Career Planning
Career planning is a topic which can,
and has, consumed entire books. This column will simply be an
overview of the process. One critical element to a career plan is
quite simple-write it down. What should you write? A career plan is
simply an objective, with a time frame, and the steps needed to reach
the goal.
You will know that you have written a
good plan when you can determine that you have used S.M.A.R.T.
Language. S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable,
Relevant, and Time-bound. Specific provides “W” details such as
who, what, what where, which, and why. Measurable means that you can
attach some value such as how much, and how many. Attainable is your
reality check. Relevant keeps you focused on task-A task to pass a
college level metallurgy course may be relevant for a prospective
Welder, but not for a Dog Groomer or Mathematics Professor. Finally,
Time-bound means that you have firm start and end dates, possibly
with checkpoints along the way.
With the above In mind, you can now
determine your own career plan. It starts with a goal (objective)
statement-”By 7/1/2014, I will be employed full time as a Welder”.
Such a statement meets the SMART criteria, and also implies the
steps required to reach the goal.
The steps required are tasks that you
break down, again, with the SMART approach in mind. Here is an
example for our Welder:
A. Research the future labor market.
B. Find and get training
C. Prepare for a job search.
D. Implement a job search.
Please note that the above are the
“baby steps” needed, and they all start with action verbs. Let's
bring SMART goals and some specifics to the “Research” step:
|
Task |
Who |
Starting Date |
By Date |
Comment |
Completion Date |
|
Check The Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook for
Welding Career information. |
Me |
07/12/12 |
07/15/12 |
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/
|
07/12/12 |
|
Contact my local Workforce Investment Board Office. |
Me, Local WIB Board. |
07/12/12 |
07/15/12 |
See if they offer 1:1 Career Counseling for free. |
|
|
Check job postings for Welding jobs-evaluate what employers
actually hire. |
Me |
07/12/12 |
07/15/12 |
I learned that there are a LOT of “Welding INSTRUCTOR”
jobs. Will I be facing a more competitive environment? |
|
|
Complete 2 Informational Interviews |
Me, Employers |
07/15/12 |
07/31/12 |
Make sure to ask about certifications, and skill sets.
|
|
As a final note, our Welder above
learned that at the time the job search began, there were many
advertisements for Welding Instructors. Looking at real world
information can help our Metal Melter beat the competition by getting
additional certifications and skills during their training. A little
planning goes a long way.
Good luck and best wishes,
Chris
Links to my
work, “Beyond a Career Crisis”:
Kindle Edition
Paperback Edition
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