Career Development Month: Let's review basics

Consider me reformed, and this column will be my proof. From now on, I’ll use the words “career development” when I’m talking about just that -- the steps and strategies one uses when developing one’s career.

And this is a good time to have that discussion. Not only is November Career Development Month, but it’s also conveniently positioned just ahead of the holiday season and new year -- two events that can stir latent career dreams as we encounter friends and family and reflect on the direction our lives are taking.

Here then, is a timely look at the basic steps of career development.

1. Life planning. While knowing your life goals is not a requirement for career planning, it can certainly help. After all, your career choice could impact everything from starting a family to pursuing a complex hobby.

Building a career around life goals needn’t be cumbersome. You can start with your near-term goals of, say, the next five years. Based on what you want to accomplish, how would the work you’re considering impact your goals? To go further into this process, you may find it helpful to work with a life coach, a testing company that administers assessments, or even a good self-discovery book.

2. Career exploration. Do you know which field you want to work in, or what level you want to achieve? These are some of the questions you can explore through a process of inquiry and evaluation, using Internet research, informational interviews and volunteer assignments to gain clarity. You can do this on your own or with the help of a career counselor. Many community colleges and universities also offer classes on career exploration, complete with structured exercises and classroom discussions.

3. Career building. Once you've chosen a profession or industry to work in, it's time to review your aspirations. Do you want to achieve a certain expertise, level of authority or salary in this field? Perhaps your goals relate to your mastery of a trade or process. Or maybe you just want to stay employed so you can devote your energy to your hobbies or family. Whatever your career goals may be, having them in mind will help you set your strategy for career development.

Now it’s time to take stock. How will you get where you want to be? This stage of your process may involve more research or another round of informational interviews, or it may call for a meeting with your boss to learn what he or she expects before giving you the opportunities you crave.

Depending on what you discover in this stage, your next steps might involve a return to school, cross-training in your current company, a bid for a promotion, or even an exit to a company with a better career track. This is an excellent point to use the feedback and strategic skills of a career coach or counselor.

4. Skill building. It's almost impossible these days to envision a career path -- or even just a pay-the-bills-job -- that doesn't involve ongoing training. Luckily, when the process is part of career development, you hold the reins. Since your goals are driving the decision, you get to choose how much training you need in order to get where you're going.

Once again, your research will provide the clues, and a career or academic counselor can help you identify actual options.

Here are the general categories to be aware of: universal skill development, such as writing, selling, presenting or computing; trade-specific or technical training required by your industry; personal development in areas such as supervising others, managing projects or working more efficiently; and overall degree completion.

These four steps represent just the broad outline of the career development process, but it’s enough to get you started. Set aside time soon to review your own career path and to plan your strategy.

And remember, even if you are currently out of work, you still have a career path to manage. Don’t let your short-term problem obscure the need for long-term planning or you risk not getting what you really want from your career.

Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.