Career Development Life Cycle is a process that each of us goes through in our life, as shown below in the picture. In the best-case scenario, this cycle is the waterfall model. But practically it is agile from person to person. Whatever our CDLC is, we should be able to thrive and be resilient to achieve what we love or make us happy to live a healthy life. 

Assessment

At this stage, you should focus on self-awareness and getting feedback from other people about your strengths and weaknesses. 1

A career coach can help you identify your skill set, strengths, and weaknesses with more ease.

• For most people, this stage begins after they graduate from college. You may know a few things you enjoy doing but aren’t fully aware of your skill sets and what you have to offer in the workforce.

• For immigrants, this stage is to identify the skill gap of their profession or identify skills that can be applied to other related demanding jobs.

Investigation

During this stage, you should begin networking and talking to professionals or mentors that are a few years ahead of you. They can offer guidance on what worked for them and the steps they took to identify their career path. You may be surprised by the opportunities that sound interesting to you.1

A career coach can guide you on what is best for you, specific to your skills, situation, and according to the Labour Market situation, and help you identify your career path.

• At this stage, you start to become more aware of all of the options available to you. If you’re feeling confused or overwhelmed, you’re probably doing it right. 

Preparation

Many people at this stage realize that they still aren’t working in their ideal position, but that’s normal. This stage is about building the experience you need to move to the next point in your career.1

A career coach can help you gain clarity and advocate for you to gain work experience or educate you with more knowledge or guide you to the right programme that can help you up-skill.

• Once you reach the preparation stage, you’re working in your chosen profession and beginning to gain more knowledge and skills. You’re also starting to set career goals and think about your future.

• For immigrants, this stage is to enroll in a programme to up-skill or find a suitable position to gain tacit knowledge.

Commitment

It’s important not to lose focus or become distracted at this point in your journey. Instead, take the time to lean into your network and focus on career development.1

A career coach can help you narrow down your scope, based on your preference. 

• Once you reach the commitment stage, you’ve narrowed in on the type of work you want to do and you have a specific action plan for moving forward. You’re focused on finding new opportunities and taking on additional responsibilities at work.

Retention

It feels great to reach the retention stage, but there are downsides as well. Many people get comfortable at this stage, relax and stop trying to grow and progress further.1

A career coach can guide you in the right direction to obtain your future milestone and guide you to stay current with Industry standards.

• By now, you’re a respected professional within your industry, and other people look to you as a leader. Your knowledge and experience have made you a proven expert within your field. It’s essential to keep growing, improving your skill sets, and staying current with industry standards. And you should continue looking ahead and anticipating future career milestones.

Transition

At this point, it’s time to transition to the next phase of your career. The transition stage is an uncomfortable point to be at because it can feel like you are starting over from scratch. Fortunately, you’ve already built the resiliency and self-awareness you need to figure out what your next move is.1

The process of transitioning will look different for everyone. It could involve taking on another position in your industry or changing industries altogether.

A career coach can advise you before making a decision. If the transition is the best solution then, they can help you for a smooth transition based on your situation to achieve your goal. 

Once you’ve become an expert in your field, you may reach a point at which you conclude that you’ve gone as far as you can go within your current position or industry. You may feel unsure of what your next steps are or what else you would enjoy doing.

• Sometimes, you do not enjoy doing your current job or the job does not fulfill your needs. Then it's time to re-assure your interest and find the possible transitioning options.