Taking It Step-By-Step
What is Career Planning?
Career planning is a lifelong process, which includes choosing an occupation,
getting a job, growing in our job, possibly changing careers, and eventually
retiring. This Career Planning Site offers coverage of all these areas. This
article will focus on career choice and the process one goes through in
selecting an occupation. This may happen once in our lifetimes, but it is more
likely to happen several times as we first define and then redefine ourselves
and our goals.
Career Planning: A Four Step Process
The career planning process is comprised of four steps (see below). One might seek the
services of a Guidance Counsellor to help facilitate this process.
Whether or not you choose to work with a professional, or work through the
process on your own is less important than the amount of thought and energy you
put into choosing a career.
For assistance in making career
decisions or even choosing high
school courses, please do not hesitate to make an appointment. These are very
important decisions and together we can make the right ones for you!
Remember, I am always available to answer any questions you may have. I
can be reached by phone at 876-2026 ext. 3 or email.
You can also make an appointment to meet with me directly, through your
homeroom teacher, the office, or you can slip a note under my door!
Tanya Ellsworth, Guidance Counsellor
Self
Gather information about yourself (self-assessment)
- Interests
- Values
- Roles
- Skills/Aptitudes
- Preferred Environments
- Developmental Needs
- Your realities
Options
- Explore the occupations in which you are interested
- Research the industries in which you would like to work
- Research the labor market
Get more specific information after you narrow down your options by:
- Job shadowing
- Part time work, internships or volunteer opportunities
- Written materials
- Informational interviews (see Career Exploration Project below)
Match
During this phase of the process, you will:
- Identify possible occupations
- Evaluate these occupations
- Explore alternatives
- Choose both a short term and a long term option
Action
You will develop the steps you need to take in order to reach your goal, for example:
- Investigating sources of additional training and education, if needed
- Develop a job search strategy
- Writing your resume
- Gathering company information
- Composing cover letters
- Preparing for job interviews
Links
- Career Cruising: Students and parents are encouraged to take advantage
of the Career Cruising Program which assists students in discovering future
careers that may be of interest to them, along with a wealth of information
on the specific occupation. The web site is:
www.careercrusing.com
(Username: fivebridges Password: firebirds Click on : Start Career Cruising)
- Career Options Nova
Scotia: "Career Options supports people in finding meaningful employment
or seeking information on labour market dynamics across the province.
You can search for information on wages, training paths, job prospects, and
employers for over 300 occupational groups by using the QUICK CAREER SEARCH
function on the left of this page or by going to Search Job Profiles. You
can also access information about career planning, post-secondary education
and training options, Nova Scotia's labour market, looking for work and
workplace resources for employers and employees.
Some of the other features on Career Options include CORI, our interactive
guide to career opportunities and related information, Career Quizzes,
printable versions of Career Guides for Adults, Students, and Parents, and
the 2008-10 Career Options Handbook in the Publications section.
2009-2010 High Opportunity Career Options is a new publication focusing on
the occupations with the best opportunities in the Career Options
Occupational Handbook."
