Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution's Six Sigma Online offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.
The average worker changes their career many times during their lives, so it is never too late to start planning.
Career planning is not a difficult task; you don't have to avoid it or put it off, rather you should seek to understand it. Planning your career should always be a positive experience.
Here are some successful career planning tips:
-Career planning as a regular event- In a year, many of us have regular appointments such as a visit to an eye doctor or a dentist. Similarly, you should do career planning regularly. Take some time off from your regular routine and plan out your career. Sit in a silent place and block out all distractions so that you can concentrate. By making career planning a routine event, you will feel secure about your career choice and growth. You will be prepared to tackle any adverse situation that may surface.
-Career planning from your last career plan- While planning your career, don't forget to start from your last career plan and spend some time jotting down your career reviews. If your career growth has lots of ups and downs, sit and analyze and plan ahead. Past mistakes can guide you towards a better future. If you are content with your career growth, then continue along the path or find a significant way to grow further.
-Don't neglect your likes and dislikes- While planning your career, don't forget about your likes and dislikes, since your likes two years ago may have changed. Take time to reflect on the new developments in your personal life, not just on the job front.
Make two separate rows of likes and dislikes, and then use this list to analyze your current job path. If you feel your current job falls under the like column, then you can consider yourself lucky as you are on the right path. If it falls into the dislike category, then you need to examine your career and your available options. Career planning also gives you time to think about your hobbies and pastimes. It may sound bizarre, but sometimes these passions and hobbies give you insight into what you like doing on the job.
-Jot down your past activities- Generally, people don't keep track of their accomplishments. Some past achievements can be included in your resume and can be useful while planning your career. Sometimes reviewing your past achievements can reveal successes that can help you plan your career.
-Look for transferable skills- Search beyond the regular options for new career openings. If you focus, you may find good career growth opportunities in that area. You might have some skills that can be applied to various jobs.
If you keep these tips in mind, career planning will be less of a chore and more rewarding.
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Career Jobs
- Career Job Opportunity, How to Get It?
- The In-demand Career Jobs in US
- Career Transition Coach Or Bio Career Job? Tips To Identify Best Option
- Match Your Career Job Profile With Your Area of Interest
- Career Jobs and Employment
- How to Prepare for Post Military Career Job Interview
- Available Careers: Jobs in Philippine Call Centers




Pharmaceutical Sales Careers Advantage Over Careers in Medicine
By: Nezrul Hisyam Abdul Ghani | 09/11/2009Advantages can come in many forms. Looking at careers in pharmaceutical sales and careers in medicine, the thing I see personally that put them under the same umbrella is healthcare. Both careers affect healthcare, directly or indirectly. But the things that put them at different end of the line can...
Plan for your Career
By: Christine Kerr | 09/11/2009What I know about Career Planning
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone - Why are job seekers are afraid to change?
By: Phil Rosenberg | 09/11/2009How can candidates break free from the vicious cycle of fear of change?
Whos Hiring – Top Employers week of 11-2-09
By: Phil Rosenberg | 08/11/2009Who's Hiring is a weekly survey of companies showing the highest hiring activity for the week of 11/2/09.
Attending Job Fairs at the Executive Level
By: Heather Eagar | 08/11/2009At the beginning of your career, you probably attended a job fair or two, but you may have ignored job fairs since your career became more established. Now that you're between jobs, a career fair has presented itself. As an executive, you're now considering attending some type of career fair. So...
Increasing Demand For Internal Medicine Jobs
By: Adriana Noton | 08/11/2009In today's job market, it is important to seek out high-demand professions in order to secure one's future. Even within a mostly stable profession such as the medical one, it is important to have a good idea about which specialty is most likely to remain in high demand. Specialties that...
Considering Travel Nursing as a Career? Jump in! The Water’s Warm!
By: Suzanne Magee, RN | 08/11/2009Travel Nursing isn't for everyone, but it just might be exactly what your career and your life needed.
Work From Home Online Opportunity - The Time is Now!
By: Thomas Baker | 08/11/2009Are you going to sit around and hesitate? Or will you take advantage of the best work from home online opportunity available right now? I thought so!
Lean: Six Steps With Review Points
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | ManagementLean Six Sigma is a philosophy that aims at the improvement in value provision to the customer, improvement in process flows and elimination of waste. Lean deals with waste by shortening the time gap between the order and the shipment. The organization is based on six steps for continuous improvement. These steps are value, value stream, flow, pull, perfection and replication.
How to Research Your Career before Deciding on a Suitable One
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | CareersYou may need to conduct some research for selecting a career at different times during your life and for different reasons. It may be required when you need to pursue a career for the first time or when you are considering a career change.
Hoshin Planning: Making the Strategic Plan Work
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | ManagementIn the current business scenario, organizations strive towards exceeding the customer's expectations and achieving a competitive edge over rivals. This comes as an outcome of the long term planning, an achievable vision towards the goal and continuous improvement in the processes.
Career Moves For Older People
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | CareersPeople make career moves for various reasons and under various circumstances in their lives. When older people change their jobs of their own free-will, it is a pleasant experience for them; but when the circumstances of life force them to look for a new job, it may be a very painful experience.
How To Raise The Stakes To Get That Raise
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | CareersMany people don't know how to ask for a raise. The fact that you need more money to support your lifestyle is not reason enough.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Making a Lateral Career Move
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | CareersConsciously or unconsciously, many of us wonder whether we have already found our dream job or have just settled for something in the absence of anything better. It is pretty much like a teen with the first flash of youthfulness looking for his or her soul mate.
How To Handle The First Month Of Your New Job
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | CareersWhile we all eagerly look forward to a fresh start in a new job, most of us are unwilling to find out how to conduct ourselves appropriately in a new workplace. It is not just about putting on a broad smile all the time or keeping our bosses in a good humor.
Cutting-Edge Methods Help Target Call Center Waste
By: Tony Jacowski | 30/09/2008 | ManagementThere are different activities undertaken in call centers; planning, call routing, after-call operations, research operations on unresolved calls, reporting and staff scheduling. The most important function is the handling of calls, inbound as well as outbound. This function is repeated a number of times throughout the day and needs lots of improvement.