Career Planning: Chapter 1 The aim of the Career Planning course is to develop students’ ability and confidence to make informed and effective choices about their ongoing education and extra-curricular/ work experiences, which will enhance their ability to choose and embark on fulfilling and satisfying careers. Within the course is also the opportunity to gain skills in making decisions effectively. This course is for personal reflection and encouragement for ongoing self-reflection & career management. Key learning outcomes from the course.
The aim of the Career
Planning course is to develop students’ ability and confidence to make informed
and effective choices about their ongoing education and extra-curricular/ work
experiences, which will enhance their ability to choose and embark on
fulfilling and satisfying careers. Within the course is also the opportunity to
gain skills in making decisions effectively. This course is for personal
reflection and encouragement for ongoing self-reflection & career
management. Key learning outcomes from the course include the ability to:
This material is a good resource; I encourage all career hunters to read this book. I have combined a wealth of information into one handy resource book. I believe this book will be a valuable resource for career preparation and for career planners.
World of opportunity if you figure out a new path
Chapter
1
The term Career
planning is frequently used in relation college /university level. Students are
expected to consider their qualities (physical and mental), psychological
make-up, likes and dislikes, preference, etc., and decide what they want to be
in their life. In other words, they should decide what they want to achieve in
their life and adjust their education and other activities accordingly. This
means they have to plan their future. In such career planning, parents,
family members, and teachers offer helping hand and guide young boys and girls
in selecting the most suitable future or career. In a lot of literature,
psychological tests are available on career planning. Even lectures, workshops, and TV programs are arranged for guiding students on career selection
(particularly after the declaration of High School or equivalents Certificate
results). Career planning enables them to use their abilities/qualities fully
and make their life happy, prosperous, and rich in quality.
The
term Career Planning & professional grooming is also used extensively in relation to
organizations. It is argued that if organizations want to get the best out
of their employees, they must plan the career development programs in the
organization effectively. Such programs offer benefits to employees. The employees
will develop new skills for career and will be available to the organization.
What is the Difference between Job, Occupation, and Career?
Career Planning is a Four-Reprocess
Ø Self Knowledge - Knowing yourself , to understand own capabilities, character, feelings, or motivations
Know you first
priority
How can you realistically set goals, go about life, if you don't know who you are or what you want? You really can't. Not knowing yourself will lead to confusion and wasting much time in hit-and-miss situations.
We tend to underestimate the importance of knowing ourselves. Many of us
go through each day reacting to events and just getting by rather than making
conscious choices based on who we are and what we want.
When we don't know where we are headed it's hard to set goals, get
motivated and determine the best course of action. Before we can do any of
these things we must establish who we are.

Know yourself:
· Be aware of strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes
· Observe and be aware of moods, reactions and
responses to what is happening around
· Become aware of how these moods and emotions affect
your state of mind
· Examine how you interact with others
· Observe how your environment affects you
Knowing and understanding
yourself better, in turn, leads to decision-making, setting and reaching appropriate goals, and ultimately
living a more productive life. There are
many interesting personality tests and evaluations for self-discovery that can
help you become more in tune with yourself and are also fun to do.
If you're seeking greater career clarity or hoping to choose a major or a
professional path, start with what you already know about yourself.
Who are you?
Have a Self
Assessment, which is the process of gathering self-information in order to make
an informed career decision. Ask or find out, are you
adventurous, caring, funny, honest, hard-working, kind, reliable, gentile,
open-minded, self-centered, lazy? Know personal attributes such as interests, abilities,
level of competencies, transferable skills, and strengths and weaknesses is a
start to exploring careers that are a better fit.
Identify with
self-actualization. Every individual is unique. Everyone has potential and has
capacity to do something; sometimes we know it, most of the time we do not know
it. Nothing is impossible. Best way to control the mind and know self-actualization
is to do meditation. The meditation is to make the individual free from
existing problems,
Identifying interests is to consider the activities, hobbies, and topics
that you enjoy and that naturally capture your attention. Identifying your
interests can help you generate ideas of possible majors and career areas to
further explore.
Soft skills are interpersonal. They are somewhat
difficult to quantify and relate to a person’s personality and ability to work
with others. This skill set includes good communication, critical thinking,
empathy, and conflict resolution, among other skills like Communication, listening,
self-control, positive attitude, taking responsibility, sense of humor Flexibility,
Leadership, Motivation, Patience, Persuasion, Problem Solving Abilities, stress
management, storytelling, interpersonal skills, public speaking, time
management, leadership Teamwork, and much more
Hard skills:
Hard skills are quantifiable and teachable; they include specific knowledge and abilities required for a job. Examples of hard skills include computer programming, accounting, mathematics, earn certificates, language proficiency, job-related skills, and data analysis. Some can be learned on the job, while others, such as surgical skills, are first learned in a classroom and then refined through work practice.
·
Take a variety of different classes and see
what interests you.
·
Take self-assessment tests, so you will know a lot about yourself.
·
Build up a career inventory, such as the organization you want to work for? type of
environment you looking for? What kind of work schedule do you like?
·
Search different careers and find out
about the fastest growing fields.
·
Do some volunteer work so you can build a strong network through volunteer activities
·
Joining a
professional association in your field of choice.
·
Gather
information.
·
Find a mentor.
What is a Career?
The particular occupation for which someone is trained is basically a
career. A career develops over a lifetime and is made up of many work and life
experiences. A career is a sequence of positions/jobs held by
a person during the course of persons working life. Today, young people can expect to change career
paths a number of times over a lifetime. The career of an
employee represents various jobs performed by him/her during the course of his
working life. This is described as a career path. In the case of an ordinary
worker, the career path includes the following job positions:
Unskilled
worker – Semi-skilled worker – Skilled worker – Highly skilled worker –
Assistant foreman – Foreman.
Employees (of all categories) want to grow in
their careers as this provides more salary, higher status, and opportunity to use
knowledge, education, and skills effectively. An individual with potentials
joins a firm not for a job but for career development. An organization has to
provide better opportunities to its employees in their career development and
also use their efficient services for the benefit of the organization.
What
is Career Planning?
Career planning is
one important aspect of a career. Career planning is a lifelong
process, which includes choosing an occupation, getting a job, growing in a job,
possibly changing careers, and eventually retiring. In this book, we will focus
on career choice and the process one goes through in selecting an occupation.
This may happen once in our lifetimes, but it is more likely to happen several
times as we first define and then redefine ourselves and our goals. It is not
necessary that you choose your subject according to your academic achievements.
To achieve lifelong success through flawless access to transformative
professional experiences,
Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills
to help them understand and respect themselves and others. Students will make
decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals. Below are a
few tips for a career plan.
1. Understand self-Ability – According to your ability, you must go for choosing your
subject. You must not take care that what subject is being taken by your
friend. You must choose that subject, in which you can perform well. It has
been seen that people change their career after a lot of time in youth. They must
understand their aptitude at their younger age for choosing subjects. Just be
cool and understand your aptitude for choosing the best career for yourself.
2. Check self Talent and Qualities – Every person must be having some special talent and
quality, which is God's gift for every person. Some person is also multi talented people. You must check your quality and talent before choosing a subject for your
career. If you are creative then you must go for choosing that career, in which
you can attract someone. If you are a shy person then you must not choose that
type of career, in which you have to face many people.
3. Know the Liking and Disliking – People don’t know their liking and disliking. If you will
ask their liking career then even they don’t know their desire. First
understand yourself, what you want; what is your strength, what is you like?
If you can understand your liking and dislike then you can easily choose your
career.
4.
Know the Capacity –
Every student must know their limitations and capabilities. If you don’t have the capacity to study for a long time then choose short courses for your life. If you
can not survive your life while studying then go for a short study career for
which you can make your career in less timing.
Career planning incorporates short-term and long-term career goals, personal
goals and constraints. Career Planning is an ongoing process of learning
what you are cutout for by:
-exploring your values,
interests, skills, abilities, etc.
-exploring different occupations
and industries,
-exploring different learning options, making an informed decision when setting a career goal, and developing SMART plans to achieve each career goal. your planning process should incorporate the following stages:
|
Short-term planning |
Assess self skills, knowledge, values,
constraints and interests |
Long-term planning |
|
ä |
Identify which skills and knowledge
required |
ä |
|
ä |
Research career opportunities |
ä |
|
ä |
Formulate a careers action plan with
contingencies |
ä |
|
Up to 5 years ahead |
Check the careers action plan for
realism |
From 5 to 10 years ahead |
Short-term and long-term planning runs in parallel and should be reviewed regularly.
How to Develop your own career action plan
Before you can formulate a plan you need to look
back at the information, you have gathered
- yourself: your skills, knowledge, constraints,
interests and values
- your
chosen occupation(s):
entry requirements, skills required, is more training needed?
Now you need to put together the information you have
gathered.
Can you meet the
requirements of the job? Will the career you're considering meet your
needs? Look at the pros and cons and significant implications. Go back to
Look at your career needs and ensure that all your requirements can be met.
Incorporate this information into your Career options grid
Try to formulate a plan that includes at least one
contingency career area. Discuss your plans with your career mentor,
family members, Careers Advisers, and other People resources who will give you
an objective view of the realism and practicality of your ideas. Check
out any doubts that your advisers may raise and satisfy yourself before
proceeding with a career change.
If you have satisfied yourself that the career you are
considering will be a good match with your interests, abilities, skills, knowledge, values
and constraints, you can start to make a careers action plan detailing the
actions you need to take in order to enter that career.
Why
should you be concerned about planning your career?
Because it is your career. If you don’t take responsibility for
the success of your career, then who will?
Besides, considering all the time and energy you spend at work, why not
ensure you get maximum satisfaction from your work and career.
How do you go about planning your
career?
The diagram below illustrates the steps
involved in the career planning process.

Step 1: Knowledge of Work Environment
(What is going on around you?)
1. How is the mission of your organization (i. e.,
section, branch, division or lab) changing? What other changes are occurring
regarding our customers, services/products, work processes, organizational
structure, reporting relationships, and personnel? Is this a change of which you want to be a part? Or is it time for you to consider a move?
2. What is the organization’s changing needs regarding
the workforce and what new expertise and skills will be required or desirable?
3. What opportunities are available for developing this new expertise and skills (experiences, training, brief exposure,
professional conferences, mentoring, etc.)?
4. How should your role (job) change in your
organization? How can you prepare for or
develop new skills for these changes?
5. New expertise and skills your organization wants
you to learn include...
6. What new missions or projects at your workplace appeal to you? What are their needs for the future? What kinds of development activities would help position you for participation in another project?
Step 2:
Knowledge of Self
(Who are you?)
1.
New and recent developments in your organization or field, what interests you
the most?
2.
What are your current strengths for pursuing these interests? What do you need to do to reposition your
career so that you can get involved in these new developments?
3.
Is it time for you to consider working outside what you are doing now? If you are considering a complete career
change, what experiences and learning would help reposition your career in the direction of your new interests?
4.
Of all the things you have done in the last five years (work and non-work
related), what specific activities and functions have energized you the
most? What developmental
activities--experiences, learning, skill-building--would help you grow in or
increase these energizing functions?
5.
Other things you would like to learn are...
6.
What non-work related issues do you need to consider as they might affect your
career plans (e.g., health, family, financial, social)?
Ask yourself these questions:
What are your interests? (Data, people, things)
How do you like to work? (Preferences)
What are your skills/strengths? (Abilities)
What’s important to you? (Values)
Step 3:
Integration of Knowledge of Self and Work Environment
(How well your workplace and you match up?)
1. In what areas
do your interests and personal plans overlap with the changing needs of your
organization?
2. What
knowledge’s, skills or abilities are important for increasing or maintaining
the quality of my performance in your present assignments?
3. What know
ledges, skills or abilities would help prepare me for opportunities or roles
you might have in the future?
4. Compared to the
developmental needs suggested by these factors, other interests for development
that are important to me include...
Step 4:
Goal Development
(What do you want to accomplish?)
A goal is a statement of a desired outcome or accomplishment that is
specific, observable, and realistic.
Based on the data you have generated about yourself in the previous
worksheets and your specific career
issues, write some goals for the next one, two, and three years.
1. What you want to accomplish by this time
next year is...
2. What you
want to accomplish by the end of the second year is...
3. What you want to accomplish by the end of
the third year is...
4. What barriers or obstacles might prevent
me from accomplishing my goals on time (e. g., time, money, other commitments,
etc.)?
5. What can you do to overcome these barriers
or obstacles? What resources are
available to help you?
Step 5:
Method for Taking Action
(What actions will you take?)
1. There is a wide range of potential actions to consider in order to achieve goals:
· New assignments in your current job -- Rotation to a different job
· Volunteer for a task force or process action team
· On-the-job learning from someone who is more expert in a specific area
· Seminars/conferences
· Commercial/contracted courses
· Self-paced learning (books, videos, computer-based instruction, etc.)
· Academic degree or certification program
· Sabbatical leave
· Conduct informational interviews
· Move to a new job
· Start your own business
· Retirement
2. In planning your career moves, you must be open to considering all the possibilities. “Up” is not the only way (i. e., moving from a technical/professional position into management). You must be willing to consider these moves:
Lateral Move: Change in position within or outside an organization, but not necessarily
a change in status or pay.
Job
Enrichment: Expand or change my
job in order to provide growth experiences for myself. Exploration: Identify other jobs that require skills you have and
also tap your interests and values. Job rotation is an example.
Downshifting: Taking an assignment or job at a lower level of responsibility, rank,
and/or salary in order to reposition your career in something new and
interesting to you, or to achieve a better balance between work and personal
life.
Change work setting: Keep your job duties pretty much the same, but
have a different boss, organization, or employer. No change: Do nothing, but only after careful consideration.
Types of careers

Holland’s Hexagonal Model of Career Fields are six fundamental types
Artistic (A) : People who enjoy artistic careers thrive on
creativity, imagination, and self-expression. Some examples are musicians,
graphic artists, dancers, writers, composers, reporters, journalists,
designers, architects, poets, editors, etc.
Social (S) : People who are in the
social career type must work with other people in order to enjoy their career.
This means helping, teaching or working very closely with other people. Social
career types have a very strong need for people contact and they do not enjoy
working alone. Career examples are teachers, therapists, counselors,
recruiters, nurses, most healthcare technicians, detectives, priests, etc.
Enterprising (E) : People
who enjoy enterprising careers like to work where they can provide leadership
and where they are able to persuade or supervise others. This includes sales
people, politicians, attorneys, managers, supervisors, flight attendants,
business owners, and entrepreneurs.
Conventional (C) : Conventional career peoples are very practical,
consistent, organized, orderly, and usually very detail-oriented. Conventional
work includes organizing, planning, and an appreciation for paperwork and
details. These career types have the unique ability to do highly repetitive
work, day after day. They are usually extremely dependable. Conventional
careers include financial analysts, accountants, bankers, clerks, waiters,
waitresses, budget analysts, office managers, operations managers, production
managers, master schedulers, and secretaries.
Realistic: People who enjoy realistic careers tend to
prefer careers that are physical, outdoor, and hands-on. Generally, they prefer
working with things or animals rather than people and ideas. Examples include
carpenters, auto mechanics, jewelers, chefs, drivers, bakers, pilots,
veterinarians, etc. The key here is working with your hands, working with
equipment, and, or working outdoors in physical activities.
Investigative: People who enjoy investigative-type careers
like to use science and technology. They tend towards being problem solvers.
They are very good at learning by reading. Examples include engineers,
scientists, technicians, and medical doctors.
Top Ten Most Popular Careers
|
USA 1. Network Systems Analysts: 2. Physician's Assistant: 3. Medical Assistants: 4. Health Information Technicians: 5. Software Engineers: 6. Physical Therapist Aides: 7. Fitness Trainers: 8. Database Administrators: 9. Veterinary Technicians: 10. Dental Hygienists: |
Canada 1.In-Home
Nurse: 2.Nurse
Practitioner: 3.Programmer:
4.Physician
& Surgeon: 5.Teacher, 6.Pharmacist:
7.Psychiatrist:
8. Radio-logical Technician: 9.Registered
Nurses: 10. Physiotherapist: |
UK 1.Data
Com.Analysts: 2. Marketing
Officer: 3. Software Engineers: 4. Medical
Administrator: 5. Community
Nurse: 6. Advertising
Agency 7. Customer
Services 8. Information
Officer: 9. Administrator:
10.
Engineer:
|
http://www.alec.co.uk/free-career-assessment/top-10-most-popular-careers.htm
What do employers want?
Leaving university with a good degree is a prerequisite in the graduate employment market, but this alone is not enough to secure a first graduate job. How does an employer choose the right person from hundreds of applicants all with the same class of degree? The skills you develop whilst at college/ university and the experiences you gain will all help to give you the edge over the next candidate. This means it is essential not just to bury your head in a book all the time while you are at university, but to continue with your interests and work experience, which help to enrich your life and your CV. Side by Side, you need to develop your professional adequate manner, need to know the dress code, and keep your eyes and ears open for development and what employers are looking for today.


What will be the help wanted advertising look like in 2-10 years; and why should you care? As the world progress, so do job trends and job descriptions. It’s important to structure your career so that your job will be in demand in several years, not eliminated. Always pay attention to opportunity, observe carefully for jobs that are showing significant growth potential. We all want a job that pays well and will have plenty of openings in the next decade? Consider one of these occupations.

According to recent
US Labor Department data, an aging population will put healthcare workers such
as doctors, nurses, physical therapists, home health aides, and pharmacists in
more demand. The same data indicates 4 million jobs will be added to this
sector by 2018.
As we have seen, the most engineering
sector is poised to continue its rapid growth in the next few years. Mainly,
Civil engineering, electrical engineering, computer engineering, Medical
Engineering, Mechanical, etc. Further, the engineering field tends to do quite well
for itself.
Think
of all the technology we didn't have just a few decades ago, a few years ago. Computers, the Internet, and
Smartphones have changed the way we do business and communicate. And they will
continue to do so. As more technology is developed, IT professionals such
as programmers, security specialists, and administrators will continue to be in
high demand.
Alternative
energies such as wind power, hydrogen power, geothermal power, and solar power
will create dozens of new careers, from mechanics and plant managers to
scientists, engineers, and even sales and marketing professionals, as these
energies become more mainstream.
As
the emphasis on global business and trade grows, organizations will be looking
for individuals who will have the education, experience, and skill set to
navigate areas like international law, tax codes, work and environmental
regulations, and even ethics.
As
marketing becomes education-based and less sales-based, demand for business
writers who specialize in blogs, newsletters, website articles, whitepapers,
and special reports will also increase. Individuals in this field must have
good communication and writing skills, and be highly creative and original.
They must also be self-motivated and self-disciplined in order to meet
deadlines.
Increased
competition and the desire for companies to find new ways of differentiating
their products and services will ensure that marketing professionals are kept
in high demand. However, because trends and strategies change over time, those
who can demonstrate they are keeping up with strategy will be better
positioned.
Unsettled economic times have demonstrated a need for sound financial advice and planning, for both individuals and businesses. As our country's financial future becomes less predictable, financial analysts and planners will continue to be in demand.
Career # 9:
Analyze financial records and ensure
compliance with financial requirements and standards.
As the population continues to grow in the education sector, teaching kinder
garden to higher education in all field of specializations are very demanding,
more teachers will be needed to educate. Required qualification with special
certification is in high demand.
A goal is something
you want to do in the future. A goal is a desired result that a person imagines, plans, and commits to
achieve: a personal or organizational desired end-point in some sort of assumed
development.

Goal setting
Goal setting can be very effective in helping you to develop and plan your career. Breaking down your long-term aspirations into shorter realistic goals will help you to manage the process effectively. You will need to think about what you want to achieve within a certain time frame, how this can be achieved, and who can help. The concept of setting goals has been developed by leading psychologists who have identified the SMART model.
SMART goals are:
Specific – Your goals need to be well-defined. Try
and be as precise as possible
Measurable – You need to know when you have
achieved your goal
Attainable – Make sure your goals are realistic
Relevant – Consider how relevant your goal is
within your overall plan
Time-Specific – Try and keep a timescale
Short-term goal
A short-term goal is something you want
to do soon. A short-term goal is something you want to do in the
near future. The near future can mean today, this
week, this month, or even this year. A short-term goal is something you want to
accomplish soon. Short-term goals help you think about what you can do right
away. Short-term goals can help you manage your time. Short-term goals might
seem small, but completing them can lead to big accomplishments in life and
career also it make big changes
Here are some
examples of goal setting:
· Short term goal (6
months)
Specific: To secure a
work placement in a fashion design
studio i.e. to gain relevant industry experience.
Measurable: To research
opportunities to start a summer placement following the end of my second year
of studies.
Attainable: Select design
studios where you can best utilize your skills and enhance your employability
skills.
Relevant: This will be
invaluable experience to add to your CV and help you gain future employment as
a fashion designer or set up your own business.
Time-Specific: Research local
companies, check the Careers Resource area in your local University Library and Learning Center and
web resources. Speak to your tutor.
· Medium-term goal ( 12-18
months)
Specific: Secure a place
on a Postgraduate Certificate of Any
Post Compulsory course specializing in your desire field following your degree studies next year.
Measurable: To research
courses following your second year. Apply for short courses for entry the
following year.
Attainable: Check I have the right entry
requirements including post Graduate Diploma qualifications and relevant
experience.
Relevant: This will be an excellent career
progression following completion of your desire field of degree and enable you
to gain the qualification you need to teach in a Further or Higher Education.
Time Specific: Contact the
Careers Service(if available) as soon as possible for further information and
to find out ways of also gaining invaluable work experience in a local school
or college before you apply. Ask about the
Student Associates Scheme.
Examples
Short-term goals.
1. Apply for a
job.
2. Talk to the
teacher after class.
3. Deposit a check
this afternoon.
4. Buy groceries.
5. Arrive on time
for work.
6. Practice reading the newspaper at home.
7. Take children to school on time.
8. Write a
resume/CV
9. Read the
employee handbook.
Long-term goal
A long-term goal is
something you want to do or accomplish in the future. Long-term goals require
time and planning. They are not something you can do this week or even this
year. Long-term goals are usually at least several years away.
For example, a long-term goal might be to complete
Bachelor Courses through exams. This could take several years of going to
college/university and studying. Going
to class next month might be a short-term goal. Or passing an important test
can be another short-term goal. Achieving these short-term goals helps you
reach your long-term goal.
· Long term goal (5 years)
Specific: To have
established your own desire business and be working part-time as a desire
field Instructor in your local
school/college.
Measurable: To ensure you
achieve a good degree in the desired field. To study for a one-year Post Graduate
short Course, specializing in the desired field after you have graduated. Build your
desire business up gradually.
Attainable: Find out about
the support for Business startups from your Careers Adviser.
Relevant: In five years
time, you can give more time to your business and then lecture part-time.
Time- Specific: Graduate next
year. Start Post Graduate short courses next. Aim to work full-time for at least two years initially due to
family commitments and to secure a steady income.
Examples Long-term goals.
Asif Azim : Meherpur to Mumbai
Asif Azim was born and grew up in
'Meherpur, Bangladesh. He is inspired by the famous designer Bibi Russell. A
South African photographer Neo Ntsoma, who was in Dhaka for a documentary photo shoot. Neo's photographs of Azim have appeared in Parisian magazine Saolo
(2002) and they also made their way to unique trend. From there Asif started his career as a model and he traveled to various countries for modeling. While
dreaming about his career, he had two targets: one is to become an
internationally recognized model and the other to help and develop the modeling
industry in Bangladesh He is now among the top 100 models in the world.
video
1. Future
3. Dr. Younus
4. Confidence
5. Skills