| Career Plan The following article was adapted from Mapping-Your-Future.org Career
Plan With all career possibilities available, how do you make a decision? Once you know what career path you want to follow, how do you get there? One way to answer questions about your future career is to develop a career plan. A career plan outlines the steps you need to take to reach your career goal. Click here to see a sample career plan. Steps to Developing a Career Plan
By developing a career plan, you can focus on what you want to do and how to get there. And when you are ready to write your resume for your job search, you will have a better understanding of your skills and experiences to discuss with potential employers Career
Goal A career goal helps you focus on what you want to do for a living. A career goal can be a specific job you want to do -- such as doctor or teacher -- or a career goal can be particular field you want to work in, such as medicine or education. Rather than limiting your future, a career goal may help you discover career possibilities that you wouldn't have thought of otherwise. There are several job possibilities with any chosen career. For instance, if you choose a medical career, you may want to be a scientist, a nurse or a doctor. A career goal will also guide you into doing what you want with your life -- rather than just drifting into a job. Generally, a career goal is based on your skills and interests, career possibilities, and job trends. Once you have chosen a career, think strategically about the steps to accomplish your goal. Understanding and accomplishing your career goal will be a lot easier if you create a career plan. A career plan determines your skills and interests, what career best suits your talents, and what skills and training you need for your chosen career. Sample
Career Plan Career PlanCareer goal: To become a civil engineer. To design, plan, and supervise the construction of buildings, highways, and rapid transit systems. Requirements:
Current skills and interests:
Plan to reach career goal:
Skills
and Interests What do you like to do? Think about experiences you have enjoyed. What kind of school, religious, social, or sports activities do you like? Make a list of 10 activities you have enjoyed doing in the past four years. Evaluate those interests. Think about what you liked about the activities. What challenges did the activities offer? What skills do you need to develop further to continue in those activities? Consider your skills Evaluate school, volunteer, work, or leisure experiences. Make a list of your school activities (clubs, organizations to which you belonged). Make a list of any volunteer work you have done (either through social, civic or religious organizations). After you have assessed your interests and skills, determine the relationship between skills and interests and possible careers. You may need to research types of careers. Once you have found a career that matches your interests and skills, you are ready to set your career goal. Conducting
a Job Search and Job Hunting Techniques Many jobs require experience -- but how do you get experience when you are still looking for your first job? You may already have some work experience through volunteer work. Assess your skills and interests to determine what kind of skills you've had. Even unpaid work experience is beneficial in your job search. Also, consider internships and part-time work. Not only is it a great way to get experience which you can put on your resume or on a job application, it is also a great way to try out a career to see if it is really what you want to do. Here's some tips you may want to follow in your job search:
Types
of Schools Vocational Training Schools Vocational training schools are privately owned and operated schools that offer a wide variety of training options in areas such as cosmetology, mechanical repair, court reporting, paralegal services, travel services, secretarial, and medical assistance. Typical Academic Preparation vocational courses are short, lasting from five to 12 months. However, some training programs (such as court reporting) can take up to two to three years to complete. The main appeal of these schools are their concentrated curriculum, job-training focus, and short course length.
Two-year community/junior colleges provide the opportunity to get your feet wet before jumping in to the four-year college arena. Community colleges generally offer two-year studies with an associates degree conferred upon completion. The courses are designed to transfer to four-year colleges, should you decide to pursue your higher education. Also, like vocational schools, community colleges often offer specialized job training in certain areas. These studies are designed to prepare you for the work force as soon as you complete your training. Four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees and a much wider variety of studies and curriculum to choose from. Many also offer graduate studies (studies after a bachelor's degree is completed) with opportunities to earn a master's degree, doctorate, or professional degree (such as a medical doctor). The curriculum is much broader than a two-year school and is designed to accommodate a variety of interests (unless you are going to a college that specializes in a certain area of study, such as music). Public colleges and universities are subsidized by the states they are located in and are generally less expensive than private colleges. However, the cheapest rates go to residents of the state in which the college is located. Out-of-staters usually pay much higher fees. Private colleges, on the other hand, are funded through endowments, tuition, and donations. They usually cost a lot more, but don't rule them out! Private colleges can often offer enough financial aid to make them financially feasible for your budget. In addition to those listed above, schools can be divided into a number of other categories, including the following:
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