Step 2: Career Awareness |
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Career Awareness
5 Steps in Successful Career Planning
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1. Self Awareness - Know yourself, your preferences, needs, desires |
| 2. Career Awareness - Know what careers are available and what they involve |
| 3. Career Immersion - Engage in specific career-related learning and activities |
| 4. Evaluation and Decision Making - Review your options and make informed decisions |
| 5. Planning - Identify and select education, training and work opportunities |
The next step in the process involves increasing your awareness of potential careers. Most people can only describe and only understand a handful of career options, yet there are thousands of available careers. The point of this step is not to limit yourself to the one option you may have been considering or heard about, but to open your options to include careers (jobs, environments, industries, education) you were not aware of or had not considered.
There are a variety of ways to begin to identify potential careers. One of the best places to begin this process is to conduct your own research using resources available in the Career Centre, at the Library, on the Internet and more. Then talk to people and ask about the jobs with which they are familiar.
Key Sources of Career Research
- Graduate Survey Data and Career Path Profiles of Various Majors (compiled by Career Centre staff)
- Your own Career Profile Results (Step 1: Self-Assessment results)
- Industry/Career/Trends research and profiles
- Professional Associations (Websites and magazines)
- Government of Canada Career Resources:
- Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
- The National Occupational Classification
- Working in Canda - Occupational Outlook Handbook (U.S.)
- Careers for ______ Handouts and Books (available in the Career Centre)
- For example, academic majors or types of people or interests such as people who like nature, people who like drama and so on - Salary Information for occupations of interest
What do you want to learn about Potential Careers?
- The day-to-day activities and tasks of a potential career
- The education and training (current and ongoing) required for the career
- The skills and experiences required to begin the career
- The type of work environment, conditions, values and lifestyle options
- The type of personality components required for the job
- The work values and lifestyle options related to the career
- The financial realities of the career
- Where potential jobs are located?
- The pros and cons of a potential career
- What industries and sectors support this type of work?
- The future trends (including labour market trends) relevant to the career
Career Trends and the Labour Market
Part of your career decision process should involve understanding career trends and the changing labour market. We are not suggesting that your career decision should be based solely on the outlook of the labour market. However, understanding the labour market and identifying trends should enable you to select and plan for a viable career. There is excellent labour market data compiled regularly by the Government of Canada and Statistics Canada.
Key Labour Market Components
- Social Dynamics - Demographics and Lifestyle Factors
- Economic Dynamics - Occupation and Work Change, Industry Change, Economic Changes and Technological Changes
- Political Dynamics - National and Global Factors
Knowing how these factors have the potential to impact on a career field can provide you with valuable information to plan and manage your career. Changes to demographics (age, ethnicity of a population) can create opportunities. Changes in the technology can reduce careers in one area, but increase them in another. The key is to be aware and stay on top of these key components.