may also work for you.
- Courses: If you pursue any form of higher education, consider choosing
courses related to possible career choices. These classes can provide
you foundational information and training through projects and essays, which
can help you understand some of the basics of a career.

4. Decision-making and career selection


Weigh the advantages and disadvantages of all of your options. You will need to
consider many factors, including the possible balances between pay and
enjoyment, the pros and cons of relocation, and the work-life balance.Go over all
of your previous research as well as any related experiences very carefully, and
organize them by preference from highest to lowest. This strategy helps you
rank certain factors and roles over others to identify your top choice.
Read more: How To Choose the Career Path That's Right for You

5. Final planning and action


Gather all the information you have learned and determine an action plan. This
plan should include background information, such as your employment history,

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education, level of training, volunteer and other unpaid experience. It should also
include your professional licenses or certifications, the results of the
self-evaluations mentioned in the first section, and career counsel or advice you
have received.

Create detailed lists of short- and long-term goals you will need to achieve
before you reach your final career goal. These lists should include all of the
occupational, educational and training goals required to pursue your chosen
career path. You should also consider the barriers to reaching those goals and
how you plan to overcome them. These barriers could be financial, educational,
vocational or personal, such as the cost of college, family obligations, or the
need for tools and supplies for your chosen career.

6. Job search and acceptance


Use your career plan to begin your job search. Identify specific roles and
companies you’re interested in applying to, and compare those preferences and
requirements to your career plan. See if there are steps you still need to take or
if you’re qualified to apply.
You can also use your goal-setting strategy and career plan to write an effective
cover letter that demonstrates your passion for the role, field and employer. You
can use your career plan to identify the steps you’ve taken on your path thus far
and highlight your goal-setting skills and dedication. You can also apply these
items during the interview process to prove your interest and qualification to
prospective employers.
If you receive a job offer, determine whether the salary, benefits, location,
work-life balance and responsibilities match your self-assessment and action
plan.

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