Career Planning

What is a Career Plan and why is it important?

Career planning is important because rapid technological advancement, fluctuations in world economics, and many other factors have eliminated the job security enjoyed by previous generations. Job security is no longer a function of working for a “good company". Today, job security is a function of maintaining and developing the skills and experience required by industry and applying those talents when and where needed. A Career Plan is simply an outline, formal or informal, of your long term plan for achieving your employment goals.

How do I construct a Career Plan?

• Analyze your interests, skills, education, and long term career goals.
  
• Identify the jobs you want in 5 years, in 10 years, and on to retirement.
• What experience, skills, and education will you need to acquire to reach your ultimate career goal?
  Identify potential industries and employers that are likely to require your skills and abilities.
  
• Chart the geographic locations of the potential employers you have identified. This is an important step because relocation for career advancement is frequently required.
• If you aren't prepared to relocate, choose a profession that will provide employment anywhere.
  
• Prepare a generalized Career Plan-a step by step progression from your current position to the ultimate position you wish to obtain.
• This is the time to lay out your plans for obtaining further education, specifying what kinds of work assignments you will need to fill in experience gaps, and to produce other goals and milestones to aid in measuring progress.
  
• Refine the generalized Career Plan by focusing on your current situation and determining what you need to do now to move towards your ultimate career goal.
  
• Implement your plan. Seek out opportunity and begin working toward your goals.

When should I make a career change?

• Your employer's ownership changes or there are rumors that your employer may be involved in a merger or takeover.
  
• Your employer begins outsourcing manufacturing or services to China, Mexico, etc.
  
• Downsizing and corporate reorganizations have eliminated positions above yours.
  
• You have been in the same position for 3 or more years without promotion.
  
• Your employer has hired new personnel or promoted others into positions for which you were qualified.
  
• You have conflicts with others regarding business operations or philosophy.
  
• Your employer has failed to develop and implement modern technology or techniques.
  
• Your employer's growth rate lags behind that of competitors.
  
• You feel bored, trapped, or otherwise less than excited about your job.
  
• Your salary and benefits fall below competitive levels.
  
• Changes in your personal situation such as spousal employment, health of aging parents, or other events occur which require relocation.
  
• Any combination of the above.

How do I go about finding a job?

• Carefully evaluate where you are now in your career and determine the type of employer and type of position you require in order to take the next step in meeting your long term career goals.
• Consider the geographic implications of your career objectives. Because of the continuous advancement of technology and a host of other factors-most of us develop skills that are increasingly more specialized and unique. It is this specialized set of skills that make you attractive to a potential employer. Often, however, there is a limited number of potential employers near your current residence and it may not be possible to locate the type of employment you seek without relocating.
• If you cannot relocate and there are few, if any, potential employers in your area that might require your skills-It may be time to consider entering a new line of work. Jobs for Physical Therapists, Teachers, Lawyers, Sales People, Nurses and thousands of other occupations are available in most towns and cities throughout the US. If you can’t or won’t relocate-get training and education in a field that will allow you stay local.
• If you are committed to your current occupation, willing to relocate, and have the skills and knowledge employers seek- then you can start by doing the following:
  • If a relocation may be required, discuss this possibility with your family and gain their support.
  • Prepare your resume. (see How to Write a Resume)
  • Contact a limited number of Recruiters that specialize in your industry (See the next section for more detailed information)
  • Visit the job boards, read trade publications, take time to look up the web sites of potential employers-do whatever you need to do to analyze the job market.
  • Work on your interview technique.  Develop a list of questions you will want to ask potential employers, polish your presentation skills, take a class in interviewing-get prepared. (See Interviewing Skills)

Working with Recruiters

• Contact a limited number of recruiters that specialize in your industry and who have clients where you will consider relocating.
• Quiz the recruiters you contact.
  • How long has the recruiter been in business?
  • Does he/she really understand your niche in the packaging or plastics industry and does the recruiter understand your specific career goals?
  • Does the recruiter spend time with you, ask questions, and can he/she provide the professional guidance you need?
  • Does the recruiter work with clients located in areas where you might want to relocate?
  • Do you believe the recruiter is someone you can work with and who will represent you effectively?
    
• Select two or three recruiters and supply a copy of your resume to each of those recruiters.
• Ask that they not present your resume to potential employers or share your resume with other recruiters without your permission.
• Review progress on your search with each recruiter at least every 30 to 45 days.
• Keep the recruiters informed of any changes to your salary, relocation parameters, family situation, or other factors that may impact your search.
• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate.
  
• We recommend that you avoid placing your resume on any of the job boards, particularly if you are currently employed. Here's why:
  • Many of the job boards have a database containing millions of resumes. Companies seeking highly skilled candidates with unique industry experience are forced to wade through hundreds and sometimes thousands of resumes. In the process, many great candidates are passed over simply because the resume search and review process is cumbersome and inefficient.
  • It has been my experience, that the best jobs are not listed on the job boards for the same reasons that companies have not wanted to post their best jobs in the Sunday newspapers. Our clients utilize recruiters because they want to conserve time, limit the number of potential candidates to a select few, and provide a level of confidentiality to the search process that would otherwise be compromised.
  • If you choose to use the Job Boards, use them as a way to identify jobs that may be of interest to you.
  • By contacting potential employers and recruiters directly, you maintain control over the distribution of your resume and therefore protect your confidentiality.
    
  • Look at the process of making a Career Change as an adventure, an opportunity to explore the infinite possibilities and challenges the world has to offer.