Free Career Planning Information

What Will You Do The Rest Of YOUR Life? 3

Chapter 1 - When To Start Career Planning 7

What We Learned 9

Chapter 2 - Career Planning Basics 10

Career Planning Step One – Write Down Your Career Goals 10

Career Planning Step Two – Inventory Your Hobbies and Interests 12

Career Planning Step Three – Inventory Your Skills, Strengths and Abilities 14

Skills Assessment and Testing 16

Online Testing 18

CareerPlanner.com 19

Career Center at Berkeley 19

Career Planning Step Four - Decide how much time and effort you want to put into your education 22

Career Planning Step Five – Research Various Occupations 23

Job Shadowing 26

Evaluate Market Trends 27

What We Learned 28

Chapter 3 - Looking For a Job 30

A Quick Warning Before We Continue: 31

What We Learned 35

Chapter 4 - Career Growth and Expansion 37

Career Planning For Established Employees and Professionals 37

What We Learned 41

Chapter 5 - Career Planning Frequently Asked Questions 42

Conclusion 44

What Will You Do The Rest Of YOUR Life?

Do you know what you want to do for the rest of your life? This is one of the first questions facing many college students or pre-college students right after high school. At such a tender age, it is often difficult to figure out what career path one wants to follow for the rest of their life. The very prospect of selecting a winning career is daunting, given that your selection is so large and immeasurable. What is a person to do?

The most important step in career planning is the one step that will help you decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. It is also the simplest…

The first step you should take, before you read on, is to write down your goals and objectives for your life. The key to success is planning for the future, so don’t look just one or two years ahead.

To successfully plan your career, you have to look two, five, ten and twenty years ahead. You may find your objectives and goals change with time. That is a normal part of the growth process. But, by starting out with a list of goals, you are already one step ahead of the pack.

When you set your goals, one consideration you should take to heart is current trends in technology, the workforce and the labor industry. Why pay attention to these matters?

Modern changes in the workforce and technology have made hunting for the perfect or ideal career harder than in times past. With so many stories of massive layoffs in the technology industry one day, and then similar stories of growth in the technical sector, it can be hard for one to figure out just what job is right for them. How do you figure out what job will provide you with the most stability?

Keep in mind that trends change all the time, so what may be popular now may not be in the near future. What jobs are needed in one region may not be as important in another. These are all important considerations for the avid job seeker.

Thoughts like this often bog down the honest career seeker. They can make you overly concerned with finding a job that will last for years to come, when chances are high that during your life you will change careers or advance in your career at least once or twice. So while thinking about trends is important, there are many other factors that will determine your success when selecting the perfect career.

The right job doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with a particular industry. One of the biggest mistakes people make when planning their career is trying to make their personality and skill set fit a job, rather than finding a job that fits their personality and skills. If you jump into the technology industry just because it is doing well now, you may find you regret your decision later. How do you find the path to the ladder of success, and then climb it without much effort?

The simplest way to climb the ladder of success is to find a job that matches your skills, interest and abilities. I’ll say that once more for emphasis, because many people forget this when seeking a job or trying to plan their career.

Being happy in and prospering in your job is all about matching your skills and abilities to a job.

Once you do that, you will find it easy to plot out a career path that will lead to fulfillment and security. Whether you make $10 an hour or $100 an hour, the most important aspect of career planning is securing your happiness, your financial security and your future.

You can do that in virtually any field, if you play your cards right. That is what this book is all about. Teaching you to play your cards right. It may not happen overnight, but if you do take the right steps, in time you can find the ideal job that suits your financial and personal needs. You just need time, patience and a proper education.

You’ve already started in the right direction by reading this book. Consider this book your education in career planning. This book serves as your first step toward building a rewarding and successful career.

Are you ready to find out how to shuffle and play your deck of cards right? Then hop on board, because we are about to begin the journey of a lifetime. Let’s start by thinking about some important concepts, like when you should start career planning. There is a lot of confusion among people about when career planning should take place.

Some people think it should happen in high school, others during college. Still others don’t consider career planning until they are well established with a reputable company. What is the right answer? Read on to find out! We’ll also help you out with that goal setting thing a little later in this book, so put it to rest for now but don’t forget about it. Let’s find out where we should begin our journey…

Chapter 1 - When To Start Career Planning

Now that you realize how important career planning is to your future, it is time to find out how to plan your career. Many people wonder what the ideal time is to start career planning. The answer is there may never be just the “right” time or an ideal time. Career planning depends on many different things. Have you ever noticed that some people seem born knowing what they are supposed to do with their lives? The child for example, that wants to be a doctor, and ends up becoming one of the most successful physician’s in history.

A lot of people think that is the way they should plan their career. They feel they should “know” what they want to do with their life, as if planning your career was some innate ability we all posses. It is not.

Don’t feel bad if you don’t fit into that category. In fact, only 1% of the population is born knowing what they want to do. Sure, you may have childish notions about what you will “be” when you grow up as a kid, but you’ll find with time your ideal job changes frequently. Your idea of the right career will blossom and develop as you begin to learn more about yourself, your likes, your desires, your talents and abilities.

You may even discover throughout college that your job aspirations change as you learn what skill sets you have and what activities you excel in. This is one reason many college students find they need to change their major once they start college. It isn’t uncommon for students to change their major once, twice or even three times. With a little goal setting and planning you can avoid this.

You don’t have to wait until you finish high school or college to start career planning. You don’t have to wait until you land your dream job to start career planning. In fact, you will probably find that you change jobs many times before you find the right career and the right career path for you. The reason we keep harping on this fact?

People seem obsessed with the idea of finding a secure job, one that will “last a lifetime.” There are very few careers however, that truly last a lifetime. Some will, some won’t, but according to trends, now more so than ever, people are changing their career at a moment’s notice.

Long gone are the days when someone held a job for 20-years or more. Today’s modern career person shifts jobs in a systematic way, one that allows them to climb the ladder to success in a fun and rewarding manner. That’s not to say you may not work the same job for 10 years or more. You may. You may find it rewarding.

You can also work with the same company for decades, but climb the career ladder to success along the way. By gaining new skills and enhancing your education, you have the ability to realize promotion after promotion.

Some people do find the right career, and the right career path, and the right place to work all at the same time. Again, this encompasses a small part of the population. Keep that in mind. This isn’t said to discourage you, but rather to encourage you to take charge of your career. Don’t think of your career in terms of a “dream job” that is sitting “out there” somewhere waiting for you.

So wipe away any foolish notions you have about finding your dream job. Now is the time to learn how to plan your career right, from the bottom up. YOU plan your career. YOU make the difference and ultimately, YOU decide what you will do and where. This is all part of the career planning process outlined in this guide. So let’s learn more about career planning.

We’ll do that by first learning about the career planning basics. You need to follow these essential steps in the career building process. By following these steps, you automatically begin your journey toward successful career planning. These steps, while not all encompassing, will provide you with a strong idea of where you want to take your career in the short and long-term.

What We Learned

Career planning is a process that begins the moment you start thinking about your future. You should think about career planning as early as possible so you are prepared to take on the challenges that lie ahead on the road to job hunting. Many people mistakenly look at career planning as something that revolves around what they feel they “should” do or what job makes the most money.

Career planning should focus on uncovering your skills, abilities, hobbies and interests… and then matching these to specific occupations. You can find a job that you love and that pays the bills if you are willing to invest a little time and effort in yourself and planning.

Chapter 2 - Career Planning Basics

In the last section you learned that now is the time to start career planning, no matter what stage of your education or life you are in. You should feel excited and renewed at the prospect of finding the perfect career for you. Now that we’ve gotten this far it’s time to start planning. So how do you begin?

Career planning happens in many stages, but you can follow five simple steps to head down the right path. Don’t skip these steps, because they may have a tremendous impact on your future. Many people are tempted to follow one or two steps, and then skip the rest. Do not do this.

There are no shortcuts in life, as there are no shortcuts in your journey toward selecting the right career. So follow these five simple steps. Once you do that, we’ll learn even more about planning your career.

We’ll cover each of these steps below in detail. By following these steps, you will learn how to recognize your strengths, skill sets and the types of jobs you will not only excel in but also enjoy.

Once you discover the right types of jobs, the ones that will satisfy your needs, then we’ll talk about climbing the ladder toward career growth and expansion.

Career Planning Step One – Write Down Your Career Goals

You don’t have to know what you want to do for the rest of your life to create meaningful and helpful goals. In fact, you are more likely to find the right job if you do sit down and figure out some goals.

What are career goals? They are goals you have about your future. They include your financial goals, your personal goals and your professional goals. Now, how do you create good goals?

Good goals are goals that are defined, easily measured and attainable. That means you want to create goals that are clear and distinct, that you can track and measure your progress toward and goals that you can reach. You may not know how to reach those goals yet (for example, you may not know what educational requirements you need to fulfill to acquire the career you want). That is ok. What is more important is that you sit down and take the time to write goals.

Here are some examples of some good career goals. These are goals that one would write during the career planning phase of their life, the phase you are in right now.

What career planning goals can you come up with? As you continue reading this guide, you will gain valuable knowledge about the career planning process. As you do this, you will find the goal setting process much easier.

You know you have to set goals, but you may not feel fully prepared to write them down yet. That’s ok. For your first assignment, your job is to write down three important and potential goals you have for your future.

Then, after reading this guide from start to finish, go back and rewrite your goals. You will have the knowledge at that point to create well-defined goals specific to your interests, skills and career objectives.

Goal setting is a continuous process. It is something you should do throughout your life, whenever faced with important decisions. If you set goals for every part of your life, you are always one step ahead of the game. Remember that.

Now that we established how important goal setting is to your future, it’s time to move on to the next step. The next step will help you more clearly identify what it is you want out of life, and your career. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? It is!

Career Planning Step Two – Inventory Your Hobbies and Interests

No one ever sits down and thinks about turning their hobby into a career. The funny thing is everyone should. The best jobs are jobs that match our interests and abilities. The people that do best are those that recognize their skills, talents and interests. Not sure where your hobbies and interests may take you? Don’t worry. You can inventory your hobbies and interests to find out what types of careers may suit you best.

Every good career starts with knowledge of what you like, don’t like, what you want and what you are good at. At this stage in the career planning process, you are probably still learning what you like and don’t like.

That’s ok. You can always add to your list. For now, you should consider where you are today, and what you like, and what you might like in the next several decades.

So, sit down, take out a piece of paper and write down the hobbies and interests you have. Do you like to play golf? Don’t think for a minute you can’t make a career out of it. You may not become the next Tiger Woods, but when it comes to career planning, you have to remember to think broadly.

There are many different job opportunities within any given career. So sit down and seriously consider your hobbies and interests. Many people like flying for example. There are many careers available that involve flying or some aspect of flying, even teaching about flying. We’ll learn more about how to find jobs based on your hobbies in a little bit.

For now what you have to do is take inventory of your likes and dislikes. This will help you uncover jobs that you may like or dislike. There is nothing worse than working in a job you dislike, after all.

You may find you have a lot more hobbies and interests than you can write down. Everyone has interests. Make sure when career planning you focus your thoughts on the hobbies and interests you MOST enjoy. Think of the top three. You will gradually narrow your list to the top 2, then the top 1 as you continue the career planning process.

Now that you know step two, let’s move on to step three. Step two is very similar to step three but different in an important way. It is critical you follow both steps to realize success when planning your career. Let’s look at the next step.

Career Planning Step Three – Inventory Your Skills, Strengths and Abilities

How many times have you sat down to think about what you are good at? What are your strengths and abilities? Not sure you have any? Don’t worry, you do.

Everyone is good at something. Hopefully you will find that some of your skills and abilities align with your hobbies and interests.

Just as you wrote down your hobbies and interests, you should write down your skills, strengths and abilities. It is important you list as many skills, strengths or abilities as possible. You want to utilize all your capabilities when searching for the perfect job. We’ll use the acronym SSA for skills, strengths and abilities.

Interestingly, many people find it difficult to outline their abilities. This may be because you haven’t taken the time to examine your strengths or because you are too modest about your abilities. When conducting a career search, you have to go all out, so this is not the time to be shy. Make sure you list your abilities fully and as honestly as possible.

If you aren’t sure what your skills are, think about your affinities. Is there an industry or area of interest you are particularly passionate about? Do you have a lot of knowledge about this area? Do people come to your for advice on this subject?

If so, you can count this area as a strength, skill or ability. So write it down. You can also consult with others and ask them what they think your skills are or where your strengths lie. You will find that different people have different opinions of what someone is good at. Consider them all, and then narrow your list to conform to the SSAs you think fit you best.

You don’t have to be the best in the entire world to make a career out of your skills and abilities. Not everyone could create music like Mozart, but there are many fine musicians that followed in his footsteps. That’s not to say you shouldn’t aspire to be the best of the best. You should always seek the best in you. But don’t pressure yourself to achieve some unreachable standard. This will only lead to frustration. For now just establish that you have talents, skills and abilities and work with them.

Now let’s look at some other ways to assess your skills and strengths. The good news is you don’t have to come up with a list of your skills and abilities alone. There are many resources available to help career planners find the perfect career, one that matches their interests, skills and talents. Let’s start with formal evaluations of your aptitude.

Skills Assessment and Testing

A simple and easy way to find out what you are good at and what career or field may be best for you is to participate in skills assessment and testing. There are many types of tests available to help people find out what types of careers they might be best suited for. You may have already tried some of these tests. Many “fun” versions are available on the Web. For purposes of your career and your future however, you want to stick with legitimate testing.

The good news is you can find convenient testing both online and offline. What types of tests are useful and available?

Some of these tests assess your personality, and match your personality to your abilities and various career fields. If you attend a college or university, you may find that your career center offers some form of skills assessment and testing. If you are not sure, ask. Other tests assess your aptitude for certain job roles and functions. Some for example, may evaluate your communications abilities.

Still others will look at your abilities and compare them with your interests. If you have great communication skills but have a phobia of speaking in public, then a good career choice for you may be something that involves communication by working from behind the scenes. Consider the role of a ghostwriter. A ghostwriter is someone who often writes books for others for a flat fee. The “other” person takes credit for the work in many cases, depending on the agreement.

Why would anyone do this? Many people prefer their anonymity. They may like to communicate, write, act or perform but may want to keep their private life private. Consider how many writers work under aliases. There is a reason for this.

The point is you want to look for tests that can help you match your skills with your interests and potential occupations you may like. Still other tests may compare your skills and interests with occupations that you think you might like to pursue. You may want to become a mathematician, only to find your mathematical ability sub par. That is ok; you probably have talents and interests that lie elsewhere.

If you don’t go to school yet, but plan to, find out what local testing centers are available that allow you to participate in career testing. Many will offer skills and career placement assessment and testing for a small fee. One example is Sylvan Learning Centers. Many university testing centers offer non-students testing and assessment options as well for a small fee.

If you already work with an employer in a job that you don’t consider a career, but might consider moving up in the company, talk with your Human Resources department. Very often HR representatives have skills and inventory analysis testing available to help match job prospects and employees to ideal jobs within their company. It certainly can’t hurt to take advantage of these testing opportunities.

Online Testing

Even more convenient to many people are online career planners and testing authorities and sites. You can visit one of many different online skills and testing centers to find out more about what careers are likely to suit you best. Keep in mind however; the World Wide Web is one of the largest resources in the world.

You may find it difficult to distinguish between legitimate testing authorities and “fun” or “for entertainment purposes only” skills and career assessments. Many sites, including Tickle.com offer personality inventories and surveys, but most of these are for fun. If you are not certain of the legitimacy of a test, ask. Look on the site to see if there is a disclaimer about the authenticity of the tests.

It also helps to know what some common and popular assessment tests are. Here is a list of some of the more common tests and test sites available for career seekers today.

One of the best places to start is a non-profit organization, Mapping Your Future. You can find them at: www.mapping-your-future.org

At this site you will find information for middle and high school students, undergraduate students, graduate students, adult students and even parents.

Anyone and everyone interested in mapping their future can check out this unique and interesting site to learn more about planning for their education and their career.

Let’s look at some other places where you can take some skills and assessment tests online to find out what your strengths are and what types of careers may suit you well.

CareerPlanner.com

This site also offers information for high school and college students, as well as for adults looking to change careers. You can take personality tests, career tests and even meet with a career counselor online to help you decide the best career based on your results. You do have to pay a fee for this test, but if you are not in a hurry it will cost you less than $20. In some cases you can get a special discount by clicking on “not ready to buy yet” and get the test for just under $15. Do that and you will receive a great discount and have the chance to take a test that can help you find the perfect career.

Career Center at Berkeley

The career center at Berkeley University offers some great free self-assessment tools and tests that will help you discover your skills, abilities and interests. This link will direct you to a page that can help you decide what major to study, what career to pursue and how long of an education you should pursue based on your career aspirations.

You can also research various jobs using links located on this main page. Or, have fun playing around with the tool, “What can I do with a major in…” This fun link allows you to explore the career opportunities that result from selection of a specific major.

Many online job posting boards, including Monster.com, also offer career guidance and services. Some merchants may post advertisements for career testing and skills assessment services. Check them out and see what you think. Know that ultimately you are the best judge of your SSAs however, and you should define what they are and how they will impact your future.

Here you will find assessments of your interest on a scale of highest to lowest and the jobs you will most likely enjoy based on this assessment. You can also take advantage of a workplace assessment tool based on solid research. If you get a basic report, the assessment is free.

This assessment test consists of 70 questions. Your answers are translated into Myers-Briggs Types, which identify personality types and can help match your personality to potential occupations. This site provides free suggestions of appropriate careers for you based on the results of your assessment. You just have to take a little time out of your day to take the test.

Myers Briggs personality types and other tests are among the more commonly used by corporations, universities and professional testing agencies. Many organizations offer these tests to employees at not cost. You may find you can take these tests free at your college or university, or even high school. If you can’t, you can always shop online. The link above provides testing packages and provides tools to help career planners identify their career preferences. You’ll gain valuable information by visiting the site, even if you don’t take one of the tests. You can even take an entrepreneur package to see if you are the next greatest entrepreneur or an “everything” package that allows you to sample a little of each test, including each of the MBTI tests and the Strong tests. Check it out!

Take some time to try some of the tests listed above. Even if you do it for “entertainment purposes only” you may find out a lot about yourself.

A lot of selecting the right career path involves identifying your unique personality traits and matching those traits with your skills and specific occupations.

These tests are valuable for anyone interested in learning more about who they are and where they want to go in life.

Skills and assessment testing can be a valuable and helpful tool you use as you plan your future career.

Now it’s time to move to step four in our simple, five step career planning process. This next step will help you define how much time you want to put into preparing for your career or selected occupation.

Career Planning Step Four - Decide how much time and effort you want to put into your education

Education is a key factor in many people’s career planning process. Many careers require an exact amount of education, so you have to consider education when considering your important traits (including your SSAs).

There are many different training and educational opportunities available for people today. Long gone are the days when a traditional four-year university was the only way to get ahead in any industry. Today there are many technical schools; career specific colleges and certificate programs that can allow you to pursue the career or job you want when you want it.

If you don’t want to study for 10 years, then don’t plan on becoming a doctor. Most people know that to become a doctor you have to invest a lot of time (and money) in your education.

Take some time to find out how much time you will have to spend learning about your career choice before you decide what career choices you may want to follow. Tuition and the cost of education may also be a consideration.

By answering these questions you will gain a better understanding of what types of education you might pursue and what types of education interest you. We’ll talk more about the specific educational requirements for specific careers in just a minute.

When looking at education, don’t rule out work-study programs or employer-sponsored programs that may help pay for your education. There are also many grants available for students at all levels of their education. Grants provided by the government for example, like a Pell grant, provides free tuition assistance to students in need.

Don’t rule out a career just because the cost of your education may seem high. You can find ways to pay for your education. For now, just consider how much you are willing to invest in education, and how much education you need to achieve your career goals.

This leads us to our next step, researching occupations. Once you start searching for actual career opportunities you will gain a better understanding of what you have to do and how much education you need to get into the job you want.

Career Planning Step Five – Research Various Occupations

Once you have an idea of the skills you have and your interests, you can start researching jobs or occupations that match your skills and interests. You can do this at the same time you research educational opportunities or separate. Most of the time people researching occupations have already made some educational choices. You may find after researching occupations that you need to modify or enhance your education.

The good news is you can easily find out what education you need and what job specifics are for thousands of jobs very easily. One way is simply by completing the skills assessment tests recommended above. Many of the sites and physical locations offering personality and skills testing also work with candidates to provide them a list of good career choices or matches.

Remember Mapping Your Future, the site offering career skills assessment and other services?

Another great section of the Mapping Your Future nonprofit site is the section that allows you to easily match your interests to specific careers, and allows you to review various careers in groupings. How do you get there? Just visit:

Use the links provided here to conduct some research on various occupations. You can get partial or full descriptions of jobs and their pay rates, educational requirements and the outlook for each career.

Another great site offering a wealth of information on careers and occupations is A Student Site for A.C.T Test Takers. Just visit:

If you go to the World of Work page located here and type in or list an occupation you might consider pursuing, the database provides you with information on the current market and potential future for this career. Let’s say for example you aspire to the career of an Advertising Copywriter. If you click this career using their tool button, you go to the following page:

Here you can see a brief description of the job, the average hourly and annual pay rate, the medium occupation or number of people working in the occupation during a defined time, and the growth expectation (in this case, the career should grow roughly 1.6% during the year).

Just below this information you will find the educational requirements for an advertising copywriter. Among the requirements listed here include familiarity with publishing, graphics and generally a college degree.

Even more interesting, if you continue to scroll down you will come to a section titled “Related Occupations.” In this case they include, “columnist, editor, technical writer.” You can also scroll to see what majors are best suited for a career in this field.

This site provides anyone information about a specific career and related occupations, whether they take the A.C.T. test or not.

Now remember, these are just the first five basic career planning steps. So far, you know you have to (1) create some career goals for yourself (2) assess your hobbies and interests (3) assess your skills, strengths and abilities (4) consider how much time and effort you want to put into education and (5) research various occupations.

Once you do this, you are ready to follow some other steps that will help you plan your career best. Let’s talk more about some career planning basics everyone should consider when planning their career.

Job Shadowing

If you are already working a job but have an interest in exploring other career opportunities, many employers allow what is called “job shadowing.” Job shadowing is a process where you sit with someone during a typical workday. You may do this for a week at a time, or a couple of days.

Working with someone, you get a feel for the day-to-day responsibilities of the job, and a feel for how well you might interact and work in this environment. You can even participate in job shadowing outside of a specific place of employment.

You don’t have to have a job to shadow someone either. Many universities and other academic institutions offer shadowing, mentoring or intern opportunities where you have the opportunity to work in a specific job for a short period to find out if it is really something you may have an interest in. If you know someone that works for a company you would like to work with, ask them who the Human Resources Manager is for the company and find out what their policies are about job shadowing for non-employees.

Evaluate Market Trends

Not sure what the best job is for you? One way to get an idea of what is hot and what isn’t is to evaluate current market trends. You may have a passion for fly-fishing, but if there isn’t a market for fly-fishing, then how on earth are you going to find a job in this field?

Before deciding on any career, it is important you explore the current industry trends and future trends in your field of interest. There are many ways to do this. One simple way to do this is to visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, or the Department of Labor.

At both these sites you will find a complete description of some of the more common careers or job titles, as well as information on pay rates, expected growth for the next decade and the need for new people in this industry.

Let’s visit one of these sites to see just how helpful such information can be when career planning. Consider for example, the healthcare industry, specifically the job title of Nurse or Nurse Practitioner.

Let’s see what comes up when we research this job or career field at the following site:

This site links you to the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor and Statistics. If you don’t know what career you want to research you can go to the main site located at: www.bls.gov/

For registered nurses, however, according to the BLS, market trends suggest this is one of the hottest occupations on the planet. The site also lists the educational paths to becoming a registered nurse including a diploma in nursing, an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree.

According to the BLS, registered nurses “are projected to create the second largest number of new jobs among all occupations,” meaning job opportunities in this line of work should remain very strong for several years to come. Scrolling down you can find detailed job information and descriptions, an overview of the working conditions, training requirements for specific jobs, job outlook, earnings and related occupations.

For example, on the nursing page you will see related occupations listed, including:

Remember to be prudent and explore related occupations before settling in on a career choice. You will be glad you did. You may find the training for several occupations very similar. If this is the case you may open the door to more opportunities for your career and future.

What We Learned

Career planning is a long and involved process. You can start your career planning using five simple steps. These steps again are:

Anyone can use these five basic steps to start planning their career. Remember there are other important steps to take when considering your future. You may want to job shadow or find a mentor in the field you want to work in. A mentor or “job coach” may prove the most invaluable resource when the time comes for you to settle into a career.

You’ll also want to be sure you research current market trends and future trends. The last thing you want is to settle into a career or industry that won’t be around very long or won’t have high demand or a good job outlook in the upcoming years.

Now that we know how to start the career planning process, let’s take career planning to the next stage. Once you’ve completed the four basic steps of the career planning process, it’s time to start researching occupations and looking for a job.

Chapter 3 - Looking For a Job

Thus far we spent much time exploring the five-step career planning process. This simple and basic process can help anyone find a suitable job that matches their interests, skills and educational requirements. After spending considerable time researching your career choices and interests, the time will come for you to find a job. For many this is the scariest step in the career planning process.

Job-hunting can be fun, challenging and interesting if you approach it in a calm and organized manner. Where do you start looking for a job? There are lots of places you can look, some better than others.

One of the best places to start looking for a job is often with corporations or established companies. Many people assume they should look for a job in the newspaper or on a jobsite, but often companies post their best jobs on their own websites.

If you apply through their website, you are more likely to have a chance at getting a job with the company. There are websites that provide information about corporations and job openings. If you know a specific company you want to research just Google their name and find out what job openings they have posted.

Another way to search for job openings is by using popular resume posting boards. Examples of boards like this include Monster.com and Careerbuilder.com. These sites allow you to post your resume and apply for positions automatically. Recruiters and headhunters frequent these sites to look for candidates for job opportunities that may not be listed using traditional means.

A Quick Warning Before We Continue:

Modern technology can be a blessing and a curse. Many job sites including those listed above allow users to post their resumes online for the world to see. Remember, any information you post online may be accessed by anyone.

Many con artists are now searching such listings and sending false or fake job offers to hungry job seekers. They may ask for your personal information, banking information or other identifying information.

You should never accept a job that you didn’t apply for or from a company you don’t know about. If you receive a mysterious email, approach it with caution. Remember, the best place to look for a job is often with specific companies.

One last thing… NEVER post your social security number on your resume. By doing so you open the door for identity theft and other crimes. Job hunting and career planning should be a fun, not haunting process…

Where else can you search for great jobs with reputable companies? If you want to find a local job you might start by looking in your local yellow pages. Find out what companies near you might interest you, and then find out if they have a website. Even if they don’t have a website, call the Human Resources Department and ask them if they have a job hotline. Many companies and government agencies offer a free job hotline that they update weekly.

You can also search a free online directory, My Global Career 500. This directory lists the top 500 employers around the globe. If you want to get in, and get in big, this is one terrific place to start.

This directory, compiled by a team of researchers, contains information on companies by listing their industry, country, company name and more. You can search all industries or you can search the industry you have an interest in working in. Once you visit a corporate website, look around. Most companies offer a page titled “careers” or “job opportunities.”

Let’s say you do visit My Global Career. Let’s look up the industry “media” in the United States to see what information is listed. Once we plug this information into the search engine, this listing comes onto the screen:

As you can see, if you look to the left of the screen you will get a list of the top companies in this industry. The first few companies that come up are CBS, Comcast and Gannett. You are also provided with a link to the company’s job site.

Let’s visit the Comcast website to see where their job postings might be. If you click the link provided by My Global Career, you are taken right to the job listings page. Here is the link:

Here you can browse the company’s mission and values, look into career opportunities and research the company’s philosophy on career advancement.

You can look for a career in your region or in another region if you plan to relocate or might consider relocating for the perfect job. Remember, some companies will have local opportunities alone, while others will have global opportunities to work at corporate or branch offices. Keep this in mind when job hunting.

Many college students work with their university career center to find job placement opportunities immediately following their education. Many employers work with schools to provide students with entry-level job opportunities following college. So don’t rule out this option as a way to find your first job.

You might also consider enlisting the help of a personal recruiter, especially if you plan to look for a very specific job and have unusual or distinctive job requirements. Many recruiters work on commission, meaning companies pay them to find great candidates. That means you may not have to pay a dime and find a great career all at the same time.

A professional placement agency can also help you master your interviewing skills and your resume writing skills. You don’t want to blow a good job opportunity because you write a poor resume or don’t know the best way to respond to interview questions.

Many new grads get nervous during the interview process. This can actually hurt your chances of landing a job. Take some time ahead of time to practice your answers. Picture yourself remaining calm, cool and collected during the interview. And never go into an interview with an “all or nothing” approach. It places far too much pressure on you. Relax and enjoy the experience. If you are not selected for a job, consider the interview a learning process. Don’t hold grudges, simply move on… a better job is still waiting for you.

What We Learned

Finding the right job may take a little patience… and a lot of knowledge. If you have done your research and know what types of jobs you might like, finding the right job will not be as difficult as you may think. Start by looking at jobs in your local community by researching companies in your region.

You can move your search to the World Wide Web and research Fortune 500 companies or any other company you deem worthy. Many people look for jobs in newspapers, but this practice is outdated.

More and more companies are posting their key positions to their job hotlines or on the Web. Make sure you keep up with the trend and check company websites for more information on job opportunities.

Chapter 4 - Career Growth and Expansion

In the last section we took some time to explore the job searching process. Job-hunting is an important part of the career planning process. So is career growth and expansion. Many people look to career growth and expansion as a way to bring new challenges and opportunities into their lives. Others consider career growth when they find they develop new skills and abilities later in life.

Many career planners are people that already have jobs but want to expand their opportunities, responsibilities and income. For you to do this, you have to follow many of the same preliminary steps you would in the early stages of career planning.

Career Planning For Established Employees and Professionals

The career planning process is a little different however, for established employees. Let’s say you are an employee and you want to expand your career opportunities. Here is a list of tasks and questions to consider that will help you plan your career when changing jobs:

Many people think career growth and expansion involves changing companies and jobs. While this may be true for some people, very often you will find your company is willing to work with you to establish a career path that includes greater responsibility and financial freedom.

Before you approach your supervisor, you should have a clear image of what you want out of your career and how much more responsibility you want to take on. To determine this, you need to write down your goals. Remember the third point above? It is the most important point of all.

Writing down your goals will help you better understand your own needs and desires, and help you translate those desires into a long-term career plan with your company.

Sometimes you may find you need to look outside your current company to expand your horizons. If this is the case, keep the following in mind:

If you want to expand your career, talk with your supervisor and let them know what your goals are and what frustrations (if any) you have. You should also present them with any ideas you have about expanding your current position in the company. You may be surprised to find there are several opportunities or accommodations your company may make to meet your needs. Good employees are hard to come by, so be the good employee. You’ll make out in the end.

You may find they work harder to find a way to expand your career choices. At the very least, you provide them with notice well in advance of your departure so they have time to train a new employee. You’ll also leave on good terms so if you ever want to work with the company again, you will have the opportunity to do so.

If you follow these simple steps, you will have a much easier time when expanding your horizons and searching for new job opportunities. If you find you will need additional education to earn a promotion, keep in mind many employers offer tuition assistance.

Many will also expect you stay with the company for a defined period after you complete your studies in exchange for tuition. So don’t plan on leaving your employer, the one who is paying your tuition, the moment you finish your studies. You will end up having to pay them back.

What We Learned

At some point in everyone’s life the time comes to grow and expand. You may find you tire of your old job, or you may find you want a new challenge. Some people change careers in the middle of life. Career planning for career growth involves many of the same steps listed in the very first section.

You will for example, have to outline your new interests and the skills and abilities you have that will allow you to move into a new occupation or earn a promotion. Career growth and expansion is also something you should consider at the very early stage of career planning. You may be surprised to find that later in life the career that proved ideal in your early years no longer suits you.

The good news is it is never too late to change careers, grow and expand your horizons!

Chapter 5 - Career Planning Frequently Asked Questions

Career planning is a growth process. Here are some of the more commonly asked questions people have when planning their careers. Take some time to review each question carefully. Consider how the answers apply to your career search.

The best time to start career planning is right now! The sooner you start planning for your future the better. There are many advantages of planning your career while in college. If you set goals and expectations for your career, you will be better prepared to select a suitable major and acquire the education you need to pursue your career goals.

The type of education you need depends on the type of career you desire. When researching occupations using the tools in this guide, you should look for information about the educational requirements of a specific occupation. Another way to find out what the common education expectations are for a career is by looking at job listings. Many post educational requirements along with complete job descriptions.

The US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics offers the most comprehensive information about occupations. Visit them at www.bls.gov

Here you will find information describing a job, job outlook and salary information, education information and other exciting information about your career choices. You will also find a list of related occupations or jobs that may interest you based on your job choice.

The career planning process is a long and involved one. Some students will find they get a job immediately after graduating, while others will need to wait some time before they find an appropriate employer. Other factors including market trends and your geographic region may impact your ability to find a job. Because of this you should consider each of these factors when researching occupations and career planning.

The best way to find jobs that will match your skills and personality best is by taking advantage of skills and assessment tests. Make sure you take some time to take advantage of the many tests available through employers, universities, testing centers and online services. You can’t move ahead until you find out where (and who) you are to begin with.

There is no one job that will ideally suit everyone, but everyone can find a job they are ideally suited for. When career planning, remember to keep your focus on finding meaningful employment that takes advantage of your unique skills, talents and abilities. Only then will you truly benefit from the career planning process.

Conclusion

Career planning can be a fun and exciting process if you allow it to be. If you want to get ahead in today’s competitive workforce, you must begin planning for your career as early as possible. High school is not too early to plan for your future.

Most people retain the same personality traits and affinities for certain occupations their entire lives. So it makes sense that someone interested in finding the best career would take advantage of assessment and personality testing as early as possible to make the most of the career planning process.

If you start planning for your career in high school, you are also more likely to select the best majors to complement your career once you enter college. You may even find you don’t need that much education to achieve career success. Many times you can find the ideal career with a two-year program or associates degree.

If you plan to switch careers mid-career, don’t panic. It’s never too late to start career planning. Anyone can find their ideal job at any time in their life, as long as they are willing to put in the hard work required.

Take time to investigate all possible options when it comes to your career and your potential job prospects. And remember, have fun when doing it! Happy career planning!