Getting Started

Getting Started

Introduction to Career Planning Using the Internet

The word ‘career’ has a range of meanings, one of which is ‘having a clearly defined progression or pathway of work in a particular field’. In the new economy this definition is far too narrow. A new pattern dominates the changing world of work. We can no longer depend on things like a single career, work security, a fixed salary, advancement and static job descriptions. These aspects of the old world of work have been replaced with terms like portfolio careers, personal responsibility, lateral career movements and competencies.

The modern career has been defined by Watts as ‘an individual’s life-long progression in learning and work’ whereby:

• learning includes formal and informal learning and training
• work embraces employment, periods of non-work, self-employment, voluntary work, community work and life roles in general
• progression can take place laterally as well as vertically as long as it retains the sense of development or moving forward.

Watts states that learning is the key to progression in work and that the two concepts of learning and work need to be interwoven on a life-long basis.

Within this context, trying to initiate or progress in a career can be overwhelming. At an individual level it involves an understanding of ‘self’ in relation to present and future accomplishments, idiosyncrasies and roles. It also requires an individual to possess skills in accessing information about careers, courses, training and the labour market, and the ability to apply this information to their own circumstances.

Most of us need assistance in dealing with complexity. This assistance could come in many forms. For example, we may need help with career or course information, with resources to read or use, with activities to explore or initiate and/or with locating professionals to consult. All of these can sometimes be difficult to access as and when required. One of the advantages of the internet is that many sources of help can be accessed with relative ease.

However, having access to the net is not the panacea it was once thought to be. It is true that there is a great deal of information on the net but big doesn’t necessarily mean better. Be aware that just as there is dubious information in media such as magazines and books, there is also a great deal of incorrect information on the internet.

It is recommended that you also visit physical sites which house comprehensive career resources. For example, you can call in to the Careers Service at your educational institution or to your local library for more useful resources. It could also be worthwhile seeking out qualified career practitioners in your local area, to help you discuss what you have found or to help you work through any issues which may emerge.

Making sound career decisions is one of the most important aspects of modern life, given factors such as the multiple pathways which you can take, the massive increase in job changing and the cost of education and training.