| Without a plan, life hands us situations that we did | | | | How, What, When, and Why of your skills and |
| not expect and do not want. Your career is no | | | | actions. These assessments will give you a much |
| exception. Many of us chose a profession based | | | | clearer view of who you are and why you do the |
| on some immediate need or casual interest rather | | | | things you do. |
| than a planned series of events. As a result, 10 or | | | | If professional assessments are not possible you |
| more years later we realize that we are in a | | | | need to work through a series of exercises to |
| position that we do not enjoy and does not utilize | | | | help you identify your career path. |
| our natural skills and abilities. | | | | We tend to enjoy those things we do the best. |
| If you find yourself in a career transition or just in | | | | List five work-related activities that you truly |
| need of a job due to the bad economy, it is time | | | | enjoy. You also need to identify those things that |
| to do yourself the favor of planning the next step | | | | may be holding you back from a higher level for |
| in your professional life. Creating this Personal | | | | success. List five things that have prevented you |
| Career Plan is a series of self-evaluations and | | | | from accomplishing something that was important |
| self-assessments that will enable you to find a | | | | to you. The concept here is to leverage those |
| profession that matches your interests, | | | | things that you enjoy and reinforce those things |
| personality, skills and motivators. | | | | that may have held you back. |
| Start by asking yourself some very basic | | | | Describe three events that you found extremely |
| questions about your present or last job: | | | | satisfying in past jobs or other activities. What |
| 1. Did you look forward to Monday morning? | | | | was the common activity in those events? That |
| 2. Did you leave your place of employment | | | | would be one of your key career satisfiers. Some |
| energized or fatigued? | | | | might be: |
| 3. Did you believe you were making a significant | | | | Do you like to work alone or in groups? |
| contribution with your efforts? | | | | Were you leading or following or working by |
| 4. Were you optimistic about your future? | | | | yourself? |
| 5. Did you enjoy the working conditions or | | | | Did you create something tangible or conceptual? |
| environment? | | | | What types of people were involved? |
| If you answered "Yes" to all of them, | | | | What was your environment? Inside or outside? |
| congratulations! You were in a position that fulfilled | | | | Office or factory? |
| your basic material and emotional needs. If you | | | | Were you working with objects and tools or |
| answered "No" to any of them it is time to | | | | people? |
| evaluate the type of position that would be better | | | | Finally, list at least 25 skills and abilities in which you |
| suited for your personality and skills. | | | | excel. Select the top five and list how you have |
| Many people are forced to take any job available | | | | used them in the past. Ask some other people |
| to provide the basic human needs of food, | | | | for their opinion of things you do well. Build a list |
| clothing and shelter. To those individuals in that | | | | of different skills you heard from them. |
| position let me say that I admire your sacrifice | | | | Take a look at the events, activities, |
| for the good of your family! However, once those | | | | environments, and skills listed and look for |
| basic needs are fulfilled it is our emotional needs | | | | common elements. Can you combine these to |
| and happiness that must be addressed. That is | | | | form a type of job or profession that would |
| what this plan is all about. | | | | permit you to answer "Yes" to the basic |
| For management or professional level positions I | | | | questions at the beginning of this exercise? |
| would highly recommend that you invest in a | | | | To conclude this exercise, take all of the |
| series of personal assessments. These will reveal | | | | information collected and describe your perfect |
| personal traits that you may not have been | | | | job! While I believe that professional assessments |
| leveraging in your past employment. The US | | | | are by far the best and most accurate method |
| Department of Labor recommends that multiple | | | | to employ, this personal exercise will greatly |
| assessments be used for a more complete | | | | improve your chances of selecting a job that you |
| evaluation of your abilities. I recommend | | | | will enjoy. Years from now you will be very |
| Behavioral analysis (DISC Profile), Function and | | | | pleased you invested the time to build a Personal |
| Type analysis (Myers-Briggs), Values based | | | | Career Plan - you will be leading a much more |
| assessments (Priorities), and axiological | | | | satisfying and fulfilled work life. |
| assessments (Hartman Value Profile) to get the | | | | |