aerial view of city for urban planning course

Launching (and Relaunching) Your Planning Career

The planning profession offers many types of work in support of important public objectives, so planners face many choices about launching and re-launching their careers. This course is based on the idea that planners are most effective when their jobs are well-matched with their characteristics and goals. We will discuss everything that a prospective or junior planner needs to know to chart a fulfilling career.

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Course Info

  • Duration 9 video lessons (62 Mins)
  • Published Published
    2018
  • 4.49
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Browse Course Chapters

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    1.
    Introduction
    Chapter Duration 4 mins
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    2.
    What Is My Work?
    Chapter Duration 5 mins
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    3.
    What Work Setting?
    Chapter Duration 5 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    4.
    Using Self-Assessment Tools
    Chapter Duration 3 mins
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    5.
    The Real You: Owning Strengths and Outsmarting Doubt
    Chapter Duration 4 mins
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    6.
    Making Choices
    Chapter Duration 6 mins
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    7.
    The Resume, Cover Letter, and Application Game
    Chapter Duration 14 mins
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    8.
    Cultivating and Benefiting From Mentors
    Chapter Duration 11 mins
  • Chapter Locked
    9.
    Putting the Pieces Together
    Chapter Duration 6 mins

What You Will Learn

  • Understand and create a career map as a tool for managing ongoing choices.
  • Learn about an expanded range of opportunities for planning work.
  • Know the pros and cons of working in different types of planning organizations.
  • Acquire tools and perspectives to assess one’s preferred ways of working to find alignment with ideal jobs.
  • Develop practical strategies for responding to self-doubt.
  • Hone decision-making capabilities to support ongoing career choices. 
  • Master the resume, cover letter and application process.
  • Understand the multiple types of mentoring and develop a mentor map to make a game plan for peer support.

Course Description

The planning profession offers many types of work in support of important public objectives, so planners face many choices about launching and re-launching their careers. This course is based on the idea that planners are most effective when their jobs are well-matched with their characteristics and goals. We will discuss everything that a prospective or junior planner needs to know to chart a fulfilling career.

Learn these skills

  • Career Development

AICP CM

This course is approved for 1 AICP CM credit.

SACPLAN CPD

This course is approved for 1 SACPLAN CPD point.

Meet Your Instructor

Richard Willson

Richard Willson

Richard Willson is a professor in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Dr. Willson's research addresses parking policy, climate change planning, land/use transportation relationships, travel demand management, and transit-oriented development.

Meet Instructor

Join thousands of urban planners on Planetizen Courses

It is clear that the instructor speaks from his own personal experience and shares his profound wisdom.
- Melissa E.
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The best career advice I've ever heard.
- Aiden Z.
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Wish I had this perspective when I started my career. Excellent presentation.
- James N.
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Excellent course with very detailed and useful suggestions for someone considering the planning profession.
- Alex P.
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I found this course to be well-organized and well-structured. I appreciated the course instructor's advice and thoughtful approach.
- Jennifer S.
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