A guide to creating a solid career plan

Are you thinking about your future in the world of work? Would you like to be able to follow a precise roadmap for greater peace of mind? With a career plan, it's possible.

A career plan is a human resources tool that enables you to better manage the development of your professional career. It's like a base, a safety net when you start working. A well-thought-out career can easily lead to success if it is accompanied by motivation. Find out from IPAG Business School how to put in place an effective career plan that will serve as a real springboard for your professional future.

What is a career plan?

When you draw up a career plan, you define the broad outlines and stages you need to go through to get to the position you want. The plan can be short, medium or long term, depending on the objectives set. The career plan can thus serve as a real roadmap for the student. Training, diplomas, professional experience: the career plan summarises the whole of this future pathway towards professionalisation and life in a company. The career plan is all the more important in a competitive environment, for example if you want to study business.

Why draw up a career plan?

Having a career plan serves several purposes. Firstly, it clarifies your personal and professional objectives. The career plan clarifies your professional aspirations and enables you to orientate your choice of training and work placements. Secondly, a career plan saves time, because it allows you to identify a course of action right from the start of your studies. It also prevents you from heading into irrelevant areas of study.

What's more, by following your career plan, you gradually build up the skills and experience you need to work in your target areas and quickly get your first job in a company. As a result, you'll leave your studies with a solid CV that will help boost your employability. Your profile will stand out from the rest in the eyes of companies looking to recruit. Your career path will reflect your thoughtfulness and determination. This will have a dual effect: on the one hand, it will create a consistency that employers appreciate, and on the other, it will show that you are reliable and motivated.

When should I draw up a career plan?

You can draw up your career plan at several points in your life.

• Right from the start of your studies, you can create a career plan to guide your choice of courses and extracurricular activities and maximise your university resources.
• To make informed decisions at key transitions: for example, before choosing a specialism, a work placement or a final year project.
• In preparation for a job search, to fine-tune your CV and covering letter.
• The career plan helps you target the companies and positions that interest you, and even prepares you for future job interviews.
• If you're already employed, the career plan can help you get started on the road to professional reorientation.

What method should I use to draw up a career plan?

First of all, analyse the starting point of your career plan: your current situation. How far have you got? Are you satisfied with your current situation? What skills do you have?

Then think about where you want to end up. What job would you like to do eventually? You can start with a simple visualisation exercise. Imagine where you want to be in 10 years' time. You can even go so far as to think about the future companies that interest you. How many employees do they have? What are the career opportunities? What salary would you like to be aiming for?

You can also brainstorm and write down everything that comes to mind. This will help you to sort things out. Does the job you're thinking about make sense to you? Will it be in line with your values?

From there, you just need to work out how to get from the starting point to the finishing point. There are always several ways of getting where you want to go. For example, if you're planning to work internationally, a business school is one possible route.

Don't focus on the length of the route or its difficulty. Remember that reality can (and probably will) deviate from the trajectory set by your career plan, but that's not necessarily the most important thing.

The career plan remains the basis you put in place to start your path towards the world of work, but far from putting a brake on you, this plan also allows you to remain flexible and open to opportunities.

What are the different stages in building a career plan?

First of all, bear in mind that to carry out a complete self-assessment, you need to know yourself well. This will enable you to understand your aspirations, as well as your strengths and weaknesses. You'll also be able to take an objective look at your skills, motivations, values and interests. So be particularly honest and thoughtful at this crucial stage.

On this basis, define SMART objectives, i.e. objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound. These should be in the short, medium and long term.

Next, you'll need to do some research. You'll need to find out what opportunities exist to help you achieve your goals: employment sectors, professions, salaries, etc. If you're aiming for certain schools, find out more about them. If you're targeting certain schools, find out about the programmes they offer.

Your research will lead you to plan a strategy. You'll end up with a process made up of concrete steps to be taken to achieve the objectives you've set. These steps may include training, work experience, developing your skills and your professional network, among others.

Now it's time to take action. As you progress, check that your career plan remains in line with your personal and professional aspirations. Remain flexible so that you can readjust the plan if necessary.

How do business schools help their students with their career plans?

IPAG is committed to your professional integration. Our role is to help you build a constructive career plan.

Take advantage of our career advice services. You can attend numerous workshops and seminars dedicated to career planning and job search strategies.

Our school also puts you in touch with the alumni and professional network. Networking events and job fairs are designed to help you get started in the world of work.

Finally, our teams can offer you concrete job offers and opportunities on our internship and employment platforms. We also work in partnership with companies to help you set up projects and find internships.

A well-structured career plan will enable you to get off to a good start and find the right balance between your professional and personal life. Feel free to browse our website to find out more about our business school's teaching methods and the many opportunities offered by our degrees. Contact us today to discuss your future - we can help you achieve your career goals!