| Career Planning
Process
The Career Planning/Competency Model encourages individuals to
explore and gather information which enables them to synthesize, gain competencies, make
decisions, set goals and take action. Each individual varies in their progress through
each of these stages for many reasons. Some advance rapidly through each or all of the
stages while others progress more slowly. Individuals may repeat all or parts of the
career development process at various points throughout their lives as values, interests,
abilities, and life circumstances change.
Click on each step to work through the Career Planning Model.
Step One:
Self-Assessment
The first step in the Career Planning Model involves gathering
information about yourself to assist in making a decision about a career. You should
develop an understanding of self including values, interests, aptitudes, abilities,
personal traits, and desired life style, and become aware of the interrelationship between
self and occupational choice .
Self Assessment
This step involves gathering information about
yourself to assist in making a decision about a career. By developing an understanding of
self (values, interests, aptitudes, abilities, personal traits, and desired life style)
you should become aware of the interrelationship between self and occupational choice.
Start by:
- Learning interests,
abilities, skills, and work values
- Listing accomplishments
- Understanding physical and
psychological needs
- Assessing aspirations and
motivation level
- Deciphering personal
traits and characteristics
Click here to try Self-Assessment
Exercises
Competency
Areas
As you begin to develop a better
understanding of yourself. You will gain the following competencies:
- Gain self-awareness
- Improve self-confidence
- Understand time and stress
management
- Develop
personal/professional management skills
Click here to view competency definitions.
Strategies For
Gaining Self-Assessment Competencies
The following list gives concrete
examples of ways to gain competencies for self-assessment.
- Take exploratory classes
- Attend workshops for study
skills, time management and stress management
- Join activity clubs or
professional clubs
- Allow regular time for
leisure, hobbies and friends
- Identify symptoms of
stress
- Identify personality style
- Identify work values
- Demonstrate interpersonal
skills in expressing feelings and ideas
- Demonstrate skills in
overcoming self-defeating behaviors
- Complete SIGI Plus, Strong
Interest Inventory, Self Directed Search, and/or MBTI
Step Two:
Academic/Career Options
The second step allows individuals to investigate the world of work
in greater depth, narrow a general occupational direction into a specific one through an
informed decision making process, and declare a major.
Academic and Career Options
This step allows you to investigate the
world of work in greater depth, narrow a general occupational direction into a specific
one through an informed decision making process, and declare a major. You will begin to
identify potential careers, gather information about those careers, and match the career
information with the results from your self-assessment. Start by:
- Learning academic and career entrance
requirements
- Learning related majors and careers to
one's interests
- Investigating education and training
required
- Learning skills and experience required
- Planning academic and career
alternatives
- Learning job market trends
Click here to try an Occupational Direction Exercise
Competency Areas
- Gain research and investigative skills
- Practice decision-making, problem
solving and critical thinking skills
- Enhance internal locus of control
- Increase understanding of how abilities,
interests, and values match career/academic requirements
Click here to see competencies defined.
Strategies for Gaining Competencies
Strategies are those concrete items that
lead you to acquiring a specific goal or competency.
- Investigate careers in the Career
Resource Library
- Conduct Informational Interviews to
acquire information
- Spend a day on the job with two
professionals in different careers
- Seek information from academic advisors
and career counselors
- Invite two professors to a student group
meeting to discuss academic fields
- Take courses or attend workshops in
areas where transferable skills will be gained (i.e. communications, computer knowledge,
foreign languages, diversity and international studies).
- Attend Job/Career Fairs and/or Career
Panels
- Participate in the Study Abroad program
- Work on a university, resident hall or
club event
- Join an intramural team
- Run for an elected office
- Start a small business
- Be a camp counselor or Big
Brother/Sister volunteer
- Volunteer as a campus tour guide or in a
service organization
Step Three:
Relevant/Practical Experience
In Step III individuals evaluate occupational choices and gain
practical experience through internships, cooperative education, relevant summer
employment, volunteer work and campus activities. In addition, more specific decisions
about occupational choices are made.
In Step III you begin to evaluate occupational choices
and gain practical experience through internships, cooperative education, relevant summer
employment, volunteer work and campus activities. You will begin to make more specific
decisions about occupational choices and confirm the decisions made during Step II.
Start by:
- Learning about the types of related, practical
experience available as a co-op or intern student in your areas of interest
- Testing new skills and try diverse experiences
- Deciding the type of organization in which to volunteer
or work
- Assessing likes and dislikes of work values, skills,
work environments, responsibilities, etc.
- Assessing if additional/different coursework or skills
are needed for your targeted career goals
Click here to look at the Informational Interview Questionnaire
Competency Areas
- Improve interpersonal, written and oral communication skills
- Gain an appreciation for working with individuals from diverse
cultures
- Understand and practice ethical behavior
- Gain supervisory/leadership/teamwork skills
- Enhance self-management skills
- Obtain work related, transferable skills
- Develop conflict resolution skills
Click here to see competencies defined.
Strategies for Gaining
Competencies
Strategies are those concrete items that lead you to acquiring a
specific goal or competency.
- Participate in the Alumni Extern Program
- Complete a co-op, intern or volunteer experience in your area of
interest
- Work part-time or during summer to acquire new skills and
experiences
- Choose course electives to compliment your career goals
- Conduct Informational Interviews
- Attend Career/Job Fairs
- Attend relevant conferences and seminars
- Participate in student exchange or Study Abroad program
- Become familiar with work settings and job descriptions
- Practice making decisions by supervising a group of people
- Act as a leader in a student or civic organization
- Practice public speaking in classes or in organizations
- Tutor students in various subjects
- Develop a new campus organization
- Talk to alumnus/a about your career goals
- Join a professional organization
Step
Four: Job Search/Graduate School Preparation
An initial occupational choice is made in Step IV. Individuals
prepare for and begin conducting a job search, or apply to graduate or professional
schools.
Job Search and Graduate School
Preparation
An initial occupational choice is made during Step IV. You
will begin to preparation for and conducting a job search, and/or apply to
graduate/professional school. You will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to move
into an occupation. Start by:
- Learning how to prepare resume and cover letters, and
complete employment applications
- Learning and implementing job search strategies
- Learning and practicing interviewing skills
- Researching graduate programs and financial aid packages
Click here to try a Job Search Exercise
Competency Areas
- Demonstrate ability to write correspondence in a coherent,
professional manner
- Communicate verbally in a clear, concise manner
- Effectively use networking, problem-solving, and decision making
to reach career goals
- Develop budgeting skills in relation to the job search, travel,
and relocation
Click here to see competencies defined.
Strategies for Gaining
Competencies
Strategies are those concrete items that lead you to acquiring a
specific goal or competency.
- Work on an academic project with a professor or develop an
independent study project
- Investigate specialty areas within graduate programs; determine
strengths and weaknesses of graduate programs
- Complete applications and the GRE, GMAT, LSAT or other tests
required for graduate work
- Register with Career Planning & Placement Services
- Review resume with a career counselor or professional in your
career choice
- Develop a budget for the job/graduate school search
- Enroll in a financial planning course
- Receive referrals from Career Planning & Placement Services
- Listen to vacancies via the Vacancy Information Phone Service
Career Change
- Review Step I - Self Assessment steps
- Expand current position through job
enrichment
- Decide if career change or career
enhancement is desired
- Seek lateral positions within the
organization
- Determine new skills to acquire
- Seek and acquire professional
development/education/training
- Change life patterns outside of work
- Plan for life/work after retirement
Competency Areas
Competency areas are the actual goals you achieve during the self-assessment process.
Click on each competency to see more specific definitions if applicable.
- Gain understanding of
strengths/weaknesses
- Develop new skills
- Understand and practice establishing
short and long term goals
- Develop/enhance networking and
communication skills with people working in areas of interest
- Practice risk-taking
Click here to see competencies defined.
Strategies for Gaining Competencies
Strategies are those concrete
items that lead you to acquiring a specific goal or competency.
- Determine likes and dislikes of current
position
- Practice new skills involving small
projects (low-risk)
- Join new or different professional
organizations related to new interests
- Take continuing education or exploratory
courses for professional growth
- Acquire new interests outside of work
- Work or volunteer in an organization
related to new interests
- If applicable, plan and investigate a
second career after retirement
For information about competencies click here.
Download a copy of this worksheet.
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