INTRODUCTION

Congratulations, you are now ready to develop plans for your chosen career and put them to action!

In the previous session, the you identified your strengths and weaknesses, and analyzed the
opportunities and threats that go with them. You also learned that the SWOT framework is not only an
effective tool for business but is also beneficial for job seekers and students like them who aim to climb
the career and success ladder.

In this module, you will learn the step by step procedure in making your own career plans and
the ways to achieve them. You will set their goals with the corresponding time frame to achieve them.
Finally, this session will enable you to focus your talents, skills, and values to the career and life plans
that they dream of.

So, let us now take off and begin their future today!

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, the students are expected to:

1. determine the steps in achieving goals;

2. develop plans for the chosen profession or vocation;
3. implement strategies based on the plans; and
4. show commitment in achieving life goals.

LECTURETTE
Achieving Life Goals

If you want to plan for your life and career, you have to consider your goals and align them to
activities that would lead to their realization. Setting your goals is a major component of strategic
planning for life and profession. Goals can create positive pressure so that you can move forward.
Furthermore, they lead you to the right direction, and serve as measure if you are really succeeding in
life.

According to Ellis (2011), writing your goals exponentially increases your chances of meeting
them. Goals must be SMART, meaning specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. The
STAR method may be used to complement your SMART goals.
STAR stands for specific, time, areas, and reflect. Let us use these acronyms to remember the
following steps in setting and achieving goals:
 1. Write specific goals - Your goals must be observable and measurable. Think of them as detailed
results that you want to achieve. Compare the following examples:

Dexter’s Goal Daisy’s Goal

I will get a good job. I will work as a professional secondary

teacher at a public school where I can
continue to learn and advance to higher
positions.

Dexter and Daisy have the same intention of getting a good job, but Daisy stated her goal more
specifically. Daisy came up with a clearer set of actions and would most likely achieve the result.

2. Write goals in several time frames - It is important to have a comprehensive vision of your
future. You can do this by writing your goals in the following time frames:

a. Long-term goals - These generally refer to something that you want to accomplish in the future.
These goals will usually need five to 20 years to succeed. They include but are not limited to the
different aspects of life such as education, career, personal relationship, and financial security.
b. Midterm goals - These can be achieved between the short-term and long-term goals. These goals
support your long-term goals. These objectives can be accomplished between one to five years
(example, I will finish senior high school).
c. Short-term goals - These can be accomplished typically in less than a year. These goals are more
specific achievements. These require immediate action or in the near future (example, I will get 95% or
above as my final grade in Earth Science).

3. Write goals in several areas of life - In life and career planning, it is important to aim for a
balanced life. Setting goals for the different aspects of life should be considered - education,
career, financial, social, spiritual, and health.

4. Reflect on your goals - Take time to read and think about your goals and perform the following
spot checks:

a. Check your feelings - Do you have emotional connections with your written goals?
b. Check for alignment - Are your short-term goals aligned with your mid-term goals? Will your mid-
term goals help you achieve your life goals?
c. Check for obstacles - What are the constraints that you might encounter while working on your goals?
How will you deal with these constraints? What are the possible workable solutions?
d. Check for immediate steps - What physical actions should you undertake to achieve your goals? What
small and achievable steps should you do at once to accomplish one of your short-term goals?
Career Planning
Career planning is a continuous process of learning and developing in the chosen field. It focuses on
making informed choices in managing and organizing your profession and vocation.

Career planning has four steps:

1. Knowing yourself
2. Finding out
3. Making decisions
4. Taking actions

Step 1: Knowing yourself―Self-awareness is a critical aspect of career planning. You need to start from
yourself. You should know where you are now and where you want to be. This is the stage where you
will identify clearly your life and career goals.

Step 2: Finding out―You will explore the different job opportunities in the market for career options.
You can utilize the Labor Market Information and other resources and tools previously discussed in
Session 3 to look up for job descriptions, wages, job requirements, and job market projection.

Step 3: Making decisions―After identifying your goals and exploring possible career opportunities, you
now make life and career decisions. This is done by comparing the results of the self-awareness
inventory composed of interests, values, personal style, skills, and learning experiences with the current
career alternatives.

Step 4: Taking actions―This is where you will start working toward the achievement of your life and
career goals. You should consider creating support systems (composed of champions who can help you
achieve your goals), possible roadblocks, and how to deal with them. You should also consider the
factors that are getting in your way and those that are leading you toward your goals.
APPLICATION:
By this time, the you have a thorough understanding of your own knowledge and skills, personal
attributes, and work values. You have also explored available work opportunities and job requirements,
and narrowed down your career options into a clear career choice. For this activity, the you will start
working on your Career Development Plan.
REFLECTION
Procedure
Create your timeline by filling in the blanks using a pencil/ballpen.

My Timeline
Date: December 8, 2016
Graduation Date: March 2018
(4) year(s) to work on how I want my life to look like after
graduation
Things I need to do this year:
Study hard to get good grades.
Apply for a scholarship program.
Earn a National Certificate from TESDA.

EVALUATION:

The Future Me Bio-Poem

Line 1 : Write your first name.

Line 2 : Write your future profession/vocation.
Line 3 : Who appreciates ( Write an object, tool, etc. related to your chosen profession/vocation.)
Line 3 : Who can (Write something important you will do in this profession/vocation.)
Line 4 : Who serves (Write the customers/clients you will serve.)
Line 5 : Who knows ( Write the knowledge necessary to perform your profession/vocation)
Line 6 : Who values (Write two work values related to the profession/vocation)
Line 7 : I will pursue my goals of (Write one short-term and midterm goals each.)
Line 8: Write your last name then, your future profession/vocation.

Example : The Future Career Bio-Poem

Mark
A Professor
Who appreciates books
Who can teach and empower
Who serves learners
Who knows World History, Biology and Algebra
Who values integrity, dedication and hard work
I will pursue my goals of finishing high school and studying Education
Sagal, Professor