Career Planning
"I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours." - Henry David Thoreau
A trip to Mexico for spring break or Disney World with the family takes weeks of thought and preparation. Yet many career seekers put more planning into a single vacation than than they do into their lifelong career journey. Whether a career seeker is just starting his or her life's work, or changing directions mid-career, taking the time to set a proper foundation for success will prevent detours and mishaps as they pursue their livelihood.
Any career journey is made up of simple steps. Career planning is not so much about mapping out each one of these steps in sequential order as it is the approach taken towards work -- being proactive instead of reactive, and being prepared instead of caught unawares. It's about knowing the individual's true purpose of work, setting big picture goals and smaller objectives, making use of resources, and following a flexible timeline.
The articles provided in this section of the Career Planning Guide are designed to make career planning helpful, smart, and fun. There are useful resources here, hand-picked for their unique approach and powerful applications when it comes to preparing for college, job hunting, and exploring career possibilities.
Get started by reading Soul Searching: Discovering The Career Planner Within.
A selection of other articles to note in this section include:
Career Testing for Revealing Talents, Interests and Potential
Goals: Career Testing. By doing a little digging through the use of career assessments, career seekers can be more informed and confident about chosing a career that will be the most successful and satisfying for them.
The Career Project: Planning from Start to Finish
Planning: The Career Planning Project . As the project manager of his or her career, the career seeker is in charge of creating a solid plan, sticking to the plan or adjusting it as needed, making informed choices, taking advantage of available resources, and adapting with changing circumstances...
Creating Career Stability: Choosing Complementary Career Paths
Planning: Creating Career Stability. There are ways to make any career more stable, however. One of them is to adopt a "three-legged stool" approach when it comes to career planning.
10 Reasons Why Candidates Do Not Get Their Job
Job Hunting: Reasons for Not Getting the Job. The truth is that nine times out of ten, job opportunities dry up because of factors unrelated to the specific job candidate.
An Effective Resume Fits Like A Good Suit
Job Hunting: Effective Resumes . Resumes are intended to convey the best selling points of a job candidate, and how well they'll fit into specific roles within an organization, at a glance.
Tips for Perfecting Resumes
Job Hunting: Resume Tips . Perfecting a resume involves reviewing its overall message, organizing and wording the content, and enhancing the appearance.
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