This article was written to be used with our career change plan template that you can access from here. Our 3-step action plan will guide you through finding a career choice that matches your skills, interests, experiences, and needs.

Step 1: Self Assessment

• Assessment Of Likes And Dislikes

What I enjoy doing:

In this section, make a list of your interest and likes. It could be hobbies, things you do in your spare time, fields that interest you. Here are a couple of questions that might help you to discover your true passions:

• what are your hobbies, what activities do you enjoy in your spare time: e.g., creative hobbies, sports, cooking, gardening, DIY, traveling, learning new things, meeting new people
• what type of magazines do you enjoy reading
• which magazines are you subscribed to, what sections/columns do you check out first in daily newspapers
• what kind of TV programs do you watch
• are there any special programs that you follow regularly, any channels (e.g., food channels, history channels, etc.)
• what are the websites that you check out regularly
• what do you enjoy talking about with other people

What I don’t like doing:

In this section, list job-related things that you have a dislike for. E.g., waking up early, doing administrative work, working under stress, working in team/solo, negotiating with business partners, etc.

• Assessment Of Strengths And Weaknesses

Sometimes people can’t decide what they should choose as a career path because there are many interests in their life, but none of them is strong enough to stand out from other interests. In cases like this, selecting a career choice is the obvious way to find out what you are very good at.

Strengths:

Make a list of the skills and talents that you possess. Often we don’t even consider that what comes easy for us might be a real struggle for others, that we have skills that are transferable into money. Skills, people would pay for if we offered them as a service. Personality tests are a good way to find out about your strengths and weaknesses.

E.g., learning new things easily, being good in foreign languages, being empathic, good communication skills, strategic thinking, being creative, etc.

Weaknesses:

Make a list of the things that you are not very good. It will help you to avoid career choices where skills are required that you lack.

• Previous Qualifications

This should be a list of your formal training and education. Apart from your main training – college, university, etc. – write down additional courses that you took. Language courses, special interests, computer courses, professional courses, training provided by your previous employers, etc.

Add the level of qualifications and the date when you completed the training and courses.

• Transferable Skills, Expertise Gained From Jobs

You should list expertise and knowledge that you didn’t gain within the confines of formal training, but in real life, on the job. You can also list skills that you were forced to learn and hone at the workplace. E.g., multi-tasking, delegating jobs, organizational skills, time management skills, spotting opportunities, handlings risks, etc.

Step 2: Research Career Choices

• Find Career Choices Matching Your Skills

After assessing your interests, skills, and strengths, start researching in career and job search in Jaipur options that match your skills. Make a list of 5 – 10 potential career options.

• Career Choices And Your Needs

Test the career choices on your list that you wrote down in the previous section, from your personal needs.

• Is That Career In Harmony With Your Family Needs
• Is That Career In Synch With Your Health Needs
• Does That Career Match Your Spiritual Needs
• Does That Career Match Your Financial Needs

And finally, there is a very important factor that you have to consider:

• Is There A Market For That Career?

This little test will help you to eliminate a few career choices on your list and narrow down the number of potential choices.

• Required Training For Your Career Choice

Depending on your career choice, there is a chance that you will need to undergo further training to be able to enter your new career. If that is the case, consider its financial consequences. First, there is a cost for the training itself (tuition fee, cost of textbooks, and other learning materials). Then, you need to calculate the cost of training in terms of time. If it is a full-time training, you won’t be able to have a full-time job during that period. There will be a shortage of income for you. And for how long depends on the duration of the course and training you need to take.

For each career choice still on your list, please write down the required training, the cost of the training, and its duration. Analyze what you can afford financially and what you can’t.

• Networking

Determine who could help you in your career transition. Write down the name of contacts, potential mentors, organizations for each career choice still on your list.

Step 3: Select Your Dream Career And Set Objectives.

• My New Career Choice Is

After exploring potential career choices from the different aspects detailed above, you should select the most likely and prosperous career choice. Write down your decision: what is that career that you want to enter, how would you picture yourself in that career.

• Career Goals: Where I Want To Be In 3 Years

A career plan is only complete if you express your future goals and objectives related to your career. Write a summary of where you want to be in 3 years in your new job, what goals you want to have been achieved at that time.

• Career Goals: Where I Want To Be In 5 Years

Five-year planning is not too distant but still not that close. Write down where you picture yourself in 5 years in your new career.

• Career Goals: Where I Want To Be In 10 Years

Plan for the long run. Don’t be shy about plotting ambitiously about your career. Write down where you want to be in your career in 10 years and beyond, what goals you want to achieve, and your objectives.

That’s it. Now you are finished for the time being with the planning. Of course, every plan should be revised from time to time, and the chances are that your objectives will change in the coming years. But having a clear idea about what you want and how you want to achieve it is always the best starting point.