Career Planning - Why Bother?

Author: Amber Thind

The world is full of uncertainty, and while we do have an idea on what we want to achieve with our lives, many of us fail to plan career wise because we never know where the road will take us. While that statement may make sense for many, what doesn't make much sense is not planning. After all, you need to have a plan in order to handle the uncertainties that the world throws at us.

For example, have you ever thought of what would happen if your great career suddenly crumbled down due to your employer going out of business? Or what happens when you do not get a job after investing so much in your education? With a career plan, you are able to have an organized way of dealing with uncertainties instead of simply sailing with the waves. There is a cliché statement that goes: 'failure to plan is planning to fail' and this statement holds immense weight when it comes to your career.

Successful Career Planning
The idea is not just have a career plan but a successful one. Most career planning skeptics have a negative perception largely because their plans did not succeed so they will tell you that these plans are a waste of valuable time. You need to have both short term and long term goals and this means planning for different stages in life.

For example if you are a student, your career plan should entail the kind of job you'd like to have, courses to study to become qualified for the job and a job search plan. If you already have a job, your career plan is more complex and you may need to incorporate things such as how long you wish to be in employment, how to make the most of your career or maybe even how to change your career or get that promotion.

Creating a career plan is not complicated and below are some of the things you need to include in your career plan.
* Goals: Like we said, goals are the heart of your plan and this are the only way you can quantify your plan. Review your goals and keep developing them as you progress and attain them.

* Career Advancement: One of the things you need to factor in is that life is a continuous lesson. This means that your plan should include an opportunity for growth and this could be exploring new forms training or acquiring higher certification. Life is all about advancing.

*Hobbies: Your career is more than a means to an income, it is your way of life and we are defined by our careers. Therefore, take time to make sure that your career plan largely consists of your personal preferences. Think about how enjoyable your career is because the last thing you want to do is plan for a career that sucks the life out of you.

Having a career plan is taking charge of your destiny and not letting fate decide what's good for you. Career planning keeps you focused and helps you deal with the uncertainties of life.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/career-planning-why-bother-6723917.html

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