Plan Your Career 

What do you want to be?

With so many career choices today, 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.

Steps to developing a career plan

1.         Develop a career plan to determine your interests and skills.  Thinking about your skills and interests can help you find a satisfying career.

To determine your interests, think about what you like to do. Think about experiences you have enjoyed. Evaluate what you liked, what you found challenging, and what you may have learned from those experiences. Make a list of activities you have enjoyed during the past few years.

2.         Make a list of the skills you have. Your skills may include training you gained through part-time or full-time jobs. Even if you never worked before, you do have some skills, which will help you find a job.

            For example, you may have skills you learned through volunteer work or a hobby. 

            Evaluate the skills and interests you have listed. Are there any experiences that could turn into a career? For instance, if you volunteered at a hospital and enjoyed the experience, you may want to consider a career in medicine as a nurse, a medical assistant, or lab technician.  If you like to work with your hands, you might like a job as a carpenter, plumber, or in heating and air conditioning.

3.         Find out about the types of careers available to you. If you do not research careers, you may not know about the best occupations to fit your interests and skills.  

            It is also important to decide if the career you are considering is really what you expect and whether it offers the salary and benefits you want. One good way to learn about a career is to network by talking to someone who is in the career now.

4.         Once you know what career path you want to follow, find out what you need to do to prepare for that career. Do you need special training? If so, look for schools that offer the kind of training you need. What kinds of experience will you need to be successful in the career?

A career plan can help you focus on what you want to do and how to get there. When you are ready to write your resume for your job search, or to apply to a school for training, you will have a better understanding of your skills and experiences.