Make Your Plan

You may have big goals in mind, but as the old saying goes, “A goal without a plan is just a dream.” Here’s your chance to map out your plan—whether you want to stay in retail, move to another line of work, or even start your own business.

CAREER PLAN Tool

The Start Here. Skill Up. career plan tool is divided into three sections:

Part 1

Start Here, Start Now. Paint a picture of where you are in your career—and life—right now.

Part 2

Envision Your Future. Brainstorm all the possibilities open to you, then set goals for your future that make you want to roll up your sleeves and get to work.

Part 3

Skill Up and Get There. Identify the specific steps you need to take in order to make your goals a reality.

There’s no better time to start planning your future than now. Fill out and save or download (PDF) the career plan tool below and get going!

Career Plan Tool

  • Part 1: Start Here, Start Now

    If you want to know where you’re going, you need to know where you’re starting from. That means beginning your plan with a snapshot of where you are, right now.

    My Employment History

    List any jobs you’ve had, how long you held the job, and how much you liked it.

  • JobCompanyHow long?Loved itWas okNot for me 
    Add a new row

My Education

List your highest level of education so far. Make a note of any courses you’ve taken that might help you on your path.

Highest Level of Education so far

  • Relevant Courses/Certifications/Trainings

  • My Current Skills

  • My interests and hobbies

    List your interests, hobbies, and passions. They may help you identify the direction you want to take.

  • My Strengths and Weaknesses

    Are you really organized but wish you were more confident around strangers? Are you a team player but not yet a strong leader? The value of this question is that it can help you maximize what’s working for you (your strengths) while building skills that can minimize weaknesses.

  • Part 2: Envision Your Future

    In this section, you’ll think about all the possibilities for your future, then make realistic choices that inspire you to take action.

    Planning my career

    In a perfect world, I think I would enjoy these careers:List as many careers as you like. This step is all about letting yourself think “outside the box,” but you can certainly include a career in retail! Don’t forget the personal interests and passions you listed in Part 1.

  • Of the list above, these are careers I might realistically pursue:Take your first list and simply remove those careers that don’t feel realistic. For instance, if you listed “astronaut,” but you’ve always hated math, and flying makes you sick, you might want to cross that off your list.

  • Of the realistic options listed above, the one that feels most exciting is:Identify the one realistic career path you'd like to pursue.

  • My Career Path

    View ExampleIt takes time to build a career. That’s why the final three questions in this section ask you to think through how far you might be able to get in the next 1, 3, and 5 years. Click the View Example button to check out an example.

  • Part 3: Skill Up and Get There

    This final section helps you map the steps you’ll need to take to reach your career goal—it’s your action plan.

    My Action Plan

    View ExampleClick the View Example button to see an example action plan, then map out your own.

  • All of the above, plus:
  • All of the above, plus:

    • A Final Thought

    Your career plan is YOURS. That means you can revisit and change it any time you like. Plans aren’t made of stone. They can be updated any time your situation changes, or you’re inspired to move in a new direction.

    Next

    Skill Up

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    Whether you want to stay in retail or you’ve got your eyes on another line of work, you’ll need to get in the door—then win the job.