Choosing a career
One of the most crucial decisions you will make in your life is selecting a career. It is about far more than determining what you will do for a living.
Four (4) steps in career planning process
- Knowing Yourself
Skills, likes/dislikes and values
- Researching More
Exploring what is out there
- Making a Decision
Comparing options
- Taking Action
Working towards your goals
A career plan is a continuous process that can assist you in managing your learning and development.
Make use of the four step planning process when you are:
- at school;
- at college;
- an adult returning to education or adding on skills;
- a professional changing job or career.
Career planning is the continuous process of:
- thinking about your interests, values, skills and preferences;
- exploring the life, work and learning options available to you;
- ensuring that your work fits with your personal circumstances;
- continuously fine-tuning your work and learning plans to help you manage the changes in your life and the world of work
- Knowing yourself
Begin by considering where you are now, where you want to go, and how you want to get there. After you’ve considered where you are now and where you want to go, you can focus on getting to know your talents, interests, and values.
Begin by asking yourself the following questions:
- Where am I at now?
- Where do I want to be?
- What do I want out of a job or career?
- What do I like to do?
- What are my strengths?
- What is important to me?
By the end of this process, you will have a better understanding of your job or learning objectives, as well as your personal preferences. This information about yourself might serve as your personal “wish list,” against which you can compare all of the information gathered in Step 2.
2. Researching more
By the end of this process, you will have a better understanding of your job or learning objectives, as well as your personal preferences. This information about yourself might serve as your personal “wish list,” against which you can compare all of the information gathered in Step 2.
- Explore occupations that interest you and ask yourself how do my skills and interests match up with these occupations?
- Where are the gaps?
- What options do I have to gain these skills or qualify for these occupations?
- What skills do I need?
3. Making a decision
This stage is comparing your options, reducing them down, and deciding what is best for you at this moment.
- What are my best work/training options?
- How do they match with my skills, interests and values?
- How do they fit with the current labour market?
- How do they fit with my current situation and responsibilities?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?
- What will help and what will hinder me?
- What can I do about it?
4. Taking action
In this section, you plan the steps necessary to put your plan into action.
Create your strategy using all you’ve learned about your abilities, interests, and beliefs, as well as the facts you’ve received about the world of work.
- What actions/steps will help me achieve my work, training and career goals?
- Where can I get help?
- Who will support me?
