A career plan enables you to reflect on your progress, practice setting goals, and create a road map to accom- plish those goals. It is not a static document and should be reviewed and updated at least twice a year. A well-developed career plan contains all goals and milestones a person hopes to achieve within a given time period. These goals can range from the creation of a résumé or portfolio to establishing a retirement plan. Items listed in a career plan are called action items, as they all require some type of action on the part of the person who created it. Common action items in a typical two- to four-year career plan are shown in Figure 1-3. Notice these items fall into general categories, such as academic, job-search, and career-research goals. An individual will decide which categories are more important and the point they are in their career search. For some, making money to purchase items like a car and house may be a category. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Emerging Occupations • audiologist • augmented reality developer • commercial driver • construction manager • genetic counsellor • hearing aid specialist • home health aide • information security analyst • Internet of Things engineer • market research analyst • nurse practitioner • operations research analyst • ophthalmic medical technician • personal financial advisor • physical therapist • physical therapy assistant • robotics engineer • software developer • statistician • transportation security screener • virtual reality developer • wind turbine service technician FIGURE 1-2 Emerging occupations are new occupations that have developed or changed due to technological or other advancements. Action Items for Career Plan Year 1 • Monitor and maintain a strong grade point average (GPA) • Evaluate skills, abilities, and aptitudes • Establish short-term job goals and long-term career goals • Determine courses required to meet career goals • Create a résumé • Create online career profiles • Visit Government of Canada Job Bank website • Target a specific job to obtain • Use social media for professional networking Year 2 • Continue to update online career profiles • Update résumé to reflect current career position • Recruit current coworkers for professional references • Expand knowledge of technology and learn new software • Set goals for position titles and salary increases Year 3 • Evaluate satisfaction with current job • Update career portfolio • Investigate corporations to gain long-term employment • Attend employee workshops • Review existing and potential employee benefits including RRSP or pension plans • Map out future career goals Year 4 • Write a statement of career for the next 10 years • Set a goal for financial independence • Determine which long-term assets to acquire, such as housing • Evaluate professional life in comparison with your personal goals • Network as a professional in field of expertise • Determine if additional academic training or certification is necessary Goodheart-Willcox Publisher FIGURE 1-3 Items listed in a career plan are called action items and are typically categorized as academic, job-search, or career-research goals. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 5 Chapter 1 Preparing for Your Career