No one can predict the future, but planning now could help to enhance your chance of finding the perfect career.

Take the opportunity to manage your own career pathway and plan for your future employment. Look back at your career goals and the strengths and areas for improvement that you have identified.

Arrange to meet with a careers advisor, or someone who has experience of a relevant industry or works in a similar position to the one you aspire to. Tell them about your background skills, strengths and experience and describe how you see these enabling your chosen career path in the future. Share with them any relevant areas for improvement you have identified or any potential barriers to achieving your career goals.

Try to get as much from the meeting as possible by preparing some questions and listening to the feedback. Are my plans realistic? Do I need to develop any skills areas beyond what I have identified already? How closely does my vision of this job match the reality? What were some of the barriers you faced in getting to where you are now? What do you think are the most important areas that I should concentrate on?

Discuss timescales in the meeting and start to break down your career goals into manageable steps then record them using this Editable Word Doc.

When you have completed your career plan ask your mentor to review it for you.

The UWE Careers Development  Unit can offer you invaluable help