How to Create a Career Plan? (Complete guide)
Enad Abu Naser, Assoc. CIPD, GRP
Total Rewards I Workforce Planning I People Analytics I People Development I Organization Development I Faculty Member at WorldatWork
Have you ever wondered how to create a career plan? Or maybe the career that you are in now does not lead you to the level of happiness that you want? Well, this article will lead you to complete guide on how to create your career plan.
It is important to make career plan because you are the one who will be living with it for quite some time. A lot of factors can change in your life in future, if your career plan was not good, it might turn out to be a pain for you most probably. You should also know that most of the people fail in their career most probably because they were not prepared with the best career plan. Creating a Career Plan is the key to success. So you need to know how to do a career plan correctly.
What’s Career Planning?
Career planning is the process of studying, analyzing and organizing your skills, interests, abilities and experience to determine your optimal career path or options. It's a long-term strategy that can help you make the right decisions from the outset by providing a framework for planning your future.
In short, career planning helps you establish a clear path to reach your professional goals. It’s all about figuring out where you want to go and how to get there.
For example, let’s say you graduate from college with a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. Your first goal is to find a job in the field, but once you do that, then what? You could try to advance within your company or find a position with a different employer that will give you more opportunities for growth. Do you want to work in research and development (R&D), manage others in the lab, market new products to consumers, or create chemical formulas in some other capacity? What about outside of work hours? Do you hope to start your own business in the future or take on volunteer projects that will give back to your community?
But, what career planning does for you?
It takes a lot of effort to find your passion and decide on a direction, but as long as you keep at it, you'll eventually find success. If you're ready to start down the path to a new career, here's how to go about it:
1. Get to Know Yourself
Self-awareness is a trait that everyone needs, but it’s particularly important when it comes to setting goals. This is because you can’t reach your goals without knowing what they are and why you want them.
But the first step is to get to know yourself better. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
What do I like? What have I been successful at? What have I enjoyed in the past? What have I been good at in the past? What don’t I like? What areas of life do I struggle with? Where do I fail or fall short? Where am I unsuccessful or unhappy? Where do I excel compared with others my age? Where am I really good at things compared with others my age?
Do I have any hidden talents or skills that people may not know about that could help me perform better in my career or business endeavors? Do other people see areas of strength in me that I don’t see myself? Are there areas where people tell me that I am strong but where I feel incompetent or unskilled? Are there areas where people tell me that I need to develop more skills?
The purpose of this step is to help you understand yourself better, and figure out your direction in life. This step will also help you in figuring out your strengths and weaknesses, what you’re good at and what you aren’t so good at, and how to improve yourself.
2. Discover Job Market Needs
The world is changing fast and the job market is always changing. There are new jobs being created, there are jobs that may be disappearing, and there are new industries springing up every day.
Population growth, new inventions, and business strategies are creating jobs that didn't exist before. For example, with the invention of the smartphone, the demand for computer programmers has increased tremendously. Things that were hot in 2015 may not be in 2021. But how do you prepare yourself for all of this?
To be successful in today's job market, you'll need to keep your finger on the pulse of what's happening in your industry or in companies in general. You can do this by following local news, getting involved in organizations in your community, and reading up about the latest trends on technology or other industries.
In addition to using information from experts to stay informed about changes in your field or industry, you can also get a sense of what employers want from you by talking to people who work at places where you'd like to work someday. Ask them about their company and what they do every day. Then ask if there's anything you could do to prepare for a career at their company or another company like it. When you know what employers want, you can plan a path toward a career that fits with your interests and skills while helping meet the needs of the business community.
3. Find Out What Career is Right for You
The career path you choose is important because it defines who you are and what you can contribute. The better you understand these, the easier it will be to make the right career choice. When trying to understand your purpose, contribution, and duties of a specific career, think about the characteristics of the job. This will help you better understand how you can benefit from pursuing this particular field.
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4. Compare Career Options and Paths
Start by comparing your different options. Think about the details for each one—the requirements, the growth opportunities and what you might expect from a career in that field in 5 or 10 years. How do they compare? If one stands out as a clear winner, that's great! If not, it's time to dig a little deeper.
Here's where it helps to have some background information on each of your top careers. To get started, ask around for friends or family who work in these industries, or do some research on the Internet. Read books about the profession and look up job descriptions for similar positions at different companies.
For example, if you're interested in accounting, you might want to know if jobs with an accounting firm are very different from those with a public company. If you decide you want to work at a bank, find out what job titles most people hold—assistant vice president or teller, for example, and how they're likely to grow over time. As you learn more about each of your options, think about what would interest you most about each career path and how they match up with your long-term goals.
5. Match Your Career Goals with Your Financial Needs
It is important not to just think about how much money you want to earn but also how much you need. This is because the amount of money that will be earned from your career needs to match up with your lifestyle as well as your financial goals.
You may have a goal to own a large home, have two children and take vacations twice a year. The income from your desired career has to match up with this need so that you can live comfortably and provide for these things.
If you choose a career path that does not lead to higher paying jobs or a higher salary, then you may find that you can't meet your financial goals or provide for the lifestyle that you want. Everyone's situation is different, and it means that everyone will have to make their own choices about what kind of job they want and whether it will lead them to the life they want to live.
6. Understand Career Requirements
Once you have determined what career to pursue, begin to research the qualifications necessary to succeed in that field. What education is required? What certifications are essential? What work experience is most sought after?
A good place to start your research is with career center. Many career centers offer training and professional development through their centers, which can help you prepare for the job market. Career centers can provide valuable one-on-one support as you plan your future. They can help you determine what classes you need to take in order to meet the requirements of the career paths you're considering.
They can also help you develop a solid resume and cover letter. And they may provide access to internships that will allow you to gain real-world experience prior to graduation.
Looking for other options? Connect with experts from different fields on SharedSeed and ask for guidance and advice.
7. Set a Plan to Get Qualified
The best way to ensure you reach your goals is to have a career plan. This doesn't have to be an extensive, multi-page document but it does need to include the following:
If you're wondering how to create a career plan, the best thing you can do is start with what you already know. Start by writing down your current job duties, the skills you've used lately and any issues or challenges that are currently occupying your mind. Then think about what you'd like to do next in your career. What are the things that are important to you right now? How much money do you want to make? Are there specific jobs that interest you? Are there certain lifestyles that sound appealing?
Your career plan should be specific and actionable. If any of the items above sound vague or intangible, then they're not SMART enough.
8. Take Actions to Achieve Your Career Goals
After you set your career plan, it is time to take action. If you want to be a journalist, start working on your resume. If you want to be a chef, start researching job openings in restaurants in your area. If you want to be a software engineer, start taking programming classes online. We have another article that will help you in searching for a job. Check it out!
You should also start thinking about what other steps need to be taken so that you can achieve your career goals. And if you have any question related to your selected career path, post it on SharedSeed and experts will help you to get the knowledge you need.