Introduction
Career planning is a process that aspiring or seasoned professionals can use to approach their future with intention. At various stages of your life, you may desire to change your career trajectory. In fact, I’ve coached many experienced professionals who want to completely reinvent their careers after spending years in one profession. As our stages of life change, so can our career needs and ambitions. Career planning is not one-size-fits-all, but I have included a career planning template checklist within this article to help you get started on the path toward your future.
What is Career Planning?
Consider career planning a roadmap for your professional development. It includes self-reflection, such as understanding your values, interests, and skills, as well as learning about relevant career options and how to reach your version of career success. It is meant to help you approach your future from a more holistic viewpoint, rather than focusing on what may be right in front of you. It’s not something you can get through in a day, though you may have a lot of the information already available. The more attention you can devote to this upfront, the better your decision-making can be as you work through the career planning process and any actions that come out of it.
Why is Career Planning Important?
Career planning can help you on your journey to start, change, or advance your career within intention. There are so many pieces of the career planning puzzle, that it would be easy to skip around to what looks interesting in the moment or to what well-meaning friends or family suggest. However, that can leave you feeling aimless, in addition to missing critical information and steps. Also, even if something works at the moment, it may not have long-lasting potential, whereas your career plan is meant to help you see a bit further out. Career planning can help you add order to the chaos, using all of the information you have available to make better decisions.
Using a Career Planning Template
The career planning template below can help you ensure that you are considering the most important elements for your professional future. Use this template to help you stay organized on your journey to identify how you want your future to look.
How to use this career planning template
There are so many aspects of career planning, and depending on your level of experience or where you are in your journey, you may be able to very quickly get past some of the steps. If you already have a solid grasp in some areas, take some time to self-reflect, make some brief notes, and move on to the next, so you can focus your attention where it is most productive.
Within each section, there are a multitude of ways you can explore and achieve what you need to be ready to move on to the next step. As such, this is not an exhaustive list. Feel free to drop me a note if you think I am missing anything that can be helpful to others!
Career Planning Template
1. Self-Assessment: this is all about self-reflection of values, interests, and skills. There are many career assessments you can take to help you here if you are feeling stuck, but I encourage you to write down what comes to mind before looking into any assessments.
Current skills and strengths
Skills I want to develop
My top interests
My top values
Notable past experiences and accomplishments:
2. Goal Setting: this is about identifying what you want to achieve in the near-term and long-term. This can be further defined as you gather more information
Career vision
Short-term career goals and timing for each
- Action plan
- Milestones
Long-term career goals and timing for each
- Action plan
- Milestones
3. Research: this is a key phase that will help you better understand industries and professions of interest. It can include the job market, employers, earning potential, and more. If you are entering the workforce, you may spend a lot of time in this area. If you are familiar with the industries or roles of interest, this research may not take very long.
Industries of interest
- Growth
- Types of companies
- Work environment
- Geographic areas where this industry exists
Professions of interest
- Growth
- Earning potential
- Key skills, interests, and values
- Specific organizations where this profession exists
- Work environment
4. Education and Training: this is where you take time to identify the basic qualifications for target roles. What is typical, and how long will it take to achieve? This is a great gut-check for those who do not want to go back to school, but it can be helpful for anyone in terms of goal-setting and a realistic timeline for achieving those goals.
Required education
Required/common certifications, licensure or training
Where I can achieve the required credentials
How long it will take me to achieve these
What else is commonly required, in addition to education and training
Training needs required to advance
5. Work-Life Balance Needs: before embarking on a new journey, assess areas that will be impacted by your career, such as your personal ambitions and family needs. Assess areas that impact the type of work you consider, such as your financial and lifestyle needs.
Personal needs
Financial needs
Other needs
6. Networking: this sometimes feels daunting, especially if you don’t know many people. However, networking is something that can have huge impacts throughout your career. Before embarking down a path, find someone who has done what you want to do. They can help you understand the good, bad, and ugly, in addition to validating the information you have found. There are a number of ways you can find the right people, including your friends and family, alma mater, events you already go to, social media, and more.
List the type of information or help you are seeking
List the people here who can help you with that information
Your action plan to get in touch with them
Create a list of questions you will ask them specifically
7. Job Searching: if a new role is what you are seeking, you’ll have many considerations to make, even after deciding positions you are targeting.
Documents needed for my job search (might include resume, cover letter, portfolio)
Best methods for job searching, including online and offline
Any specifics regarding interview preparation needed
Elements of your personal brand
Check online presence/social media for privacy and accuracy, where applicable
Salary and benefits needs
8. Continuous Learning: this is key to professional growth, and often required as technology makes rapid changes. There are a multitude of ways to learn, and you’ll find yourself with the ability to use many formats over the course of your career.
How I can stay informed about industry trends and advancements
Learning needs as the labor market changes or as my role evolves
Who can give me feedback
Areas where I want feedback
Specific notes and action items related to any feedback received
9. Career Reflection: this is important to do continually, as your needs and desires will change over time. Checking in can help you make sure you have your career well-being in check, you are working towards goals you want to achieve, and you continue to go down a path meaningful to you.
Professional achievements and impact
Level of satisfaction with profession, job, company, and industry
How well my current career path meets my needs
Assessment of progress and relevance of career goals
Conclusion
Whether you are entering the workforce or planning an exit strategy, career planning is a valuable tool that can help you focus your attention productively. As your career needs grow and change, you can modify your template to include areas you know will benefit you to tend to. Revisiting each area and adjusting as needed can help you achieve optimal career satisfaction.