Every person starts their careers once they set foot in school. Even before start of school children are usually asked to narrate what they want to be in future. Many usually give fascinating replies to this inquiries based on what they see or hear elders discuss around them. “I want to be a doctor.” “I want to be a nurse.” “I want to be a teacher…” The list is endless.

When people state what they want to be after school they are speaking about their careers.

So what’s a career?
A career is a lifelong journey. It involves building and developing your skills, knowledge, and experiences. These are gained in a chosen profession or in related professions.

A career includes all the paid and unpaid positions. It involves education and training. Personal development also contributes to the professional identity and growth of a person.

A career spans many years. It involves different jobs, promotions, changes in roles, and continuous learning.

A career shows progress over time. It involves gaining responsibility, earning promotions, or shifting into more specialized or leadership roles.

A career aligns with one’s interests, values, talents, and goals. It provides both personal satisfaction and financial stability.
A career is usually planned and purposeful. It is guided by a person’s ambitions and aspirations.

Career Planning
Careers are actualized through career planning.

A career plan is a structured roadmap. It outlines one’s professional goals. It also details the steps they intend to take to achieve them.

Career planning involves:

• Setting career goals. Set both short-term and long-term objectives.
• Skills and education. Find out what you need to learn or improve to reach your goals.
• Pinpoint action steps. These are the specific things you’ll do to reach the goal like applying for jobs, taking a course or networking.
• Setting timeline to give timeframe for achieving each step.
• Find backup options. These are backup paths you will take if things don’t go as planned.

Steps for effective career planning
Effective career planning should follow these steps.

Do a Self-assessment.
Self-assessment helps one to understand strengths, interests, values, personality, and skills.

These questions will help you understand your strengths:

• What am I good at?
• What do I enjoy doing?
• What matters most to me in a job? Is it stability, creativity, or money?

Explore available career options
Undertake research to understand different careers based on your self-assessment.
Put these considerations into perspective:

• Job roles, industries, and future trends
• Required qualifications and skills
• Work environment and salary range

Set clear career goals
The goals should be definite and include:

• Short-term goals (1–3 years). Consider completing a course, or get an internship
• Long-term goals (5–10+ years). Do you wish to become a department head or start a business

Develop a career strategy
These involves planning how to reach your goals by:

• Gaining necessary education or certifications
• Building experience through work, volunteering, or internships
• Expanding networks through mentors and professionals

Take action
You should start executing your plan. How?

• Apply for relevant roles
• Join professional associations
• Update your CV
• Be on social media e.g. LinkedIn

Review and adjust your plan regularly
Periodically assess your progress and goals. Adjust the plan based on:

• Changes in your interests or the job market
• Feedback and experiences
  Pursuing your career growth need not be a frustrating activity. With a good plan and good execution you will enjoy your career growth.

Can you take the first step? Does this approach lead you into developing a career plan? Or what do you think?
Let’s engage