The first stage of career planning is looking at yourself - your personality, interests, values, learning style, skills etc.  Once you have identified what you want in a job, you can start to investigate possible options - making sure you take account of any constraints.   This grid will help you to record the information you know and find out about yourself.  Try some of the suggested questionaires and assessments to find out more about interests, skills and abilities which you didn't know you had!  This information will be very useful when you start to complete applications and CVs and when you attend interviews.  Employers like candidates who know what they have to offer and who can demonstrate their skills and abilities with examples.

Personal Appraisal

Personal Aspects	Details	Comments
Personality Try the Keirsey Personality Assessment
Career Interests Try this interest questionnaire
Work  values and motivations Try this motivation assessment
Learning Style Check out your learning style with this questionnaire

Skills  

You can develop skills through all aspects of your life - not just by undertaking courses.  Check out your skills using DoctorJob and this Transferable Skills Survey 

Evidence from activity	Skills and experience gained	Comments
Academic studies
Achievements
Extra-curricular activities
Time Out experience
Interests
Personal life
Sport
Voluntary work
Work experience

Possible constraints	Career implications?	Comments
Disability / health issues
Mobility / location
Family / dependents
Poor exam grades
Age
Criminal convictions

Now that you have gathered information about yourself, your personality, values, skills and constraints the next step is to start investigating possible career options.   Look at some of the resources suggested for more ideas.

 

Possible occupations	Career	Comments
Using degree Options using your degree, Irish careers information
Where degree will be useful See what previous graduates have done
Open to graduates of any degree discipline What do graduates do? covers options with any subject

Now focus on the three most promising careers and list the pros and cons and implications of each one

	Career 1:	Career 2:	Career 3:
Pros
Cons
Implications (eg leaving area)

For more links to relevant websites and for details of published materials see Information resources

>> Career Planning Resources >>