Manage Your Career

The Manage Your Career section helps you learn ways to take charge of your life and career. Build a Foundation helps you learn about the world of work. It also gives you tips on how to take charge. Move Forward helps you to keep managing your career.

What is career management?
It means you are in charge of your life and your career. Managing your career means that you think about what is important to you. You look at the steps to make your career goals happen. You actively look for ways to improve your job skills.

Why should you manage your career? 
You will need to act on your career plan repeatedly. Your exact actions depend on your own situation. This Career Planning Guide shows you how to take charge of your career. You can use it throughout your work life.

Want to be successful and manage your career?
Your Job Seekers Guide (pdf)  is a step-by-step process. It will help you to take charge of your career. The first step is Manage Your Career. Start here to make sure that you have the basics in place. Then, there are five steps to follow. Each section will have worksheets and tips. If you need to, you can revisit the steps in any order. You can use the exercises and tips from more than one step at the same time.

Career Management Gets Results!
Career management involves more than just finding a job. It concerns your whole life. All adults seek financial security, and building a career is one way to assure security for you and your family. However, careers meet other important needs where you can grow and challenge yourself to experience success. Below are the steps you can follow to help manage your career choices:

Step 1: Asses Yourself
If you are not sure what your next step in your career is, there are many tools in this guide that can help. Use some of these tools to help you learn more about yourself.

Step 2: Explore Careers
As you keep learning more about yourself, you can find out more about which careers interest you. Explore different careers. You can explore careers that you think you may be good at. You can also explore careers that may interest you.

Step 3: Create a Plan & Set Goals
Next, it is time for you to start making decisions. Decision-making can help you get closer to your career goals. Identify the actions you need to get to your next steps. Remember you can take one step at a time so you do not get frustrated.

Step 4: Expand Skills
You discovered some of the skills you have in Step 1: Assess Yourself. When you begin making career decisions, you may need to increase the skills that you have or need. Find out how in this step.

Step 5: Find a Job
You have explored careers and set goals. You may be in school or a job training program to expand your skills. Now it is time to find a job. This step can help get the tools you need to be prepared for an interview and look your best for employers.