Article by:
Michael Colucci
Whether you are about to graduate from college, or want to change
jobs at a later point in life, career planning is a very important
aspect of the process. Before you actually start applying for
positions, it is essential to be certain of the areas you would like
to work in. The worst thing that could happen is not to take any
steps in the career planning process, and end up in a job that you
are unhappy with, or do not have the proper skill set
for.
Career quizzes are often helpful in the career planning
process. These are often a great first step when trying to determine
what type of jobs you'd be best suited for. Many are available
online, and address some of the following areas: identifying your
skills and abilities; determining if you prefer working with people,
data or things; or summarizing what workplace values are most
important to you. By compiling all of this information, you'll
usually get a general idea of what fields you should be seriously
checking out. The quizzes often list suitable occupations based on
your answers.
One avenue that would be best to explore is
signing up for career counseling. There are many free services,
mainly ones offered by the government, or at post-secondary
institutions, that will get you started on your career planning
journey. Career counselors are trained professionals that will be
able to offer you advice and make realistic recommendations on what
area you would be best suited to work in. They will look over your
academic training, and often administer aptitude tests to see what
careers you should be exploring.
Researching companies that
you could picture yourself working for is another great step in the
career planning process. Check out their websites for information,
and to see what type of positions they may be hiring for. When
possible, try to set up a meeting with a member of the department
you'd like to be a part of, so that you may ask them questions and
find out about the day to day aspects of the company on a more
intimate level. Check the newspapers and magazines to see if the
company is mentioned at all, and see if the articles are favorable
or not. Although this may seem very simple, it can be a valuable
part of your career planning.
If you think you may need to go
back to school in order to make a career change, obtaining a
catalogue from a local post-secondary institution is a good way to
kick start career planning. Look through what programs are offered,
what skills are required to be accepted to programs of interest, and
what type of a time commitment you'd be looking at in order to make
this change. See if prior employment or life experience will work in
your favor, and give you advanced standing into your selected
programs. People often forget to check into educational requirements
for certain careers, and may waste time and energy by skipping this
step in the career planning process.
An often underrated
aspect of career planning is talking with your friends and family.
Discuss with them in detail what it is they do, and ask them to
honestly tell you what they could picture you doing for a living.
Who knows? They may see something that you've overlooked, and it
could be the missing link to your career planning
process.
Career planning is something that everyone is faced
with at some point in their lives, and it should not be taken
lightly, although you can have some fun with it. Most important of
all is to be honest and realistic with yourself, and make sure you
ultimately choose a path that will make you happy and keep you
financially secure.
About
the Author:
Michael Colucci is a writer for http://www.career-planning.knowledgesearch.net/
which is part of the http://www.knowledgesearch.net/
network.
Article Source:
www.iSnare.com 
