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15 Steps to Successful Career Planning (Revised 10/2003)
Contact: stephen.r.snelling@boeing.com Why do Career Planning? Career Planning is an important and useful activity whether you are looking for a job, thinking about changing jobs, or are just trying to figure out what to do next. If you don't do career planning, you will have to be satisfied with whatever chance brings your way. With career planning, you still will have chance events to deal with (both positive and negative) but you will have more of a road map to get back to, if you temporarily lose your way. Step 1 Know Yourself Utilize some self analysis techniques such as the exercises in the What Color Is Your Parachute? book and similar references to objectively list your strengths, weaknesses as well as likes and dislikes. Step 2 Know Your Vision Explore your current and future vision of what you see yourself doing in the near and long term future. Cite specific examples of what your vision would look like. Step 3 Do Your Homework Research industry types, other companies, or other positions within your current company. This includes literature searches as well as interviewing for information. The book “The Seattle Job Bank” published annually by Adams Media Corp. (about $20 at many local bookstores) can be a useful source book on local companies. Step 4 Explore All Your Options Look carefully at all the alternatives and weigh the options that are "currently" best for you. Some of these may include: - Management vs. Technical Specialist? - Manufacturing vs. General Business? - Manufacturing vs. Service Sector? - Current Employer vs. New Employer? - Current Industry vs. New Industry? - Large Company vs. Small Company? - Local Work vs. Relocate? - Consulting vs. Staff? - Owner vs. Employee? - High Travel vs. Low Travel? - Graduate Program vs. Self Study? - Night School vs. Full Time School? Step 5 Use Your Contacts Talk to your references, college alumni, professional contacts , and many others in order to research current conditions, locate companies, and learn about possible opportunities. Step 6 Look For Opportunities Be constantly looking for new opportunities and be willing to accept new challenges. Learn how to recognize new opportunities quickly and how to evaluate them against your vision for yourself. Step 7 Prepare Yourself Take courses and do home study to prepare yourself to match your vision's requirements. Keep informed and interested in new developments in your chosen field. Utilize professional resources at your disposal, such as IIE. Have a long term improvement plan for yourself. Step 8 Enjoy Your Career Work at your career, but enjoy it as it evolves. Much of happiness in one's career comes from enjoying the day to day activities and focusing on your positive accomplishments and not dwelling on set backs. Don't put off enjoying your career until some arbitrary goal has been passed. Take time to do an objective audit of the current good and bad aspects of your current career path and make adjustments accordingly. Step 9 Adapt to Change Prepare as best you can for the unexpected and learn how to adapt to changes (both external and internal). Look for ways of allowing yourself to absorb and even enjoy changes as they occur. Develop your core strengths and use these to embrace changes as they occur. Try to understand why the changes are taking place and develop personal strategies that fit your career vision. Step 10 Include Your Family Discuss your plans with your family, particularly if they are directly affected (such as a relocation). Match your spouses career vision to yours and see how they can both be achieved. Assess your family's future condition and the impact they will have on your career planning (e.g. college expenses). Assess any increase in time away from your family, either due to longer work hours or increased travel. Step 11 Separate Curiosity from Interests Explore your real interests, but learn to separate out the things that you are merely just curious about. Curiosity is good and natural, but real career planning involves following your real interests, not merely side issues that you are just curious about. Avoid the "grass is always greener elsewhere" syndrome. Step 12 Utilize Quiet Time Do your career planning and "soul searching" under the best conditions. This usually means getting away from distractions and doing your career planning when you are relaxed and clear headed. Step 13 Explore Your Interests Interview regularly for information and constantly compare reality against your original perceptions. Find people who have had similar visions and talk to them about their career planning and current job satisfaction. Step 14 Everyone May Be a Consultant Develop core skills including seeking professional certification. In the future, job shopping may be common place and lifetime employment or even long time employment a thing of the past. Learn your chosen profession well, in order to be a consultant (whether external or internal). Keep your skills current and yourself motivated and challenged. Step 15 No Regrets Plan your activities, work your plan, modify your plan, and enjoy your career as it unfolds. [Life's a Journey, Not a Destination. Enjoy the Trip with No Regrets.]
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