Career Planning

When you chose your career your life may have been different than it is today. For example you may have been single then and now you have a family. The crazy schedule or the frequent travel that is typical of your career may not suit your new lifestyle. You should look for an occupation that is more family friendly.

Now is not the time to let your schoolwork get away from you. Stay on track with schoolwork and plan ahead for deadlines. Spend more time studying the subjects that are the hardest for you.

How you perform in high school lets colleges gauge what type of student you are and lets employers assess what type of employee you'll make. Plus, you will learn skills in school that will last you a lifetime.

A good work ethic in school represents a good work ethic in life.

Talk to some adults you know to find out if they are satisfied with their job. Many factors go into job satisfaction-job location, daily stresses, colleagues. Prioritize the top five or 10 things you want from your professional life and choose a career that you genuinely like to do, not just something that will make you a lot of money.

The more informed you are, the more prepared you'll be when you start your career.

Some occupations are inherently stressful. You knew that from the beginning about yours. You have come to a point, though, when it is become too much to handle. To preserve your mental and physical health, you will have to find a career that is less stressful.

Example:

This might be a better understanding of how organisations work or an appreciation of the different, interlocking areas of business. Consider the core courses, the electives you can choose or the individual research report and how these can be applied to the career you are looking for. You should think not only about the knowledge you will be acquiring but the interpersonal and technical skills that you will develop on your MSc course.

Once upon a time you loved going to work every day. You no longer feel the same way. In fact, your feelings are the opposite of that. You can not stand doing your job anymore. You have tried changing employers but it has not helped at all. It is time to change careers so you can once again enjoy going to work.

Think about what you would like to do with your life after high school. Would you like to work in a busy office or do you prefer the outdoors? Do you like being around lots of people or are you more of a loner?

Complete our Career Cluster Activity to see what careers may best fit your personality and interests. Choosing a career that you like and you are good at will be a big part of your future happiness.

A good career choice "fits" your personality and interests.

Students talk to their parents about their school day. After spending all day in the classroom, you may just be too tired to rehash it all again at home.

But parents have experience that you do not. They can help you look at a situation more clearly and provide support as you problem solve. And if your parents will play a role in your college choice or contribute money toward your education, keeping them involved in your thought process will allow them to prepare emotionally and economically.

Parents are a great sounding board for important decisions.

When you did your initial research the occupation you ultimately chose had a lot of advancement opportunities. You have been working in the field for a while and you have climbed up the ladder while happily facing all the challenges you have encountered along the way. Unfortunately you have gone as far as you can. You are no long challenged by your work. A career change can help revitalize your motivation.

Think about where you want to be three years after completing the MSc course and how this links into one of the following questions, your long term goals. If you are interested in joining a graduate scheme, think about how long it will be and the type of role you will be doing on completion of it.