Vijay Garg
Our career planning decisions and career path we choose will determine the patterns and texture of our future life and career. Nevertheless, after years of research and work were done in career planning, it has been concluded that most students leave high school and college without any clear plan in their mind which can guide them in selecting and pursuing a career or occupation. It has been estimated that when people feel overwhelmed by a job or career, they sometimes become overconfident and often fail to plan adequately for changes which they need to make for restoring balance in their lives. Many students face a career problem and also struggle so much to achieve their goals in life. But, students should become more strong and capable for following the path of difficulties which will lead them to their career and for sure alleviate their problems.
Good career planning provides a plan that is marked with intelligence, hard work, focus determination, strong will-power and aim to achieve the best output. It requires the integration of Career Factors which combine to make every individual unique and best – his innate abilities, his skills, his interests, his values, his goals, his family history, his personal style and characteristics, and his position in the Career Development Cycle. Career planning is a lifelong process which includes first- choosing an occupation, second- getting a job, third- growing in a job, fourth- changing careers, fifth- rotating job and lastly- retiring from a job. For planning our career we have to first define ourselves and our goals in a systematic way. At present, the level of competition is increasing day-by-day due to which students should need to plan their careers actively and valiantly. And also they should be taught now how to shift from one organization to another now for gaining maximum industry experience. The task and path of career planning are quite laborious, significant, organized, optimistic and well-defined. It requires systematic planning at every step and calculated execution of every plan. The most important step in career planning for students is to collect information about their own-self while deciding about a particular career option in their life. Students should always analyze their interest, skills, abilities, personal traits, thoughts so that they can easily understand and study the relationship between their career and themselves. There are three main aspects of Career Planning for students.
Career Option in Life: Students should give straight direction towards their career and choose a particular one by involving themselves completely in it and should gain correct information with the help of the decision-making process. You should analyze the career option by keeping in mind about your present educational skills and qualifications.
Action Oriented Plan: Students should make plans in detail and wide range so, that they can become more determined and put all their efforts into it. Whenever you get an opportunity to prove yourself and get a chance to get into your desire career that time always tries to maintain it.
Setting of Goals: Students should set their goals according to their qualifications, priorities, work experience and expectations in life. Well, you should always remember that a successful professional is really an opportunistic in his/her moves, thoughts by examining every opening to turn easily to his/her way.
Career planning is the most important step that needs to be considered in totality and in a wide range. Students should not feel hesitant to seek the help from professional and find out the best and suitable career planning for you. At present, every day different careers, routes and professional opportunities are emerging, so only you have to choose the best and suitable option for yourself. Unique strengths, abilities, interests, aspirations, weaknesses will help you to decide which are the suitable options for you. The process of career planning is vital to your success. The entire process of career planning should be ideally done in a systematic manner with your career counselor so that you will get professional help at every step of your career. A trained career counselor can help you identify several professions in which you can be good. It is the sole responsibility of every student to make him so capable that nobody should dare to say ‘You are Good for Nothing’. At last, the real fact is that we all have talents in ourselves that are hidden in us, so it is important to identify that and then work hard to develop them further. Another equally important aspect of self-assessment is self-analysis or soul-searching. We are the best judge for ourselves. If you concentrate and decide to be honest with yourself the self-analysis can project remarkable results. Students who will work-hard towards their studies, acquire new skills, make efforts will definitely get success and recognition in their life. Every student should identify his/her goals, values, aspirations and ambition. Now-days, as the organizations are becoming more demanding and mature which is obviously counted as a serious problem in our career path. So, students must gain experience as quickly as possible at this stage of their career so that they can move with their peers in same speed of pace. It is truly said that without good career development opportunities, you cant achieve your long term goals in life. Always keep an open eye for every opportunity and be ready to take them as they come to you every time.
Advantages of Career Planning for Students: Decide what you want to Achieve in your Career: Goal setting is time-consuming and also involves more soul-searching, which will help to bring focus on your personal aspirations and goals. It will help you to crystallize what you want to achieve and how you will utilize your all efforts.
Testify your Current Position: Well, it is very much important to understand where you are at present so that you become more realistic in identifying the number of options which are open to you due to which you can use all the available resources which you are having in the best manner. You should have complete knowledge, skills and experience. Find out your Strength & Research your Options: For, knowing And identifying your career options, it is important to do some basic research on your own. Students should always need to know whether the career which they have chosen is increasing or decreasing in importance. So, that it becomes easy for you to know how well you will be paid in it.
Planning career & approach: Identify the most intermediate steps that you need for utilizing your skills, experience, desires, will-power, thoughts, actions and education. Always try to work out in a systematic manner to know how you will easily position yourself. Therefore, if you need new skills to make the change, then without any doubt you need to begin for acquiring them.
Become Independent & Take Action: Students should have a good idea of all the actions which they need to take to progress their career. All the efforts which are involved by the students will determine its values and bring out the quality role for each of them. The best careers come out through a mixture of careful planning and useful opportunities. All the students take this into consideration that while you are implementing your career plan, always make sure that you do not ignore good and active career opportunities. It is conducted that planning your career will helps you to avoid stress, monotonous atmosphere, boredom, frustration which fails your will-power to achieve your potential. Career planning is the most significant and first step for achieving success in your career. It is the responsibility of the students to use reliable resources which will help them to learn more about their areas of interest. A valuable career self-assessment is only done by them who are really honest and mindful in life. Students should cover their career gaps and shortcomings so that they can achieve their goals in the best possible manner. Well, the essence of a career plan is knowing and also what you want and always determining how to get it. Always choose that decisions which will take you to achieve your career goals. In-fact your career should be a series of calculated steps which lead you to an end result. These decisions and actions basically include formal education, training, internship, certification and work experience. Some of the cases required a change of job, attitude, work environment or location. You should always consider all these steps properly and choose the best ones that you only believe will definitely work for you. Students should own the process, set their course and stick with it. Don’t ever avoid challenges in life because to succeed you always have to face the challenges and vanish away the obstacles to achieve your career goal. We should always set our priorities first so, that we can move ahead easily towards our career path. The order which we follow is often determined by opportunities and resources which are available to us. It is not enough to plan only; we must follow it also and try to implement our career advancement preferences. For, planning our career it is not only about decision making but also about collecting career information in a wise, intelligent and purposeful manner. Students can also discuss their career goals with their teachers, parents, counselors, and instructors. They can also visit on different websites and online career guides for their choice of subjects. Every student should keep this thing in their mind that career planning should be dynamic, and not static. All should be sensitive while doing changes in your career path by being flexible and twister.
The continual study of different and new technologies has become necessary to keep update our computer skills on the current basis. It is our own responsibility to keep on investing ourselves. We should always look out for different ways to grow in our career and skills, through the medium of skill development, by attending career-related training in MNCs, by taking online courses etc. Career planning is all about taking your destiny in your hands. It is very truly said that nobody can succeed with career planning if they approach their life in an unplanned, useless, careless manner and by just hoping for the best to be done. Always try to approach your career planning with full sincerity, honesty, and wisdom. Well, career planning is neither difficult, boring nor much time to consume, it is just you simply need to be focused and active.
