Career Decision Workshop

1. Career Decision Workshop
Helping You Make the Best
Choice
John M Gurgel
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2. Workshop Components
This workshop provides a decision-making model to assist you
in a comprehensive review of your options and help you devise
a strategy in line with your values, interests and personality.
 Coping with personal transition
 Evaluating personal and professional goals
 Assessing current career choices and employment market
 Identifying transferable skills
 Reviewing financial issues and their impact on career
options
 Developing an action plan, and implementing strategies
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3. Program Objectives Session 1
 Explore a change model for effective
transitions
 Present a decision model for
informed decision making
 Provide Action Plan frameworks
 Identify concerns, issues, and facts
to consider
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CDW Version 2.0

4. Program Objectives Session 2
 Review the change model for
effective transitions
 How-To presentation & resources
for Exploring options
 Provide decision point research tools
and frameworks
 Provide overview of array of DBM
WebCenter resources
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5. Agenda Session 1
 Phase X – Change, Transition &
Coping
 Phase I – Desired Outcomes & Self-
Assessment
 Phase IV - Action Plan frameworks
 Next Steps
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6. Agenda Session 2
 Phase II – Explore Options
 Phase III – Research Decision Point
 Phase IV – Refine Action Plan
 Resources:
 Entrepreneurial
 Retirement
 Career Continuation
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7. Let’s Get to Know Each Other
 Name
 Title
 Length of Service
 Best or Frequently Used Change-
Coping Activity
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8. Career Decision Workshop
Phase “X”:
Understand Change and
Transition
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9. Phases of a Career Decision Process
Phase X Phase I I
Phase Phase IIII
Phase Phase III
Phase III Phase IV
Phase IV
Identify
Desired Research
Understand Explore
Outcomes the Decision Action Plan
Change and Options
Point
Transition
Self-
Assessment
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10. Phases of a Career Decision Process
Phase I Phase II
Identify Desired Explore
Outcomes Options
Self-Assess Phase “X”
Understand
Change &
Transition
Phase IV Phase III
Research
Develop
Decision Point
Action Plan
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11. Career Decision Phases & Stages
CHANGE/TRANSITION
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12. Career Decision Phases & Stages
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13. Phase X: Understand Change and
Transition
Phase “X” Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV
Understand Action
Identify Desired Research the
Change and Explore Options
Outcomes- Decision Plan
Transition Self Asses Point
Understand the
Change
Perspective
Identify Your
Best Coping
Strategy
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14. Definitions of Change
 External event or action that can instantly alter a situation
 Today feels permanently different from yesterday
 Change event is visible, concrete, and may be dramatic
 There is a “before” and an “after”
 Happens quickly
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15. Definitions of Transition
 A mental, emotional and psychological process
 Not clearly observable to others
 At times is elusive and confusing to the person
 A multi-phased process which occurs over time
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16. The Transition Curve
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17. The Transition Curve
Physical
Social
Intellectual
Emotional
Spiritual
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18. The Transition Curve
Where are you now on the transition curve?
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19. The Transition Curve
Requires letting Requires information Requires taking
go of the old to generate new action
directions and
options
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20. The Transition Process
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© 2009 by DBM, Inc.

21. Career Decision Workshop
Phase I:
Identify Desir ed
Outcomes
Self Assessment
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22. Phase I: Identify Desired Outcomes
Self Assessment
Phase “X” Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV
Understand Action
Identify Desired Research the
Change and Explore Options
Outcomes- Decision Plan
Transition Self-Assess Point
Financial / Family
Issues
Values
Interests & Skills
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23. Key Financial Issues
 Understand what is offered to you
 New position
 Severance package
 Benefits
 Know your current financial status
 Net worth
 Cash flow (income and expenses)
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24. Key Financial Issues
 Know your long-term and short-term financial goals and
investments required to reach them
 Insurance needs
 Projected financial status
 Need to work? How soon?
 Professional financial advice (if desired and applicable)
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25. Unique Family Issues
 Responsibilities to:
 Self
 Spouse/Partner
 Parents
 Children
 Others
 Lifestyle
 Others
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26. Values, Skills, Interests
 What’s important to me?
 What do I enjoy and want to do?
 What do I know how to do?
 Where do I want to do it?
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27. Career Decision Workshop
Phase II:
Explor e Options
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28. Phase II: Explore Options
Explore Options
Phase “X” Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV
Understand Action
Identify Desired Research the
Change and Explore Options
Outcomes- Decision Plan
Transition Self-Assess Point
Current or New
Position
Retirement
Work for Self
Other
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29. Current or New Position
 What is the new role?
 What is the culture?
 What are the opportunities in the organization?
 What is the total compensation?
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© 2009 by DBM, Inc.

30. What Does it Take to Get a Job?
 Background, Assets, Marketable  Motivation (WIIFM, Timing,
Skills and Competencies Values)
 Salary Level  Job Search Tools (Resume,
 Job Market / Job Function Marketing Plan, Communications)
 Personal Factors (Contacts,  Job Search Strategies (Targeting,
Image, Personality, Age, Marketing, Interviewing,
Enthusiasm) Negotiating)
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31. What Does it Take to Retire?
 A sense of Purpose!
 Identity
 Purpose
 Direction
 Arrived at via three questions
Who Am I?
What Do I Like to Do?
Where Am I Going?
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32. Personal Mission/Purpose Statement
 Helps you
 Distinguish between wants and needs
 Balance gifts and talents
 Focus on decisions and life principles
 Recover quickly from setbacks
 Direct your energy
 Resources
Franklin/Covey
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33. What Does it Take to Retire?
 Grasp of Ten Retirement Success Factors!
 Identify apart from work
 Attitude
 Directedness
 Health
 Adaptability
 Understanding of Meaning of (your) Life
 Life Satisfaction – What & How To
 Leisure
 Family & Friends
 Finances
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34. What Does it Take to Work for Self?
 Are you a self starter?
 How well do you get along with different people?
 Will you offer services/products that are in demand?
 How well do you make decisions?
 Are your technical skills as good as they need to be?
 Do you have the physical and emotional stamina to run a business?
 How well do you plan and organize?
 Is your drive strong enough to keep you motivated when the going
gets rough?
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35. What Does it Take to Work for Self?
 Can you place the desires of others (customers) ahead of your pride
and need to be right?
 Are you comfortable making sales calls and presentations?
 Is your family supportive of you doing this?
 Do you have the financial resources to keep you going for at least a
year if you don't have income from the business right away?
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36. Work for Self – General Info
The estimated 27.2 million small businesses in the US:
 Employ about half of the country’s private sector
 Hire 40% of high tech workers
 Generate a majority of innovations from US companies
 In 2007, 637,100 new businesses, 560,300 closed and 28,322
bankruptcies
 2/3 of new firms survive at least 2 years ; 44% 4 years; 31% 7+ years
 Reasons for a new business's survivability:
Ample supply of capital
Company is large enough to have employees
Owner's education level
Owner's reason for starting the business in the first place
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, September 2008
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37. Other Options?
 Returning to school/retraining
 Changing career
 Working part-time
 Leaving the workplace
 Volunteering
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CDW Version 2.0

38. Weighing Options
 Current position
 Take severance
 Search for another position
 Retirement
 Work for self
 Return to school/retraining
 Change career
 Work part-time
 Leave the workplace
 Other
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39. Career Decision Workshop
Phase III:
Resear ch the
Decision Point
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40. Phase III: Research the Decision
Point
Phase “X” Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV
Understand Identify Desired Action
Research the
Change and Outcomes- Explore Options
Decision Plan
Transition Self-Assess Point
Force Field
Analysis
Anticipating
Roadblocks
Analyze the
Results
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41. Research Decision Point
 Ask Five Friends
 Informational Interview Five Professionals
 Books
 Internet
 Keyword search
 Wikipedia search
 Database search
 Search Tools
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42. Logical vs. Emotional Decision-Making
 Decision-making is a cognitive process where the outcome is
a choice among alternatives
 Emotional decision-making, however, is legitimate and
typically very fast (“Intuition”)
 Thinking & Feeling
 People have preferences
 I think…
 I feel…
 Start with logic and use emotions for final choice
 ISPEAK resource/assessment
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43. The Force Field Analysis
Sample Tentative Decision:
Change careers and become a consultant
Hindrances Helpers
High Competition 7 years of Internal Consulting
Lack of Significant Contacts Solid and Marketable Skill Set
Need Marketplace Information Desire to be Self Employed
Too Much Travel Several Friends Who Have Blazed the Trail
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© 2009 by DBM, Inc.

44. Handling Roadblocks and Hindrances
(Completed sample)
First Steps Roadblocks or things Actions which would reduce
that could go wrong the probability that this would
block me
Example: Find out what  I don’t know who to talk to  Ask five of my friends if they know
positions other departments anyone in that department
are hiring for
 I don’t know the procedure  Ask HR
for internal transfer
 My skills might not be  Ask HR which of my skills are the
transferable most transferable within the company
and which are important to add
 I don’t know what the other  Find other in that department who
manager is like can discuss that manager’s strengths
and weaknesses
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© 2009 by DBM, Inc.

45. Analyze the Results
 Identify Feasible Actions
 Determine Degree of Certainty
 Measure Degree of Desirability
 Decision Tree Analysis
 Solutions
 Outcomes
 Values
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46. Resources – DBM Webcenter
 Action Plan
 Accomplishment Statements
 Best Fit Work Situations
 I-Speak Your Language Style Descriptions
 Personal Development Plan
 Personal Financial Snapshot
 Personal Vision
 Satisfiers & Dissatisfiers
 Skill & Knowledge Inventory
 Career Reflections
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47. Career Decision Workshop
Phase IV:
Action Plan
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48. Phase IV: Action Plan
Phase “x” Phase I Phase II Phase III Phase IV
Understand Identify Desired Action
Research the
Change and Outcomes- Explore Options
Decision Plan
Transition Self-Assess Point
Clarify Goals
Identify Objectives
Develop Actions
& Time Line
Identify Resources,
Contingencies &
Next Steps
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49. Elements of Action Plan
 Goal(s) & Objectives
 Actions Needed
 Persons Needed
 Resources Needed
 Obstacles and Contingencies
 Timeframe
 Monitoring and Evaluation Methods
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50. Clarify Goals, Identify Objectives
 Goals  Objectives
 Broad  Narrow
 General Intentions  Precise
 Intangible  Tangible
 Abstract  Concrete
 Cannot validate face value  Can be validated
Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely
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51. Your Goal:
Actions I could take within:
 24 Hours
 2 Days
 1 Week
Who Needs to be involved and how?
 Obstacles I Anticipate
 How I’ll Handle Them
 Results I Expect
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52. Additional Resources/Information
Needed
Personally:
Company:
Other:
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53. Next Doable Steps
 GOAL
 Action Step (Objective) 1:
 Date:
 Action Step (Objective) 2:
 Date:
 Action Step (Objective) 3:
 Date:
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54. Your Career…Your Decision…
Thanks for
your
participation
today!
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55. Questions
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