CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTRE

EXPLORE
POSSIBILITIES
CAREER PLANNING AND GOAL SETTING

“The secret of joy in work is contained in one word – excellence.

To know how to do something well is to enjoy it.”
Pearl Buck

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 EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES
CAREER PLANNING AND GOAL SETTING
THE THREE STAGES OF CAREER PLANNING

The Career Development Centre (CDC) at Bond University is here for students during each step of the career planning process. An overview
is provided of areas covered in each of the steps below, however these are not limited. Career planning is a process that is unique to each
student and the CDC provides a personalised approach to suit each student’s needs.

EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES DISCOVER OPTIONS DEVELOP A STRATEGY

(Self assessment) (Information gathering) (Career strategy)

• What am I interested in / curious • Occupations • Start defining an employment

about and why? • Employers strategy.
• What am I good at? Determine • Industries • Explore options further through
interests, skills and values. • Employment trends internships, work experience and
• What do I want in a job? What is • Sectors voluntary work.
important? What are my • What additional skills, attributes
expectations? and knowledge will I need to
• Determine preferences. succeed?
• Assistance with resume, cover
letter and applications.
• Begin your proactive marketing
strategy.

NACE reports on the use of careers services linked to job offers:

“A 2019 student survey report demonstrates a strong link between the use of careers services and a student’s ability to get a
job offer. In addition, results showed that the more frequently a student used the services, the increased likelihood of receiving
a job offer. Results also showed that 71 per cent of students with job offers had utilised the careers service where 29 per cent
of students with job offers had not used any careers service.”

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WHERE TO START

WHERE DO I START?

When we are studying at university, it’s all about grades, assignments and exams. The pressure to strive for the best can be carried with us
from the very beginning, but often intensifies when we think about our careers. Most of the time we don’t know what we can do with our
degrees and more often than not we feel that we should already have this covered.

Career planning starts with taking a step back and reflecting on your skills, abilities and values. It is so easy to see things as a two sided
coin – success or failure. What about thinking more creatively and broadly about the different ways you can contribute and how your
contribution is unique? Each one of us has diverse talents to offer and we excel in different working environments so it’s not about success
or failure. It’s about exploring the talents you have and ultimately translating them into marketable skills when sitting in front of an employer
for an interview.

When you start reflecting on your interests and the way in which you can contribute, you have just started the first step of career planning.
Become a possibilitarian! A possibilitarian is someone who has a sense of curiosity and sees prospects in every undertaking. There is so much
opportunity and we are only limited by our fears and internal constraints. Embrace every situation as an opportunity. Develop relationships
with people and share their stories. You will be amazed at what you learn and what prospects arise both in the present and the future. The
irony is that nowadays careers are rarely a linear process. They are more often than not shaped by random and lucky events that occur in your
day-to-day life. Make use of these events, talk to people – you never know what opportunities may arise.

The earlier you start to develop a career strategy the more you will expand your employment options.
It’s easy and usually very natural to jump into job searching first, usually towards the end of study. However, the most effective
searches start with careful preparation and planning from the start of your degree. This is where you will develop a refined
employment focus. In this section, we will present the ways in which you can prepare for a successful job search.

“Without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of

possibilities. Dreaming after all, is a form of planning.”
- Gloria Steinem

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 SELF EXPLORATION

Career planning begins with branding yourself. Branding yourself begins with knowing who you are as an individual – your strengths,
interests, values, motivations, skills as well as areas of limitations. This is valuable to analyse whether you are choosing a career for the first
time or the tenth time.

You can be likened to a product on offer for an employer. Before you start selling a product you need to know its features, its benefits and
how it’s differentiated from other products. If you don’t, the customer will have a tough time determining why they should invest their money.

How well do you know your product?

Evaluate yourself:
• Identify your skills, interests and values
• Understand what motivates you
• Gain awareness of who you are – what you do well, not so well and what you might like to do in the future.

Evaluating yourself in this way allows you to identify what’s important to you and what you are naturally curious about so you are able to
better match yourself to an occupation where:
• You will be able to use your talents
• You will be able to further develop your skills
• Your values align with those of the company and there is a genuine ‘fit’
• Your employability skills match the role and ‘fit’ with the organisation as a whole
• You will be able to translate and communicate your skills confidently to a prospective employer in an interview.

Conducting a self assessment will help identify your skills, interests, values and preferences as well as to gain awareness about yourself. This
may help you choose or refine a major, further study or career. You can use these assessment tools periodically or in general prior to an
appointment with the career development centre.

“You have to work at creating your own culture.”

- Mitch Albom

SELF ASSESSMENT IDENTIFY SKILLS, INTERESTS AND VALUES

Check out www.authentichappiness.com to complete a strengths test.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

WHAT AM I INTERESTED IN / CURIOUS ABOUT AND WHY?

When you were a child, asking ‘why’ came spontaneously! The world was filled with wonder, excitement and potential with every moment.

Redevelop your sense of curiosity! Here, you want to not only state what you are interested in, which can sometimes be clear cut but why you
are interested in it. The ‘why’ tells you the underlying motive and says a lot about you as an individual. Keep asking yourself ‘why’ until you
have exhausted all reasons for your interest.

WHAT AM I GOOD AT AND WHY?

Here you want to explore your core strengths, talents and abilities. List them with a brief description about why they are an asset. It’s
important not to compare yourself with others in this activity. You want to identify what’s great about you and what your unique talents are.

WHAT DO I WANT IN A ROLE?

Here explore what is important to you in your working life. This question prompts you to start thinking about your employment preferences
which may include the types of tasks you would like to perform, the working conditions, the location you would like to work in and also to
consider the type of environment you best contribute in.

IF I HAVE WORKED BEFORE, WHAT DO I WANT LESS OF?

If you have worked previously, it may be more suitable for you to identify what you don’t want in a role as you have the benefit of hindsight.

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CAREER MAPPING

Putting it into action:

Career mapping, like a mind map, is a great tool to visualise your thoughts and find focus.

You will need: • A big piece of butcher’s paper.

• Pens or markers.

Useful for: • People who have many ideas to pursue but are unsure which one to focus on.
• Being creative as well as visually organised by placing ideas from your past, present and
future all on one page.
• Determine if a relationship or pattern starts occurring which may influence your decisions.

How: • Place the main idea (you) in the centre of the map.
• Write ideas that branch off from you and look for a correlation between the ideas.
• Connect all your ideas in some way that is meaningful to you, for example, using lines
or arrows.
• Write ideas down quickly, don’t think about them too much, you can always fill in the
gaps later.

Family

Business
Management

Travel

YOU
HR

Meaningful
Work

Communication
Creative

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 DISCOVER OPTIONS
RESEARCH

Once you have identified your interests, skills, values and what is important to you in a job, you can start exploring options to match these
interests. This section is about initiating strategies for employment through learning more about the career that interests you. This may
include exploring:
• Industries
• Occupations
• Employers
• Employment trends

Once you have gathered some information about these areas, we encourage you to undertake some informational interviewing. This means
pre-screening those industries, occupations and employers you have explored before you decide it’s definitely what you want to do. The
process of informational interviewing is talking to someone who is in a job you think you would love to do. It requires asking them about their
story so you can get a feel for the job from someone on the inside. This is a great way to explore and clarify your career goals!

There are many resources at your disposal to make an informed decision. Here are a few ways to get you started.

Which scenario relates to you? Refer to the corresponding box on the following pages for ideas on what to do!

“I know the industry I would like to work in but I’m not sure about the Box One: Research Industries
types of positions available there.”

“I know what I’m good at and where my strengths lie but I’m not sure
Box Two: Research Occupations
which positions would use these skills.”

“I have an idea of the type of position I am suited to and the

industry I would like to work in, but how do I find out more about the Box Three: Research Employers
employers?”

“I want to work for a specific employment sector, such as government

with an additional focused interest within that area. It’s a niche area, so Box Four: Research Niche Sectors
where do I start?”

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 BOX ONE
RESEARCH INDUSTRIES

QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE: OPTIONS TO INVESTIGATE:

• What positions are available in this industry? • Read about the industry online to gather information about
• What tasks would I be performing in a role? career paths.
• Can I use my core skills and knowledge in the role? • Speak with faculty staff who are in these areas of interest to
• Am I interested in the role? gain additional insight into the positions and potential duties.
• Are there any other specifics about the role? For example, is it • Research positions advertised in this field.
internationally based?

WHERE TO INVESTIGATE:
bond.edu.au/scout
Your employment portal. Go to Document Library - Resource Library - to find Career Options, Resources and
more!

gradconnection.com
View Graduate Programs and which employers recruit graduates from various disciplines.

gradcareers.bond.edu.au
Find jobs, industry and employer profiles and virtual experiences.

myfuture.edu.au
A great tool to source position overviews. Go to ‘Industries’ and ‘Occupations’.

BOX TWO
RESEARCH OCCUPATIONS

QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE: OPTIONS TO INVESTIGATE:

• Which organisations have occupations that would use my skills? • Research organisations through Scout and Graduate
• What division within the organisation are these positions held? Opportunities ‘Online A - Z’ of Employers to identify disciplines
• Do I need specific qualifications? organisations are recruiting for.
• Would I enjoy this role? • Be strategic. Organisations have many departments where you
• Is there room for advancement? may find your optimal role.
• Conduct information interviews with people who are already in a
similar role to gain insight and understanding.

WHERE TO INVESTIGATE:
bond.edu.au/scout
Check company profiles.

gradconnection.com
View Graduate Programs and which employers recruit graduates from various disciplines. View multiple resources around various
careers in Australia.

theforage.com/landing/Bond%20University/x6sCx5eB85GouFf8D/Bond?ref=StCXCu7Fb9xvwjC6Q
Sign up for virtual experiences with leading organisations curated for Bond University students and disciplines.

myfuture.edu.au
Go to ‘the facts’ and check occupations.

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 BOX THREE
RESEARCH EMPLOYERS

QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE: OPTIONS TO INVESTIGATE:

• What does the organisation do? • Research websites of the top five employers that interest you,
• What is the organisation’s vision and mission? taking particular note of how the organisation is described and
• What type of culture does it promote? careers opportunities.
• Are there opportunities for advancement? • What do other people say? Look for articles about the
• What types of positions are there? organisation; ‘undertake some information interviewing and
• What are the future trends? talk to people who may know about the organisation (for
example, faculty staff).

WHERE TO INVESTIGATE:
bond.edu.au/scout
For employers / industries: Go to ‘Websites’ > ‘Employers’.

gradcareers.bond.edu.au
Find jobs, industry and employer profiles and virtual experiences.

graduateopportunities.com
Look at the A - Z of employers who are recruiting.

Employer presentations
Attend employer presentations at Bond University to learn more about the organisation, the types of areas they specialise in and the type
of people they are looking for.

“To find your own way is to follow your bliss. This involves analysis, watching
yourself and seeing where the real deep bliss is – not the quick little excitement,
but the real deep, life-filling bliss.”
- Joseph Campbell

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 BOX FOUR
RESEARCH NICHE SECTORS

QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE: OPTIONS TO INVESTIGATE:

• Who are the companies in this industry? • Use Scout to start researching and developing lists of potential
• What types of roles do the companies recruit for? organisations. This is found in the ‘Websites > Career Planning’
• What are the employment trends of this sector? link which has a range of links to start exploring.
• How does recruitment take place within this sector? • Use industry publications to explore emerging employment
• Is there an opportunity for advancement? trends for new careers and skills.
• Talk to faculty staff and academic staff who are professionals
in their field for further insight.
• Undertake information interviewing with professionals
in organisations who you have identified as being a potential
opportunity.

WHERE TO INVESTIGATE:
bond.edu.au/scout

gradcareers.bond.edu.au
Find jobs, industry and employer profiles and virtual experiences.

www.myfuture.edu.au
Go to ‘the facts’ and view labour market information and patterns of work.

Journals and Publications

Scout journals and publications relevant to these sectors and organisations within them, to gain information.

Professional Associations
Become a member of a relevant professional association. This could extend your pool of opportunity to a wider global network of
choice.

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 INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWING

WHY DO IT?
Informational interviewing is a valuable tool in career planning. By speaking with people from different organisations and in different roles you
are able to explore whether a career path does or does not interest you and how best to start planning for your dream job. Further, it cements
the information gathering you have undertaken so far and assists you in the next step - practical experience. Informational interviewing is as
close as you are going to get to trying the job on from the inside out other than through undertaking work experience or an internship. So,
come and see us at the Career Development Centre to assist you in how to plan for an information interview.

Informational interviewing can be a relatively informal conversation where someone is willing to impart their knowledge about an occupation,
industry or work setting. However, informational interviewing is not:
• Solely seen as a networking opportunity. It can be the premise to further foster a potential business relationship in the future.
• A job interview. It’s about finding out information for you to base a decision on in the future. You can mention skills or experiences that led
you to this field but stop there.
• Researching potential job opportunities. Information interviewing is not job searching; do not break your relationship with your new
contact by ‘hitting them up’ for a job. If during your interview you become aware of a position vacant, wait until the following day before
acting on this. If you are lucky enough to be offered an internship or even a suitable job – congratulations!

BENEFITS OF INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWING

Informational interviewing is a vital part of your job search and networking efforts, however, there are additional benefits as well:
• You can discover more about the career options you are interested in.
• You are able to expand your contacts.
• It gives you practice and increases confidence in interview skills.
• You are getting information first hand that is relevant to YOU.
• It may help you identify your professional strengths and weaknesses and what areas you will need to focus on developing.
• You can learn of career paths and options undertaken by others who have achieved success.

WHERE TO START?
Identify people to interview via the following channels:

Bond University
• Initially, informational interviewing may sound like quite a daunting task to undertake. It’s natural to feel nervous! Why not start with
people you know? Even if the person is not in your field of interest they may be able to lead you to them. Start with people who you know
on campus including your lecturers and tutors as they have knowledge and experience in their related field. This will also help build your
confidence levels and become more fluent with what you want to know and how to ask it, assisting you to stay on track during the interview.
• The services at the CDC will enable you to research specific employers through Scout or check out the GradAustralia employer guides
online. There are various careers events held on campus throughout each semester. Events are held during graduate season in particular,
where employers come on campus to present information sessions about their organisation and what they potentially look for when they
are recruiting new staff. Leverage your opportunities here!

Top Tip:
When you graduate, register as an alumnus with the Bond University Network
Portal located on the Alumni link of the Bond University website. This will provide an
opportunity for you to connect with a global network of fellow Bond alumni.

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Research
• Consider the information gathering you have undertaken so far and collate your findings together to identify an organisation to approach
and possibly an individual setting. You may be able to identify some staff names through the company website or through calling
organisations directly. Generally people are welcoming of students seeking career information and are happy to be of assistance.
When collating the information consider how you align yourself with the organisation’s vision, mission statement and culture and how it
compares to your own.
• Read newspapers or online articles that feature the organisation you have identified.
• Identify some relevant professional associations where you may be able to identify contacts and gain insight into your chosen industry.
Check out www.graduateopportunities.com and go to the ‘Professional Associations’ tab.

Networking
• Attend events hosted by professional associations and become involved with them.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.”

- Walt Disney

Face to face or by phone

Here are some examples of a possible script to apply when calling a company of interest. Remember to make it personal to your situation.

> Script 1: The Cold Call

Hi, my name is Joe Blogs and I am a student at Bond University studying International Relations. I was able to get your contact details
through your website. As part of my career planning efforts I have been researching occupations of interest and although I’m not currently
looking for a job, I’m most interested in exploring work as a _______________. As you are in the line of work I am interested in I would like to
find out as much as I can about this area. Would it be possible to schedule a 10 to 15 minute appointment with you to ask a few questions and
gain insights into the profession?

> Script 2: The Cold Call with Referral

Hi, my name is Joe Blogs and I am a student at Bond University, studying Film and Television. Your contact details were passed on to me
through _______________ who recommended I contact you. I am interested in the possibility of working as a _______________ when I graduate
and I would like to find out as much as I can about the industry before I commit to this path. As you are in this line of work, I was wondering if
you would be willing to give me 10 to 15 minutes of your time to gain your advice on what I may expect in this field.

> Script 3: The Cold Call with Contact at a Seminar / Conference

Hi, my name is Jane Doe and I am currently studying Business at Bond University specialising in Finance. I heard you speak recently at an
event at Bond University hosted by the Faculty of Business and your presentation on _______________ was very insightful. Although I am not
currently looking for a job I have become very interested in the finance field. With this in mind, I was hoping to find out as much as I can about
this area and was wondering if it would be possible to schedule 10 to 15 minutes with you to ask you some questions and get advice on how
best to prepare to enter into this field?

By email or letter
If you would prefer to write an email or letter to ask for an informational interview note that they must be brief. Focus on introducing yourself,
the purpose for writing and requesting information not a job. You should include two to four brief paragraphs and include:
• An introduction of yourself and how you got the person’s contact details.
• A summary statement of who you are why you are contacting the person.
• A request for an opportunity to meet, being specific about the information you would like to gain from the meeting.
• The close: Thank the person in advance for taking the time to assist you and a commitment to further action (for example, when you will
follow up the correspondence).

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 Below are some examples of emails requesting an informational interview:

> Sample 1

To:

Cc:

Subject: We met at the Bond University Careers Fair.

Dear Mr Jones,

I am a student at Bond University studying a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting. I met with you briefly at the
Bond University Job and Internship Fair in March where you generously gave me your card and suggested I contact you.

Although I am not currently seeking employment I am very interested to learn more about the area of accounting. I am
specifically interested in the types of skills I may need to refine during my final year if I would like to specialise in the
financial trade sector being based in the Asia-Pacific region.

I would greatly appreciate 10 to 15 minutes of your time to ask you some questions about your role as Senior Trade
Finance Manager for ABC as well as other types of work in this field. I would be pleased to hear about your experiences
and any insights you could offer about entering into this industry.

Thank you for your consideration. I will contact you next week to follow up from this email, but can be contacted on 07
5512 3456.

Sincerely,
Jane Doe

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> Sample 2:

To:

Cc:

Subject: Tamara Doe suggested I contact you.

Dear Ms Smith,

I recently spoke with Tamara Doe, who suggested I contact you. I am a student at Bond University studying a Master of
Science by Research and I am speaking with a number of researchers pursuing health engineering careers. Tamara
mentioned you could share some valuable insight into the industry.

I am specifically interested in focusing on failure analysis in forensic investigations and Tamara mentioned your area of
work is similar to my interest.

Would it be possible for us to meet for perhaps 20 minutes? I would appreciate hearing about your experience and
insight, especially with your current work at ABC.

Kind regards,
Samantha Dean

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 > Sample 3:

To:

Cc:

Subject: A fellow Bond Student.

Dear Anne,

My name is Rebecca Cummings and I am a student at Bond University studying a Bachelor of Communication.

I came across your name in the Alumni Network Portal. I read with interest your profile and expertise, particularly your
experience in foreign correspondence which is an area I am interested to explore.

I am interested to learn more about your role as a reporter for XYZ News, and would greatly appreciate 15 minutes of your
time to share your insights and experiences. Would you be available at any time on Monday, July 12 or Wednesday, July 14?
Please let me know if any of those dates work for you, and if so, what time is most suitable.

Thank you for your time.

Yours sincerely,
Rebecca Cummings

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SAMPLE QUESTIONS TO ASK WHEN INFORMATION INTERVIEWING

ABOUT THE JOB ABOUT THE COMPANY ABOUT YOUR CONTACT

Does the company encourage and support

What is a typical week like for you? How did you get into this field?
professional development?

What skills and experience are required to

If you could go back in your career and do
fulfil your role and how can they help you Does the company promote from within?
one thing differently, what would it be?
excel?

Can you recommend any professional bodies

How do you prioritise your work load? What is the culture of the company?
that I should be researching or joining?

What other employment opportunities can Are you satisfied with the level of support Are there any other people you think I could
this role lead to? offered by upper management? benefit from talking to?

What management style does this company

What do you enjoy about your job?
operate with?

What qualities and personality traits are Does this company offer work experience,
important for this role? internships or other programs?

Are there many opportunities for graduates?

How do I apply for positions within this

company?

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 AFTER YOUR MEETING

It is imperative that you thank your contact for their time and the valuable information they provided you with. This can be done via email,
letter or card.

You have now made a new networking contact. Keep in contact via short emails on your progress or sharing of useful information.

Below is an example of a thank you email.

To:

Cc:

Subject: Thank you

Dear Mr Jones,

I appreciate you meeting with me yesterday. Your advice was most helpful in clarifying my questions on public relations careers
within the not-for-profit sector.

It was helpful to hear that an entry level position often requires some practical experience in public relations, so I have
contacted the Public Relations Institute of Australia regarding membership and I have decided to approach a local community
organisation to take on a voluntary role as Campaign Team Member for their annual fundraising event.

Again, thank you very much for your help. I sincerely appreciate your time and advice.

Kind regards,
Clara Dean

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