Develop Your Career Plan
If your career plan needs work, or is nonexistent, there are some basic building blocks you may need to work on. Any plan requires information - strategic planning requires strategic thinking. Often we define what we want to do next based only on what we have done before - that often results in a strategic error because it may cause the individual to limit options before they have started planning.
In order to develop your career plan, you should:
+ know yourself
+ know the world of work
+ make a decision based on that information
+ develop and implement an action plan ~ designed to help you reach your career goal
Your career plan begins with self-assessment. You need to know yourself well before you can offer your talents, skills, and knowledge to a potential employer. If your plan is to transition into self-employment, it could also benefit you to complete a self-assessment.
As the foundation of your career plan, your self-assessment should include at least identifying your interests, abilities, values, and personality preferences.It is also good to assess your level of confidence, motivation, and commitment. Trying to make any change at a time when your self-confidence is low is very difficult. There may be other factors you need to keep in mind as you develop your plan, because there may be other considerations, which relate to your particular circumstances.
There are a number of sources available for self-assessment, formal and informal. If you wish to do a formal assessment of your interests, abilities, values, and personality, check out the career assessment package of services offered by Ms. Davis through Yager & Associates' Holistic Counseling Care of Cincinnati. Call (513) 665-4444 box #3 and leave a message requesting information about the career assessment package.
Or, Ms. Davis also teaches Career Decision through the University of Cincinnati Communiversity program. The class includes formal assessment of interests, abilities, values, and personality preferences and discussions of the steps of career development and the decision making process. You may call (513) 556-6932 or e-mail ace@uc.edu to request a Communiversity brochure. Typically the class meets on three Wednesday evenings during the quarter. top
In addition to your knowledge of your self, you need knowledge of the world of work. There are many, many more titles of occupations than any one person can know about, but it is important to have some knowledge of the variety of occupations that exist which may be of interest and suitable for you. top
Make A Decision
After you have Identified your interests, abilities, values, personality preferences and other factors; and have increased your knowledge of the world of work, your next building block involves analyzing the data and making a decision.
For many people, the decision making step is a difficult one to take. Some people will make lists and decide based on something written down. Others will make decisions from more of an intuitive sense. Whichever method you prefer for your decision making, it is important that you make a decision based on facts, not perceptions, myths or beliefs that are not verified. We can serve as a guide through the steps to an informed decision making process. top
Develop, Evaluate, And Implement Your Career Plan
After you have decided what occupational direction you plan to pursue, you need to develop a career plan. I can serve as a counselor as you develop your career plan, providing guidance and support and can serve as an unbiased sounding board as you build your plan.
Before you implement a plan, you should evaluate it against your goals to make sure that it is a sound plan; that it is achievable. If your career plan needs adjusting to fit better with your goals, you should do so before you launch into the plan. I can serve as a consultant as you evaluate your career plan, providing feedback and possibly advice or suggestions to improve the plan.
Once your career plan is set, with your career goal and steps you will you will take to achieve it, you should implement your career plan. Periodic check ups should also be made along the way. I can serve as a coach as you implement your career plan, again, providing guidance, direction and encouragement as you undertake your plan. top
Follow-Up
As part of your assessment package, you will receive a written career plan summary to assist you in implementing your career plan. Follow-Up appointments can also be arranged, as needed.top