Career Planning

Career is defined as the Occupational position a person had over many years. Career Management is defined as a process for enabling employees to better understand and develop their career skill and interests and also to use it most effectively.

 Career Development is the lifelong series of activities that contribute to a persons career. Career Planning is the process through which some one becomes aware of his or her personal skills, interest, knowledge, opportunities, and choice, and establish action plan to attain specific goal.
2

Career Development Initiatives

Organizations devise and implement several initiatives in order to develop their employees careers. More significant of them are career planning workshops, career counseling, mentoring, sabbaticals, personal development plans, and career workbooks.

Career Planning Workshops

Structured workshops are available to guide employees individually through systematic self-assessment of values, interest, abilities, goals and personal development plans. During workshops, employees are made to define and match their specific career objectives with the needs of the company Generally, these workshops are designed to guide individuals to figure our their strengths and weaknesses, job and career opportunities, and necessary steps for reaching their goals. Suggested steps help organizations initiate appropriate action plans.

Career counseling
Career counseling helps employees discuss their career goals in one-to-one counseling sessions. Along with goals, other variables identified are capabilities, interests, and current job activities and performance. While some firms make counseling a part of the periodic performance appraisal, career counseling is usually voluntary. Career counseling may be provided by the HR staff, managers, supervisors, or consultants.
5

Mentoring
Mentoring involves coaching, advising, and encouraging employees of usually lesser ranks. Mentor (superior officer) is an important aid in the development of an employee (mentee) or protg such as greater job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and attainment of higher salary and career progress. Mentoring is also valuable for improving the job involvement and satisfaction of the mentor
6

Sabbaticals
These are temporary leaves of absence from an organization, usually at a reduced amount of pay. Periodic leaves or sabbaticals help employees in terms of refreshing their learning and rejuvenating their energies.

Personal Development Plans (PDPs)

In these, employees write their own personal development plans. Such development plans include development needs and action plans to achieve them. A PDP could be the nucleus of a wider career plan such as setting out alternative longterm strategies, identifying ones long-term needs and setting out a plan of selfdevelopment.
8

Career workbooks
These consist of questions and exercises designed to guide individuals to figure out their strengths and weaknesses, job and career opportunities, and necessary steps for reaching their goals. Many workbooks are tailor-made for a particular firm and can be completed in several sessions. Workbooks generally contain organizations career policy, career options available in the organization, organization structure, and job satisfactions along the career laddeers.
9

What inspires me?

In each of us rests the power to shape our future and it will be shaped by our action or inaction. What inspired you to enter the profession? What inspired you to attend this Symposium? If you want a career in this profession, you need to plan, and work towards that plan.
10

 Career planning is no necessarily about a steadily upward progression. Career planning must be flexible. Some type of planning must be undertaken. People with diverse interests and aspirations find a place in libraries. For the first time in history, the worlds wealthiest person is a knowledge worker.
11

Values in our Working Lives

Related to the attitudes and opinions one develops in relation to ones job and work environment. Pay, hours of work, superannuation, and relationships with colleagues, supervisors and clients. It is possible to work for an organization and with colleagues who demonstrate the types of values you hold personally.
12

Positioning Ourselves
Self marketing has become crucial. Choose an area of interest, and develop some expertise. Build on existing skills and abilities.

13

Professional Opportunities
Manage your own career, or let change manage it for you. Opportunities exist for new career paths for information professionals. Develop a network of professional contacts, including mentors. Become a member of professional committees.
14

Taking Risks
Initiate career changes. Career development is not necessarily about a steadily upward trend. Think outside the realm of traditional positions. In todays job market, there is more movement between jobs. Portfolio careers successive, frequent changes.

15

Responsibility for ones own career

Be clear about what you want out of life. Spend time on self-analysis and self reflection. Know you skills, abilities, values, aspirations, wants, needs, dreams and personal style.

16

 Take the time to reflect. Review the changing information landscape. Think about possible directions to take. Be creative, bold and visionary. Grasp the opportunities presented.
17