We talked in a previous article about the importance of drawing a career plan. In the interview below, our colleague, Alina Muscalu (Recruiter CGS Constanța) gives us more details about what such a plan should include, as well as arguments about its usefulness for the personal and professional development of each of us.
What exactly is a career plan?
Alina Muscalu: Career planning is a process that focuses on the abilities, skills, or qualifications of the employee, as well as on their needs or aspirations, it is a continuous process of development and adjustment to the context.
A career plan should contain actions oriented to:
1. Self-knowledge:
– How am I? (identification of personality traits)
– What do I know and what can I do well?
– What would I like to do?
– What is important to me, what motivates me?
2. Exploring career opportunities
3. Establishing educational and professional goals
4. Implementation strategy – achieving professional goals.
Why is it important to establish such a plan?
Alina Muscalu: Career must mean a balance between the things that matter most to the employee, regardless of the profession. Job satisfaction depends on the extent to which the employee finds ways to develop their interests and skills, and career planning will give them the chance to identify an activity that will allow them to fully develop skills, will give them satisfaction and high performance.
When would it be better to draw up your career plan?
Alina Muscalu: The elaboration of a career plan is useful both if we refer to pupils, students, who are at the beginning in shaping a career direction, or if we refer to employees who want self-improvement or even a change of their career path.
Are there certain professional fields in which it is better to draw up a career plan?
Alina Muscalu: I consider that, regardless of the profession, a career plan is useful, it creates a long-term vision and gives meaning to the professional effort.
Is the career plan a task for the employee or the employer?
Alina Muscalu: Employees are the ones who bear the main responsibility for the way they lead their own career, but the employer has an essential role in this regard, namely that of facilitator, providing resources and development framework.
How can the company help with its employees’ career plans?
Alina Muscalu: It is very important to periodically evaluate the potential, needs, behavior and performance of employees, these aspects being useful in developing future career development programs, which will automatically translate into a motivating work environment, where employees’ performance will increase significantly.
