Introduction
Choosing a future career can be daunting because of the many options the modern market represents. Young professionals need to see the complexity of today’s world as an excellent opportunity to find activities that will suit their interests. Corey and Corey (2013), in their book I Never Knew I Had a Choice: Explorations in Personal Growth, present the chapter with a detailed discussion of how the career decision should be made. The integral assumption of their discussion is that all the steps in choosing a career should be made with the premise that the modern world requires a wide range of skills and abilities of adaptation.
Building a Career in Seven Steps
Corey and Corey recommend choosing a career by focusing on one’s qualities. In other words, students need to understand themselves and ask questions about their place in the world. Therefore, I will find and complete tests and assessments with an excellent reputation in the academic community.
One of these tests is the Aptitude test, which identifies personality traits (Corey & Corey, 2013, p. 287). I aim to formulate a clear vision of myself as a future professional.
The second step is identifying alternatives, which are different career paths (Corey & Corey, 2013, p. 295). These alternatives must be obtained after passing the tests indicated in the first step. In my case, I have identified several career paths, such as data analytics, business management, and risk assessment. In any case, it is necessary to expand this list in the future and evaluate a larger list of options.
The third step is critical, as it should include an analysis of the alternatives to get a comprehensive idea of the career direction. It is worth reading analytical articles on the Internet, user reviews with great experience, and comparing salaries at different stages of career growth (Corey & Corey, 2013, p. 295). After preliminary research, I intend to find experienced professionals on Facebook and LinkedIn and ask them questions that interest me. After getting more than four answers to my questions, I will consider this stage successful. For example, these questions can be about possible burnouts, complexities, and barriers.
The next step is inextricably linked with the previous one since, here, the task is to rank professions based on the previous research. To do this, it is essential to elaborate quantitative criteria and add the scores into a single index. Such a rating will help to present career options in a systematic and high-quality manner. My task is to compile indexes, the basis of which will be salaries, since this aspect is the most important for me.
The second part of the career choice process is practical. The fifth step is the designation of an action plan for obtaining a position. I should find out what skills I need to form and what training schedule will suit these aims. My task will be to draw up a convenient schedule for use in Excel spreadsheets.
Next, it is crucial to diligently carry out the plan without missing hours aimed at education (Corey & Corey, 2013, p. 296). During this action process, I need to answer whether I am finally satisfied with a particular occupation. Finally, I should make a personal report on the work done and compare reality with initial expectations. My goal is to get answers about the nature of a career in the field from the experts through the questions section of the forums.
Conclusion
To conclude, this essay was devoted to discussing the seven-step model of career choice. Corey and Corey provided great guidelines on determining which career path is the most suitable. The main premise of their model is that choosing a career is a process, not a one-time event. With such logic in mind, I will conduct research on career alternatives and make decisions necessary for career growth.
Reference
Corey, G., & Corey, M. S. (2013). I never knew I had a choice: Explorations in personal growth. Cengage Learning.