The average Baby Boomer had more than 12 jobs over their lifetime, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.¹ So far, Millennials seem even more willing to change employers.² Chances are the job you have today will be one of many.
Career planning can provide a roadmap for your future job changes. This can help you make informed choices about your current situation and the steps you’ll need to take to reach the next level. A broader career plan can also help you stay inspired in the face of employment challenges.
If you’re wondering why career planning is important and how to begin, here’s what to know.
What is career planning?
Career planning is about more than finding your next job. It lays out the ideal path for your lifetime of work spread over years and even decades.
While a job is the work you’re doing right now, a career covers all the jobs throughout your lifetime. With a career plan, you aren’t simply taking on whatever is available. Instead, you aim to use each position to build up your skills, earnings, and abilities so you continue doing better over time.
What does career planning involve?
When career planning, consider your interests, skills, educational background, personality, and job goals. This includes the salary, work-life balance, location, and retirement benefits, such as a 401(k). You should also consider your weaknesses as a candidate and areas you could improve for the future. From there, you lay out the steps to help you achieve your ideal career.
As you develop a career plan, you think through both your short-term and long-term goals through questions like:
- What types of jobs are you qualified for now?
- What jobs would you like in the future, and what do you need to reach them?
- Do you need additional education and training for your ideal career?
- What other work could you do if your current career runs into problems?
Career planning isn’t something you do once. Instead, it should be something you keep an eye on and adjust throughout your entire lifetime as you keep pushing to get more out of your work.
6 steps of the career-planning process
Now that you understand how career planning works, you can follow these steps to develop your own career management plan.
1. Complete a self-evaluation
To identify the right career, you need to understand yourself first. What are your interests and desires for your work? What are your strengths and weaknesses as a job candidate? Some of the factors to consider include:
- Values: Besides salary, what do you hope to achieve with your career? Do you want your work to contribute positively to society? Does prestige matter? What kind of work-life balance are you looking for?
- Personality: Different jobs suit different personalities. Are you an extrovert who likes dealing with people or an introvert who prefers working alone? Are you an analytic who enjoys working with numbers or more of a creative type? Personality tests, like Myers-Briggs, can help you identify your personality and possible careers that fit.
- Interests and skills: What do you find most interesting, both with your studies and hobbies as well as past jobs? What have you studied in the past? Are you interested in taking further courses or degrees?
Asking yourself these questions can help you identify possible career opportunities based on what you could do and what you find most engaging.
2. Research your possible career path
List a few roles and industries you might find interesting based on your self-assessment. Then, start researching everything you can about those fields. What are the hours, the average salaries, and the education requirements? How long does it take to get promoted, and what are more senior roles like for compensation and responsibilities?
The BLS has a Career Exploration Page that can help you find this information. Organizations like CareerOneStop, O*NET OnLine, and the College Board also have career exploration resources.
Do you know anyone in these fields who could explain what the job is like? You could also cold emailing people on LinkedIn to see if they’d be willing to give career advice.
3. Take a career test drive
Before committing long-term to a field, test whether the job is a good fit. Try to get an internship in your target field while in school.
If you’re working and considering a career change, see if you could find part-time work or even temporarily volunteer. If you know someone in the industry, ask whether you could shadow them for a week to see their day-to-day.
That test drive can let you know whether you’re on the right track or if the role is not what you expected.
4. Find your first opportunity
Once you’ve found what seems like an ideal career path, you’ll need to get your first job. Check what kind of entry-level positions are available in your area.
Or, if you’ve already been working, what roles might match your experience level? Think of the skillset you’ve developed in past work and what other industries could put them to good use. For example, a journalist could potentially use their research, writing, and interview skills for a job in marketing or public relations.
You may also want to identify jobs for your second or third career choices if you can’t get a position at your top option. This extra career preparation means you’ll be ready for adversity.
5. Apply for your next job
Begin applying to the roles you think make sense for your career plan. You’ll need to send out your resume and cover letter. Reach out to people you know in the industry to help you get a foot in the door for your applications.
You could explain why the job fits your long-term career plan as part of your cover letter and during interviews. That could impress recruiters who see you’re looking for more than a paycheck.
6. Continue refining over time
Your next job is just one step in your long-term career plan. After getting your first role, consider whether you enjoy the work and how it fits your values. Continue refining your skills and reviewing your plan to ensure you stay on track and keep making progress toward your goals. Keep your long-term plan in mind for where you’d like to end up by the time you retire.
Review your career plan annually and update it for any changes based on the past year of work experience.
Benefits of career planning
Career management and planning do take work, and that’s on top of your job requirements. However, this investment can lead to substantial rewards over your lifetime.
- Higher job satisfaction: A big part of your career plan is finding what you like to do and what fits your personality well. That’s key to job satisfaction. When you go to work every day, you can feel better that you aren’t just punching a clock but working towards something that matches your values and interests.
- Clearer goals: Around 36% of workers report that their current role does not align with their long-term goals.³ With a career plan, you can feel more confident about what you want to accomplish which helps you find work that does just that. Your career preparation can also help you determine what’s needed to advance. How many more years have you been working for a promotion? What’s the next stepping stone in your career? Do you need additional degrees or training?
- More effective job searches: A career plan can help you navigate the sea of job postings out there. You can better identify what fits your personality and your goals. By laying out your plan to hiring managers, you can also express how you would be a valuable asset to the company. Part of your career plan is also to identify backup roles so you can more easily adjust to economic changes, like downsizing in your first industry.
- Retirement planning: Retirement might seem like a lifetime away, especially if you’re just starting your career. But it comes up quickly. By laying out your career plan, you can also start envisioning when you want to stop working and how much money you’ll need to retire. By setting these retirement goals now, you can increase your chances of saving and reaching them.
Starting your career plan
It is never too late to develop a career plan. Whether you are a student still in school or someone who has been in the workforce for decades, you could still benefit by laying out what you want to get out of work and your ideal future goals.
An effective career plan can also complement your overall financial plan. By setting goals for the different parts of your life, you can feel more confident about reaching them. If you’d like to dive deeper, check out how to make a financial plan.
FAQs
Can I change my career path?
Yes, you can change your career path. Continue learning about your interests and developing new skills and abilities. Your past experience could transfer over to a new industry, so you won’t have to start your career over right from the beginning. While changing your path will take effort, it is possible.
What are common career planning issues?
Common career planning issues include uncertainty about what you want to do, a lack of awareness of your skills and abilities, and not having enough information on different career paths. People could also feel pressured by others to choose a certain career, like from parents.
Knowledge is power when it comes to career planning. Take time to get to know yourself and your different career opportunities. That way, you can develop a proper career plan and even show others why it makes the most sense.
Who can help with your career plan?
If you are still studying, contact a counselor at your school’s career services office. State employment offices also offer these services for workers and students. Your social circle is another possible resource. Reach out to people you know with interesting careers for ideas.
If you are working, you can ask your manager for advice about how to rise in your organization. You can also utilize online career planning resources, including quizzes, to help you figure out your skills, interests, and personality.