Career Decision
Making Guide Career
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The
three step process in the career decision planning requires that
you first make an informed career decision.
Career
decision making is a dynamic and ongoing process where your knowledge
of self, your values, interests, temperament, financial needs, physical
work requirements or limitations, etc., the effects of past experiences,
new information, and changes in your life situation and environment
all intertwine. It
requires constant review of decisions already made and consideration
of decisions yet to be made. Good
career decision making requires you to engage in a process that
requires you to:
1.
examine and recognize personal values
2.
identify, gather, and use relevant information.
3.
understand and use an effective strategy for converting information
into action.
Each
career decision is limited by what you are capable of now or in
the future, by your ability to identify alternatives, and by what
you are willing to do. Skillful
career decision making requires you to be focused, flexible and
open to new learning. The
following guidelines and questions to keep in mind to help you with
decision making. 1.
Define the problem. State the real problem, not the surface problem.
State the problem in specific terms, as a question. 2.
State the goal clearly. What outcome do you want from this decision?
3.
List the initial alternative solutions. Which are the safe ones?
Which require risk? What are the outcomes of each solution? 4.
Collect information and expand the list of alternatives. What kind
of information do need? Where can you obtain it? Is it relevant
to the problem? list additional solutions or options. 5.
Compare several alternatives with what you know about yourself,
your values, your commitments to others, your resources, and your
constraints. 6.
Take action on your choice. How can you implement your choice? What
action can you take now? What action can you take later? 7.
Review your choice periodically. 8.
Take a new decision based on new situations. SUMMARY
OF CAREER DECISION MAKING STEPS
- Define
the problem
- State
the goal clearly
- List
the initial alternative solutions
- Collect
information and expand the list of alternatives
- Compare
several alternatives
- Choose
one alternative
- Take
action on your choice
- Review
- Make
a new decision
Probably
the most beneficial outcome of learning effective career decision
making skills is that it gives you a feeling of control over what
you can do. Careful
planning decision making will help you make informed, responsible,
and wise choices that will lead to greater career satisfaction.
SUMMARY
OF A GOOD CAREER DECISION MAKER
- EXAMINES
PERSONAL VALUES
- GATHERS
AND USES INFORMATION
- CONVERTS
INFORMATION INTO
ACTION
Once
you have made a career decision and a choice of an occupation, then
develop an Action Plan. An
action plan begins with the identification of short-term and long-term
goals. Before you set short-term and long-term career goals, you
should have taken informal or formal assessments. Using
the results from these assessments, as well as labor market information,
identify careers that will match your abilities, interests, values,
personality, development stage, financial needs, transportation
and family needs. An
effective career decision plan broadens your horizons and make the
achievement of your dreams far more likely. An effective career
plan requires you to set both long-term and short-term goals and
they are equally important. Long-term
goals give you a more clear idea of the things to accomplish in
the long run as they are usually big and central to your life. The
steps taken to reach long-term goals are short-term goals. Short
term goals are achievable within a relatively short period of time
(six months to a year). Short-term goals may also be accomplished
daily or attained within a month. For
example, your short term goal may be taking a minimum wage job while
simultaneously pursuing post secondary education in preparation
for a career, or your short-term goal might be taking several part-time
jobs until you find a stable full-time job. A long
term goal takes much more time to reach. For example, if your long-term
goal is to become a doctor, then you need to set aside eight years
out of your life to pursue a medical career. Credit:
http://www.careernet.state.md.us
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