Career Options Begin With Career Planning

There are many factors that should be taken into account when considering a possible career change. Most people focus on only a few of these and this often leads to future job dissatisfaction.

Here is a top ten of what is important in career planning:

1. Clearly state your top 5 interests


2. List 10 of your tops skills and abilities - ask friends, co-workers, family, etc. for the skills they believe you have that you might not even recognize


3. Note your top 5 most important personal characteristics


4. Clarify your top 5 values


5. Know what environmental conditions you may want to avoid


6. Decide what level of continued education/training you are willing to complete


7. Know the amount of money you MUST earn annually (not what you would "like" to earn)


8. Determine what is the most demanding category of physical labor that you are willing to accept


9. Decide which hours and travel you need to avoid


10. Know if you want to work indoors/outdoors or a combination of the two

It's common sense, yes, but you'd be surprised the number of people who get excited over careers that are unsuitable for them. For example, yes, being a commercial pilot is an exciting career for those who love to travel, and of course, love to fly planes! Not really suitable, however, for somebody who is scared of heights or confined spaces or who, when it comes to the crunch, doesn't really like to leave home!

Terri Levine
http://www.coachinstitute.com
http://www.terrilevine.com