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Career Planning Starts with
Self-Assessment
One
of the biggest mistakes that individuals make in their careers is to go
aimlessly through school or work in an entry-level position with no clear
direction (goals). They wait until
the homestretch — graduation, layoff, or departure — before taking a stab at
other opportunities. Finding a
well-paying job or locating opportunities for advancement shouldn’t be treated
as an afterthought, rather one that has been planned and prepared for months or
years.
Preparation,
preparation, and more preparation! Imagine
signing up for a marathon and waiting until the day prior to begin preparing for
the race. Obviously, you’re not
ready because of lack of training, you didn’t seek the assistance of a coach
or mentor, and you didn’t assess the resources you would need on the day of
the race. Without proper
preparation, what are your chances of completing the race?
Like
any serious step you’ll take in life, you must first determine the number of
baby steps needed to get from one spot to the next.
In other words, where are you headed and how will you get there?
Outline every obstacle or challenge that will hinder your progress of
taking these steps. Each small step
(short-term goal) will take you closer to satisfying the big steps, known as
long-term career goals.
First,
take a good look at the types of positions you’ve held to date along with your
college major. Ask yourself, do I
like where I’m at and where do I see myself in 5 years?
Don’t be ashamed if you’re not sure.
Visit your favorite job bank, type in keywords for your intended career
field, and examine those positions to determine if any meet your satisfaction.
Second,
write down job and career goals (preferably 6 months before graduating or the
start of your intended job search). Job goals pertain to the position you
currently hold now, whereas, career goals are the “big picture” (e.g. career
change in less than two years or targeting a six-figure salary). Research 2 or 3
positions that you would love to obtain TODAY along with those you’re striving
for in a couple of years.
Third,
prepare yourself, your credentials, and your résumé based on your
predetermined career opportunities and goals.
Prepare to go back to college, join business groups, serve on committees,
or alter your résumé to encompass all (or any) of these.
In
a career journal, make notations of the positions that interest you along with
the skills required for each. Add other entries pertaining to outstanding credentials, and
miscellaneous obstacles in the order that’ll need to be completed, with
resolutions and proposed dates of completion.
The
object is to not stand still. Navigate
your future by performing a self-assessment that will get you from a to z in
your career. Jay Block says it best
in the book, The End of the Job Search, Mastering the Art of Career Design: “Defining
your career aspirations is an essential step in the process of transforming
abstract thoughts into tangible realities.
Everything ever accomplished by man or woman first started as a
thought.” I challenge you to
assess yourself and create a master plan … it’s ONLY your career! 
Written by Teena Rose, a columnist, public speaker, and
certified/published resume writer with Resume to
Referral. She’s authored several books, including "20-Minute
Cover Letter Fixer"
and
"Cracking
the Code to Pharmaceutical Sales."
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