It’s that time of year where we review and revise our plans for the year ahead. There’s a pretty good chance that it might be around your career. Whether it be making the move in your current position or expanding a side hustle. Quitting the day job or finding your first job. I get it, 2018 was a big year for me on that front and I feel like there’s so much more to come. But what if you’re struggling a little?
Well, lucky you, but one of the ladies I went to school with (literally, ALL school from kindy, actually and then some uni) has a career coaching website and planner that I KNEW would be super helpful for you guys. So, with that in mind, welcome Danielle of Career Finesse, creator of My Career Planner (links below) to the blog.
When it comes to your career are you looking forward to what’s to come or do you feel like a ship with no rudder? If you are the former, that’s awesome, and I’m super pleased for you. Go and get ‘em! If you are the latter, I can only imagine how overwhelmed, anxious and confused you might be feeling. Don’t despair though; this post is for YOU.
Before we talk about career planning, I would like to debunk two huge career planning myths:
1. You must plan your entire career before you leave school, and
2. You will be committed to the career decisions you make now for the rest of your life
False. Totally false. If you ask most people (especially the super successful ones), they will tell you that having a plan is good, but being curious and open to unexpected opportunities is key to a varied and fulfilling career. In 10 years, it’s likely you may have a job that has never been heard of!
Below is the Career Finesse approach to career planning. Depending on your current circumstances, you can start at any step.
Step 1. Assess where you are at with career planning. This is about taking stock of your current situation and identifying any concerns or issues which may be holding you back.
Step 2. Identifying your career preferences. Your career preferences include your career values, interests, skills and traits. These preferences will provide you with a fantastic insight into what you want from a career. Identifying your career preferences is done in many ways; most commonly through self-reflection activities or vocational assessments. Ask yourself questions like: do I enjoy being indoors or outdoors, what would I like to know more about, what projects or assignments did I really enjoy at school, what am I good at, what do others tell me I’m good at, what are my interests outside of school, how do I picture myself in 5-10 years time?
Step 3. Analyse your career preferences to determine your ideal career/s. This isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Considering your career preferences, which career/s may be a good fit for you? Write a list of no more than 5.
Step 4. Research your ideal career/s using labour market information. Now that you have a picture of what your ideal career/s may be, it’s essential to learn more about them before pursuing your goal. A great place to start is www.joboutlook.com.au
Step 5. Outline your existing capabilities and do a gap analysis. Again, this isn’t as complicated as it sounds. Document your current knowledge and skills and determine what you need to build to kick-start your career. A simple example of this is undertaking a course of study.
Step 6. Your career action plan. This is where your career plan starts to come together. Now that you have an idea where you want to go, you need to have a plan of attack. Write down all of the tasks that you need to achieve to start your ideal career. Assign timeframes to the tasks, and outline the support that you require to complete them.
Step 7. Ongoing career management. Now that you are on your way to your ideal career don’t forget about your professional development; continuous learning, mentoring, networking and seeking feedback is so crucial for success!
If you need further help with career planning, check out My Career Planner for physical or digital planners (2019 version, out now!) or my website Career Finesse for career counselling. All the best very for your next career move and may 2019 be YOUR year!
Hi! I’m Melissa Walker Horn. Around here, they call me Suger. I’m the Chief Blogger and doer of all the things here at Suger Coat It. Blogging since 1901; I love a casual ootd, taking photos, and writing about things that irk or inspire me. I love wine and cheese, long days at the beach and spending time with my family. I make stuff for the internet over at Chalkboard Digital. You know, living the sweet life.
