Portfolio Project 1

MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO PROJECT 1
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MANAGEMENT PORTFOLIO PROJECT 1
INTRODUCTION
One of the aspects that a future-oriented and ambitious person should have is the career plan. It helps one evaluate his or her career growth. It also focuses on his strengths, rather than the weaknesses (Vurnum, 2010). At the same time, it ensures an individual gets maximum benefits from his ventures. Individuals could analyze their career prospects if they had a financial plan (Robert, 2004). The plan should be able to accommodate future changes. With the changing society and the technological evolution, a good career plan should be able to provide the individual with plans in case of any future amendments. Successful corporate seniors have career plans that have acted as guidance over time for the individuals’ careers (Wilson, 2013). This paper, therefore, is concerned about the creation of a career plan, and the various factors that are considered in the process.
JOAHIM MULLER
My friend Joachim Muller is determined to create his career plan and would like to do what it takes to come up with the best career plan. It is because he is aware of the fact that the plan will guide him through his career (Vurnum, 2010).Before creating a career plan, he will have to consider the main aspects that may affect his future career evolvement and progress. One of the main aspects he will have to consider in his career plan development is the value of education in his career (Vurnum, 2010).

Education has been deemed as the quickest way and most hustle free war to career success.
The level of education one has, or is determined to have in future, should be considered in the career plan. Having a high level of education increases one’s chances of having an opportunity in formal employment (Maltz, 2003). With the current number of professionals that is flowing into the job market, one ought to have an edge over the other competitors in the field. One of the main ways of gaining the edge is by being intellectually advanced. A wide range of personal intellectual, financial, and other lifelong benefits, can be attained by going through institutions of higher learning (Wilson, 2013). The government employment records prove that those who are well educated, have lucrative posts in the government organizations as compared to those that have a lesser education. Muller will have to consider his education prospects while coming up with his career plan (Wilson, 2013).
Education is vital in improving one’s personal and intellectual skill set. Education will ensure that an individual attains analytical skills that are vital in any career environment (Robert, 2004). Analytical skills will prove important when it comes to making critical decisions in life. Education develops a strong work ethics in an individual. An educated individual is more likely to behave ethically than an uneducated individual when it comes to workplace and personal issues. Education helps the individual to become more innovative (Robert, 2004).
Education will provide a wide array of knowledge that is vital in improving an individual’s innovativeness (Wilson, 2013). Most companies will prefer innovative staff over non-innovative staff as they aim to meet their organizational targets. Problem-solving skills are also enhanced when one gains higher education (Wilson, 2013). It is because the educated individual can critically analyze any problem before making any decision to the effect. This will ensure that all problems are solved in the most efficient ways as possible, both in personal and no-personal problems that the individual may experience (Wilson, 2013).
The interpersonal skills, which are vital while dealing with other parties, are improved when one attains education. Understanding people and their characters is vital in any work or personal relationships (Wilson, 2013). For one to prosper in their careers, they have to interact with other people in order to obtain guidance or advice from them concerning the various aspects of their careers. The interpersonal skills are significant in the process of interacting with the other individuals from the various fields or professions individuals from the various fields or professions (Wilson, 2013). Moreover, the verbal communication skills are also improved in the process of interacting with the other individuals. Expressing oneself is easier when one has verbal communication skill. Arguments are kept in the average and points are driven in a way that one may easily understand (Wilson, 2013).
Further, education improves on the aspect of teamwork amongst the various individuals that have gone through the higher education system (Maltz, 2003). Organizations emphasize on contracting individuals who are proven to have high teamwork levels. Working in teams helps an individual improve personal relationships while also learning from the other members of the team (Robert, 2004).
Muller should also focus on a career plan that improves his employability in the chosen career path. Increasing his education will improve his employability chances (Robert, 2004). It is estimated that the nearly seven million new jobs from 2004 to 2014 will require the possession of a bachelor’s degree or higher certificates. The figures only help in stressing the issue of the importance of education in the employment sector. Higher education proves to potential employers that the employee has more than the general skills and has more advanced, and specific knowledge on the field of specialization (Robert, 2004). The career plan should be able to outline how his chances of career advancement are fairing and what changes he may have to make to improve the quality of his career plan (Maltz, 2003).
The created career plan should be able to increase the projected earning potential. In any career, one of the factors that one should consider is the returns he or she is likely to gain from the career. Everybody always wants a career that has a high earning potential. All the factors that involve the career and finances should be considered (Robert, 2004). The career plan should focus on the changes in the society, and the technological developments that may affect the initially projected returns. The plan should be able to provide a way out in case there is a crisis in the projected financial returns on the chosen career. Advancing one’s education is one of the ways the individual may focus on in order to improve the chances of increased returns. Experience is also a powerful bargaining chip in improving the careers’ earning potential (Robert, 2004).
A recently completed survey showed that having a master’s degree increased an individual’s chances of formal employment by 14% while also increasing the annual salary returns by a whopping 21.8% (Robert, 2004).
The personal career evaluation must also be considered in developing a career plan. In addition, the personal plans that may affect the career path should be considered, and their effects on the career path evaluated critically. An individual may wish to retire at an early age, and that must also be considered (Robert, 2004). The changes in the career paths are also common amongst new and older associates in the organizational setting. Future career changes may affect the initial career projection if they are not considered in the initial career plan. An individual may also shift counties or countries, and that may significantly affect the career growth of the individual (Robert, 2004). Agood career plan should be able to accommodate the personal projections and wishes (Robert, 2004).
Some of the issues that may arise in the evaluation of oneself include previous work experience, the level of education that he has attained, and self-identification. That will ensure that he does not undervalue or overvalue his potential (Robert, 2004). The completed project and the significant achievements are also part of education and training considerations. The other issues that may be vital in the personal evaluation include the criminal records, military records, and community awards. The consideration of these issues will ensure that the career plan accommodates all of the issues addressed above (Robert, 2004).
The career plan he creates should contain effective job search strategies that will guide him in his job search. The organizations he should target and the strategies he should employ in his job search should also be be included in his career plan (Robert, 2004). That will ensure that in case he losses a job, he will have effective strategies that will help him in his quest for a new one. That will reduce the headache that is usually encountered in an unprecedented job search. An effective job search strategies will also keep him prepared for any unforeseen occurrence in future (Robert, 2004). The job search strategies should also contain an effective plan that may be formulated in the exercise.
Some of the questions he should ask himself in strategizing for the job search include: which companies will he target first? Which formula will he use to approach the companies and organizations? By asking himself such questions, the individual will be in a better position to come up with an efficient approach in the job search (Robert, 2004).
In his career plan, he should also put into consideration the development of his resume to fit the organizations’ prospects (Lore, 2008). A resume contains the first impression that an organization gets of a potential employee. It should be able to point out a major overview of him as a person, his academic achievements, and the experience he has in the field. It should not be over detailed.
A good resume should leave a potential employer with a feeling of wanting to meet the individual (Lore, 2008). It should not be too over detailed as it shows an impression of a desperate individual trying to over-impress the organization. Once the resume is proven to be detailed to the best of his knowledge, the individual should come up with a strategy on how to deliver the resumes to his targeted organizations (Lore, 2008).
There are different ways in which he could approach this issue. One would be to deliver the resume through hand delivery (Vurnum, 2010). One of the advantages associated with this mode of submitting resumes is that one can put a face to the name. The disadvantage, however, is that some of the targeted employers may be too busy to meet up with the individual in person and the resume could end up with the other unopened letters in the company trash, or even misplaced before it reaches the management team.
Mailing and faxing of the applications is another effective way to deliver resumes (Vurnum, 2010).The advantage of this delivery mode is that one can include more information such as completed projects and work samples. Other jobs require filling in of online forms for applications for open positions. Most of these jobs require the attachment of personal and professional testimonials to accompany the application forms (Vurnum, 2010).
The other major career aspect that Muller will contain in his career plan is his values (Robert, 2004). Personal values greatly influence work ethics and how he will feel of the job he will be in. it would be in order to include his personal values in his career plan so as to ensure that his career does not sway him away from his personal values.
The determination of the values that work best for oneself helps in the research and the application for jobs. In addition, it assists in preparing for the interview sessions (Robert, 2004). All the values listed should point out at the elements one considers important and affect the priorities in his or her life. The personal skill set should also be considered when he is creating his career plan (Robert, 2004). The higher the qualification an individual has, the more likely he is to qualify for a position in an organization. While one is analyzing his skills, he should think of the specific tasks that he has attempted, performed or carried them out on a day to day basis. The skills part of the career plan should contain both soft skills and intellectual skills that he has to his name (Robert, 2004).
An individual’s ideal work environment should also be a factor to consider in the generation of an effective career plan (Lore, 2008). If the individual considers his personal environmental preferences, he will be happier in the future. There is no known job that fits perfectly to one’s expectation. The variance between the expectations and what is on offer should be of a sizeable amount that can be compromised (Lore, 2008). Financial needs should also be catered for in the career plan.
When one is starting out in a career, their financial needs may not be that much. As time progresses, however, the financial need increase. There should be a strategy by the individual on how to handle his financial needs and if the chosen career path will be able to meet the financial expectations. By determining his financial need, the individual will be able to set a base minimum salary requirement (Lore, 2008).
The career plan should not overlook some issues that may arise in his career path. Sometimes the job search may take longer than expected. There should be a strategy on how he will handle a long job search. The plan should also provide ways in which he will be able to save money so as to safeguard his future (Lore, 2008). Activities such as eating at home rather than at take away joints should be included as a way of saving money. The career plan should also be able to keep him on his tracks towards his career expectations. The career plan should also provide a way that self-employment could be a possible venture. Most individuals are nowadays more interested in joining the self-employment platform that is more independent, and has more freedom of what to do, as compared to formal employment (Lore, 2008). In case he decides to go the self-employment way, the career plan should contain guidelines on how he will go through the career shift. Part-time employment should also be considered in the career plan as a way to supplement his income. His career choice may, however, hinder this option as some careers demand full concentration on them (Lore, 2008).
CONCLUSION
For Mr. Muller to create a career plan, it will be a step closer to his career aspiration. Career planning proves to be a good point of reference especially when one is faced by a tough career problem (Vurnum, 2010). It will ensure that his career path is a smooth one. Making career switches will also be provided for by any good career plan. Ways to handle contingencies and remain happy in ones preferred career should also be contained in Muller’s career plan. The plan should also contain strategies that will help him retain jobs in his career and increase his professional success. When all that will be done, the career plan will be very instrumental in shaping up the career of the individual (Vurnum, 2010).
REFERENCES
Lore, N. (2008). The Pathfinder: How to choose or Change your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success. Sydney, Simon & Schuster.
Maltz, S. (2003).A Fork In the road: A Career Planning Guide for Young adults. New York, Impact Publications.
Robert, D. (2004).Taking Charge of your Career Direction: Career Planning guide Book 1.New York, Cengage Learning.
Vurnum, G. (2010).Choose a Career and Discover Your Perfect job: 105 Tips on Work Attitude and Motivation. New York, Createspace Independent Publishing Platform.
Wilson, M. (2013). Career Development And planning: A Comprehensive Approach.New York, Custom Publishing.