Smart Career Planning

  

Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life. ~ Confucius

To find a career to which you are adapted by nature, and then to work hard at it, is about as near to a formula for success and happiness as the world provides. One of the fortunate aspects of this formula is that granted the right career has been found, the hard work takes care of itself. Then hard work is not hard work at all. ~ Mark Sullivan

It is never too early to plan for your career and the business application of SWOT is equally useful in planning your career. Doing a personal analysis of your strengths and weaknesses and looking at external opportunities and threats ahead of you is the best way to plan your career effectively and successfully.  

Personal SWOT analysis

INTERNAL

Strengths: Find out more about your personal values. What is more important in your life?  Is it freedom, monetary rewards, or something else? What are you good at? What do you usually do when you are free? Do you draw or do you dismantle your PC and look inside?  What technical skills do you possess? Are you friendly and outgoing? What are your passions and interests?

Mary Kay Ash
Don't limit yourself. Many people limit themselves to what they think they can do. You can go as far as your mind lets you. What you believe, you can achieve.

Weaknesses: Look for your bad habits and other negative personal characteristics to avoid.   

EXTERNAL

Opportunities:  In the next five years what are the most required skills. Which are the growth industries?

Threats: Are your skills still marketable in the next five years? Are there technology changes threatening your position? Are you facing obstacles? Do not go into an industry that the outlook is gloom and doom. 

Career goals: When you get to know yourself better and have a good grip of the external factors that affecting your career choice, it is time to decide the skills to acquire in order to embark on a meaningful career. It is better to study a variety of subjects in the beginning before going into a specialized field.

      

Action plan: Gain practical experience in your chosen field of study as soon as possible. Get more information about those companies that you wish to seek employment for. Find out what other skills you need to possess as an added advantage. 

Mahatma Gandhi
The future depends on what we do in the present.