Career Planning

Choosing a career is a difficult matter, in the best of times. Add to this opinions of friends and parents, and the young person is caught up in a confusing situation where making a decision is almost impossible. We give here a model that can help young people to choose a career, gain competencies required for it, make decisions, set goals and take action. The decision for each individual is different, since everyone is a distinct individual. This model is helpful not only for fresher but also throughout one's life.

Choosing a career is a multi-step process. It involves gathering information on a number of things, the first being yourself. Lets see the different process in briefs.

Self-Assessment: The first step, involves gathering information about you. You should develop an understanding of yourself, including your values, interests, aptitudes, abilities, personal traits and desired life style. You must also become aware of the relationship between self and occupational choice.

Academic and Career Options: In the second step, after you have completed your self-assessment, you must identify academic and career options available. This step allows you to investigate the world of work, narrow a general occupational direction into a specific one through an informed decision-making process. You will begin to identify potential careers, gather information about those careers, and match the career information with the results from your self-assessment.

Competency Areas: In the third step, individuals evaluate occupational choices and gain practical experience through internships, co-operative education, relevant summer employment, volunteer work and campus activities. In addition, more specific decisions about occupational choices are made.

Occupational Choice: After this, an initial occupational choice is made in Step four. Individuals prepare for and begin conducting a job search, or apply to graduate or professional schools.