INDIVIDUAL CAREER PLAN

Write a 5–6-page assessment in which you reflect on the results of self-assessment and self-inventory exercises, articulate your professional goals and career plans, and write an action plan for implementing those goals and plans.

This undergraduate psychology program offered you instruction throughout the broad spectrum of the science of psychology. Its content covered approaches to understanding the complexities of human behavior and thought through a framework of knowledge, skills, and values identified by the APA as fundamental in the undergraduate study of psychology.

By successfully completing this assessment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and assessment criteria:

Competency 2: Communicate effectively with diverse recipients in a manner consistent with expectations for psychology professionals.
Write coherently to support a central idea with correct grammar, usage, and mechanics.
Apply proper APA formatting and style.
Competency 3: Integrate knowledge of psychology with personal values and goals to guide personal, collaborative, and professional behavior.
Describe how professional goals and plans align with values and life interests.
Analyze how psychological principles can motivate progress toward professional goals.
Develop an action plan to implement psychological knowledge and skills while pursuing professional goals.
Competency 1: Apply psychological theory and concepts to individual, organizational, and social issues.
Analyze career inventory results based on psychological theories and concepts.

Context
Your bachelor’s program emphasized the development of the analytical, quantitative, and communication skills associated with the study of psychology. Graduates of the program are well prepared to work in a variety of settings, including:

Mental health.
Human development.
Public service.
Law enforcement and corrections.
Business.
Rehabilitation.
Nonprofit organizations.
Government.
This degree may also serve as the foundation for graduate study in a number of different fields, including:

Psychology.
Social work.
Human services.
Education and business.
As you can see, there are numerous options for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. In this assessment, you will explore the variety of options for making the transition from your undergraduate degree to your profession or graduate school setting.

To enter one of these fields, graduates need to formulate concrete plans. Planning and setting realistic, incremental goals for oneself are important steps toward realizing long-term professional goals. In this assessment, you will explore goal setting with peer feedback to help develop and present specific post-graduate plans.

Questions to Consider
As you prepare to complete this assessment, you may want to think about other related issues to deepen your understanding or broaden your viewpoint. You are encouraged to consider the questions below and discuss them with a fellow learner, a work associate, an interested friend, or a member of your professional community. Note that these questions are for your own development and exploration and do not need to be completed or submitted as part of your assessment.

How have your courses influenced you when you think back on your academic career thus far? Which ones stand out as important, particularly in regard to how they may influence the next phase of your life, your profession, and your future development? What coursework in particular influenced your desire to pursue a psychology major?
What coursework and learning outcomes can you transfer to skills suited to the workplace or graduate school? For example, your research methods coursework may have influenced your decision to apply to graduate school or seek employment in a research capacity, or child psychology courses may have encouraged you to pursue occupations that involve working with or on behalf of children.
What is your plan for transitioning from your bachelor’s program to the real world: work, graduate school, or both? What action steps will you take when making the transition from college to a career or graduate school? Examples of action steps include visiting graduate schools to learn about programs, conducting informational job interviews in a specific field to obtain employment,
Resources
APA Resources
Because this is a psychology course, you must format this assessment according to APA guidelines. Additional resources about APA can be found in the Research Resources in the left navigation menu of your courseroom. Use the resources to guide your work as needed.

American Psychological Association. (2010). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: Author. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
APA Paper Template [DOCX].
Required Resources
The following resources are required to complete the assessment.

Each of the following interactive media provides an opportunity for you to evaluate your skills or values to gain a better understanding of your personal and professional identity. Complete the following media presentations:

Careers in Psychology.
Career Skills Inventory.
Work Values Card Sort.

Suggested Resources
The resources provided here are optional. You may use other resources of your choice to prepare for this assessment; however, you will need to ensure that they are appropriate, credible, and valid. The PSYC-FP4900 – Psychology Capstone Project Library Guide can help direct your research, and the Supplemental Resources and Research Resources, both linked in your courseroom, provide additional resources to help support you.

Career Exploration
Social Psychology Network. (n.d.). Online psychology career center. Retrieved from http://www.socialpsychology.org/career.htm
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Careers in psychology. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/careers.aspx
Kuther, T. L. (2019). The psychology major’s handbook (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
Chapter 3, “What Can I Do with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology?” pages 49–66.
Chapter 4, “Take an Active Role in Your Education,” pages 67–95.
Chapter 6, “Study Tips: Tools for Academic Success,” pages 113–131.
Career Goals
The following resources from the Capella Career Center and other sources will help with the definition of career goals.

So, You Want to Help People?
This resource provides answers for some important questions about pursuing a career in what has been traditionally known as the helping professions.
Making the Graduate School Decision.
Creating SMART Career Goals.
SMART Action Plan [PDF].
Kuther, T. L. (2019). The psychology major’s handbook (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Available in the courseroom via the VitalSource Bookshelf link.
Chapter 9, “Finding a Job With Your Bachelor’s Degree,” pages 185–210.
Chapter 10, “What Can I Do With a Graduate Degree in Psychology?” pages 211–225.
Chapter 11, “Applying to Graduate School in Psychology,” pages 227–266.
The following Capella multimedia presentations relate to creating SMART goals. Complete the following media presentations:

SMART Goals.
Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals.?
Career Planning
Portfolio and Work Samples.
This resource explains why a well-organized portfolio is an effective way to showcase your work in a job interview.
Career Nourishers and Depleters Worksheet.
Career Development and Management
Huang, Y., Lv, W., & Wu, J. (2016). Relationship between intrinsic motivation and undergraduate students’ depression and stress: The moderating effect of interpersonal conflict. Psychological Reports, 119(2), 527–538.
Nauta, M. M. (2010). The development, evolution, and status of Holland’s theory of vocational personalities: Reflections and future directions for counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 57(1), 11–22.
Seibert, S. E., Kraimer, M. L., Holtom, B. C., & Pierotti, A. J. (2013). Even the best laid plans sometimes go askew: Career self-management processes, career shocks, and the decision to pursue graduate education. Journal of Applied Psychology, 98(1), 169–182.
Wang, M., & Wanberg, C. R. (2017). 100 years of applied psychology research on individual careers: From career management to retirement. Journal Of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 546–563.
Assessment Instructions
Note: The assessments in this course build upon each other, so you are strongly encouraged to complete them in sequence.

Preparation
To prepare for this assessment, complete the Work Values Card Sort and Career Inventory Checklist media, linked in the Resources under the Required Resources heading.

Instructions
Write a 5–6-page assessment in which you complete the following:

Create a title page: Give your paper a title that reflects the purpose of your work. It is suggested that you use the APA Paper Template, linked in the Resources under the APA Resources heading, to format your paper according to the APA manual (current edition).
Write an introduction: For the introduction section of your paper, include the title at the top of the first page. (In APA format, the word Introduction is not used as a heading.) Briefly summarize the key components of your paper.
Create a heading titled Assessment and Inventory Results: Summarize the results of the required self-assessment and self-inventory exercises. Use critical thinking and your knowledge of psychological theories and concepts to analyze the meaning and significance of the results. This summary can help guide your career direction.
Create a heading titled Goals and Career Plans:
Describe your professional philosophy, including your goals and career plans.
Describe how your professional goals and career choices align with your values and life interests.
Explain how your values relate to professional behaviors and practices.
Create a heading titled Motivation: Analyze how psychological principles can be used to motivate you to overcome obstacles to reach your professional goals.
Create a heading titled Action Plan: Develop a SMART action plan for implementing your career goals. This will serve as a road map to help you take concrete steps to fulfill your goals. For example, describe the steps you are planning to take to apply for a job or apply to graduate school. Discuss realistic ideas about how to implement psychological knowledge and skills in occupational pursuits that meet personal and professional goals. You may wish to review the document SMART Action Plan, linked in the Resources under the Suggested Resources heading, conduct an Internet search to learn what should be included in an action plan, or refer to the Capella Career Center resources, linked in the Resources under the Suggested Resources heading.
Create a heading titled Conclusion: Briefly summarize the key points of your assessment and make a statement about your future career aspirations.