Setting Up Your Future Career: 5 Things You Need To Focus On When Establishing Your Career Goals

According to school counselors, understanding what you enjoy and what you are good at, is the first step in exploring your career. 

If you don't know what to do, the question is, what is that particular thing that gives you joy when ever you are doing?

If you really like science, what do you enjoy about it, the lab work or the research?

So you need to figure out by yourself that thing you enjoy doing at all times.

 Here are some steps that will help you succeed in setting up your future career:

  1.Self-Assessment;

The first step in developing career goals is to assess your own personal character, your skills and interests, your likes and dislikes, and your strengths and weaknesses. 

May also need to identify aspects of your present and past jobs that will help you determine your career goals such as; putting fort the best in you. 

It may seem early, but even in high school you can start to develop habits that are sure to be appreciated by future employers.

Also, as a responsible person, you must remember to dress and behave appropriately whenever you might be in contact with a potential employer. 

You act one way with your friends and another on the job site,” says school counseling consultant Julie Hartline. 

Mind your demeanor: This awareness extends to online forums too, there are a tremendous amount of positives to social media in terms of networking, but you have to be really careful.

Employers and college admissions officers often check out applicants online and on social media sites. 

They’re looking into your background and want to see who you’re going to be because you may represent a business or institution someday, says director of college counseling Michael Carter.

Make sure that what you put out there for the world to see is how you want to be seen, social media is a great tool, but you have to use it responsibly.

Often, of course, you’ll just need to go through the challenge, but this will be the point that actually brings you the most satisfaction.

Pushing through a challenge, instead of being stunted by it will help you be a stronger advocate for yourself and recognize there is a way to handle problems with grace. 

 

2. Set realistic goals;

It's important to set goals that you can achieve, all sorts of people (for example, employers, parents, media, or society) can set unrealistic goals for you, they will often do it in ignorance of your own desires and ambitions.

This is why you must start the process of setting goals by looking at your lifetime goals. 

Then work down to the things that you can do in, say, the next five years, then next year, next month, next week, and today, to start moving towards them.

Goal-setting techniques are used by successful people in all fields, by setting sharp, clearly defined goals, you can measure your progress and continuously motivate yourself to progress toward the vision you have for your ideal work life.

You will be able to see forward movement in what might otherwise feel like a long, pointless grind.

By setting and taking action toward your goals, you will raise your self-confidence.


3. Seek professional advice;

Seek out a mentor or someone who’s experienced your struggles before, and find out what he or she did to cope.

Better of take out your frustrations by doing something that blows off steam like going on a long run.

Going to the office of  your own professors and even professors you admire from afar  gives them a chance to mentor you in the best field in the world.

They will have connections with graduate from higher institutions, and can introduce you to programs you might not have known of, explain the differences between a Ph.D. and a masters in your field, and talk to you about the realities of life in academia.


4. Become a Planner;

Research has shown that those who plan for the future end up with more wealth than those who do not. Successful people are goal oriented, they set goals and develop a plan to achieve them.

For example, if you set a goal to pay off your student loans in two years, you'll have a better chance of achieving this goal than you would if you merely said you wanted to pay off your student loans, but failed to set a checklist.

Your Career Growth Plan It is important that you construct your own career growth plan, since only you can decide what career or job environment interests you.

Although developing this plan is your responsibility, we encourage you to enlist the guidance and assistance of other resource people.

Most important are your supervisor or staff in the Board's EEO Office or Personnel Management Division.

With your demanding schedule, you might not want to use your time to invest in others.

But think back to the time that you were a young student or just starting your journey, trying to figure out what to do next.

There was probably someone who took the time out to toss you an opportunity or give you an hour of his or her time for a talk so pay it forward.


  5. Pursue Your Plan;

The personal development aspects of a career development plan can be successful only if you are committed to the plan.

You should be prepared to commit a portion of your own time and effort to accomplish this plan. Completing your planned work experience and/or training activities is your responsibility.

You'll need to seek help when necessary, be flexible, and periodically reassess your career development plan.

A good initial step is to think about what you might like to major in if you’ve been considering your career interests throughout high school, declaring a major won’t be difficult.

Your initial undergraduate program should be an outgrowth of your academic strengths in high school,” says Carter.

 Everyone’s career path is different, and there is no “right” way to start a career.

For example, if you want to postpone your studies to discover your passion, you might decide to take a “gap year” after high school.

A gap year gives you a chance to pursue meaningful volunteer, work, or travel experiences. But school counselors recommend that you have a plan to ensure that your time off is productive.