What is a career?

A career is not just a job: it is the sum total of paid and unpaid work, learning and life roles you undertake throughout your life. This can include:

  • Work experience and employment
  • Community involvement
  • Volunteer work
  • Life roles
  • Cultural activities
  • Training and education
  • Interests and hobbies.

What is career planning?

Career planning involves thinking about your interests, values, skills and preferences, and exploring your life, work and learning options. It also involves successfully navigating the changes in your life and the world of work, and making sure that your work aligns with your personal circumstances.

Why should you plan your career?

Basically, career planning increases your chances of success. It gives you motivation for your studies and gives you control over your own career development.

Career planning allows you to:

  • focus on your priorities
  • set clear and concise goals
  • make decisions.

In an increasingly competitive labour market, the ability to successfully navigate the world of work is paramount. Career planning allows an individual to identify, develop and set achievable pathway and career goals.

Goal setting

To increase your chances of finding a career that you enjoy, it is important to define your goals clearly and work out a strategy to achieve them.

Did you know?

If you write down your dreams and goals on a regular basis you become 42 per cent more likely to achieve them.

Career action plan

A career action plan can help you set your goals, work out what actions you need to achieve them, and commit to them.

Your career action plan must have both long- and short-term goals. It is important to include the steps to take to reach each one, along with ways to get around barriers that might get in your way.

Short-term goals are quick, simple activities to get you started, for example:

  • Looking for work experience in your chosen industry
  • Doing a short course (i.e. MYOB).
  • Attending an industry event or going to networking events.

Long-term goals are your ultimate career goals, like becoming a carpenter, an accountant, a nurse, or whatever you see yourself doing for your career.

Book an appointment with a career counsellor

Call our Student Services team on 1300 244 746 (option 4) to book an appointment with a career counsellor.