Develop your career step-by-step

Although everyone’s situation is unique, there are some key steps to take in order to develop and progress your career. The diagram shows the main elements of career planning; start this process early on in your course and you will save yourself time later. This process continues as your career develops too. Check out the Plan: Me model to help you put these steps into action.

There are four main aspects to career choice and development:

1. Self awareness: To make choices you need to know what interests you, what motivates you, the skills you have and those you wish to develop more.

2. Opportunity awareness: Explore opportunities open to you, whether directly related to your degree background or in new career areas.

3. Decision making: Review and evaluate your options and make decisions, focusing on areas of particular interest.

4. Transition: Find out how best to present yourself – in writing and in person – so you can start to put your plans into action.

Self awareness

What do you enjoy doing? What can you learn from your experiences? What do you really want from work?

What skills and strengths do you have and what are you good at? What would you like to improve? Opportunity awareness

Research occupations, employers, further study and training opportunities Who do you know to talk to who can help you find out more about opportunities for you? Keep a file of key contacts and information you gather

Process of career development

Transition

Check deadlines and how to apply Develop a good CV and work on your cover letter and applications Prepare for interviews and assessment centres

Are there aspects of your plans you need to refine? Decision making

Be clear about what you want, and rate your options in order of preference. How achievable and realistic are they? Find out what you can do to improve your chances e.g. work experience Have a plan B – if you are struggling with this seek help from the Careers Service

What is important to you in a career?

To begin thinking about what you would like to do after you have finished your course at Imperial or check that your chosen career path will meet your needs and aspirations it is a good idea to undertake a values assessment.

Values and motivations include things like your ethical perspective, as well as factors that give your work personal meaning and a sense of purpose. These may include things like security (for example, stable employment), material benefits (like financial reward) or altruism (working for the benefit of others), among many others.

Understanding your personal values can help you make clearer career decisions and perform better in applications and interviews because you will be prepared to demonstrate how your values align with those of the company you are applying to work for.

The following activity can help you begin – download the Motivational Quiz from the Self Reflection section of our website.

YOUR VALUES

Look at the following factors and decide how important they are to you. • In the free choice column select all the values that are important or desirable to you. • In the half column cut the number of values you have chosen by half discarding those of lesser importance. • For the final column choose only your top three essential values.

Organisation — Working in a well-known or well-respected company Free choice

Global environment – Working for a global company with offices all over the world

Community — Working in a place where you can get involved in the local community

Controllable lifestyle — Being able to achieve a satisfactory work/life balance

Flexible working — A role in which there is the possibility of working in a number of roles or parttime

Job security — Knowing that your work will always be there for you

Being expert — Being known as someone with special knowledge or skills

Research — Having the opportunity to carry out research

Supervision — Having responsibility for supervising others Half Top three