Career planning and development begins well before you graduate from high school. In a sense it began in elementary school when you learned such basic skills as reading, writing and basic grammar. In high school, however, you are much more developed as an individual than you were as a child. By the time you reach your mid-teens you have developed values and interests. You have likes and dislikes, as well as personality traits. You have some idea of the sort of work you would like to do. This is where the more specialized stage of career planning and development begins.
You are most likely going to spend most of your adult years engaged in some sort of work. Of course, it is important to earn the money you need to live. But it is also important that you do the kind of work you like to do and have an aptitude for. That is why career planning and development is so vital. It begins when you are in high school and you choose courses of study that are going to be useful to you in the future. This is also a time in which you can “try things on”; that is, do courses in different subjects to see if you like them. You also have the opportunity to consult with counselors who can explain what is involved in various types of work and what you have to do to prepare yourself for a career in a particular field.
Quite likely you have had some sort of part time job. That is important to your career planning and development. The work you did, or are doing, at your after school, part time job might not be the sort of work you want to do for the rest of your life, but it can be very important to your future career. Your part time job gives you work experience and teaches you such things as punctuality. It gives you the opportunity to demonstrate that you are willing and able to learn new skills. At some point you will be asking your employer for a letter of recommendation. You would like that letter to say that you are a reliable, trustworthy employee who works well with fellow workers.
Career planning and development means knowing about yourself. What strengths and abilities do you have? Can you improve your skills? Do you present yourself well? A personnel manager is going to decide whether or not to hire you based on what is in your resume, and how well you promote yourself in an interview.
You must also become familiar with the labor market. Career planning and development gives you a system to help you find a job. There is more to it than looking in the want ads. Career planning and development shows you how to explore the “hidden” job market. It also directs you to training programs that will make you eligible for even higher positions in your chosen field.
While it may be entirely possible to just put on some good clothes, walk out the door and stumble into a job that pays well, most successful job seekers have put together a kit of career planning tools that made the task more efficient. The key, of course, is to know which tools to include in that kit.
One of the basic items in each and every bag of career planning tools should be an organized, complete resume. But there should always be more than one copy in the kit. In fact, most job counselors urge having more copies of the resume available than you think you will need. Don't be caught without a resume, in a situation that could open doors to a new career. As part of the resume tool, plan to submit your resume by electronic means (email, Web site). Many experts in the career-planning field note that a few employers discourage paper resumes.
A key part of every resume, usually found near the top of the first page, is the statement of objective. This key item helps the job seeker focus on personal goals as well as the needs of the company applied to. With a little twist, the statement of objective can be one of the career planning tools that may open some doors. In this case, the idea is to create a mission statement, a set of directions for the trip.
This key item in the collection of career planning tools can help the young job seeker commit to a course and stick to it. In addition, a well-written career mission statement can be just the item necessary to help an experienced person make the career change needed. Some people may be able to pursue a career by simply stating, "I know what I want to do." However, a concise mission statement may just provide the focus necessary to keep the job seeker on track.
Over the past few decades, a number of companies and universities have developed programs that can help the job seeker narrow choices and find the correct path toward career success. It may be wise to include a planning guide or career test in the collection of career planning tools. For example, some universities provide such guides to students as well as to members of the public (usually for a fee). These guides can include questions that will help the job seeker focus on a career path, as well as descriptions of various careers. These well-developed programs can assist the job seeker in both expanding and narrowing career choices, as well as help the applicant understand where those choices may lead.
These are just a handful of the many excellent career-planning tools available. As one counselor advises, don't go out there alone!
This website uses cookies that are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the privacy policy. By accepting this OR scrolling this page OR continuing to browse, you agree to our Privacy Policy