HANDOUTS:

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

Career Development is the lifelong process of managing learning, work,

leisure, and transitions in order to move toward a personally determined and
evolving preferred future.

It is the ongoing process of managing your life,

learning and work. It involves developing the skills and knowledge that enable
you to plan and make informed decisions about your education, training and
career choices
In educational development, career development provides a person, often a
student, focus for selecting a carrier or subject(s) to undertake in the future.
In organizational development (or OD), the study of career development looks
at:

how individuals manage their careers within and between organizations

and,

how organizations structure the career progress of their members, it can

also be tied into succession planning within most of the organizations.

In personal development, career development is:

" ... the total constellation of psychological, sociological, educational,

physical, economic, and chance factors that combine to influence the
nature and significance of work in the total lifespan of any given
individual." [1]

The evolution or development of a career - informed by (1) Experience

within a specific field of interest (with career, job, or task specific skills as
by-product) (2) Success at each stage of development, (3) educational
attainment
commensurate
with
each
incremental
stage,
(4)
Communications (the capacity to analytically reflect your suitability for a
given job via cover letter, resume, and/or the interview process), and (5)
understanding of career development as a navigable process. (Angelo J.
Rivera)

"... the lifelong psychological and behavioral processes as well as

contextual influences shaping ones career over the life span. As such,
career development involves the persons creation of a career pattern,

decision-making style, integration of life roles, values expression, and

life-role self concepts."

Career Development Process

The Career Development Process involves the completion of a variety of
activities geared to help you to, initially, determine or confirm your desired life
direction.
Career planning is an ongoing process that can help you manage your learning
and development.
You can use the four step planning process whether you are:

still at school;

a school leaver;

an adult adding on skills; or

an adult changing your job or career.

Career planning is the continuous process of:

thinking about your interests, values, skills and preferences;

exploring the life, work and learning options available to you;

ensuring that your work fits with your personal circumstances; and

continuously fine-tuning your work and learning plans to help you

manage the changes in your life and the world of work.

Regardless of what options you select, on completion, you will want to combine
whatever you learned with the information you may already have. After careful
consideration of significant influencing factors, you should be in a better
position to make a good decision about a career, college major and other big
decisions in life.
It is important to understand that there are four important and sequential
steps to the Career Development Process: 1) Self-Assessment Who am I?, 2)
Career Exploration Where am I going?, 3) Action Plan How do I get
there?, 4) Career Management How do I maintain peak performance?

STEPS IN CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Step 1: SELF-ASSESSMENT - knowing yourself
Begin by thinking about where you are now, where you want to be and how
youre going to get there. The focus of this step is on the INSIDE of a person.
Once you have thought about where you are at now and where you want to be,
you can work on getting to know your skills, interests and values.
Begin by asking yourself the following questions:

Where am I at now?

Where do I want to be?

What do I want out of a job or career?

What do I like to do?

What are my strengths?

What is important to me?

Self-Assessment is a process of clarifying your value through discovering the

relationship between various occupations and your personality type and work
style, interests, career values, and skills. Even if you have engaged in a selfassessment process early in your career, your interests may have changed over
time and you may be eager to learn new skills. It is helpful to periodically
engage in a thorough process of self-assessment throughout your career.
A self assessment can reveal your personal attributes, values, skills, and
interests, all of which are critical in helping you make informed career choices
that are appropriate for you. Looking for a relationship between these personal
characteristics and the work you are considering is the most important step
you can take before you write a rsum or begin the search for a job. In fact,
when the time comes to write your rsum and prepare for a job interview, you
will find the task significantly easier if you have completed the self-assessment
process first.
Start by examining your interests, strengths, and traits. Ask yourself: What do
I do well? What do I enjoy doing? What do others tell me about myself? What
energizes me? What am I passionate about? Answers to these questions will
help you identify your strengths and make decisions around the contributions
you can make. Many people try to conform to jobs advertised in newspapers or
other sources. However, employers today have many qualified candidates from
whom to choose. You will be seriously considered for a position only if you
demonstrate that you know who you are, what you can offer, and where you are
going.

Be sure you are completing a "self" assessment. Although the thoughts, ideas,
and opinions of others may matter a great deal to you, it is important that you
articulate your personal attributes, values, skills, and interests and how these
influence your career decision-making process.

Personal attributes
One of the most important factors in determining your happiness and success
in a job is understanding your personal attributes, also referred to as
personality. Everyone has a distinct set of attributes comprised of individual
traits: thoughts, feelings, behaviours, and attitudes. Are you easy going? Strong
willed? Practical? Be honest when you assess your thoughts, feelings,
behaviours, and attitudes.
The term "personality" refers to a person's patterns of thinking, feeling and
acting. Some aspects of personality are useful in thinking about career
development.
Four themes for describing personality have been developed from the work of
psychologist Carl Jung in a model and tool called the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator (MBTI). The model describes four areas of personality, with two
possible preferences in each area. People have a natural preference in each
area. These preferences are NOT about knowledge, skills or abilities, and there
is no right or wrong preference.

Every person uses all of the preferences at times, but one preference or the
other on each scale usually feels more natural. Try signing your name with the
opposite hand from the one you usually use. What did it feel like? What
differences do you notice about your signature itself?
People often say that it felt unnatural, and that it required all their
concentration. The result may appear awkward, even though their name is
recognizable. The preferences described here are like that. For example, some
people generally prefer to make decisions with an eye to harmony and what's
best for themselves and others (Feeling preference). In some situations, they
might make decisions based on an objective assessment of the logical
consequences (Thinking preference), but they might not feel as comfortable in
the process, or as confident in the decision.

The combination of a person's preferences in these four areas comprises their

personality type. There are sixteen types, which are referred to by the initials of
the four preferences (e.g. INTP, ESFJ).
People tend to be attracted to and experience more satisfaction in careers in
which they can express and use their preferences. For instance, work that
requires the type of perception or decision-making that comes naturally to a
person may lead to more effectiveness and confidence.

Values
Have you ever wondered what causes someone to study for years to enter a
career such as engineering or law while another person will look for the
quickest way to make money? What causes someone to become disenchanted
with what he or she thought was a dream job or organization? Values often
play a significant role in such cases.
What is meant by value? Clearly, all of us have value as human beings. In
terms of your employability, however, you could fall anywhere on a continuum
from someone the world of work cant live without to someone easily
replaceable.
Today, organizations are faced with rapidly changing
environments, competitive pressures globally, ever-changing technological
advances, and more. The pressure to be more innovative, productive, flexible,
and sustainable has never been greater. You probably dont need to be told this
you know it and youve been experiencing it in your work life.
What you may not have thought much about, though, is what this means to
you in terms of how you want to strategically approach your career
development in this new world of work. It is no longer a world where you
punch the clock and do your time and it is no longer enough to simply have
a job. To be continuously employable, you must provide genuine value to the
organization in which you work.
People often neglect to consider values when exploring viable occupations, yet
values are critical to career satisfaction and fulfillment. In fact, various studies
have shown that work values more highly correlate than interests with work
satisfaction: if you do not value what you do each day at your job, it is unlikely
you will be happy there. It is important not only to identify, or label, your

values, but also to prioritize them, since satisfaction of your core (most
important) values will factor greatly into your overall career satisfaction.

Skills
A skill is a demonstrated ability to do something well. Skills can be learned and
developed in a variety of ways: through academic or vocational training, self
study, hobbies, or on-the-job activities. In the labour market, skills are the
currency used by workers in exchange for pay, so the more you develop your
skills, the more marketable you will be.
If you were asked right now to list your skills, what would your list look like? It
might be a short list, not because you do not possess many skills, but simply
because you have never been asked to identify them and are not accustomed to
thinking or talking about them. Each person has approximately 700 distinct
skills in his or her repertoire. However, most people have trouble identifying
their skills and, even when able to do so, feel uncomfortable promoting them.
You cannot afford this kind of modesty. Having a realistic understanding of
your skills will enable you to pursue occupations that you are qualified for and
that you will enjoy.
Skills are learned behaviors and abilities. There are many different types of
skills that are relevant to career development.

Work Content/Technical Skills include things like our knowledge of a

specific subject, procedures, equipment, or vocabulary necessary to
perform a particular job. These are often expressed using nouns. For
example, personal administration, financial planning, market research,
etc. We tend to spend most of our time developing technical skills that we
need for the actual role we are in now. That's important, but it shouldn't
be our only

Competencies/Transferable Skills are also important to emphasize.

These are general skills that are applicable in many different jobs and
fields and are often expressed using verbs. For example, organize,
promote, plan, coordinate, instruct, negotiate, teach, write, present, etc.

Self-Management/Personal Growth Skills are traits or personal

characteristics that contribute to our performance of work and are often
expressed using adjectives. For example, efficient, flexible, resourceful,
diplomatic, results-oriented, etc. Developing these qualities may require
learning skills in time management, assertiveness, or stress
management. Or it may require overcoming self-defeating behaviors like
procrastination.

Leadership Skills are important regardless of whether you are in a

supervisory/managerial role or not. We all benefit from feeling more
confident in our abilities to take charge of tasks, responsibilities,
projects, team processes, office work flow, goal setting, decision-making,
and our personal and career development.

Interests
Interests are often the first factor a person thinks of when considering an
occupational direction: What do I like to do? Likes, dislikes, and indifferences
regarding various occupations and career-relevant activities are indeed
important determinants of career choice. Make note of what attracts your
attention: What courses do you enjoy? What conversations do you find yourself
listening in on? What events do you like to attend? What newspaper articles
grab your interest? Answers to these questions will help to give you a clearer
sense of direction regarding potential occupations that relate to your interests.
Interests are helpful to understand in relation to career planning. Career
interests are different than abilities or skills. However, people tend to be
attracted to activities that they enjoy and are interested in, which then affords
the opportunity to develop skills and abilities.
A theory devised by John Holland provides a framework of six general themes
that describe broad areas or types of interest. These themes also can be used
to describe work environments. People tend to seek environments that are
consistent with their interests. Therefore, understanding your interests can
help to highlight ways in which certain fields of study, work environments, and
occupational pursuits may or may not be satisfying to you.
The six themes are shown below. For most people, primary interests combine
two or three of these general themes. That combination is often called a

"RIASEC Code" or a "Holland Code". It is important to keep in mind that no

RIASEC code is better than another, and there are places for all six codes in
every organization.
REALISTIC

The "Doers"

INVESTIGATIVE

The "Thinkers"

ARTISTIC

The "Creators"

SOCIAL

The "Helpers"

ENTERPRISING

The "Persuaders"

CONVENTIONAL

The "Organizers"

The following sample of potential interests is provided to help illustrate the six
general themes that comprise the RIASEC model. Keep in mind that the table
shows a sample only and that most people have a combination of two or three
major interest themes.
Sample of Interests and Working Environments by General Occupational
Theme

REALISTIC

INVESTIGATIVE

ARTISTIC

Building things

Using tools and equipment

The outdoors

Product-driven
authority

Research and problem-solving

Theoretical models

Independent, unstructured working environments

Conceptualizing/Designing

environments

with

clear

lines

of

SOCIAL

ENTERPRISING

CONVENTIONAL

Writing, composing, performing

Self-expressive, unstructured work environments

Helping/encouraging/teaching

Counseling/guiding

Supportive, collaborative work environments

Debating ideas

Managing people & projects

Selling

Fast-paced, entrepreneurial work environments

Organizing information

Writing reports

Operating computers

Structured, organized, practical work environments

The Strong Interest Inventory is a self-assessment tool that produces a RIASEC

Code based on an individual's responses, as well as information about specific
content or topic areas that may be interesting, and a sample of occupations in
which satisfied workers tend to have similar interests.

Other factors to consider

Aspects beyond your personal attributes, values, skills, and interests can affect
your career decision-making process. Consider what impact gender, culture,
family and significant others, sexual orientation, and disability might have. A
combination of factors is often at play. Print resources are available on many of

these topics, and Career Services staff are available to help you work through
issues associated with these criteria.

Culture
Cultural values have been identified as important influences in career decision
making. Although perspectives on work and making a career choice vary from
culture to culture, members of some minority cultures experience greater
difficulty with career planning. Perceived, as well as actual, barriers may result
in lower levels of confidence in attaining various career goals.
Those who come from cultures where career decision making is a family or
group process may experience more internal and external conflict. The decision
maker is influenced by both family expectations and the individual decisionmaking approach prevalent in the dominant North American culture. When a
decision maker has personal desires that are in conflict with those of the
family, he or she puts off making the decision. The decision maker may also be
uncomfortable or unhappy with a prospective career choice, depending on
whose needs are not being met through this choice.

Gender
Everyone is influenced by gender and gender expectations and, as a result, may
experience internal and external barriers in career decision making. Barriers
for women may include difficulty in pursuing both career and family goals;
male domination in traditionally male-dominated school subjects and career
fields (e.g., math and science), even if decision makers possess the skills and
abilities to be successful in such fields; anticipating a low level of success in a
male-dominated work world; or being confronted by discrimination in selection
and promotion practices.
Men are also affected by gender expectations and barriers. They are expected to
achieve and to be ambitious and to pursue certain types of careers (often those
involving much competition). Men are also often encouraged to avoid a long list
of female-dominated career areas (e.g., day care services, nursing, clerical
work) and to support the family financially, rather than through personal
presence and involvement.

It is important to be aware of these potential influences and to assess your

personal situation carefully. Are there occupations you are drawn to but feel
unsure of because of gender-related factors? It would be unfortunate to forego a
satisfying career for reasons that might well be overcome with a little self
exploration and planning.

Family and significant others

Significant others should generally be involved in the entire career planning
and job search process. People who know you well can offer insight (e.g., skills
they have seen you demonstrate), advice, feedback, and encouragement. They
also know your personal style and have witnessed your accomplishments.
Depending on your family, parental over- or under-involvement can be
problematic. Is your family open to an expression of your career views that may
be different from theirs? Pressure to meet expectations regarding career choice
can often be overwhelming and can result in a premature or delayed career
decision.

Sexual orientation
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender individuals may encounter several
additional difficulties. Related issues can be internal or external. Internal
issues include self-stereotyping, feelings of guilt, home and career conflict, and
fear of others' attitudes. External issues include stereotyping; lack of role
models; lack of support from family, significant others, co-workers, and
employers; and homophobia. Coming out to oneself and to others is an
important identity consideration that can cause considerable stress to
university-aged students. Occupational and employer research is particularly
important to avoid and overcome some of these difficulties.
Centre for Career Action has a number of print and electronic resources on this
topic. At the University of Waterloo, Gays and Lesbians of Waterloo (GLOW) can
provide additional support and assistance.

Disability
People with physical, sensory, or learning disabilities or chronic medical
conditions are advised, like all career decision makers, to focus on personal
attributes, values, skills, and interests when choosing a career. Although it is
important to consider how your disability may impact your ability to succeed in
the occupations you are considering, are you limiting yourself unnecessarily?

Step 2 - Career Exploration (OUTSIDE)

The second step of the process involves Career Exploration. Step 2 focus is on
the OUTSIDE of a person. While it is important to know the first step you
ought to take in order to make a good career or college major selection, it is
also important to become aware of significant influencing areas outside of you
that will need to be factored in before you finalize any big decision. Key areas
on the outside of you include the World-Of-Work; Family, Faith/Beliefs;
Leisure-Time and so on. It would be wise to consider and thoroughly examine
supportive as well as non supporting aspects of each of these key areas prior to
your career and/or occupational choice
This step is about exploring the occupations and learning areas that interest
you. Once you have some idea of your occupational preferences you can
research the specific skills and qualifications required for those occupations.

Explore occupations that interest you and ask yourself how do my skills
and interests match up with these occupations?

Where are the gaps?

What options do I have to gain these skills or qualify for these

occupations?

What skills do I need?

Where is the work?

At the end of this step you will have a list of preferred occupations and/or
learning options.

Career Exploration is the process of...

1. learning about yourself and the world of work,
2. identifying and exploring potentially satisfying occupations, and
3. developing an effective strategy to realize your goals

Once you have assessed yourself, its time to explore career options. A wide
variety of information about industries and occupations is available. You will
examine and research information such as Nature of Work, Training/Education
required, Work Environment, Salary Range, and Job Outlook -to help you
decide which career options most interest you.
It's important to think about the difference between occupations, industries,
and work options. An occupation is a specific type of position within an
industry (like nursing assistant or process technician). Industry refers to the
field type of business of a company or employer - such as health care,
manufacturing, or real estate. Some occupations (like administrative assistant
or sales representative) are available within several industries. Many work
options such as self employment, full or part - time employment, or temporary
employment exist across industries and occupations.
Career exploration is not the same as job searching. Career exploration is a
long, progressive process of choosing education, training, and jobs that fit your
interests and skills. Job searching is a short term pursuit of a position that
matches your financial and career goals.
The second step of the process involves Career Exploration. Step 2 focus is on
the OUTSIDE of a person. While it is important to know the first step you
ought to take in order to make a good career or college major selection, it is
also important to become aware of significant influencing areas outside of you
that will need to be factored in before you finalize any big decision. Key areas
on the outside of you include the World-Of-Work; Family, Faith/Beliefs;
Leisure-Time and so on. It would be wise to consider and thoroughly examine
supportive as well as non supporting aspects of each of these key areas prior to
your career and/or occupational choice.

Researching careers includes obtaining an insiders perspective about the

career field you are considering. Conducting Informational Interviews either in
person, phone, or by email will provide valuable information about what it is
actually like working in a particular career. Professionals enjoy sharing their
expertise with people interested in learning more about their field. Perform
informational interviews with alumni from your college to gain their perspective
of the field and to listen to what they have to say. This strategy provides first
hand knowledge from someone currently working in the field and gives you an
opportunity to ask about their experiences as well as potential jobs and what
one might expect if just entering the field.
Gain experience through internships or by job shadowing for one to several
days to see what a typical work day entails and to gain perspective of what the
environment is like and the typical job responsibilities. Research what types of
jobs are availabe in your area of interest by checking out Majors to Career
Converter, The Occupational Outlook Handbook and The Career Guide to
Industries. The Occupational Outlook Handbook offers a wealth of information
for those currently just entering the job market and for those anticipating
making a career change.
Perform Career Research
Armed with a solid understanding of how you can participate in fulfilling work,
you now need to research the various options you have to make money doing
so. Career research is not something many people relish, but it is necessary in
order to eliminate choices that seem to be great fits on the surface but really
won't align with your mission and purpose.
Yes, this is quite tedious. But think about the consequences of getting things
wrong! Surely it's worth spending time exploring your options, rather than a
lifetime kicking yourself for making a bad choice!
Methods for researching careers include:

Researching the career using sites, so that you can understand industry
trends, job pay levels, qualifications needed, job availability, etc.

Reading industry/career magazines and get a sense of how "happy" the

industry is, who the major players in it are, and what the issues and
problems within it are. Also, looking at job vacancies to see if the career
is in demand.

Understanding what talents and personalities make people successful in

the career, and mapping these back against your own talents and
personality.

Attending professional and trade shows.

Participating in job fairs.

Visiting company websites, and keep an eye on how companies are talked
about in the press.

Understanding where organizations are based, and deciding if you're

prepared to travel to interviews, and perhaps to move.

Volunteering.

Working part time and/or seasonally in the industry.

Career Research Checklist

1. Develop a career plan. Conducting career-related research and gathering
information about careers is great, but you should consider developing a
career plan.
2. Take one or more career assessment tests. If you're unsure of your career
direction, these tests should be one of your first steps in researching
careers.
3. Review books about specific careers. You can find these books online and
your local library
4. Read about various occupations and learn about the nature of the work,
working conditions, training and educational requirements, earning
potential, future job outlook.
5. Talk with your network of contacts -- family, friends, professors, teachers,
neighbors, peers, colleagues, mentors -- about potential careers.
6. Conduct career research online.
7. Explore current job openings.
8. Join a job club
9. Consider volunteering.
10.
Conduct informational interviews.
11.
Go to one or more career fairs.
12.
Visit a local job service office.

13.
Visit your college's career services office. Whether a current
student or an alum, these professionals can help you in many, many
ways.
14.
Arrange to job shadow one or more people who have careers that
interest you.
15.
Use the Web to find industry organizations and other key career
resources.
16.
Find one or more trade journals related to your career choice. Go
online -- or to your local library -- and begin reading trade journals to
learn more about your career path, as well as specific employment
opportunities.
17.
Locate one or more professional associations related to your career
field. There are professional or trade organizations for just about every
career field.

Step 3 - Decision Making (CLOSER LOOK)

Step 3 will require you to begin the process of Decision Making. It will require
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK and, eventually making a decision. This is the point
where you take what you have learned from your self assessment and career
exploration and conduct more detailed research. The main goal is to narrow
down possible options, consider any significant influencing factors, and select
the career or college major you believe to be the best fit.
This step involves comparing your options, narrowing down your choices and
thinking about what suits you best at this point in time.
Ask yourself:

What are my best work/training options?

How do they match with my skills, interests and values?

How do they fit with the current labour market?

How do they fit with my current situation and responsibilities?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?

What will help and what will hinder me?

What can I do about it?

At the end of this step you will have narrowed down your options and have
more of an idea of what you need to do next to help you achieve your goals.
You and the career decision-making process
Did you know that most people spend much more time deciding which car to
buy than choosing a career? Why do they spend so little time on such an
important task? Because career decision making is hard work!
Perhaps you have avoided thinking about this decision for other reasons. You
may feel that the start of your career is far in the future. Maybe you have
bypassed the process and are pursuing a career that fulfills family
expectations. Perhaps you assume that you will be happy working in a wellknown field like teaching, engineering, or medicine and see no reason to
research the myriad of other possible occupations. Or perhaps you just dont
know how the decision-making process works or where to begin.
If you delay the decision-making process you may find yourself:

In a career that doesn't fit with your values, interests, personal

attributes, and skills

Completing a degree that you have no interest in

Feeling your work lacks meaning or challenge

Suffering from boredom or burnout

Feeling caught between life and work values

Thoughtful decision making paves the way to a satisfying career choice. The
more focused you are, the less onerous the process will be. The decisionmaking process can be used for making many types of career-related choices,
including:

Which training/educational program to pursue

Which occupational field to enter

Which paid/volunteer experience would be most satisfying

Whether to change occupations and/or fields

Whether to start a small business

Steps to career decision making

The four steps to career decision making are:
1. Create a vision
2. Make an initial decision
3. Set a goal
4. Develop an action plan
The process of career decision making is not linear, so you may find yourself
working through the steps simultaneously or completing one or more steps at a
later date.

Time for career decision making

The career decision-making process can be overwhelming, so it is helpful to
determine how much time you will spend and when (e.g., mornings, evenings).
Review how you spend your time to determine what activities you might put on
hold, de-emphasize, or change in order to create more time for this process
(e.g., evaluate the importance of current commitments such as
committee/volunteer work, learn to say "no" to requests that may cause more
stress than benefit, or ask others to help with household tasks).
There are no definite timelines to follow in the process of career decision
making: you may work through it quickly; it may take you six months or a year.
Think about your circumstances and set a realistic deadline for yourself.
Recording your deadline will help you ensure that it is realized.
Since making a good decision is so important, completing both the "Self
assessment" and "Occupational research" modules is critical. If you have

completed these two modules, you are well prepared to proceed with the career
decision-making process
A): Create a vision
Proactive decision making begins with a clear vision of what you want your
personal and professional life to look like. To be successful in visualizing your
future, you need to have a strong desire to achieve your goals. Although it is
important to be realistic in what you ultimately envision yourself doing, it is
more helpful at this point in the process not to limit yourself to what you
consider to be reality; instead, let your vision or dream grow. Beware of
thoughts that might limit your choices. For example, though it is necessary to
consider the effect of your choices on those you love and care about; placing
too much emphasis on others needs may prevent you from identifying and
following a truly rewarding career path. Your goal for now should be to take an
honest look at yourself and your needs for the future.
Begin by asking yourself the following questions:

If you were guaranteed to be successful and to earn a good living, what

type of work would you do?
1. Where would you live?
2. What kind of environment would you want?

What would your work and personal relationships be like?

What kind of lifestyle would you have?

Once you have created a vision that clearly and accurately reflects your desired
future, consider reality and the potential barriers to achieving your goal. In the
Self assessment module, culture, disability, family, gender, and sexual
orientation were introduced as potential influencing factors in the career
decision-making process. You may wish to review the implications of these
factors now. Other factors that merit consideration include:

Fear (e.g., of failure, of success and what it will bring, of rejection, of

commitment, of change, of the unknown)

Self-confidence level

Finances and socio-economic status

Geographic location (e.g., are jobs relating to your vision typically located
in an undesirable or inaccessible location?)

Be careful not to let one perceived barrier undermine your whole vision,
however. Think about ways you might overcome such a barrier and attain your
goal. It is usually possible to achieve at least a piece of the vision.
A word about risk taking
Every action or decision comes with a certain element of risk; however, so does
taking no action. It is important to be realistic about the level of risk you are
willing to take: you may wish you were more adventurous (or less so!), but you
will likely not move toward your goal if you are not honest with yourself
regarding your risk tolerance. At the same time, analyze any fears you
experience: are risks real or imagined? Ask yourself the following questions:

What is the worst that can happen if I pursue this path?

1. How likely is it that something negative will happen?
2. How could I resolve this problem if it did occur?
3. Can I prevent this from happening? How?

What is the best that can happen if I pursue this path?

1. What steps can I take to ensure that the best happens?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking this risk?

What are the short- and long-term consequences of the decision to me

and to significant others?

Understand that fear is natural and might be part of the decision-making

process. To move forward, you need to acknowledge your fears. If you tackle
them one-by-one and look at them realistically, they will often become less
onerous. Ultimately, however, it is also important to listen to what your inner
voice or gut is telling you: if, after you have undergone this process, a possible
action doesnt feel right, you likely shouldn't do it.

If you believe that youve taken all the necessary steps and you still feel
uncomfortable with your vision or are still not able to take a step forward, there
may be other reasons for your inaction. If you find yourself in this situation,
you may benefit from meeting with a career professional. For University of
Waterloo students and alumni, Career Exploration & Decision Making
appointments may be booked through the Centre for Career Action website.
Narrowing your choices
After putting your vision through a reality check and facing your fears,
determine which if any of the occupations you have identified fit with that
vision. By making this comparison for each occupational option, you may find
that you can shorten your list. You can then take a more structured approach
to assessing your target occupations. The next section will guide you through
this process.
B): Make an initial decision
There are a number of ways to assess occupational alternatives. You might
prioritize them according to how closely they match your overall goal. Or you
might compare them in terms of advantages, disadvantages, and potential
outcomes. Pay attention to your feelings about each alternative: are you sensing
excitement? disenchantment? Though it is important to be logical in the career
decision-making process, your gut reaction to an occupation is also important.
After you have made a tentative choice, it's time to set a goal and begin to
achieve it.
C): Set a goal
Effective goal setting allows you to take control of your life. Your attitude is the
most important predictor of success in achieving goals. Positive and negative
thoughts can affect your level of accomplishment: you are likely to achieve only
what you believe you can. A goal is simply a more precise statement of a
decision reached in the previous step.
To ensure that you achieve your goal, it should meet the following criteria:

Specific: a goal is specific when you know exactly what is to be achieved

and accomplished

Measurable: measurable goals are quantifiable (e.g., numbers, dollars,

percentages)

Achievable: an achievable goal is within your reach (perhaps a stretch)

based on your skills and level of motivation

Realistic: a realistic goal is one for which you have the resources (e.g.,
time for training, money for education, support from significant others)

Time specific: a time-specific goal is finite; it has a deadline (e.g., "by

June 30, 2XXX" is much more specific than "soon")

For example, a decision to work in human resources might lead to the following
goal statement: "attain a management-level position leading to corporate
training in the technology sector within the next five years."
D): Develop an action plan
To realize your specific occupational goal, you will need to make and follow a
strategy or action plan. Write it down! There is ample evidence that those who
devise and record a concrete plan for reaching a goal are much more likely to
attain it.
To reach your goal, you will need to identify the action plan steps, or short-term
goals, that will help you attain it.
To develop your action plan steps, refer to your occupational research: the more
information you have gathered, the more informed you will be as to what is
required to reach your occupational goal. It will also be helpful to be mindful of
any potential barriers you identified earlier in the process, as well as your ideas
about how to overcome them.
Once you have devised your action plan, you should construct a detailed plan
for taking each step. The plan for the first steps should be as thorough and
specific as possible (apply the S.M.A.R.T. principles again). For example,
increase my overall average to B+ by the end of this term is better than
achieve higher grades.
As you consider steps that reach farther into the future, you will find it more
difficult to create specific plans: situations (and you) may change. Provide as

much detail as you can, but be prepared to be flexible, realizing that you may
need to adjust your plan several times before you reach your occupational goal.

Step 4: taking action

Taking Action involves MATCHING UP the results of your self-assessment
results and the most supportive aspects within significant influencing areas in
Step 2. The main goal is to actually begin to do what you decided to pursue as
a career or college major. This might entail enrolling into a college or tarining
program; registering for a class; conducting a job search; creating a resume;
filling out an application; participating in an interview, and so on.
Refer to your plan often (in set 3): Are you on track? Is some fine-tuning
required? Do the action plan steps you have identified still make sense? Has
the goal changed at all? Do you lack information or support? If the basic goal
remains the same and the process seems to be on track, add more detail to the
steps as they become more imminent. If new information or obstacles have
emerged, you may need to make some minor to moderate changes. If the goal
has changed, you will need to make major revisions to the action plan.
As you take action, you may begin to experience difficulty in moving towards
your goal. Sometimes people put so much emphasis on a career decision that
they become immobilized with fear or uncertainty. If you find yourself in this
situation, you may merely need to give yourself a push; however, if you find that
you are really "stuck," you may benefit from consulting a career professional.
Celebrate accomplishments and milestones. Be kind to yourself: pursue
activities you enjoy and surround yourself with supportive people. Replace selflimiting assumptions and irrational beliefs with positive thoughts and
statements. Welcome mistakes: they can enrich your life experience and
enhance your learning. And you can use what you learn to revise your current
plan and improve future career decisions.
Dont forget the big picture: sometimes, some of the intermediate steps may be
less enjoyable and more challenging than you might like; however, if you keep
in mind where the steps are leading, you will be more likely to continue moving
towards the achievement of your vision.

Here you plan the steps you need to take to put your plan into action.
Use all you have learnt about your skills, interests and values together with the
information you have gathered about the world of work to create your plan.
Begin by asking yourself:

What actions/steps will help me achieve my work, training and career

goals?

Where can I get help?

Who will support me?

At the end of this step you will have:

a plan to help you explore your options further (eg work experience, work
shadowing or more research); or

a plan which sets out the steps to help you achieve your next learning or
work goal.

Decide which step is relevant for you right now and start from there.