When you hear the term “career planning,” what do you think about?
Most of us tend to think about young, fresh-faced 18 year olds selecting majors and degree programs or figuring out internships on the way to college graduation. However, career planning is not about picking a program of study, and it does not end once a student completes his or her degree. Our society tends to gravitate toward this cookie-cutter scenario, when, in fact, career and skills assessment is a lifelong endeavor.
Planning your career, or choosing a new one, can be a job all its own. You know you need to develop a career plan, but where do you begin, and how do you implement it? These basics will help you assess your options and identify what you can offer a in new, fulfilling dream job. Here's how to plan for any career transition and increase your chances of success.
Very few lucky people are able to determine exactly what they want to do career-wise before graduating high school. For most adult students, career endeavors are anything but cookie-cutter. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2021 that Americans born between 1957-1964 held, on average, 12.4 different jobs from the ages of 18 to 54. Nearly half of these jobs were held from ages 18 to 24. That number is only expected to grow with future generations.
Finding our “calling” at any age can be a long, winding road full of trials and errors. Some have spent years in an industry or field that leaves them unfulfilled, only to be unhappy in a job that merely satisfies their family obligations, or they lack the confidence to explore other options. Others find themselves on the losing end of an economic downturn and experience career hardships due to layoffs, personal challenges or lack of training. And, then, there are those who only discover that dream job after being fully immersed in the work.
Some of us may not have found that calling yet, and that is ok. In this, adult students are unique. They experience diverse careers and a wide range of educational backgrounds due to any number of circumstances. Whatever the reason, a career change is the goal, but the means may seem near impossible.
If you’re looking to break into a new career, you need to assess what educational credentials are required for the specific position you’re seeking. The best way to do that is to view job descriptions on job sites like Indeed or Career Builder. Some job postings will list specific degrees that are desired. Others will just list the education level needed, whether associate, bachelor’s, master’s or some other advanced degree.
As an academic advisor, my goal is to help you create an educational plan that matches your career pursuits. Even if you’re embarking on something new, that doesn’t mean that your past efforts were in vain. Whether you are looking for the quickest route to a bachelor’s degree or you’ve decided to follow a new career path, an academic advisor can show you how your previously earned credits and credentials would apply to various degree programs. Then, we will help you develop a plan to complete a degree that meets your career goals within a time frame that is comfortable for you.
As an adult, you most likely have already developed a wide professional and personal network, whether through your work, hobbies, community activities or relationships. Use that network to connect with people who are in the field in which you are interested. When you speak with someone in your desired career, you’ll probably learn more than what you can find online about daily responsibilities, work environment, typical work hours and growth potential, and that intimate knowledge can be invaluable to your career decisions.
We’ve all heard of hard and soft skills when it comes to developing your resume. Hard skills are those unique to a specific occupation. For example, an aviation mechanic possesses specific skills that are very different from that of an accountant. Soft skills pertain to attributes and personality traits. Communication skills, flexibility, work ethic and persistence are just a few soft skills.
Assess your skills and determine what is considered transferrable; the hard and soft skills that pertain to many careers. Identifying your transferrable skills is a great starting point to develop a comprehensive plan that will allow you to successfully transition into a new career. Do this by asking yourself the following questions:
No successful career change or transition can be done without a solid foundation of research and planning. Below are some suggestions for additional resources that can help you assess what careers may fit your personality as well as career-specific data and trends.