John Spacey, July 12, 2018 Show
A career plan is a set of goals for an individual's career with an action plan that identifies steps toward these goals. Career plans can be communicated to an employer or used as a personal tool to identify career opportunities that suit your needs, capabilities and preferences. The following are examples of career plans. It is common to develop a career plan together with your manager as part of performance management. This allows you to share your ambitions with your employer and obtain feedback on what you need to do to achieve your goals. As part of the performance management process that is documented by human resources, this type of career plan is typically crafted to avoid politically sensitive goals. For example, an employee who avoids making their manager feel that they are after their job. Career plans developed with your employer focus on options that are possible internally. As such, they may not reflect the full scope of your ambition. Career ChangeA mid-career professional may develop their own career plan to identify possible career changes or advancements. This may be a back-to-basics look at what is really important to you. When your goals are identified, it is common to develop a swot analysis to determine your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This leads into both a short term and long term plan stated as actionable objectives.Career StartInexperienced individuals seeking to begin a career such as students typically focus on establishing an initial career choice. This typically begins by listing relevant interests, abilities and personality traits. This type of career plan typically requires guidance or research to identify potential careers of interest. Guidance or research is also required to identify actionable steps towards career goals such as education, experience and relationship building.TypeDefinitionA set of goals for an individual's career with an action plan that identifies steps toward these goals.Related ConceptsCareersThis is the complete list of articles we have written about careers.If you enjoyed this page, please consider bookmarking Simplicable. © 2010-2022 Simplicable. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of materials found on this site, in any form, without explicit permission is prohibited. View credits & copyrights or citation information for this page. Wherever you are in your educational journey, it’s really never too early to embark on the task of career planning. But what is that, actually?
Opinions are divided, with some claiming you should plan your career long before university (and even high school in some cases). And I’m not gonna lie, engineers and IT specialists will always find work. However, it is of the utmost importance that you choose your field of study based on your interests, affinities, and talents – if you pursue your passion, work will come. With that said, you should sensitise yourself during your time at university to what is available and sought after in the market and consider whether you need to attain certain skills or knowledge to land a good job. Hit them up with your career plans!No matter what you’re doing now, it’s good to have an idea what you want to do in the future. Sky is the limit when you know your stuff and with our free study app you’ll have access to the best study materials out there! Get started nowDefining Your Future Career GoalsBack to square one: you’re pursuing your degree or certificate and are wondering how to plan for your future career. Career planning is a comprehensive venture which encompasses defining your goals, developing a feasible plan to achieve them, sticking to them, AND planning all of that again in case something goes awry with your initial idea. Sounds like pure joy, doesn’t it?! The great news about defining your career goals is that you will hear quite a few ideas and stories during your studies. Your lecturers might mention possible career paths, and there may be obligatory internships that can guide you towards your future job. Additionally, lots of university programs are structured in a way that will equip you with the necessary skills to find multiple employment options in the future. So, how do you define those goals? Before you throw yourself headlong into the job market, work on the following:
The Three-Faceted Career-Planning ProcessWorking on yourself and improving your skills is an ever-ongoing and ever-growing quest, but how do you plan your career? Career planning is a three-faceted process in which these three steps occasionally happen simultaneously, go back and forth, and intercept one another in a complex-looking but rather intuitive process. Here’s what this dance entails:
Get Organised: Career Plan WorksheetIn case you prefer a more structured approach where you write down every detail of your career planning, you can devise your own career-planning worksheet. This document – handwritten or typed – should outline the three sections parallel to the three-step dance described above. Answer these questions:
A promising approach to career planning is the so-called career clusters. Career clusters encompass a series of similar and related careers within a particular branch. Tick the boxes that fit, cross off what sounds unappealing or downright off-putting, and set measurable goals to get to more attractive professions. In case you need help with this, you can find a suitable template here.
Career Action Plan – An Example of Good PracticeDisclaimer: There are millions of possible professions, and this example will not necessarily apply specifically to your career plan. However, you can take it as a guideline and change relevant bits and pieces to make it fit your needs. Once upon a time, there was a little Timmy. Little Timmy was not quite sure what he wanted to do in life, so he wafted through his primary and secondary school, paying only adequate attention to pass his classes. Still, Timmy noticed that he didn’t need to study as much for his maths tests as he did for history. His teacher, too, said he had the marbles for complex geometry and started giving Timmy extra tasks so he wouldn’t get bored in class. The teacher also suggested that he go on to study mathematics at university. He found it a breeze – maths just made perfect sense in Timmy’s world, but there came a time to plan his career. Teaching was out of the question, as was accounting. So what was he going to do? Timmy’s self-exploration led him to his favourite hobby – video games – and he wondered whether he could use his maths skills there. Programming was the evident answer, so Timmy, already talented at maths, set out to find ways to specialise in programming. Timmy’s plan of action included the following steps:
In the meantime, Timmy started working as a software test engineer in an IT company, gathering invaluable experience in the sector. He took on an opportunity in a video-game company as an assistant, where he applied for a series of traineeships, boosting his programming skills. Timmy finally spoke to his boss about switching departments and started tweaking the code of the game currently in development. Soon enough, Timmy started working for another company where he still works on developing great games. The moral of the story is that devising a career path often means switching trajectories, moving laterally, taking chances, and improving yourself. Dedication and hard work based on your personal vision always pay off, even if the road is bumpy. Be like Timmy and follow your dreams. Make learning maths as easy as pi with StudySmarterWe know how stressful maths can be! That’s why you need to learn smarter, not harder. Download the free StudySmarter app today and access teacher-verified explanations, flashcards, and quizzes on all your maths-related topics. Get started nowIt’s All about the Climb: Challenges in Career PlanningGetting to your dream career may not always be easy. There are challenges to be faced and disappointments to endure. Here are the common obstacles that affect career planning:
Lastly, as you work towards your goals, be ready to face some poor work conditions. Entry-level jobs will neither pay you as much as you want nor offer all the perks, but these times, too, shall pass. Gain experience, even if in slightly worse circumstances, before aiming higher and pursuing a better dream, and most importantly, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Career Planning – Dancing through the Job MarketTo recap, career planning is a wise step people take while studying to determine what career path they want to pursue and how they will reach it. It includes periods of self-exploration, exploration of possible vocations, and educational and practical preparation for that career. Planning a career can be made easier by exploring career clusters and finding out about your own interests. What are 4 examples of career plans?Career Goals Examples (Short-term & Long-term). Gain a New Skill. ... . Boost Your Networking Abilities. ... . Intern with a Large Company to Gain Experience. ... . Start Your Own Business. ... . Improve Your Sales or Productivity Numbers. ... . Earn a Degree or Certification. ... . Make a Career Switch. ... . Become an Expert in Your Field.. What are the examples of career?A career could mean working as a doctor, lawyer, teacher, carpenter, veterinary assistant, electrician, cashier, teacher or hairstylist.
What is your career planning answer?Laying out a list of goals doesn't make for a very convincing answer. Instead, focus on one or two main goals and briefly explain how you plan on achieving them or how they will benefit your career in the long-term. This shows that you have thought these goals through and are clear about what you want in the future.
What is the term career planning?DEFINITION OF CAREER PLANNING. ▪ A career plan is a practical strategy that allows you to determine your skills and. interests, set career goals, and put actions in place that will help you reach them. It's a continuous process, and it includes an overview of your current skills and experience and your career goals.
|