A simple presentation on what planning needs to be done before zeroing on a career

1. Signposts in Career Planning
By
Dr.Malathi Selvakkumar

2. Signposts in Career Planning

4. Your career as a journey….
• Begin your journey with a smile and a sense of
wonder
• The destination can be a role, a company, a
level of achievement, or other specific and
measurable goal.

5. Your career as a journey….
o The goal is to experience work from a variety
of perspectives in your field, making your
professional career a journey
o So, choose a job that makes you happy, and in
time becomes your career

6. Tracing your career path to success…
A fulfilling career is what people
work for, and not as the means to
pay off your bills nor a chore
It gives you something worthwhile
to do, which is rewarding, enjoyable
and stimulating
Signposts give a sense of moving
forward in your chosen career

7. Signposts that kick start your career
 Start with yourself – YOU as a bundle of
interests, strengths, skills and personality
 Interest are those things that you enjoy doing
like music, acting, public speaking, cooking,
fitness

8. Signpost -1 -You as a bundle
Types of Career interests
Realistic – This category of people prefer jobs
that produce tangible results and enjoy fixing,
building and repairing
Investigative – They enjoy work
that involves information gathering
developing theories and data
analysis
Conventional – they tend to focus on
details, and are always organised with
a high degree of accuracy

9. Types of Career interests
Artistic – people enjoy creative work and have a
great sense of expression
Social – This category are people’s
people enjoying working as a
team, and display care, concern
and love for team mates
Enterprising – people persuade
others easily, and are always in
pursuit of economic success. They
make good mangers and sellers

10. You as a bundle….
Strengths – reflect those things you are
naturally good at like convincing people,
networking, being organised, great at problem
solving etc
Skills – inherent and acquired – like public
speaking, a flair for languages, teaching,
computing skills

11. You as a bundle….
Personality – Introverts, extroverts, Judging,
perceiving …
Match your aspirations with your personality
type and then chose your career

12. Signpost 2
Interests depends on those activities that
keep one so absorbed that he/she forgets
time
List out at least 10 such interests and narrow
it down to 5 by matching them with your
strengths

13. Signpost 3
Experiences – are totally unplanned, but leave
you with a sense of self understanding and a
sense of achievement/ failure
They sculpt you through
opportunities that help
identify your likes and dislikes
List out 3 experiences that
helped you discover yourself
(academics, voluntary work,
interest, extra curricular)

14. Signpost 3
 Match that happiness from your experience
with the key characteristics you enjoyed
 This forms the base of your career
Signpost 4 – your personality
 List out 10 qualities you would
use to describe yourself
 Counter check with your
friends, family and teachers

15. Signpost 4
 Add their suggestions to improve self
 Now try to match job opportunities with these
qualities
Signpost 5 – strengths and weakness
 List out your top 5 strengths and
weaknesses
 Focus on your strengths and try to
overcome your weakness
 Strengthen your strength with
additional qualifications and skills

16. Create a ME Map
Draw a mind map – take a blank sheet of
paper and map your interests, strengths, skills
and personality with the help of pictures and
images
Develop your areas of improvement
Provide for ideas in your mind
Redo your map till you feel its done

17. Tips for career planning
Start with a personal dream/ goal/ aspiration
Remember that only YOU are responsible for
where you are in your career
Grab opportunities to prove
yourself by stepping beyond
your comfort zone
Use constructive criticism from
those whom you value for your
forward positive move

18. Tips for career planning
Develop your soft skills for effective
communication
Take/ make informed career
decisions
Qualify yourself to reach your
dream career destination
Have a penchant for cross skilling
– develop skills on budgeting,
team building and problem solving

19. Tips for career planning
Identify your improvement areas and those
you need to consciously avoid
Be in line with your original plan through
periodic evaluation
Try to get professional memberships in forums
to update yourself with industry trends and
network with contemporaries – MMA, ISTD
Differentiate yourself from others in your
career and work with passion