5 Steps of Career Development

Step 1: Self-Assessment
Identifying Your Skills
Recognize the skills you already have, whether technical or soft skills. This helps in
finding careers that match your strengths.

Example: If you're good at problem-solving, you might thrive in roles like project
management or engineering.

Recognizing Your Interests and Passions

Understand what excites you. Identifying your passions will help you choose a career
that keeps you motivated.

Example: If you love working with animals, consider careers in veterinary care or
animal behavior.

Step 2: Career Exploration

Researching Potential Careers
Look into different job roles and industries to see which align with your skills and
interests. Understand the qualifications needed.

Example: If you're interested in technology, research careers like software

development or data analysis.

Understanding Job Market Trends

Learn which industries are growing and have high demand for workers to make
informed decisions.

Example: Jobs in renewable energy are increasing, making it a good field to explore
for future growth.

Step 3: Setting Career Goals

Short-Term vs Long-Term Goals
Set short-term goals that are achievable soon (like internships) and long-term goals
for bigger achievements (like becoming a manager).
Example: Short-term: Finish an online course. Long-term: Become a senior manager
in five years.

SMART Goal Setting in Career Planning

Set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound to stay
focused and organized.

Example: "I will complete a project management certification in 6 months to apply

for managerial roles."

Step 4: Developing a Career Action Plan

Creating a Career Roadmap
Plan the steps needed to reach your goals, including gaining experience, networking,
and learning new skills.

Example: Your plan might include internships, learning new software, and
connecting with industry professionals.

Incorporating Continuous Learning and Skill Development

Keep improving your skills even after landing a job to stay competitive and grow in
your career.

Example: If you’re a software developer, continue learning new programming

languages to stay up to date.

Step 5: Monitoring and Adjusting Your Career Plan

Tracking Your Progress
Regularly review your progress to see if you’re on track to meet your goals. Make
adjustments if needed.

Example: If your goal is to get promoted and you’re not progressing, adjust your
plan or skillset.

Making Adjustments When Necessary

Be flexible and willing to change your path if your interests or goals evolve over time.

Example: If you initially wanted a career in marketing but develop an interest in data
analytics, adjust your plan to pursue that field instead.
Seeking Feedback
Get feedback from mentors and colleagues to guide your growth and stay on the
right track.

Example: Ask for feedback on your performance during a project to improve your
skills and approach for the future.
1. Career Discovery Coaching
Career discovery coaching helps people understand what kind of job matches their
skills, interests, and values. For example, if someone loves solving puzzles and talking
to people, a coach might guide them toward careers like business analysis or
counselling.

2. Resume Development Coaching

This coaching teaches you how to build a strong and professional resume that
catches an employer’s eye. For instance, if someone has lots of experience but their
resume looks confusing, a coach helps arrange it neatly and highlights their best
achievements.

3. Mentorship
Mentorship is when an experienced person regularly advises and supports you in
your career journey. For example, if you want to become a chef, a mentor who has
worked in top restaurants can guide you on what skills you should focus on and how
to grow in the field.

4. Interview Coaching
Interview coaching helps you practice and improve how you answer questions and
present yourself during job interviews. For example, if someone feels shy and
struggles to explain their strengths, a coach can teach them how to answer
confidently and impress interviewers.

5. Job Search Coaching

Job search coaching teaches you smart strategies for finding and applying to the
right jobs. For example, instead of sending the same resume everywhere, a coach
helps a person target the right companies and use networking to get better job
offers.

6. Salary Negotiation Coaching

This type of coaching prepares you to confidently discuss your salary and benefits
with employers. For example, if a company offers a lower salary than expected, a
coach can show you how to politely negotiate for a better package without losing
the offer.

7. Leadership Coaching
Leadership coaching helps people develop skills like managing teams, making
decisions, and solving problems. For instance, if someone is promoted to team leader
but feels unsure, a coach helps them learn how to motivate their team and handle
conflicts professionally.

8. Executive Coaching
Executive coaching is designed for senior professionals to sharpen their leadership,
decision-making, and strategic skills. For example, if a manager struggles with
leading big projects, an executive coach can guide them to think more clearly and
manage responsibilities better.

9. Succession Coaching
Succession coaching prepares employees to take over higher positions when leaders
leave or retire. For instance, if a company's director is retiring soon, a coach helps the
next person build the right leadership skills to smoothly fill that important role.

10. Team-Oriented Coaching

Team-oriented coaching focuses on making teams work together more effectively
and happily. For example, if a team keeps missing deadlines due to poor
communication, a coach can train them to listen better, respect ideas, and solve
problems faster.
Factors and barriers that influence
career Development
1. Family Influence
Family can strongly affect career decisions through expectations, advice, or family
traditions.
Examples:

• A student chooses engineering because their parents are engineers.

• A girl becomes a teacher because her family thinks it’s a good job for women.

2. Peers’ Influence
Friends and classmates often influence career choices through opinions or shared
goals.
Examples:

• A student picks a business degree because all his friends are doing it.

• A girl joins a fashion designing course after her best friend suggests it.

3. Gender
Traditional gender roles may limit or encourage certain careers for boys or girls.
Examples:

• A girl avoids joining the police because people say it's a "man's job".

• A boy avoids nursing even though he likes it, due to gender stereotypes.

4. Culture
Cultural values and community norms can influence which careers are seen as
respectable or acceptable.
Examples:

• In some families, being a doctor is more respected than being an artist.

• A student avoids music or drama because it’s not supported in their culture.
5. Academic Reasons
Performance in school and availability of guidance affects career path decisions.
Examples:

• A student drops the idea of becoming a pilot due to weak math skills.

• A bright student gets a scholarship and chooses a science career.

6. Media Influence
TV, internet, and social media shape career dreams by showing glamorous or
trending jobs.
Examples:

• A student wants to be a chef after watching cooking shows.

• A boy chooses vlogging as a career after seeing YouTubers make money.

7. Financial Resources
Lack of money can limit educational options and career choices.
Examples:

• A student leaves university due to high fees.

• A boy chooses a short course to earn quickly and support his family.

8. Physical, Mental, and Emotional Impairments

Health problems can create barriers in choosing or continuing a career.
Examples:

• A student with eyesight issues cannot become a pilot.

• A person with anxiety may avoid public speaking careers.

9. Working Conditions

The environment and safety at workplaces can affect job choices and career
satisfaction.
Examples:

• A girl refuses to work in a factory due to unsafe conditions.

• A boy leaves a job because of long working hours with no breaks.

10. Global Market Trends
Changes in international job demand can shape what careers are popular or
available.
Examples:

• A student chooses IT because software jobs are in high demand globally.

• A boy skips mechanical engineering due to low job chances abroad.

11. Organization Culture

The behaviour, rules, and environment inside a company can help or block career
growth.
Examples:

• A student enjoys internship in a company that supports learning and

teamwork.

• A person leaves a job where there is bias and no respect for employees.