Decision Making: Step three!

What do you want to be when you grow up? Have you chosen the proper path for your future? Is the job market hiring graduates from the degree right now? These are all questions that haunt us in our sleep. We are constantly reminded that we need to have some sort of plan right away for our future. This is simply not true. You cannot make a good decision in a rush or when you have not thought it through properly. This makes Decision Making one of the hardest steps in the Career Planning Process. You will be surprised how much you can accomplish if you take it step by step. It may take the longest, but it will certainly pay off in the end when you are happy and confident in the position you're in. 

After you have completed Step 1 (Self-Assessment) and Step 2 (Research) it is time to reflect on your results and try to narrow down your options into achievable goals. Firstly, review your self-assessment and research results to have the best possible understanding of your options. After you have done this it’s time to set some short-term and long-term goals for yourself. Goals can be set for educational and/or employment purposes. They help you stay on track and organized so your goals can be met in a timely fashion.

To do this, create a detailed action plan to establish a timeline for reaching your goals. List the overall goal you want to achieve (for example: Find full-time employment) and then underneath create shorter goals that you can achieve to eventually reach your main goal (for example: get my resume and cover letter reviewed). Once you have the shorter goals that lead to the completion of your main goal you must give yourself an achievable time for each of these goals. You cannot do them all in one day!

Once you have this completed you have a full on action plan to follow! Now you’re one step closer to completing the Career Planning Process.  

Alysha-Lynn Kooter, Career Assistant, 2nd Year Intermediate/Senior Con-Ed Visual Art and English