After working through this section, you will be able to:

• Understand values and their importance in choosing a career
• Describe your personal, cultural, social and work values
• Describe your world view and sense of social responsibility and understand how they can guide your career decisions
• Notice how your aptitudes and interests influence your career choices and path
• Describe how creativity can contribute to a fulfilling work life
• Develop your creativity through three activities
• Set short term objectives and long term goals
• Use short term objectives to achieve long term goals
• Use objectives and goals to maintain a direction in your life

Introduction

For some people, deciding on a career requires little effort. They know exactly what they like to do and develop job skills that are associated with their interests and aptitudes. Such people create careers based on their most favourite activity.

For other people, the process requires careful self-exploration and planning to find careers that coincide with their temperament, long term goals, and lifestyle expectations.

By carefully planning your career, you can determine

• interests and strengths,
• short term objectives and long term goals,
• education needed,
• occupations that match your skills and interests,
• corporate culture and values that will be right for you, and
• future lifestyle.

Think of establishing your goals as a three-step process: self-reflection, self-assessment, and career orientation.

Self-reflection involves thinking about personal characteristics, such as values, and how you fit into the world. These values

• determine how you behave and what you think is important and
• influence your relationships and your career path.

Click on the following links to explore your

• Values
• World View and Social Responsibility

Self-assessment requires that you evaluate your abilities and interests in the light of your career goal. Do you have the interests and aptitudes for the work you have chosen? How can you approach your job to make it satisfying?

Click on the following links to explore your

• Aptitudes and Interests
• Creativity

How can you stay on the right career path? Developing focused short-term objectives and long-term goals will enable you to develop a career plan that will orient you as you travel to your destination. Explore objectives and goals by clicking on the following link:

• Objectives and Goals

Need a Personal Guide?

The process of developing a solid self-knowledge and a realistic career path can be guided by a career counsellor who has the training and tools, such as personality inventories, to help you.

If you require assistance in developing a career plan and navigating to your career destination, click on the button below to contact a Seneca College Career Counsellor.

Internet Resources