Your career plan will provide you with tools and information to help you explore your career options, build experience, prepare for your future career, and find a job—whether it's your first job after graduation or a part-time or summer job for right now.
Recommended Sequence
You'll notice there's no beginning or end to the My Career Plan diagram; that's because your needs, skills, interests, and circumstances are constantly changing- different areas will be more important to you at different times in your life. However, the following sequence is the one we recommend at the Career Centre for students looking to create their career and find a rewarding job in their field after graduation—even if they don't yet know what that career or field is! We recommend working through My Career Plan in this order to help you move forward in a logical way as you embark on your career exploration and job search.
Learning About Myself
There are a number of key aspects of yourself that you should be able to identify and articulate clearly before starting your career exploration, including your skills, abilities, experiences, likes and dislikes, beliefs, desires and accomplishments. The knowledge you gain in this part of your career plan forms the foundation of your career exploration which is why we recommend this as the first step.
Learn more about self assessment
Exploring My Options
This step in your career plan involves finding out more about potential careers. Once you've taken the time to really understand who you are and what you want in your career, you need to do some research into fields and occupations you think might be a good fit for you. You may even consider applying to graduate school or a post-degree professional program to gain more specialized knowledge in your field of interest.
Explore your career and further education options
Looking for Opportunities
Looking for opportunities in your career plan is next because the most successful job searches are targeted job searches…and you can't target your job search if you don't know who you are or what you're looking for. At this step, you may need to build skills and experience in the world of work or in your field of choice, or you may need to connect with employers in your field. You'll need to put together a strong resumé and cover letter and work on your interview skills so that you can be successful in articulating what makes you a great candidate for the job you want.
Learn more about conducting a successful job search
On the Job Success
Looking at the connections you already have, thinking about ways you can connect with others in the future, and developing the skills to use your connections in mutually beneficial ways is the first step in your career plan. Creating great first impressions and communicating assertively at work can increase your chances of workplace success.
Understand how connecting and communicating with others on the job relates to your career
