The Career Planning Process

Benefits of career planning-

A good career planning is just like having a map to reach to those treasures stored in one’s future. Doing so helps in making knowledgeable choices about your current job situation in addition to future career proceedings. A broader career plan is also important when it comes to helping you stay inspired. It is important to plan for your career as it gives you a much required direction and makes it clear where you see yourself in future. A large segment of our life is spent in achieving our career goals, which makes it very important to make sure that proper steps were taken and correct plans were made in the initial years of your life.

There are very few fortunate ones who are born with a clear mind and who knows what they’re passionate about and where they see themselves in life ahead. But most of us are not sure what we expect from our lives so it is crucial to plan things out. Thus career planning is what gives your career, and in some way, life, true meaning and purpose. Now let’s discuss how to go about career planning.

Career planning process-

Make a list of career options by looking into yourself and knowing your interests, skills, and things you love to do through self-assessment. Then make an inner circle of your career options by reviewing information, researching companies, experiencing career demo’s and discussing with professionals in the field. You can furthermore narrow down your list when you part-take in experiences such as shadowing, volunteering and internships.

Prioritize your best career options-

Just listing options isn’t going to work. You must prioritize among them considering your top skills, what interests you the most or what’s most important to you. Whether you’d prefer conceptual challenging work, benefit to be with friends and family, the right location or big flat cheque, it helps to know what holds more importance in your life.

Compare your most promising career options against your list of prioritized skills, interests and values.

Factors influencing career planning process-

It is important to also consider things beyond personal preferences. What’s the current demand of the fields you’re choosing? If it’s low in demand or difficult to enter and if you’re comfortable and moreover, mentally prepared to take such risks. Qualifications required to enter the field you opt. Will it require any kind of additional training? And the affect it’ll cause to you and others in your life. Congregate advises from your friends, colleagues and family members. Consider possible outcomes and barriers for each of your final options.

Choose the career path that is best for you.

How many paths you choose depends upon your situation and comfort level. If you’re early in your planning, then identifying multiple options may be best. You may want several paths to increase the number of potential opportunities. Conversely, narrowing to one or two options may better focus your job search or graduate school applications.

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Author – Donald Robinson S

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