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Once you have researched and chosen a career
direction, it's time for the fourth step of the career
planning process - Developing an Individual Career Plan.
By developing an individual career plan, you can
focus on what you want to do and decide specifically how
to get there. An individual career plan usually
has two major parts - activities and timelines.
First, write down what your career goal/objective is,
then list the activities you must do to get from where
you are now to where you will be when you reach your
goal. Give yourself deadlines for when you want to
do each step. Remember to make these deadlines
reasonable - but don't give yourself so much time that
you get side-tracked or too little time to realistically
accomplish your goal. Be sure to check your plan
often as a reminder, and you may also want to share the
plan with a friend, co-worker, or family member.
This process can provide some accountability for you as
you move towards your chosen occupation.
Once you have determined what career path you want to
follow, decide what you need to do to prepare for that
career. Do you need special training? If so,
research the schools that offer the kind of training you
need. What kinds of experience will you need to be
successful in the career? If so, research
internships or work experiences. What kind of
resume should you be developing? Are your job
seeking skills as refined as they should be? And
finally, where will you find that job you are looking
for?
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