| Career planning involves planning your career path | | | | accountng. However, they could not make the score |
| ahead and determining in advance the career | | | | for the accounting department during their |
| development things you need to do to get to your | | | | pre-university days. Some of them eventually went for |
| desired career destination. | | | | courses like economics, sociology, statistics, and similar |
| The first step to effective career planning is to ask | | | | social science courses. |
| yourself what you want to be in life. What career do | | | | What happened after leaving school? |
| you want to pursue? | | | | A good number of them went back to register with |
| Want to be a medical doctor, pharmacist, engineer, or | | | | the professinal accounting body and now have |
| lawyer? | | | | professional certificate in accounting. In simple words . . |
| Career development along these professional | | | | .they are now chartered accountants. |
| disciplines is often straightforward. For example if your | | | | Bottom line. |
| intended career path is to become a lawyer, you | | | | The course you studied in the teenage years in school |
| know you have to have a bachelors degree in law | | | | need not hold you captive for the rest of your life if |
| and therafter attend law school. | | | | you have lost passion for it. |
| However, career planning and career development go | | | | I recommend you get involved with a profession you |
| way beyond what you studied in school or the | | | | love. If you missed your way when you were young, |
| discipline where you majored during your university | | | | you can always retrace your professional steps no |
| years. Career planning is way bigger than that. | | | | matter where you are currently or how old you are. |
| Career development when properly planned involves | | | | Now with that background, let's get back to the real |
| taking your destiny in your own hands, deciding what | | | | question. |
| makes you happy, and then structuring all your training | | | | What career planning strategy can you use to plan |
| and career efforts in the direction of your chosen | | | | your career path? What practical career development |
| career path. | | | | strategy can you put to use right now? |
| For example, suppose you have a bachelors degree in | | | | Do the following to move your career in the direction |
| economics and now have a job. Ask yourself, "Why | | | | you want. |
| did I study economics?" | | | | 1. Determine where you are right now in your career |
| Generally, there are one of three reasons why people | | | | 2. Determine and document where you want to be |
| study a particular discipline in college or university. | | | | 3. Draw an outline of the skills you need to get there |
| 1. They may be very passonate about the course or | | | | 4. Kick-start the process of acquiring skills you need |
| 2. They may have studied the course because that is | | | | that you don't already have |
| what mom and dad wanted or | | | | 5. Discuss your career plan with your wife and then |
| 3. They may have studied the course because they | | | | your boss |
| could not get admission to study their preferred course | | | | 6. Ask to be given assignments that move you more |
| The good news is . . . you can shape or re-shape your | | | | and more in the direction of your career |
| career path irrespective of the reasons that led you to | | | | 7. Get involved in community work (where possible) |
| your current profession. | | | | that offers you an opportunity to function in the position |
| For example, some category 1 people . . . people who | | | | you expect to be |
| were passionate about their profession as teenagers . | | | | 8. Let nothing stop you from making that noble career |
| . . may lose their passion for the profession as they | | | | a reality |
| grow older and face the reality of day-to-day life. This | | | | Where do you see yourself in 10-15 years? |
| loss of passion may also result from the pressures | | | | That question should help you appreciate what career |
| from family demands and the peculiar challenges | | | | development plans you need to put in place to achieve |
| associated with the profession in practice. | | | | your dream. |
| Category 2 professionals, mentioned above, are likely | | | | If you have not taken career planning seriously before |
| to go after their heart's first love when they are no | | | | now, now is the time to start. |
| longer under the control of mom and dad. | | | | Planning ahead for a blissful and eventful career is the |
| Category 3 professionals are also likely to go after | | | | key to a happy life. It gives you a future to dream |
| their first love after their first degree. | | | | about and pursue . . . a purpose to work and live for. |
| For example, I know people who are passionate about | | | | Here's a toast to your career success. |