Once you have drafted action items that are impor-
tant for your future, you can start writing your actual
career plan. There is no right or wrong way to format
this document. Figure 1-4 shows an example of a tem-
plate you could use to get started.
Before creating a career plan, it is helpful to first con-
duct a self-assessment and skills assessment, and then
set SMART goals. You will continue revising the career
plan as you achieve your goals and set new ones.
Complete 1-2 Career Plan, pg 20
CONNECT TO YOUR
CAREER
Self-Assessment
One of the first tasks in the creation of a career plan is to
complete a self-assessment. A self-assessment is a mea- t
surement of an individual’s actions or attitudes as they
relate to student and career performance.
Conducting a self-assessment enables a person to
focus on career direction and provides information
about his or her natural aptitudes, abilities, personal-
ity, and values. Discovering this information can help
identify job opportunities that result in successful and
gainful employment.
Aptitudes
An aptitude is a characteristic that an individual has
developed naturally. When a person has an aptitude
for something, he or she learns it easily and performs
it well. Some aptitudes are cognitive, or mental. Other
aptitudes are physical. For example, some college stu-
dents have an aptitude for math, while others have
an aptitude for ballet. Within both the cognitive and
physical categories, aptitudes manifest themselves in
familiar areas, such as art, computers, logic, mechanics,
music, socialization, or writing. Different jobs require
different aptitudes.
Read the job posting in Figure 1-5. In this job posting,
the employer is looking for a candidate with a strong
mechanical aptitude. At times, employers ask for a spe-
cific aptitude as opposed to formal training.
One key to job success is to find work in an area that
matches your aptitudes. Understanding your aptitudes
can provide clues regarding how to begin the job-search
process. In order to plan a career, experts suggest select-
ing opportunities that match your strongest charac-
teristics. Natural interests often match career goals.
For example, aptitudes for one or more of the following
are common:
• drawing
• mathematics
• repairing machines
• sports
• writing
Successful professionals who are experts in their fields
likely found work that matched their natural tendencies
or aptitudes.
Various tests can help identify your aptitudes and
natural interests. An informal aptitude test helps distin- t
guish your personality and skill set. These tests are usu-
ally available online through a simple Internet search.
The results of these tests, while informal, can often
point a person in the direction in which he or she will
likely find interesting and rewarding work. They can
also be excellent practice for formal aptitude tests.
Formal aptitude placement tests, such as the SAT or
ACT college placement exams, are used to measure over-
all achievement and compare performance to others. The
ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is
another example of an aptitude test. In this situation, the
United States Military administers the exam to students
who are enlisting. They use the results to classify enlist-
ees for training opportunities.
Career Plan: Year 1
Career Item
Specific Action
to Take
Target
Completion Date
Actual
Completion Date
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
FIGURE 1-4
A career plan template can be used to gain a head start on the development of a career plan.
Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.
6
Chapter 1 Preparing for Your Career