Planning Your Career

Agenda Importance of Career Planning Stages of Career Planning 1.Evaluating Myself 2.Exploring Options 3.Making Decisions 4.Setting Goals 5.Implementing My Plan

Life is the Sum of all your choices. - Albert Camus

Career Planning is… An active, ongoing, & lifelong process More than just a job or series of jobs Responsive to other life roles

Importance of Career Planning Career planning can help you to Enter the workforce Plan for education Deal with changing workplace demands Anticipate trends or changes Plan to upgrade or maintain your skills Plan for career advancement

Stages of Career Planning 1.Evaluating Myself: learning about yourself 2.Exploration: learning about work opportunities 3.Making Decisions: deciding on your future path 4.Setting Goals: creating a plan 5.Implementing My Plan: carrying out your plan

Managing your career is not a one-time decision but a series of decisions made over your lifetime. - Strong Interest Inventory Report (p.1)

1. Evaluating Myself: The Wheel The top half of the Wheel includes external factors (e.g. opportunities, experiences). __________________________ The bottom half of the Wheel includes personal characteristics (e.g. skills, interests).

Vision for My Future Reflect on your previous work – What tasks get you excited? – What would you like to be doing more of? Less of? Reflect on your life, outside of work – What skills and talents would you like to use at work? Avoid thinking That isnt possible Reflect on your ideal work environment – Inside/outside; alone or with others

Work/Life Experiences What work/life experience could become a career? What does your work need to support?

Experiences could include… Hobbies Sports or other leisure activities Volunteer work Paid work Travel Unpaid work

Learning Experiences What learning have you accomplished? What are your learning goals?

Learning could include... Formal schooling Informal education and training Learning from Life Experiences

Significant Others Who may influence your career decisions? Who is impacted by your career decisions? What support can your network offer?

Significant Others could include... Family Friends Colleagues

Personal Attributes Characteristics and traits that make us unique – Detail-oriented, rule-bound, value traditions – Flexible, adventurous, optimistic – Curious, intuitive, inventive – Kind, loyal, generous

Its important to find work where you can be yourself … … and be appreciated for who you are !

Work Values People work for a variety of reasons – Money, personal satisfaction, to help others Some questions to ask yourself – Why am I working? – What is important to me about work? – What do I value most?

Interests An interest may involve something – You are curious about – That is intriguing May be something active – e.g. sports May be passive – e.g. reading Helps identify occupational choices

Skills A skill is the ability to do something well – Talent – Specific training or practice Skills may include activities, you – Can do well – Can do, but not well – Can do but dislike doing Skills can be developed over time

Types of Skills Employability – communication, problem solving, adaptability Technical – typing, fixing machinery, operating equipment Essential – reading text, document use, numeracy, writing

Revisiting the Wheel Reflect on your Wheel Were there any surprises? What patterns do you see? o Helping people o Fixing things What else do you need to know? Reproduced with permission from Career Pathways 2 nd Ed. (Amundson & Poehnell, 2008)

2. Exploring Options Labour market information includes – Occupational descriptions – Wage / salary lists – Employment requirements – Unemployment or labour shortages – Trends or outlooks

Sources of Labour Market Information Websites – Manitoba Job Futures – Labour Market Information Newspapers Libraries Personal and professional networks Schools People who work in the occupation youre interested in

Career Opportunities Consider what work is available – e.g. locally, regionally, nationally For each job that you research – Identify three important highlights or trends – Note if opportunity is good, stable, or poor

Ways of Working Full-time/Part-time Seasonal Telecommuting Job sharing Rotational Contract Self-employment Portfolio career

3. Making Decisions Prepare for the unexpected Choose 3-4 possible options – Compare your option – Outline concerns – Describe each scenario – Identify actions that you can/have to take Select the option that works best Be willing to change your mind

Identifying Barriers and Strengths Strengths can help you achieve your goals Barriers are obstacles to obtaining your goals

Scenario Planning is a tool for helping individuals to take a view into the future in a world of great uncertainty The what if game at its best A willingness to look ahead and consider uncertainties

Taking it One Step at a Time

In Lewis Carrolls Alice in Wonderland, Alice asks the Cheshire Cat, Which path do I take to get out of here? The cat replies, Which way are you going? Alice says, I dont know. The cat answers, Well any path will get you there.

4. Setting Goals Select a goal What tasks do you need to achieve? How much time do you have to complete each step? What resources might you need? –Remember…people can act as resources

S pecific M easurable A chievable R elevant T ime-Limited

Have You Got a Plan ? Its not how you start, its how you finish that counts!

5. Implementing My Plan: Action Plan Format Identify your support network Identify any barriers

Forcefield Analysis

Optimism Optimistic individuals have common traits: – Faith and a sense of purpose – Belief in future of their organization / industry – Belief in themselves Optimism is an attitude – It can be learned and practiced – It can be caught from infectious people

Summary Take time to learn about and reflect on yourself Research the job market Evaluate career opportunities Set short-term and long-term SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-limited Find champions who can help you achieve your goals – e.g. friends, family, colleagues

Not all who wander are lost. - J.R.R. Tolkien