Formulating a Career Plan

Knowing which career you want to pursue is an important first step to tackling your job search and career goals. However, simply identifying an ideal position will not propel you to achieve these goals. To successfully attain your goals, there are recommended action steps for you to take.

For this assignment, you will explore the requirements for your potential career path, assess your current skill set, and identify what action steps you can take to make your career goals more attainable. Prior to developing your career plan:

• Read the Career Planning Step-By-StepLinks to an external site. article to understand better the importance of developing a clear career plan.
• Review the Roadmap to SuccessLinks to an external site. tool to help you gather information which you may wish to include in your career plan.

In your paper,

• Identify your long-term goals (five years or longer).
• Identify the skills and qualifications related to this type of role.
• Assess the qualifications you already possess.
• Determine new skills, knowledge, certifications, and training needed for the position desired.
• Create action steps needed to take to be qualified for the position you would like to pursue.

The Formulating a Career Plan paper

• Must be two to three double-spaced pages in length (excluding the title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s APA StyleLinks to an external site.
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted

For further assistance with the formatting and the title page, refer to APA Formatting for Word 2013Links to an external site..

• Must utilize academic voice. See the Academic VoiceLinks to an external site. resource for additional guidance.
• Must include an introduction and conclusion paragraph with a succinct thesis statement. The thesis must be in both the introduction and the conclusion.
  • For assistance on writing Introductions & ConclusionsLinks to an external site. as well as Writing a Thesis StatementLinks to an external site., refer to the Ashford Writing Center resources.
• Must use at least two credible sources in addition to the course text.
  • The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible SourcesLinks to an external site. table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment.
• Must document any information used from sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center’s Citing Within Your PaperLinks to an external site.

Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center. See the Formatting Your References ListLinks to an external site. resource in the Ashford Writing Center for specifications.