How to Create a Career Path

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How to create a career path
As a wise person once observed, "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." An employee who doesn't take time to look at where he is and where he wants to be runs the risk of overlooking opportunities, spinning in his tracks and never quite feeling that he has control over his own destiny. Fortunately, developing a career path isn't as daunting a task as it may appear. Here, experts offer tips on how to chart a course -- including when to stop and evaluate that you're still heading in the direction that's right for you. Self-awareness Knowing what you want begins with knowing yourself. An honest appraisal is key to figuring out your ultimate goals. "I've consulted with people about their careers for over 20 years, and what I've learned is that there are threads that run through our entire lives. It's also true of our careers," says Aricia LaFrance, a career consultant and founder of marketyourway.com. "It's likely that you have, for example, always loved numbers or maybe you've always enjoyed helping people. Awareness of those threads can create a satisfying career path. Think life-long interests when it comes to career planning and you'll likely be happier in each job along the way." Joel Garfinkle, founder of dreamjobcoaching.com, recommends thoroughly reviewing everything you have accomplished in your career. "Focus on the experiences that have taught you important lessons and helped you learn new skills. Look at your résumé and peruse any performance reviews and other feedback you have on hand. Then, assess what you have learned. Take note of any parallels and key information that stands out. As you analyze your past, define and characterize the current state of your career, your 'point A.'" Sara LaForest and Tony Kubica -- co-founders of Kubica LaForest Consulting (a management consulting and performance improvement company serving clients nationwide) -- suggest taking a business personality and performance profile assessment to use as a guide as to what you are likely to do well at, what you are likely not going to enjoy and conditions that can potentially stress you and limit your success. They also recommend talking about career ideas and goals with people who know you well and asking for honest feedback. Creating a plan "A properly prepared plan of action for your own future career will help you focus on where you are heading and not the immediate day-to-day demands of your job," Garfinkle says. "Goals describe your destination, your 'point B.' If your goals are unclear, your career progression will be unfocused and haphazard." Questions that he suggests asking oneself in order to help clarify goals include:



What level of responsibility do you want to have?



What projects would you like to head?



What results do you want to achieve in your department or organization?



What type of company do you want to work for (culture, size, integrity, reputation, etc.)?



What problems or concerns do you care enough about to focus your entire career on solving?



What type of environment do you want to work in?



What type of people do you like to work with?



What compensation (salary, benefits) do you desire?



What type of work/life balance is best for you?

"When you're setting goals, think about the end result and then work out the details," LaFrance says. "Then, break those details down into do-able pieces. Each goal should have small, clearly defined action steps to help you get there." Re-evaluating goals Don't think of a career path as a one-way road from which you can never divert. Instead, plan on periodically looking at the map you've devised to see if it is still your best route. Pay especially close attention any time there is a major life event (such as the birth of a baby) that may impact your priorities. Likewise, the job world itself is not a steady entity. "Mapping out a career 10 to 15 years into the future is difficult and can quickly become obsolete because there are many variables that affect a person's career, such as the changing economy, the changing focus on how work is done and rapid technological advancements," LaForest and Kubica note. While it may seem that creating a career path would be limiting in the face of changes and challenges, the opposite is actually true. A well-designed roadmap makes for easier navigation by laying out the larger picture. "A career plan -- whether it's 5 to 10 years down the road -- helps you take a long, thoughtful view of your working life. You'll be able to look at things in terms of what's best vs. what's speediest, what's meaningful vs. what's easy," Garfinkle says. Know where you want to go, and chances are you'll get there.

Careers with Languages, Translation, Interpreting, Teaching and more
A common feeling among graduates of language degree courses is one of uncertainty. Languages is a subject of study often chosen based on personal goals more than career-driven goals. Therefore, without proper planning

before graduation, a languages graduate can come out of the course wondering what exactly they’re qualifi ed to do. This article will explore some of the possible careers, skills obtained by doing a languages degree, and options for further training. Don’t despair just yet – there are still many career options open to you!

What are my skills?
Before you consider your career choices, think first about your skills. Your degree has probably equipped you with at least the following skills, all of which are desirable in the modern jobseeker:

    

Oral communication Written communication At least one foreign language Experience of living abroad Experience of dealing with people from various backgrounds, languages and countries And, like most graduates, you can probably add the following skills to your list too: Able to work in a team Able to work independently IT skills Project management Presentation skills Already you have a list of skills beyond just your linguistic ability that employers are looking for.

    

What jobs are available?
There are at least three obvious career choices that spring to mind when talking about languages: translating, interpreting and teaching. Before we explore these three ideas, consider the alternatives. Foreign languages are necessary in most sectors due to the proliferation of multinational businesses, internetbased companies, and the onset of globalisation.

Language jobs in HE
In the higher education sector, for example, foreign language skills are required in a variety of roles. There are, of course, lecturing and teaching posts in foreign language departments that demand multi-lingual proficiency. International Offices also require foreign language speakers. Consider the case study of thisWelfare and Erasmus Assistant. Other roles involving international students, such as Events, Marketing, and even Accommodation, at times demand skills in foreign languages. If you want something with a stronger business focus, there are positions such as Multilingual PA, Foreign Language Customer Service Representative and a variety of administration roles that require foreign language skills in a challenging environment. There is a great demand for foreign language speakers in politics, media and journalism, creative writing, market research and a host of other industries. And we haven’t even mentioned the big three yet – Teaching, Translation, and Interpretation.

Teaching, translation, and interpretation
Teaching is a strong option for graduates of language degrees. There is a range of careers on offer in teaching. Whether it’s teaching in schools, further education colleges or universities, private language schools, or teaching abroad, you will have to use the language regularly and pass on your knowledge to learners.

Teaching a foreign language at a secondary school in the UK requires attaining Qualified Teacher Status. There are a number of ways to become qualified, but a PGCE is perhaps the most common way in. Languages taught include French, German and Spanish, and Japanese and Mandarin Chinese among other non-European tongues. Adult and Further Education colleges also require getting qualified, this time with Qualified Teacher, Learning and Skills status. There are many part-time jobs in this field, and it generally involves teaching students aged 16 and above. Some language graduates go into Teaching English as a Foreign Language as a career. There are work options in the UK and abroad, but teaching in a country that speaks your second language gives you the chance to put your skills to good use. Translation demands attention to detail and a complete mastery of language. If you have these attributes, translation is a rewarding and varied career choice. It simply involves translating a text from one language into another language. The source material may range from subtitles for an advert, to a death certificate, and everything in between. Many translators work on a freelance basis, which allows them to take on a variety of work. It is usually necessary to pass a test before an employer will give you any work, but once a good reputation has been built up the amount of work can snowball. Alternatively, if you want the stability of being a contracted, permanent employee, civil service translation jobs are relatively common. The government employs many translators to translate documents pertaining to official matters. Civil service jobs can be found on their website http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/jobs/. Charities, international organizations, and other political bodies (such as the EU and the UN) also require translators. Translation jobs can be obtained with an undergraduate degree, but PG qualifications and knowledge of specialist subject areas (especially those related to business, law and politics) are prized. Interpreting is similar to translation, but has one vital difference: interpreting is live. It involves translating the spoken words of one person into a language intelligible to the interlocutors. This may be required in one-to-one settings, business meetings, or large conferences. Much like translation, interpreting is largely done on a freelance basis. Again, you will find that postgraduate qualifications, and specialist interpreting or translating licenses will aid your search for work. Interpreters are in demand in politics, business and civil service jobs wherein direct communication with foreign language speakers is required.

Working with languages
We have seen, then, that your languages degree can open up a wealth of career prospects in business, education, translation and more. Talking to your university careers service, attending careers fairs where you can talk to languages graduates, and networking with people who can help you career will be vital. Please also read the following articles for more careers advice:

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