OGL 482 Pro-Seminar II

Unit 3 Assignment:
Networking Plan Template
Section 1: The Career Decision Matrix
As you move through the data-gathering phase and begin to generate options for potential jobs
and potential employers, this is when you can build and use a Career Decision Matrix. Following
the information from Harrington & Hall text, Career Management & Worklife Integration,
Chapter 4, pages 92-94, you will research, gather, and analyze information from your self-
assessments (i.e. the Kuder assessments in Unit 1, in particular), thematic analysis (themes),
career resources and more to create your Career Decision Matrix.

Career options are broader than jobs. They are paths you can take to get to where you want to be.
Here is a resource that can assist you in determining:
https://careerwise.minnstate.edu/careers/pathways.html

Answer the following:

1) As you have gathered your data take the time to share and fully describe your top
four (4) possible career options. You want to be specific, as this creates a more
meaningful matrix. Describe each career with as much detail as possible. Consider
the following to be used in your 2-3 paragraph response per career option: career
field/organization / job-related responsibilities/opportunities for advancement /
future outlook of the career field. These responses need to demonstrate that you
have gathered your research and analyzed it, so there should be citations referencing
where you got your information, using APA standards. Remember to include why you
are choosing each career option.

a. Working at Starbucks in partner resources would be a nice way for me to stay in

my current company. This job consists of talking with partners in their respective
regions and discussing issues or questions about policies. I think this official title
is similar to HR generalist who deals with the employees directly. Because I have
no experience, I would likely try and start as an HR Assistant.

b. At USC, there is a position titled Payroll Personnel Coordinator 1. I think this

would be a perfect fit because it requires less experience and will allow me to
gain experience in the HR field. This job consists of reviewing and processing
different payroll and personnel documents as well as dealing with complaints
regarding payroll and process reports for their team.

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 (https://usccareers.usc.edu/job/los-angeles/hd-payroll-personnel-coordinator-i/
1209/63688955792) I think this position would be a great start for me to learn the
field.

c. Administrative Specialist is a position at ASU but located in Los Angeles. This

job would be good for me because I am nearby. This role consists of assistant
tasks like arranging travel and writing expense reports. This person would also be
managing schedules for executives and working autonomously to get high-
priority tasks finished
(https://sjobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/Home/Home?
partnerid=25620&siteid=5494#jobDetails=4925246_5494)

d. Another option for me would be Sr HR and Admin Specialist at Target. This job
requires little experience and a high school diploma which would put me ahead of
the curve. This job consists of onboarding and point of contact for employees who
need guidance to be successful. I would be tracking reports and metrics and
analyzing data to create plans and goals.
(https://target.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/targetcareers/job/7000-Target-
Pkwy-NNCD-0375-Brooklyn-ParkMN-55445/Sr-HR---Admin-
Specialist_R0000335279?
utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medi
um=organic)

Now that you have determined these four options, take a step back and share a fifth
UNTHINKABLE (UT) career option, that you would never do, but are trained for
by what you have learned by earning your degree. Think about skills you have
acquired while earning your degree, which would be transferable to something
completely different.

e. Being a store manager for a retail food company is something I would never do. I
have acquired all of the skills like communication, project management and team
management. I would probably gain experience in this role that is just above my
current role, but seeing the stress my manager is under, and others, has showed
me that it is not something I am interested in. I want to get out for retail and into
Human Resources.

2) Using the information you have gathered and shared above it is time to fill in your
Career Decision Matrix. You can find an example in Table 4.2 on page 93 of our
text. When you complete the matrix below, be sure to remove any unnecessary
labels.

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 a. Down the left hand side of the matrix, you will list your ten (10) life themes
from your thematic analysis. You can also add more that were not part of your
presentation as Theme 11 and so on.

b. Across the top of the page, you will list the five (5) career options you are
considering.

c. Next, fill in each cell with a high (h), medium (m), or low indication of the
match between that theme and the alternative under consideration.

d. Calculate your Career to Theme Consistency Points (CTCP) aka Summary, by

assigning high = 5, medium = 3, and low = 1, and then adding them up to
determine the ranking of your career choices to your themes. Not all themes
can have high designation (if everything is important, nothing is important).
The goal is to identify how your career options align with your life themes, so
you have better information to determine which aspects are most important
to you in your next career step.

Starbucks USC ASU Target SR Starbucks

Partner Payroll Administrativ HR Admin Store
Resources Personnel e Specialist Specialist Manager
Coordinator

Family M M M H L

Teamwork H H H H M

Leading by H M H H H
Example

Empathy H M M M H

Personality H M H M H

Skills H H H H M

Connection H M M H H

Learning H H H H M

Compassion H M M M H

Goal- M H H H M
Oriented

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 CTCP 46 38 42 44 38
(Summary)

3) Now that you have determined these career options in relation to your life themes:
a. Reflect to what extent your Career Decision Matrix development process has
helped your career development decisions.

Based on the career matrix, I am able to see where I would be best suited to work. I
think working in a career where I am able to apply all of my themes is vital to having
a work-life balance and enjoying my work. Because all of my job choices were
similar, it seems that the preference would fall more on job responsibilities. I would
prefer to work with people more than working alone.

b. Share which career option(s) you feel would be worth researching more and
pursuing as you begin to think about your networking plan.

Working for Starbucks as a partner resource specialist would be the most beneficial to
me based on my life themes. The Target position I just applied to because of this
assignment. I would love to work for Target in HR because I enjoy the company and
would be proud to learn about their business and grow in the company.

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Section 2: Networking Plan
Now that you have completed your Career Decision Matrix we now need to move forward and
develop a networking plan that you can use to help you reach your career goals. Review
Harrington & Hall text, Career Management & Worklife Integration, Chapter 4, pages 77-83.
Developing and managing your network of people who can help you is an important ongoing
process whether or not you are currently happy in your career.

The purpose of this activity is to:

• Help you assess and enhance (extend or strengthen) your developmental network relative
to major challenges you will face in the next 1-3 years
• Help you develop a networking strategy that will work for you
• Help you develop a specific plan to pursue over the next 6 months to 1 year
• Create an accountability mechanism

Research on leadership development has demonstrated that people benefit from a variety of
developmental relationships, including short-term and long-term alliances with bosses, peers,
senior executives, coaches, subordinates, and family members, the more diversity and depth
there is in your developmental network, the better. Depending on our dominant learning tactics,
we are more or less likely to pay attention to the quality of our developmental network.
This assignment was adapted by Professor Kathy E. Kram from a worksheet developed by
Professor Deborah Kolb, Simmons Graduate School of Management. Adapted by permission.

Answer the following:

1) As you think about the major changes that are likely to take place at your place of
work in the next few years, what major challenges and opportunities do you foresee
that you will need to deal with in the next 1-3 years?

Describe and explain why these are your top three (3) of Challenges here:
a. The first challenge I foresee is simply outgrowing the company. I have aligned
with their mission and values for many years, but recently I have seen how these
values don’t align with how the company is conducting business internally. I
think this is an issue for many partners, not just myself. Being a part of a company
that I believe in is important to me.
b. Issues with other partners might also be a challenge for me shortly. I work closely
with other supervisors who are too lax on policies and procedures which results in
the whole supervisor team being ‘written up’. These issues are hard to address
because there is never any change in their behavior. Being caught in a situation
where your peers are going against policies and letting the team do whatever they
want makes for an ineffective team.
c. Compensation and hours is a challenge for me at Starbucks. Yes, I make a decent
amount of money hourly, but I am only getting 30 hours a week. This isn’t
enough for me to grow my family comfortably and advance my living situation.

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 This challenge is something I am battling with currently and why I am actively
applying to other positions.

Describe and explain why these are your top three (3) of Opportunities here:
d. I could be promoted to store manager and make more money in the process. This
opportunity exists but it would be my unthinkable job.
e. I have been in contact with a talent acquisition manager who works for Starbucks
and she has helped me search for other roles in Starbucks. Meeting with her to
discuss my resume and how I can work with Starbucks on the business side of
things is beneficial.
f. My sister-in-law works at USC and is also helping me apply to roles that match
my background. She has supported me in advancing my career and is very firm
with her advice.

2) Given these challenges and opportunities, what type of help are you most likely to
need? Check one and explain why.
a. Help in getting the job done ______
b. Help in advancing my career ___X___
c. Emotional support ______
d. All of the above ______

I simply need to get out of retail and into a more fitting role. I want to be in a career
where I can grow internally and use the skills and degree that I worked so hard on. I have
spent the last 18 years doing this work and it is wearing on my body. I love the people I work
closely with and I love building connections with my customers, but it is time to advance my
career.

3) If your major challenge or opportunity is related to your work, how well-positioned

are you to get information, advice, and resources about new opportunities and
possibilities? Check one and explain who can help you and why.
Very Well ___X___ Okay ______ Need to Expand My Network ______

My sister in law. She has been helping me already with resume building and for
keywords to search job boards. I am also familiar with other sources of job posting and have
been applying.

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 4) If your major challenge or opportunity means making a move into a leadership
position, do you have relationships with people who can give you advice and
effectively advocate or champion you for important assignments or other
developmental activities? Check one and explain who can help you and why.
Yes ____X__ No ______

My current manager would support me if I needed advice on advancing my career. I

could also reach out to my sister in law or even a few people from Starbucls who currently
work in the non retail side.

5) If your challenge or opportunity means that you will need emotional support, to
what extent do you have people who can give you support? Check one and explain
who can help you and why.

a. I have a strong support network to help me. __X___

b. I don’t have people to help me through changes I will have to make. ____

My husband and my mom are usually the ones I reach out to for emotional help. My
husband listens and tries to help the best he can when I am dealing with emotional issues.

6) If your challenge or opportunity means that you will need help getting the job done,
advancing your career, or getting emotional support, do you have people in your
network who can fulfill these functions? Check one and explain who can help you
and why.
Yes ___X___ No ______

Any of the aforementioned people can be helpful in this situation. I have people who are
willing and able to help me, and they offer help even when I say I am good. I am blessed to
have people in my life to back me up, I know a lot of people who don’t have the network I
have.

7) What is your approach to building relationships? How are you at initiating

relationships? In what settings are you most comfortable meeting people?

a. Joint or shared work, projects, and committees ______

b. One-on-one appointments, with specific agendas ______
c. Informal “no agenda” social settings __X____
d. Going for coffee, lunch, or drinks ______
e. Leisure activities such as golf, tennin, or theater ______

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 f. Other ______

I think an informal setting is good for building relationships. Each of these has their own
benefits and would attract different types of people. I guess if I were doing this correctly,
I would be choosing the place based on the type of relationship I wanted to build.

8) What is your preferred style?

a. Occasional phone calls or e-mails just to ask “how are you?” __X____
b. Phone calls, e-mails, or visits with specific requests or questions ______
c. Holiday cards and letters ______
d. Dropping in or calling when you’re in the neighborhood ______
e. Arranging in advance to get together at professional meetings ______
f. Relying on the chance that your paths will cross ______
g. Inviting people to join you for lunch, coffee, golf, and so on ______
h. Contacting people when you find some information, an article, or an opportunity that
might interest them ____X__
i. Other ______

I think this is accurate for me because I typically have thoughts cross my mind randomly.
Being able to reach out or share information quickly is effective but keeps things light. I also
would say that each of these, again, has its own situational benefits.

9) Now turn your attention to the “Action Planning” part of the exercise (top of page 82).
Respond to the following questions:

a. What are your goals in developing a professional network? Be specific.

I have been actively trying to network anywhere I can. In my current role, I see a lot of business
people and I often ask where they work to start a conversation. I think having access to many
different types of leaders is necessary to advance yourself. Currently, I also have family who are
in positions to help me network and I also have a LinkedIn where I am making connections to
past leaders in my life.

b. How will a well-developed network of contacts help you achieve your career goals?

Being able to reach out to people for help or advice or even available listings is extremely
helpful. If I didn’t have my sister-in-law, Daniella, I would not have gotten as far as I have with
my applications. Connections you make with people can also help you with various things. For
example, Daniella has helped me with my resume but Stacey from Starbucks TA can help me

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with the correct wording. I would say it is like a diverse net with many different fish, all of
which can provide you with something different but equally beneficial.

c. What are some of the characteristics of the people you are looking to include in your
network?

I would love to include smart, knowledgeable people who can help me with things in my work
life. I also need people who can support me emotionally or mentally when things get rough.
Being aware of the people you have now can help you see what kind of people you are missing
in your life.

d. Where might you come in contact with these people? How will you grow your network /
initiate contact with new potential networking contacts?

As I mentioned earlier, I like to make connections anywhere I go. I make connections mostly in
my current position by talking with customers, but I have also made some connections by being
a patron at a business or a job fair. I would say you go where the people you want to meet are. If
I wanted more mom friends, I might spend more time at the park with my children.

e. Who in your network are you looking to enhance your relationship with? How will you go
about enhancing these relationships?

There are a few past leaders that I have connected with on LinkedIn. I would love to reach out by
message and see if they can set a time to chat on the phone. There is one in particular that is
currently in the Starbucks position I want and I have been trying to get a hold of her to chat about
the role. I recently found her on LinkedIn so I will probably reach out soon.

f. How can you leverage your existing network? Might some of your existing networking
contacts know others who you should be in contact with?

I can ask my current contacts if they know of anyone who can help or if they know someone in
this position. Daniella, my sister-in-law, typically would have more professional contacts I could
leverage.

Section 3: SMART Career and Networkings

Using a SMART goals-based approach, as well as project planning and management skill best
practices, create a detailed project plan for at least two specific goals. At least one must be
related to your Career Plan, and the other related to your Networking Plan. Both of these goals
need to be things that you are passionate about accomplishing.

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Your selected goals and SMART plan (see SMART goal information provided in the Unit)
should be structured based on a one to two-year timeline. It should include specific milestones,
action items, sub-tasks as well as task-related interdependencies as applicable. With respect to
each goal, critically think about what specifically are the things you will do in the next one to
two years to achieve these goals.

Develop a clear and detailed SMART plan, with facilitating goals and steps/actions required
to accomplish your selected goals. It should be evident, by looking at the format and structure
of your plan, that you have developed some significant skills respect to project management.
Include Gantt charts or other visual project representations as you see fit, and be sure to address
your approach to tracking/measuring your progress.

1) What is your Career Goal?

Within the next 12 months, I want to obtain a position in Human Resources, intro or
otherwise.

a. Specific – Obtain a position in Human Resources

b. Measurable – I will either have this job, or I won’t

c. Attainable – I have the skills and determination to make this a career

d. Relevant – To enter the Human Resources field where I can use my skills and personality

e. Time-Based -Within 12 months

2) What is your Networking Goal

I will build a network of 10 people I can reach out to for help with professional or
emotional help to be more successful.

a. S- People who can support me professionally or emotionally.

b. M- Ten people who I can trust to support me when needed.

c. A- This seems like a reasonable amount of people to have in my network.

d. R- These people will be relevant to my business life or my personal life.

e. T- No time specified, I think these connections will be made during my journey to

my new career.

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