Career Goals
What career is right for you?
Your career goals will probably change several times throughout your life. Developing an initial focus though will help you narrow your options and target appropriate employers or educational paths. Whether your dream job requires years of education after high school or on-the-job training, you can set goals to start you on your way.
Setting Career Goals
The following section will help you organize the key aspects of your career decision-making. Take some time to review each section and you’ll have a good sense of what the whole process will involve. After your review, create a self-assessment worksheet by visiting each detailed section below. Summarize the results of your self-assessment in a prioritized list or statement that you can save as a reference as you begin to identify and research employers.
Developing career goals requires two basic types of information: knowledge about yourself and information about career options which are compatible with your interests, values, and skills.
Think about what courses you’ve enjoyed in the past and what careers you’ve considered. This will help you narrow down your work interests and preferences.
Determine which of your values, or personal attitudes which influence your decisions and actions, are important to you in terms of job satisfaction.
Evaluate the skills you have now or those you want to develop. Skills come from a variety of work, academic, and life experiences.
Familiarizing yourself with various career fields and what jobs actually entail is critical to developing career goals.
