Professional Career Plan

University of Phoenix Material (Michelle Andrews)

Professional Career Action Plan Outline

Complete this professional career action plan outline after viewing the Career 101 workshop link on the student website. You may need to research specific careers or companies to answer all of the questions.

A professional career plan details career goals, rather than personal goals. This plan will look at your professional strengths and weaknesses, the type of company you wish to work for, any knowledge gaps that exist, and your professional resume.

Create three to five professional goals (for example, “I want to get a job in a health care facility in the emergency services department”), and then complete this outline with those goals in mind.

1. Goal #1 Finish my Bachelor’s degree in health care management.
2. Goal #2 Obtain my Master’s degree in health care administration.
3. Goal #3 Become a human resource manager in a health care facility.

1. Self-Awareness

1. Professional strengths

1. Self-reliance
2. Knowing my weaknesses

1. Personal strengths

1. I am focused
2. Creativity

1. Professional weaknesses

1. Procrastination
2. Impulsiveness

1. Personal weaknesses

1. Insecure
2. Impatient

1. Write 4 to 5 sentences, using the strengths and weaknesses above, to describe yourself to a potential employer.

Sentences to potential employer:

1. I am self-reliant and can work independently.
2. I know my weakness and know when to ask for help.
3. My weaknesses are that I need to work on are procrastination and impulsiveness.
4. I am focused and creative.

1. Ideal Next Objective (or position) – based on your self-assessment, where will you go next?

1. Required competencies

1. Communication and Relationship Management
2. Professionalism

1. Compensation requirements

1. I would like my salary to be comparable to others in my same position.
2. Salary negotiable

1. Company culture

1. I would like the company’s mission and values to align with my own beliefs.
2. I would like the company to depend on employee collaboration, flexibility, and innovation.

1. Compromises

1. I would start in an entry level position until I could obtain a position in management.
2. I would work overtime and help other employees learn their job skills in order to move into a management position.

1. Gap analysis, plan, and execution – these are skills you already have

1. Credentials

1. I will obtain my BS in health care administration by November 2015
2. I will have my Master’s degree in health care administration in the next 18-24 months

1. Responsibilities

1. I have managed other employees.
2. I can manage a department.

1. Accomplishments (personal and professional)

1. (personal) I have my Associate’s degree in Health care administration
2. (professional) I have been a nurse for 20 years

1. Career management gaps (lacking credentials)

1. I will work toward a position in management,
2. I will work toward a position in human resources.

1. Personal marketing

1. Resume (include)
2. Cover letter (include)
3. Networking – what do you do to network?

1. I depend on the Internet with social media sites such as linked in and Phoenix Connect.
2. I talk to friends and employees that work in or going to school in the same field.

1. Interviewing techniques and skills

1. I will work on my communication skills and effective listening.
2. I will improve my self-awareness and self-confidence.

1. Periodic career audit

1. How often will you evaluate career plan? Not as often as I should but I try to do it at least every 3 months.
2. What influences or affects career plans

1. My family
2. My health