ReadingATheCareerandEducationPlanningProcessReadingAWhyIsCareerPlanningNecessary?Intoday’sworldofrapidchange,transformationandprogress,newcareerpathsareconstantlyunfolding,traditionalonesarebeingchangedandshiftsaretakingplaceinoccupationalskillsandeducationalrequirements.Thesechangesarearesultofnewtechnology,modificationsinorganizationaldesignandthetrendtowardsglobalbusinessoperations.Withallthesechanges,youmightask“Whatisthepointofplanningaheadbydevelopingacareerplan?”1ReadingAItisimportanttobereadyforchangewithasetofcareergoals,strategiesandoptionsbasedonyourinterests,personality,valuesandskills.Onceyouhaveaplan,youwillbeequippedtomanageyourcareerandtakeadvantageofchangesintheeconomyandjobmarketratherthanbecomingavictimofchange.ReadingAWhoIsResponsibleforPlanningandManagingYourCareer?Planningyourcareeristotallyyourresponsibility.Itisuptoyoutodotheplanningandtakethenecessaryactiontoobtaintheeducationandtrainingthatwillsupportyourcareerplans.However,youcangethelp.Forexample,youradvisororcareercounselorcanadviseyouabout:yourcareerplanningstrategy;howtofindinformationyouneed;howtogetaroundobstacles;howtogoaboutplanningyourcurrentandlong-termeducationandtraining.2ReadingAKeepinmind,throughoutyourlife,youaretheonewhomustmakeallthedecisionsaboutyourcareerandproducetheresultsthatsupportyourgoals.It’suptoyoutocontrolandnavigateyourowndestiny.3ReadingAUnderstandingyourselfisacriticalaspectofcareerandeducationalexplorationandplanning.Themoreyouknowaboutyourcareer-relatedinterests,values,skills,personalitytypeandpreferences,thebetterequippedyouwillbetoidentifythecareerfields,majorareasofstudyandtrainingprograms,andeducationpathwaysthatarecompatiblewithyourpersonalattributes.TheFOCUS2systemwillhelpyoudevelopanaccurateself-assessmentofyourpersonalqualities:YourWorkInterestsareareflectionofthekindsofwork-relatedactivitiesandtasksyoumostenjoydoing.4ReadingAYourPersonalityTypeisadescriptionofhowyoureacttocertainsituationsandpeopleandhowyoumakedecisions,organizeinformationandsolveproblems.YourValuesareadescriptionofwhatismostimportanttoyouinlife.Forexample,youmightvalueearningalotofmoney,helpingotherpeople,beingcreativeandartistic,havingasecureandsteadyjob,etc.YourSkillsareareflectionofyourtalentsandtheactivitiesyoueasilylearnandperformwell.YourLeisureTimeInterestsareareflectionofthekindsofleisure-relatedactivitiesyoumostenjoydoing.ReadingATheBigPicture:YourLifePlanItisagoodideatoplanyourcareerbasedonthebigpicture,thatis,yourlifeplan.5ReadingAQuestionsyouneedtoaskyourselfaboutyourlifeplanare:WhatprinciplesamIcommittedtoasaperson—family,security,prestigeoraccomplishments?WhatkindsofexperiencesdoIwantinmylife—travel,adventureorotherculturalactivities?WhatpersonaltalentsdoIwanttodevelop—music,art,language,communicationorothers?HowdoIliketospendmyleisuretime—communityservices,recreationandsports,ortravel?6ReadingAFinally,youmustaskyourselfwhethertheoccupationalgoalsandeducationalavenuesyouareconsideringwillbesupportiveofyourlifeplan.7ReadingARolesYouWillPlayinYourLifeBeingaworkerwillbeinterconnectedwithotherrolesyouplayinlife.Examplesofrolesthatareaffectedbyyourcareercouldincludebeingaparent,acommunitycitizen,astudent,arecreationist.Yourcareerreachesbeyondbeingawageearnerinyourchosenoccupation.Forexample,considerthefollowingscenario:Ifyouwereawageearner,parent,andstudent,thenclearlyyourincomemustbesufficienttopayfortheexpensesincurredintheseotherroles.8ReadingAMostpeopleareprimarilyinvolvedwithtwoorthreerolesatatime.Whichrolesyouarefocusingondependsuponyourageandlifestage.Forexample,incollege,yourprincipalrolesmaybeasstudentandrecreationist.Laterinlifeyourprincipalrolesmaybeasworkerandparent.Thepointisthatthroughoutyourlifeyouwillplayacombinationofwork,leisure,study,homemakingandcitizenrolesthatareintermixed.Therefore,whenyoumakedecisionsaboutyourcareer,youshouldtakeintoconsiderationtheeffectofthesecareerdecisionsontheotherareasofyourlife.910ReadingATheLife-CareerRainbowRefertotheLife-CareerRainbowChartbelowtogetabetterpictureofthekindofrolesyoumayplayatvariousagesandstagesofyourcareerandlife.ThetwoouterarcsoftheLife-CareerRainbowshowyouthelifestagesyoumaymovethroughduringyourcareerandlife,andyourapproximateageineach.ThelowerarcsoftheLife-CareerRainbowshowyouthedifferentrolesyoumayengageinwhileindifferentlifestagesandages.1112ReadingASummingItAllUpHereishowtotakethe“BigPicture”intoconsiderationwhenmakingcareerandeducationplans:First,whenchoosinganoccupation,thinkaboutwhichofyouroptionswillmostlikelyprovideyouwithself-fulfillmentinallyourroles,notonlyinthepresent,butinthefuture.ReadingASecond,periodicallyre-examineyourcareerplans,takestockofyourselfandwhat’shappeninginyourlife,andthenmakeadjustmentsinyourcareerasneeded.Forexample,changesinyourcareerfieldmayrequirethatyoulearnnewskills,orchangesinyourpersonalinterests,values,socialorfamilysituationsmayaffectyourcareeraspirations.13ReadingABenefitsofHavingaCareerPlanOnceyouhaveestablishedyourcareergoalsyouwillbebetterabletomakechoicesaboutyourcollegemajorandminorareasofstudyandthecoursesyoushouldtake.Yourcareergoalswillalsoenableyoutomakedecisionsaboutpersonaldevelopmentalactivitieswhileincollegesuchasinternships,volunteerworkandsummerjobs.Researchhasshownthattherearemanysignificantadvantagesandbenefitsofhavingcareerplans.Collegestudentswithcareerplans:ReadingAArelesslikelytomakecostlychangesintheircollegeeducationplansandaremorelikelytograduateontime.Aremoreconfidentandsatisfiedwiththeirchoiceofanoccupationandmajorareaofstudy.Achievehighercollegegradesbecausetheirdecisionsabouttheireducationalpatharecompatiblewithandbasedontheirpersonalinterests,valuesandabilities.Earnhigherincomesintheirentryjobs.14ReadingACareerplanningisalifelongprocessofexplorationandplanningofyourcareerandeducationalgoalscompatiblewithyourinterests,values,talents,personalityandaspirations.Careerplanninginvolvesthinkingaboutwhicheducationalandoccupationalpathswillprovideyouwithsatisfactionandfulfillmentinallaspectsofyourlife,presentandfuture.ReadingBWhyCareerPlanningIsImportantandHowtoDoItMillennialsaremorethanthreetimesaslikelytoswitchjobsasoldergenerations,accordingtoarecentpollbyGallup.Butwithallthejobhoppinggoingon,itcanbedifficulttocraftalong-termcareerstrategy.Asolidcareerplanisimportantinthatitcanprovidearoadmapforyourfuture.This,inturn,helpsyoumakeinformedchoicesaboutyourcurrentjobsituationaswellasfuturecareermoves.Abroadercareerplanisalsoimportantwhenitcomestohelpingyoustayinspired.1ReadingB2Interestedincreatingyourowncareerplan?Herearethreereasonswhyyoumaywanttodothisrightnow.1.You’llleverageyourstrengthsPeoplewhotapintotheirstrengthsatworkaresixtimesmorelikelytobeengaged,accordingtoGallup.So,ifyouwanttoenjoyyourcareerandcollaboratemorewithyourco-workers,it’skeythatyouunderstandwhatyourstrengthsare.Onceyouknowthis,youcanleveragethosestrengths.3ReadingB4Ifyou’renowthinkingthatthisfliesinthefaceofthecommonadvicethatyoushouldworkonimprovingweaknesses,well,that’simportantaswell.Yet,whenitcomestoenhancingyourcareer,focusingonyourweaknessesshouldn’tbeyourmainstrategy,accordingtoBiggerP.5ReadingB2.You’lltakestepsintherightdirectionNooneisgoingtodevelopyourcareerforyou,andasuccessfulcareerdoesn’thappenbychance.Inordertosucceed,you’llneedtoknowwhereyouwanttogo.Thiswayyoucanworkondevelopingskillstohelpyouachieveyourmilestones.Forexample,ifyou’reacustomerserviceagentbutwanttobecometheCEOofthecompany,youneedtoknowwhatstepsittakestogetthere.Forexample,youcanstartwithbecomingasupervisor,thenworkyourwayuptoateammanager.Fromthere,youmaywanttodevelopadditionalskillssothatyoucanjumpfrommiddlemanagementtotheexecutiveteam,andsoon.6ReadingBWhenyouhaveacareerplaninplace,youwillbemoreapttotakestepsintherightdirection.Withthismindset,you’llalsobelesslikelytoblameexternalforceswhenthingsdon’tpanoutasyouplanned.Instead,youcantakeastepback,makeacoursecorrectionandgetbackontrack!7ReadingB3.You’lldevelopmoreconfidenceIfyoudon’tknowwhereyou’regoing,youmayenduplostorinthewrongplace.Inaddition,ifyoudon’thaveacleargoalinmind,it’shardertogaintheself-confidenceneededtotakeadvantageofopportunitieswhentheyappear.Forexample,ifyouwanttobecomeateammanagerbutyouhavenoplantoachievethisgoal,youmaynotbepreparedtocompetewithothersforthejob.This,inturn,canbedisheartening.Bottomline:youneedaplantobothgiveyouadirectionandasenseofpurposeinyourdailyworklife.8ReadingBThismakesiteasiertobeintentionalaboutyourwork.Forexample,ifyourgoalistoreplaceyourmanagerwhenshegetsapromotion,youmaychoosetoaskhertomentoryou.Thisthenbecomespartofyourcareerplan.ReadingBThreetipsforcreatingyourbestcareerplanNowthatyouunderstandwhyit’sagoodideatohaveacareerplan,let’sdiscusshowtogoaboutputtingitintoplace.Takealookatthesethreestepsandyou’llbeonyourway.1.ThinkbigDon’tsellyourselfshortwithyourcareerplan.Ifyoudon’tcurrentlyhavetheskillsnecessarytolandyourdreamjob,thatshouldn’tstopyoufromaimingforthisgoal.Plus,bylookingatyourwritten-outplan,youmaygainmoremotivation.9ReadingB10Also,don’trestrictyourcareerplantoyourcurrentjoborpath.Ifyourdreamjobentailsdoingsomethingthatisn’trelatedtoyourcurrentcareeratall,spelloutthestepsthatitwouldtaketomaketheswitch.2.DefineyourstrengthsandwhatyouenjoyBuildingwealthisamainmotivatorwhenitcomestocareerplanning.Withthatsaid,moneyshouldn’tbeyourmainobjective.Why?Focusingonmoneyalonecanleadtoanunhappyjobexperienceandearlyburnout.ReadingB1112Instead,focusonwhatyouenjoydoingandwhatyou’regoodat.Ifyou’rehavingahardtimepinpointingyourtalentsandwhatyouloveaboutyourjob,don’tbeafraidtoaskfamilymembers,friends,orevenatrustedco-worker.Theymayhavesomeinsightbasedonpastconversations.ReadingB13Thisexercisemayshedsomelightontalentsyouweren’tawareyouhad.Betteryet,youmaydiscoverthatthereareaspectsofyourcurrentjobthatyouwanttocarryovertoyournextposition.regardlessofwhetheritleadstoawindfallofmoneyintheformofahighersalary.ReadingB143.BeadaptableThere’snoguaranteethatyourcareerwillturnoutexactlyasyouplanned.Anotherthingtonote:asyoutakestepstowardyourdreamjob,youmaynoticeyourpreferenceshavechangedovertime.So,don’tbeafraidtoadjustyourcareerpl