Whether you wish to take a new direction in your career or you’re entering the workforce for the first time, the act of being purposeful about your career pathway is a significant decision. Constructing a career plan involves 4 distinct steps:
Step 1: Self-assessment
Clarification of your values, strengths, knowledge, skills, needs and what you love to do all provide information to support alignment with different career paths. For people already in employment you may decide to build on what you’ve achieved to date or in some cases, take a whole new career direction. In this step it is all about identifying and acknowledging what you already possess. This process alone is often a strong confidence boost and motivator in terms of developing your career plan. It is also the basis for the creation of a pathway to doing what truly has meaning for you.
Step 2: Exploration of Career Options
Your learning from your self-assessment informs your career options. Each option in turn is considered in terms of your readiness and what learning and development might be entailed for you, given your education, experience and career to date. Your personal circumstances and preferences also guide the decision-making process. My role is to support you through awareness raising, challenge you as appropriate with regard to any apparent limiting beliefs and to provide structure as you progress in your decision making process.
Step 3: Setting Goals and Actions
Once you have gained clarity, it is time to plan some purposeful goals and actions as part of your plan. Depending on each client’s circumstances, the timeframe for this step can vary significantly. What matters is having clarity regarding your career direction and a pathway to achieve your desired outcome.
Step 4: Taking Action
Your actions will be informed by your career plan. It may involve research on your part, a return to education, job searching, establishing a presence on social media, development of your cv/ portfolio or completion of an application form and preparing to present your best self at interview. It may also involve you staying in your current organisation with a view to changing your role or perhaps securing new terms and conditions.