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CareerPlanningCareerplanningdoesnotnecessarilyfollowroutineorlogicalsteps.Eachofusplacesweightondifferentfactorsandmayconsidercertainphasesofcareerplanningatdifferenttimes.1Careerplanningincludesgatheringinformationaboutourselvesandaboutoccupations,estimatingtheprobableoutcomesofvariouscoursesofaction,andfinally,choosingalternativesthatwefindattractiveandfeasible.Manyobservershavepointedoutthatstudentsarenotveryefficientcareerplanners.Theyciteevidencethat(1)moststudentschoosefromamongaverynarrowgroupofoccupations;(2)asmanyas40to60percentchooseprofessionaloccupations,wheninrealityonly15to18percentoftheworkforcesisengagedinprofessionalwork;(3)youngmenshowastrikinglackofinterestinclerical,sales,andserviceoccupations,althoughthesefieldsoffermanyjobopportunities;and(4)2asmanyasathirdofthestudentsareunabletoexpressanychoiceofoccupation.Asecondflawinthewaypeoplecopewithdecisionsisdefensiveavoidance.4Whenconfrontedwithadecisionandunabletobelievetheycanfindanacceptablesolution,somepeopleremaincalmbyresortingtowishfulthinkingordaydreaming.Studentswhofailtothinkabouttheimplicationsoftheircareerchoicesoftenengageinrationalization(deceivingoneselfwithself-satisfyingbutincorrectexplanationsforone’sbehavior)orprocrastination(puttingoffordelaying).Facingthesituationmayproduceanxiety,butexaminingalternativescouldalsobringrelief.Athirdflawishypervigilance.Thisoccursincareerdecisionmakingwhenpeoplebelievethereisnotenoughtimetofindasolutionandtheypanic.5Theysearchfranticallyforcareerpossibilitiesandseizeonhastilyinventedsolutions,overlookingtheconsequencesoftheirchoiceaswellasotheralternatives.Peoplewhoareinapanicsometimesdonotthinkclearlyorlogically.Thebestcopingbehaviorisvigilance.Vigilantdecisionmakingoccurswhenpeoplebelievethat(1)achoiceshouldbemade,(2)theycanfindasolution,and(3)thereisenoughtime.Undertheseconditions,studentscanconductaneffectivesearchforalternativecareers,carefullyevaluateeachalternative,andworkoutcontingencyplansincaseoneoranotherriskappears.Followingarethekeystocareerplanning.1.Studyyourself.Thisisthekeytocareerplanning.6Understandingwhatyouarelike,whatyouvalue,andwhatyouwanttobecomeisthefoundationforallcareerplanning.Instudyingyourself,youexamineyourstrengthsandweaknesses,yourgoals,andthetrendsinyourpersonaldevelopment.Theself-understandingthatyougainenablesyoutoimaginehowcertainoccupationsmaybestfityourpersonality,interests,abilities,andgoals.Allcareerdecisionsrequireustolearnbothaboutourselvesandaboutwork,andtointegratethesetwokindsofknowledge.2.Writeyourcareergoalsdown.Atechniqueusefulfororganizingideasaboutyourcareerdevelopmentisactuallytowritethemdownbytimeblocksinyourlife.Writingsomethingdownforcesyoutocrystallizeyourthinkingandtorecognizeunclearandhalf-formedideas.Itmayleadtonewinsightsaboutyourpossibilitiesandmayhelpyoutoseenewrelationships,patterns,andtrends,ortoidentifygapsinyourthinkingaboutyourcareerdevelopment.3.Reviewyourplansandprogressperiodicallywithanotherperson.Everysooften,takestockofyoursituationandconsiderwhatstepshavetobetakennext.Takinginventoryofprogressandplanningfurtherstepscanhelpyoucopewiththechangesthatyouundergoandthechangesthattakeplaceinthelabormarket.7Talkingoveryourplanswithacollegecounselor,yourparents,andyourfriendshelpsyoudefineyourgoalsandimproveyourcareerplansormakethemwork.4.Ifyouchooseacareerthatdoesnotfityou,youcanstartover.Today,growingnumbersofmenandwomenarechangingcareersorgettingsecondstartsincareersthathavegreaterappealtothem.Manyofthosewhofindthattheirlineofworkisunsatisfactoryretrainthemselvesforadifferentoccupation.Oftentheirnewoccupationisonethattheyoverlookedwhentheywereyoungorthattheydidnothaveanopportunitytopursueatthattimeforfinancialorotherreasons.8Sociologistssaythattherearefewchangesincareersthatinvolve“downward”movement;mostinvolvethetraditionalbusinessof“gettingahead”.Societynolongerattachesthestigmaof“instability”totheideaofcareerhopping,asitoncedid.Jobchangesandcareershiftsoccuratallages.Ithasbeenestimatedthatasmanyasoneoutoffourmaleworkersbetweentheagesoftwentyandtwenty-fivechangetheirlinesofwork.Abouthalfthatnumberdosobetweentheagesoftwenty-fiveandforty-four.Careerplanningdoesnotguaranteethatalltheproblems,difficulties,ordecision-makingsituationsthatfaceyouinthefuturewillbesolvedormadeanyeasier.9Noformulacanbegiventodothat.Butcareerplanningshouldhelpyoutoapproachandcopebetterwithnewproblems,suchasdecidingwhetherornottoentereducationalortrainingprograms,decidingwhetherornottochangejobs,andanalyzingthedifficultiesyouarehavingwithasituationoraperson.Nobodycanforeseewhatthefutureholdsforanyofus.Therearesocial,emotional,andmoralconsiderationsinourfuturethatcannotbeforeseen.Butthemostimportantlessonofthisoften-unhappymodernworldisthatprogresscomesfromplanning.Ignoranceaboutone’scareerisnotbliss;reasonisbetterthanchanceandfate.10Althoughthereisnosurewaytomakecareerplansworkout,therearethingsthatyoucandonowtoshapeyourcareerpossibilities.