Career educators and career counselors use the term Career Development Cycle to describe the life-long process of self-knowledge, exploration, and planning. Individuals considering a career change can use this process to begin to identify and pursue a new career field; people who are currently in a career transition can identify their current stage and gain additional insight into moving through the process.Stage 1: Self-KnowledgeThe first step in the Career Development Cycle is to develop an understanding of personal values, skills, and interests. Each of these three areas plays a large part in career and life satisfaction. Values determine what is most important, whether that is financial security, altruism, prestige, responsibility, flexibility, or creativity. These values are often a r