Developing an Individual Career Plan Chapter #3

Chapter Objectives Evaluate various career possibilities. Develop an individual career plan and set intermediate career goals. Identify the education and training you will need to reach your career goals.

Evaluating Career Choices Section #3.1

Evaluate Your Choices In evaluating possible careers, you should match the career information you’ve gathered to your personal interests and resources. Evaluation: Involves comparing and contrasting sets of data to rank them and determine winners.

Personal Career Profile Using a personal career profile form allows you to analyze career possibilities in a systematic way. Personal Career Profile Form: A chart in which you can arrange side by side what you have learned about yourself and what you have learned about a career possibility.

Your Plan of Action Section #3.2

Individual Career Plan The most workable career plan will probably be the one you design for yourself. Individual Career Plan: Making your career goals a reality and planning a course of action.

Plan How to Reach Your Goal Establishing intermediate career goals will make your ultimate goal easier to reach. For your planning goals to be realistic, you must be honest with yourself about your personal strengths. Steps to Setting Planning Goals: Career Decision Short-Term Goals Medium-Term Goals Long-Term Goals Setting short-, medium-, and long-term goals will enable you to evaluate your career path as you progress.

Deciding on Education and Training Acquiring more education and training means having more career opportunities to choose from. Your options include: Online Learning On-the-Job Training: On-site instruction in how to perform a particular job. Apprenticeships: Apprentice: Someone who learns how to do a job under the guidance of a skilled worker. Vocational-Technical Programs: Vocational-Technical Center: A school that offers a variety of skills-oriented programs. Trade Schools: A privately run institution that trains students for a particular profession. Community and Technical Colleges Four-Year Colleges and Universities Continuing Education Programs: Formal courses of study geared toward adult students. Military Service

Committing Yourself to Paper Committing your plan of action to paper will help you develop specific career plans. Ask Yourself… What is my ultimate career goal? What is my first short-term goal? Which educational programs offer the training I need? How much money will I need to pay for my education and training? Where will this money come from? It will also allow you to revise your plans while you continue to move ahead toward a career that will be right for you.

Bibliography Kimbrell, G., Vineyard, B. (2006). “Succeeding in the world of work.” Glencoe McGraw-Hill; New York.