53+ Sample Career Plans

What is a Career Plan?

A career plan is a list of all the actions you have to take to make a career. It can be a short term or a long term smart goal. It is done by individuals who are wanting clear goals about their college life unto their ways in starting a career as a professional. It clearly states all the descriptions about the education that they will take. All the classes that they will have to take will be put in their career plan, with all the extracurricular activities, school researches, and internships that will make them a good candidate for any job in the future. The goals would be set so that it can all be accomplished in the early stage up to their employee stage. And even until then, it will not stop. As a career plan can also be made and used by an employee for their good future in their jobs.

The development in their employment can be improved by a career development plan or employee development plan. They can easily supervise their success in their professional lives by having a career plan. Even students as early as in high school can start to have a career plan. Anyway, college is something that you have to be prepared for. They can make a 5 year career plan or 10 year career plan for college. All their academic endeavors can be placed there. It has an outline of all the courses that they need to take and their goals about it. The plan would have a definite timeline. They can put the right pathway on how they can achieve their goals. It should be done so that after their graduation in high school, they would instantly know what to do.

They can introduce a career plan essay into it. Essay can be a clear way of expressing their goals about their career. A good career plan example or employment goal example that can be used by a student has personal goals written on it. It can be a road map that can help you through your career planning process. Whatever your future career plans, you must be creative. A good sample of a career plan is something that can make you clear in your every action.

Checklist to Form a Career Plan

A checklist to form a career plan are questions that you need to answer first to formulate a career plan. If you can answer these questions then you can know what to do to start a career plan.

What will I want to be?

You must first know what do you want to be someday. You must see yourself on that kind of work. When you know what do you want to be, you can start to have an idea how you will make your career plan. All start with this.

What are my goals?

You should know your goals also. You can know what courses you will have to take or what career you will have to make if you will have a definite goal. It can give a direction to whatever career that will suit your intentions.

What kinds of skills and knowledge do I need for the job?

When you have chosen a particular career, you must think what are the skills that you need for you to be able to perform that career. You can research of all the skills and knowledge that will help you to be qualified for the job that you are dreaming to have.

What areas about you do you need to develop?

Examine yourself and know where you could be lacking. There must be somewhere where you can have weaknesses so you need to know about this and do something to improve. Develop yourself in areas that you are not so good at.

What are the experiences that could help you?

Find all the extracurricular activities that can help you. If an internship can help, you must consider it putting in your career plan. Do a research for everything that can make your career plan more effective.

Do you need to join networks or groups?

Consider networks or groups. Research about these and know if they can help you with your career plan. You can include them in all your activities if you will find them helpful. Just limit them or they will flood your career plan.

Should I discuss my goals with someone else?

Think if you will have to discuss your career plan with someone else or if you can just do it by yourself. If you have some unanswered questions or if you need some advice, you can find someone who can help you.

What are things that you should include in your career plan?

All the things that you should put in your career plan, you must carefully think about. Think of it beforehand so you would know what your career plan can contain and so that you will not forget anything.

Benefits of a Career Plan

Career plan has many benefits or it should not be used by many professionals before they have achieved their professions. Some of it may be running in your mind as you plan to make a career plan or some may just be something new to you.

It gives productivity. All your goals and activities are set so you will have the chance of being productive with a career plan. Your lifestyle as you are reaching your career will be planned and you can have the chance to focus in all your tasks. The distractions will be limited and also unnecessary tasks. You will be determined with your work because you have a set of work ahead of you. You can avoid oversleeping, delay of work, and being sluggish. You can only focus on productivity because you already know what are the things to do.You can have good experiences. As all your activities are written in your career plan, you can experience good times as you do these activities. Your extracurricular affairs can be good for you to have. Internship may be good for your career choice. You can develop your working personality with having different experiences. Whatever experience you may have, it can add character to you as a person. You learn new things from it and some of these things can be used as you start on your job.You can evaluate your abilities. In career path planning, you will know all your interests. You can know the things that you have abilities and you can improve them. You can build yourself by having certifications and other things that can develop your skills. You can also know whether you can work independently or if you need a network. You can know your working style and will know how you can have a job. Or whether your abilities are enough for you to have your own company or business. But most importantly, you can narrow down your job choices because you will know where you are good at.It will make you academically focused. Because all your academic obligations are written in your career plan, you can succeed in all of it. You can focus on it and you can have a good academic record. A solid academic foundation can be built. You can start being good at it and will eventually do it as you land a job. Having a career plan can make you intelligently focused.You can have a good network. With all your activities and because of your internship, you may come to know a lot of people. These people can be a good network and can help you all through your career. They can help you get a job or assist you on some important things. You may not come to know it at first, but they can help you in the future. The more persons you know, the more your connections, and the more you will chance to have jobs or favors. You cannot miss this kind of luck of having helpful people around you.It can make you more committed to your future profession. Because you planned ahead of it, you have set some personal goals about your career plan. These personal goals can make you more attached to your future profession. You will keep on doing goals that are related to it and having that as a routine, the work can become closer to your heart. You can become closely committed in the things that you do. It will not be hard for you to love your work in the future because you came to love it.You will not be frustrated as you become an employee. A career plan is well-planned and thus, will not make you frustrated in your work. You will know all things that is related in your work because you have been doing it since your internships and other classes in your certifications. You will not be someone who does not know what to do or do not know which way to take. Even as a student, you may have been experiencing success as you follow your career plan. So frustration would not be a problem.You can cultivate your talent. As you go along your career plan, you can start to improve your talent. You can be familiar with your work or profession. Slowly, you will learn all the things that will be needed in your future job. As soon as you finish college, your talent is already cultivated and you will be ready to start working.

8 Steps in Making a Good Career Plan

We must be careful on how to make a career plan or how to write a career plan. We must be sure that we make a good career plan. If we would make it good, we can be sure of our career. Here are the steps to make a good one.

Step 1: Choose a career plan template.

You can find a career plan template in the internet. Choose one that you like best. There are plenty that you can choose from. Personalize this template and put designs if you want. But be sure that all its contents can be clear to understand.

Step 2: Have a self-assessment.

Know your job options. Examine your interests and skills. Also, know your values that can affect your decision on having a job. Refine a list of job options. Review all the information about it and research different companies. You can talk to professionals about the job that you want. You can gain the knowledge that you need from them.

Step 3: Prioritize your chosen career.

Through your listed career options, have a priority on the career that you choose best. This career should be the most important to you and what best reflects your interests. Choose activities, career certifications, and internships that are related to your best chosen career.

Step 4: Compare all job options.

Compare all career options so that you will know what to put in your career plan. There are plenty of job opportunities for a certain degree, so compare all of them. You can write all your tasks according to these.

Step 5: Know all the factors that will affect your career.

Other than all your personal preferences, consider all the factors that can affect your career. Know the present demand for every profession or for your chosen future job. Know the risks that you can encounter. By knowing it, you can know the things to do. Write an essay about it in your career plan. Know all the qualifications that you should have on your chosen job. If it requires additional certification or training, you should be aware also. Consider how your chosen career can affect your life and others around you. Be familiar with all the barriers with your option.

Step 6: Set your goals.

Have short term and long term goals in order to accomplish your career plan. Short term ones are can be done in months and long term ones are can be done for more than three years. Be specific about your goals. Measure the criterias about it. The goals should be attainable and can give you success. Make goals only that are relevant. Commit to it on a given time.

Step 7: Make an action plan.

Be realistic with your expectations. Have a right timeline for all your goals. Write particular actions that you have to make to accomplish every task. Amend it if needed. You have to perfect all your actions somehow.

Step 8: Get a career advisor.

Consult a career advisor. They can help you decide better in choosing a career for yourself. They know the ins and outs of all the possible careers. You can never go wrong with them. You can talk to them about all your concerns regarding your career plan.

FAQs

Do I Have to Pick a Specific Job When Making a Career Plan?

Yes, you have to choose a specific career or job for your career plan. This will give direction on your career plan. It would be hard for you to make an effective career plan without you having any career option.

Can I Make Multiple Career Plan?

No. It would be best if you will create just one career plan and stick to it. You must be thinking to make multiple career plans because you are not yet decided with your career. But you should decide which career to choose for you to be able to make a career plan.

Choosing a career is sometimes not easy. Most times we do not know where the road could take us. But with a career plan, we can make everything definite. We can plan ahead of our career. We would not be ignorant of the ways to take. A career plan is a road map that we can always follow to be successful.