*Tips to help you achieve successful career planning*
1.Make Career Planning an Annual Event
By making career planning an annual event, you will feel more secure in your career choice and direction and you'll be better prepared for the many uncertainties
2. Map Your Path Since Last Career Planning
One of your first activities whenever you take on career planning is spending time mapping out your job and career path since the last time you did any sort of career planning.
3. Reflect on Your Likes and Dislikes, Needs and Wants
Change is a factor of life; everybody changes, as do our likes and dislikes.
4. Examine Your Pastimes and Hobbies
Career planning provides a great time to also examine the activities you like doing when you're not working. It may sound a bit odd, to examine non-work activities when doing career planning, but it's not. Many times your hobbies and leisurely pursuits can give you great insight into future career paths.
5. Make Note of Your Past Accomplishments
Most people don't keep a very good record of work accomplishments and then struggle with creating a powerful resume when it's time to search for a new job.
6. Look Beyond Your Current Job for Transferable Skills
Every job requires a certain set of skills, and it's much better to categorize yourself in terms of these skill sets than be so myopic as to focus just on job titles.
7. Research Further Career/Job Advancement Opportunities
One of the really fun outcomes of career planning is picturing yourself in the future. Where will you be in a year? In five years?
Reasons to Make a Career Change
You Should Consider a Career Change If ...
Your Life Has Changed: When you chose your career your life may have been different than it is today. For example you may have been single then and now you have a family.
The Job Outlook in Your Field Has Worsened: Things looked promising for your field when you entered it. Due to changes in technology, the economy, or the industry you work in, job opportunities are no longer plentiful.
You Are Experiencing Job Burnout: Once upon a time you loved going to work everyday. You no longer feel that way. You can't stand doing your job anymore and changing employers hasn't helped.
Your Job is Too Stressful: Some occupations are inherently stressful
You Find Your Work Boring: When you did your initial research, the occupation you ultimately chose had a lot of advancement opportunities. Now that you've been working in that field, you've climbed as far up the ladder as you can go, and you miss the challenges you once faced.
You Want to Earn More Money: You may be surprised to learn that money isn't at the top of the list when it comes to job satisfaction. Therefore, don't be surprised if a career that will bring you higher earnings isn't one you will find particularly satisfying. That said, if other reasons are leading you to consider a career change, higher earnings should be something you consider when you choose a new career.