1. careers
2. career planning

PLANNING YOUR CAREER
This factsheet will help you understand how to use your first job as a stepping stone to future
career opportunities.
THE FACTS
CHECKLIST
Most people view their first job as a stepping stone to ‘better’ jobs in the future.
But have you considered how you can use your current job to build up the skills
or experience you need to form a pathway to your dream job?
For example, you can build up your skills by taking on more responsibility in your
current job, learning from colleagues or managers, participating in training (this
includes on-the-job training) or talking to your manager about other opportunities
in the business.
What if your current job has no direct pathway to your chosen career? Previous
work experience and proven employability skills are valuable for your future
job searching activities.
Employability skills are the general work skills that include, but aren’t restricted to,
personal presentation, customer service skills, willingness to learn, team work,
communication, reliability, being respectful of others and understanding the basic
expectations of a workplace.
You are developing these skills in your current role and they will help to give you
a competitive edge with potential employers, regardless of the job or industry.
I have considered my strengths
and interests and know the types
of roles that suit me best
I have spoken to my current
employer about general or
specific skills I would like to
develop and whether there
are opportunities within the
business to develop these skills
I know how to access the
training, tools and support
I need to achieve my
career goals
WHO CAN HELP?
YOUR
MANAGER OR
SUPERVISOR
is the best person to ask
about opportunities for career
progression within your current
workplace.
IF YOU ARE A
STUDENT
ask the teachers and other
staff at your school, TAFE,
university or community
college.
THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THE GENERATION SUCCESS INITIATIVE
IF YOU ARE A
REGISTERED
JOB SEEKER
approach your employment
services provider.
1
DID YOU KNOW?
HELPFUL TIPS
Talk to your supervisor or manager. Tell them about your career goals and ask
about opportunities for advancement in the business or how you can build up
your proficiency in the skills or tasks that are more in line with your interests.
zz
zz
If your current employer can’t offer you these opportunities, don’t necessarily
start looking for a new job. Consider the skills and experience you can
develop in your current role and how these skills could form a pathway
to your dream job.
Focus on being good at your current job before trying to ‘climb the ladder’.
Future employers will want to talk to previous supervisors about your work
and employability skills.
2
Be proactive. Build up your skills and experience by putting yourself forward for
new tasks and responsibilities as they arise, even if they are outside the scope of
your job.
3
Find a mentor. If possible find someone who works in your chosen industry.
Use your mentor as a sounding-board for your career questions and aspirations
but also listen to their advice and learn from their previous experience.
4
5
The Fair Work Ombudsman has a
free online course called ‘Starting
a New Job’.
It has information and practical
exercises to help you understand
how to be a good employee and
how to make the most of your job.
You can access the course by
visiting www.fairwork.gov.au/
learning.
Keep Learning. Use every opportunity at work to learn new skills. Also
consider formal training with a training provider or university to build
up the skills and knowledge you need to reach your career goals–but
choose carefully.
Volunteer. Try new things to build up more experience outside of a work
environment. It will help you understand the types of activities and roles
you enjoy.
USEFUL LINKS
MYFUTURE
is Australia’s free online career
information service.
(www.myfuture.edu.au)
AUSTRALIAN
BLUEPRINT
FOR CAREER
DEVELOPMENT
MYSKILLS
WEBSITE
provides information and resources on how
to plan your career.
training.
provides information on the contents of
training courses and which Registered
Training Organisations can deliver the
(www.myskills.gov.au)
(www.education.gov.au/australianblueprint-career-development)
Disclaimer: The content of this fact sheet is intended as general information only and does not replace professional advice. It is derived from a variety of sources and has been
prepared without taking into account your individual objectives, situation or needs. You should consider your personal circumstances, and if appropriate, seek independent legal,
financial or other professional advice before acting. The Department has endeavoured to ensure the currency and completeness of the information in this fact sheet at the time
of publication; however, this information may change over time. Provision of links to external websites are provided for convenience only and should not be construed as an
endorsement or approval of the third party service or website by the Department. The Department expressly disclaims any liability caused, whether directly or indirectly, to any
person in respect of any action taken on the basis of the content of this fact sheet.
Visit us at www.employment.gov.au/generationsuccess