CAREER PLANNING

Self Developing an understanding of yourself is a critical component of the career planning process, which is why self assessment is often the first step that is taken. Whatever career plans you are making, it is important to do some assessment of your own career strengths in order to make an informed career decision. This section addresses the first component, Self Awareness, of the Career Planning Model. Whatever your career move, most people start with themselves and do a formal or informal assessment of their own career strengths. It is important to assess these strengths in terms of what you have to offer now and what you want to develop for the future.

Self assessment Your values Your skills Your interests Your expectations Your values Your values are the principles or ideals that you regard as important. They tend to govern your choices in life and work. They can either be stabilising influences or sources of motivation for your actions. Your values become strengths or selling points when they match the requirements of the position and the company culture. You will likely do well and be happier in work that is aligned with your values. You would not do well or be as happy with a position when there is a mismatch between the position and your values. Value - Explanation: Accomplishment- Having the sense that you have done well. Advancement - Having the opportunity to get ahead. Aesthetic - Caring about beauty and harmony. Altruism - Helping others Challenge - Having opportunities to be 'stretched'. Community - Living where you can be involved in the community Contact with people - Having a lot of contact with people Competition - Having opportunities to compete against others. Creativity - Developing new ideas, things or strategies. Economics - Having the money to lead the kind of lifestyle you choose. Expert - Being known as an expert in your field. Flexibility - Being able to set your own working schedule. Independence - Being able to do things the way you want to do them. Integrity - Working in a way that is consistent with your values. Learning - Opportunity to be learning new things. Physical challenge - Doing activities that are physically demanding. Power - Being in a position of influence. Pressure - Working to meet deadlines. Prestige - Becoming well-known and respected.

Recognition - Being admired and rewarded. Risk - Doing things that involve some level of risk. Routine - Having similar tasks and duties each day. Security - Knowing that your work will always be there. Team work - Having opportunities to work in a team. Variety - Having your tasks and duties change each day. Working alone - Working on your own and having little contact with others. Your skills Your skills are critical strengths to employers. They represent to an employer: What you can do for them What skills you already have to offer What skills do you want to use and improve on in your work? Knowing your skills and how you can use them is essential to marketing yourself successfully in a resume and an interview. Work-content or Professional/Technical skills Work content skills, also referred to as professional or technical skills, are very specific to an occupation. These skills are what you technically know that enables you to do the job. These hard skills are often identified as qualifications for specific jobs. Knowing computer languages is a work content skill for a computer programmer or a specialized communication skill Being able to write press releases, is a work content skill for a public relations specialist. Developed through on the job training or in formal courses. Specific skills required to perform a particular occupation. Examples: theatrical production skills, market research skills, psychological assessment Transferable skills Transferable skills are more general skills, which are useful in a variety of occupations. These skills are in high demand. Job searchers often make the mistake of thinking that these skills are not important - but they can be the deciding factor in hiring. Critical thinking skills, written communication skills and research skills Natural-born talent and/or developed through training or schooling. Versatile skills that are transferable between occupations. Examples: communication, analytical thinking, research skills

Self management skills Self-management skills are important, marketable skills that are based in your temperament or personality. These are the skills that allow you to get along with people or to manage your environment effectively. These skills are learned early in life at home and at school. Based in temperament and refined in early years at home or at school. Skills that allow you to manage the environment and the people in it. Examples: dependability, enthusiasm, initiative, organization Your interests What interests you? What types of work related activities are you the happiest doing? Being aware of what interests you helps you choose work that you will be happy doing. Prospective employers want to be sure that the position you have applied for match your interests. When your interests match the activities involved in the work they are strong assets. If you are unsure of your interest areas or wonder what positions can match your interest areas Holland's Interest Themes can help. Realistic People in the realistic theme are practical, aggressive and have good physical skills. They enjoy the outdoors and working with tools and machines. They may be uncreative with words but they enjoy making things with their hands. Occupations which fit this theme are outlined below. Laboratory technologist Engineer Horticulturist Naturalist Mechanic Investigative Science and science related interests dominate this theme. Investigative people are creative and original in their ideas, and they enjoy challenges and solving difficult problems. Occupations which fit this theme are outlined below. Engineer Social scientist Biologist Chemist Computer analyst Medical doctor Geologist Mathematician Artistic Artistic people are usually less assertive about their abilities; however, they express themselves well in artistic forms. Their ideas are original and usually unconventional. Most are independent, sensitive and emotional. Computer programmer Personnel Artist Dramatist Entertainer Social Social people are cheerful, popular leaders who genuinely care about others. They express themselves well and enjoy attention. They relate better to solving human problems than scientific ones.

Industrial relations manager Guidance counsellor High school teacher Recreation director Enterprising The energetic people of this theme like power, status and wealth. They enjoy persuading others with their dominant, self-confident, enthusiastic ways. Operations management Industrial relations Personnel Politics Merchandising Conventional Conventional people usually prefer more routine tasks. These are the conventional, stable, well-controlled, dependable people of the organisation. They value money and status; however, they do not seek leadership. Accountant Financial controller Credit manager Tax consultant Computer programmer Geologist Laboratory technologist Mathematician Your expectations on working conditions Working conditions are specific to each working situation and are difficult to assess until you have an offer for work from an employer. Usually people rate working conditions as less critical in their overall criteria, but they are important factors to consider before you make the choice. Working conditions: Geographic location Flexible hours - control over own schedule Shift work Regularly scheduled work - little or no overtime Job security Vacation time Benefit package - sick leave, dental insurance etc Indoor work Outdoor work Combination of indoor/outdoor work Working under pressure Working in a relaxed atmosphere Working with little supervision Working with moderate supervision Working with extensive supervision Involves constant traveling Involves some traveling

World of work The world of work is ever changing due to factors such as globalisation and technology. It is important to understand the changes that are occurring in the workplace and how they will impact on you. It is important to be aware of what options and opportunities exist, how they can be accessed and which ones might be the most relevant to meet your needs. Industry information QUT graduate statistics Australian graduate trends Graduates Careers Australia GradsOnline Graduate Opportunities General labour market Australian Regional Labour Markets Economic Commentary Graduate Careers Australia Graduate Salaries Queensland Economic Update Queensland QuickLinks Queensland Government Wageline QUT Graduate Outcomes Young Professionals Industry specific information Professional Associations Websites Industry and Government Directory Websites Occupation specific information The Job Guide produced by the Commonwealth government contains detailed information on over 1,100 occupations Exploring your future opportunities can also involve further Study Options.

 Influences It is important to acknowledge and understand the influences which impact on your career decision making. These influences might be implicit and include: family or community values which have been an inescapable part of your life financial limitations or geographical location significant people around you who want to be helpful, and supportive.

Decision making One of the key action components of the career planning model addresses how to actually go about making decisions relevant to your career planning. Career decision making occurs at a number of points throughout your career and these decisions will often be revisited. Decision making help Within this environment of continuous change we are continually questioning whether the career path we have taken is the 'correct' one. At university this questioning can take a number of forms including changing majors. There are number of decisions that you could be making regarding some of the following course and career related factors: Subjects, courses, Faculties, Degrees, Institutions, Full-time or Part-time employment, Employment goals, career direction Examples: Initially starting at university, you may question your course choice. In the later stages of your degree you may question if this is the career area you want to pursue now that you know a lot more about it. As a postgraduate student you may be questioning whether to continue in the same direction or change direction. After you have been in the workforce for some time you may want to change out of that career area altogether. This process of questioning your career path or career decisions is perfectly normal. Decision checkpoint guide The checkpoints below can be useful in the decision making process. What change are you contemplating? List the reasons Identify possible options (including the option of not making a change) Research the options and list the positive and negative consequence of each Evaluate the options Discuss your tentative thoughts with significant people Make a decision Take the appropriate action Review your choice after some time These checkpoints can be visited in any order and at any time in the process of thinking about a possible change. Below are some examples for you to work through. What change are you contemplating? Withdrawing from the course; Changing majors; Changing from Teaching to.......

What are the reasons? It's not what I thought it was; I am finding it too stressful; I would now like to be a . What are the possible options? Stay; Change; Delay the change What are the positive and negative consequences for each option? E.g. Changing Course Stay where I am - Positive: Pass units and cross credit them as electives in a different course; Negative - Will fail some units Withdraw by 31 March- Positive: Can recoup HECS; Negative - Too late to start a new course Delay decision until 5 May - Positive: Can still withdraw without academic penalty; Negative - HECS is already paid Consider the information and evaluate it? Which is the most important reason(s) to you What is your gut reaction to the statements I can afford to pay HECS for one semester so My lifestyle balance is important to me so Who to discuss these thoughts and feelings with? Your lecturer/tutor, friends, parents and career counsellor Make a decision I will stay in the course for at least 5 more weeks; I will leave at the end of the semester; I will resign; I will stay and get some help Plan out a course of action Go to the Student Centre to find the exact date for withdrawal without penalty; Get help with a study plan; Get my resume up to date Review the decision and progress One week before the next major date; in one month's time; at the end Goal setting

 Goal setting An action component of this career planning model, goal setting involves working on how to get to where you want to go in your career path. This will involve setting both long-term or dream goals and short-term or more achievable goals. Setting of these two sets of career goals will assist you develop strong motivation to achieve these goals. of the semester/year

 Implementation An action component of the career planning model, implementation involves taking steps to actually progress towards your goals. This means doing things or getting things to happen. This could be any of the following: Admission procedures Changing your career/course direction Developing a career e-portfolio Job hunting Employment application processes Resumes Addressing selection criteria Interview preparation Dealing with contracts

Review Another action component of the career planning model is review. Like all components of career planning, reviewing is something that is not a one-off action, but an ongoing process throughout your career journey. Conducting a regular review of your career goals, decisions and actions is critical to check that you are on track with your career planning. It is also important to review your understanding of yourself, your influences and the world of work, as these change throughout your life and, in turn, impact on your career planning. A review can remind you of how far youve come on your career journey, and it can also signal that a change needs to be made. Self-reflection can be a valuable way of checking that you are on track with your career planning. Taking the time to ask yourself what is working for you, and what does not seem to be working so well, is a crucial part of your career development. It can also be very helpful to review your career planning with another person you trust, such as a friend, family member, mentor or career practitioner. The activities in this section will help you to review your career planning so far, and to make the necessary adjustments to navigate your career into the future.