It doesn’t matter whether you’re 12, 21, or 52 – not all of us know exactly what we want to do when we grow up. For those of us that are not fortunate enough to have been born with a desire to choose a specific profession since childhood, it is comforting to know that changing one’s career paths and passions is just one part of a lifelong career journey. While you may be taking online courses and are busy with day-to-day responsibilities, the important thing is to keep your eye out for things that you may be interested in. One way to find that appropriate path is “career planning”.

OK, so what is it?

Career planning helps you walk through the process of choosing a realistic career, deciding the best way to pursue it and then taking action. Just like any plan, it provides a more formal way of thinking about your future by writing down a proposed way forward and periodically revisiting your decisions to see how you're tracking. A career plan involves identifying, researching, developing, and carrying.

While many students have broad goals like “doing something creative”, or “making tons of money”, it is important to identify your skills, goals and interests. There are plenty of assessment tools available, including the world-wide known Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a personality test that can help you identify what exactly your passion is or might be and assist you in identifying some significant personal preferences. The test is incorporated in many assessment books that you can pick up at the local bookstore. Corporate recruiters are also known for using similar tests that are geared towards staff team-building and professional development. Remember to focus on your strengths. Do what you are best at and what you have a passion for. Don't focus on your mediocrities, and certainly not your weaknesses.

Do keep in mind to take assessments with a grain of salt. Psychological profiles and analyses cannot always give you the answers you need. What usually works best is to take a hard look in the mirror. Who are you? What is really important in your life? What are the values you are prepared to live by no matter what?

Once you have an idea of what your specific area of interest and passion are, research is the key to finding what different jobs are available. A little bit of investigating will turn up a lot of useful information. There is a lot of information available online for a wide variety of professions. A simple Google search will get you well on your way.

No successful plan has ever been carried out without a purpose and strategy. Developing a plan to find the job you want will get you well on your way. Just like any project, it is important to regard your career plan as a living document that requires frequent attention and maintenance.

Once you have a plan or strategy set up, it is important to carry it out, such as applying for jobs, or signing up for a course. If the job market is not at your advantage, perhaps you need to review your goals and strategies and plan an alternative course of action.

One of the most important aspects of managing a career and staying on track is networking. Remember to treat every encounter and conversation with people as an interview. No matter what the situation is, most of the time people you talk to judge or evaluate your worth. Make that conversation be worth something.

With today’s interactive world, however, the old-school method of networking to build your contacts and help land the perfect job is taking a new twist. Online business networking websites are booming, meaning face-to-face networking is just one way people are expanding their horizons. As tech savvy, younger generations move through the workforce, online business networking is becoming a popular practice, not just because it allows users to keep in touch at the press of a button, but because it offers the ability to network with anybody, anywhere in the world, according to people who use the services.

Making choices about your career, major, or graduate school is an important part of your life experience. Any success requires sustained effort, street smarts and insightful strategies, much like the focus of successful organizations. Whatever your situation, career planning makes all the difference on your way to a successful career. Remember to stay on track and good luck!

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