{"id":9686,"date":"2024-06-24T13:46:48","date_gmt":"2024-06-24T01:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/?p=9686"},"modified":"2024-06-24T13:46:48","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T01:46:48","slug":"supercharge-your-future-with-a-career-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/supercharge-your-future-with-a-career-plan\/","title":{"rendered":"Supercharge Your Future With a Career Plan!"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

At one point or another, you\u2019ve likely been asked to describe \u201cwhere you see yourself in five years.\u201d For those without a clear plan, this line of questioning can inspire a little bit of panic, but looking ahead really doesn\u2019t have to be scary. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By putting a detailed career plan into action, you\u2019re taking charge of your own destiny (a little cliched, but it\u2019s true)! If you\u2019re after a way to turn your ambition into measurable success, this is the way to do it.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help you take the first steps, Explore Careers has created the ultimate career planning guide. So, read on, start goal setting, and see how far your career plan can take you!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Career Plan Definition<\/span>:\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Career plans<\/span> are incredibly useful when it comes to future planning. Not only do they help you outline your career goals, but they also include all the steps necessary to get you to where you want to go!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In short, <\/span>career plans<\/span> are often defined as personal roadmaps for both personal growth <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> professional life. They draw upon your strengths, weaknesses, and ambitions to help you land the career of your dreams. This is particularly helpful for students who want to start planning their futures (we\u2019re looking at you, years 12 and 13!).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How to Make a <\/span>Career Plan<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even when you have the definition of a <\/span>career plan<\/span> down pat, it can still be a little tricky to know where to start; that\u2019s why we\u2019ve put together a series of steps and questions to kickstart your career planning process!\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you have all of these answered, you\u2019ll have the essential elements of your <\/span>career plan<\/span> sorted.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step One: Know Yourself<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

When planning your future, it\u2019s crucial to know yourself, your strengths, and your weaknesses in order to pick your perfect role. So, answering these questions first will set the foundations for a great <\/span>career plan<\/span>!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What are your strengths?<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. What are you most skilled at?<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. What are your interests?<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. What are your key principles and values?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. What do you consider your weaknesses?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  6. What kind of tasks do you <\/span>really <\/span><\/i>dislike?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Answering all of the questions in this section will help you figure out your aptitude for different industries and, subsequently, nail down your dream job! If you\u2019re still feeling a little unsure,<\/span>\u00a0head straight over to our very own <\/span>career quiz<\/span><\/a> today!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"Male<\/p>\n

    Step Two: Know Your Preferred Industry<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    Once you have your dream job (or industry) locked down, it\u2019s time to brainstorm on how you\u2019re going to infiltrate it. Use the following questions to form your <\/span>career plan<\/span> of attack:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. What skills relate to my chosen field?<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. What level of education do professionals in this industry need to complete?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. What entry-level positions can lead to my ultimate dream role?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. Do any companies offer pathways to this role?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. How competitive is this industry?\u00a0<\/span>How can I set myself apart from other applicants?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Thoroughly researching your dream career is crucial; without these answers, completing step three would be near impossible.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"Student<\/p>\n

      Step Three: Set Your Goals<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

      After you\u2019ve done all of the theoretical work, it\u2019s time to put your <\/span>career plan<\/span> into action! Set the following goals to get your career journey on the right track:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. 3-6 Month Goal<\/strong><\/li>\n
      2. 6-12 Month Goal<\/strong><\/li>\n
      3. 2+ Year Goal\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        When forming your actionable goals, you\u2019ll want two short-term goals and one long-term goal. This way, you\u2019ll be set up for sustained, result driven progress that should land you your dream role!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        For example:<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        1. 3-6 Month Goal: Decide what apprenticeship certification I want to do.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
        2. 6-12 Month Goal: Speak with my career advisor and find an employer for my apprenticeship before the end of the year.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n
        3. 2+ Year Goal: Complete my apprenticeship and achieve my certification!<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          \"SMART<\/p>\n

          Another top tip for goal setting is to use SMART Goals. For those unfamiliar with this term, SMART stands for:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          S<\/span><\/b>pecific \u2013 Get down to the nitty-gritty and be clear when identifying your goal.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          M<\/span><\/b>easurable \u2013 Define how you\u2019ll be measuring your accomplishments and success.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          A<\/span><\/b>ttainable \u2013 Goals should be doable; try not to pick something you have a super slim chance of achieving.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          R<\/span><\/b>elevant \u2013 Make sure the goals are relevant to attaining your dream career.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          T<\/span><\/b>ime Bound \u2013 Commit to a specific time frame. Don\u2019t let it drag out!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          Career Plans: Frequently Asked Questions<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

          1. Why are Career Plans Important?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

          Career plans<\/span> can help you decide which classes, extracurricular activities, work experience, internships and education pathways to pursue in order to land your dream job. Instead of leaving things to chance, <\/span>career plans<\/span> set out a distinct plan for your future!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          2. When Should I Start Making a Career Plan<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

          According to our <\/span>trustworthy sources<\/span><\/a>, the best time to start planning your career is now! The sooner you put your plan into action, the sooner you\u2019ll be able to infiltrate your dream industry. So, what are you waiting for? Start making your <\/span>career plan<\/span> today!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          3. Career Plan vs. Career Objectives: What\u2019s the Difference?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

          A career goal is usually an achievable, long-term outcome that takes a considerable amount of work, whereas career objectives are specific and measurable steps taken to achieve the broader goal. Thus, You have to tick off a few objectives to reach your career goal.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

          \"student<\/p>\n

          Common <\/span>Career Plan<\/span> Mistakes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

          If you formulate your <\/span>career plan<\/span> correctly, you\u2019ll only need to do it once, and you\u2019ll likely see some great results! However, we\u2019ve put together a list of a few common mistakes you\u2019ll want to avoid to make sure you start out on the right track!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

            \n
          • Aiming for vague or unrealistic goals<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
              \n
            • Neglecting your long-term career aspirations by focusing on now<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                \n
              • Rushing the process and skipping crucial steps<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                  \n
                • Ignoring industry changes and challenges<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
                    \n
                  • Attempting to go it alone (without the support of others)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    Go Ahead and Get Planning!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

                    With all of the info we\u2019ve packed into this article, it\u2019s safe to assume that you\u2019re now a <\/span>career planning<\/span> pro, and ready to get started. So, don\u2019t put it off; there\u2019s no better time to create your <\/span>career plan<\/span> than right now!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                    Reading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span> At one point or another, you\u2019ve likely been asked to describe \u201cwhere you see yourself in five years.\u201d For those […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":9688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[24],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9686"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9686"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9686\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9694,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9686\/revisions\/9694"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9686"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9686"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/explorecareers.co.nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9686"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}