A Guide to Career Planning: How to Plan Your Career

Career planning is vital if you want to enjoy a successful and fulfilling professional life. What is career planning? It involves carefully considering which area you would like to work in and identifying the best path to take to achieve your goals. At Warwick Business School, we give all our students guidance to create a roadmap to success. Below, we explore career planning, how it can be done, and the specific steps you can take to launch a career you enjoy.

At Warwick Business School, we appreciate the importance of career path planning. We work with you to help you understand how to plan your career so that you can maximise your chances of success. Regardless of the stage you’re at, be it undertaking an undergraduate course, or studying for a Master's degree or an MBA course, our CareersPlus team is happy to give you tips on career planning and help you to solidify your required course of action. We work with you to ensure that you achieve the professional status you deserve. 

What is career planning?

Career planning is about creating a strategy to help you achieve your goals. This strategy should incorporate both short and long-term goals that help propel you towards your chosen position. It’s important to consider what you’re good at and what you enjoy doing. Having considered these factors, you can then match them with career paths. The aim here is to ensure that you not only gain employment, but also a career that inspires and motivates you to be the best version of yourself.

Why is career planning important?

Planning your career in detail comes with a whole host of benefits. If you have a clear understanding of where you are and the various goals you must achieve to get to the top of your profession, you’ll feel more secure. You’ll be able to earn money in a way that brings you meaning and makes going to work a pleasure, rather than something you must do. You’ll also be better equipped to cope with difficulties and stressors in your personal and professional life.

How to plan your career

Below, we’ll discuss what steps you can take to plan your career, including seeking support here at Warwick Business School with our careers team. We can explain why career planning is important and guide you every step of the way.

1. Identify your skills, interests and passions

Evaluate what you’re good at and what interests you most when it comes to planning your career. You should also consider your values and personality. Make lists or draw mind maps to help navigate all these factors. Use online resources such as a ‘discover your skills’ assessment or a Myers-Briggs careers test. Here are some important aspects to consider.

• What am I good at?
• What soft skills do I possess?
• What do I want from my career?
• What industries interest me?

2. Research career options

Once you’ve identified your priorities, it’s time to think about how these might fit with your career planning. Read about different industries and careers that might be a fit. It’s also a good idea to talk to industry professionals. Use online resources such as career profiles and job descriptions – these can help you to work out what employers are looking for and how you can develop these skills.

Engage with Prospects job profiles, the National Careers Service’s job profiles and UCAS Careers to help kickstart your career development planning. These sites offer useful insights on what potential roles involve, what to expect, and how to gain the skills you need to gain one of these roles. Consider the potential future landscape of your chosen industry and how your career planning could be developed alongside that. What are the entry requirements, and would further qualifications such as an MBA help you to progress?

3. Align your skills and interests with the career 

Having taken advantage of career planning guidance, you’ll have thought about the options and courses that best suit your needs. Consider your strengths and weaknesses and how your career will provide scope for expanding your knowledge, experience and skills. You should also consider the challenges you may face in achieving your goals, and how you might overcome them. Here are the questions you need to answer:

• What skills will I bring?
• What will the job demands be?
• What will ensure that I remain committed?
• How does my career represent my values?
• Will I be able to progress while enjoying a good work-life balance?

4. Understand the qualifications you need 

The qualifications you will need to pursue your chosen career will vary. An undergraduate degree at Warwick Business School offers an excellent starting point. A Master’s degree or an MBA may be what you need to take your career to the next level. Warwick Business School offers opportunities to specialise in areas such as business, management and finance. It is also worth taking up volunteering, work placements and internships to equip you with practical experience.

Tips for effective career planning

Set clear goals to keep your career path on track

Setting short and long-term goals is vital for career success. Making use of the SMART goal formula will help you to make your goals meaningful. This involves ensuring that they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time bound. Be prepared for your goals to evolve and plans to change: as you learn and develop, you may find that your interests and priorities alter.

Gain relevant work experience

Relevant work experience is invaluable in career planning. Placements and spring week internships can be instrumental in differentiating you from other graduates. Warwick Business School supports students in gaining experience by offering undergraduate courses that include placements. There are many options for increasing your employability, including the BSc Accounting and Finance with Placement Year and BSc Management with Placement Year.

Vidhi Ahulwalia, a BSc Management student, offers insightful advice on how to make the most of your work experience by pinpointing the skills that will be required for the roles she hopes to secure:

"One effective way to build on your work experience is by reflecting on the interests and skills you've developed in your role. This insight can guide your module choices moving forward. Additionally, continue to refine and expand your expertise. For example, I improved my Excel skills during my work experience and plan to take courses this summer to further enhance these abilities, as they were crucial in various job roles. Lastly, always remember to update your CV and highlight your work experience when engaging with recruiters."

Develop your skills through extra-curricular activities

Extra-curricular activities can be very useful in developing your skills to give you a head-start in your chosen career. Hobbies such as sports, music and cultural groups can help to build your resilience, ability to cope with challenges and your communication skills. An easy way to incorporate this into your studies is to join some of the societies and clubs that we offer at Warwick Business School.

Meso Emma, an undergraduate student, reflects on the skills she gained through her role as secretary of the Warwick Nigerian Society and head of events for the Warwick Accounting Society:

“One of the most significant skills I acquired during my tenure was effective time management. Juggling the responsibilities of the university, society obligations, and other commitments demanded a meticulous approach to organising my time. There were moments when the pressure was intense, especially when societal events were on the horizon, requiring more from me than usual. In these instances, prioritisation became key. I learned how to assess the importance of various tasks, ensuring that I met deadlines and fulfilled my responsibilities in both academic and extracurricular spheres.”

Take advantage of networking and mentorship opportunities

Connecting with professionals in your chosen industry is important for success. Building a network is crucial. Find out about careers fairs and events hosted by employers you would like to work for. Attend career events here at Warwick Business School. Make connections on LinkedIn to find mentors. Communicate what you admire about their work and ask for advice and guidance on how to emulate them.

Third-year BSc Accounting & Finance student Darsha discusses how she gained mentors for her chosen career:

“I started exploring different opportunities by participating in career-specific events and competitions organised by certain societies and employers on campus and online. These included a case study and skill-based workshops, employer presentations, entrepreneurial competitions, and networking events. Through these, I gained a deeper understanding of several industries, developed essential skills such as analytical, communication, and problem-solving, and also met key personnel from industry-leading organisations, who to date are my mentors.” 

Stay flexible and open-minded

Remember that your career plan may change. You may discover that areas you were keen on no longer have an appeal, and you may come across unexpected opportunities along the way. Retaining an adaptable and open mindset means that you are more likely to be successful and enjoy the process.

Shape your future career with Warwick Business School

Do you want to get your career off to a flying start? Studying at Warwick Business School, which is respected globally, will do just that. We offer a variety of award-winning undergraduate and Master’s courses that are delivered by revered experts with world-class reputations. We work with you to help ensure your success by providing specialist career advice and guidance through our CareersPlus team.