Exploring Career Paths Chapter 10

Objectives  Assess personal qualities that influence career choices  Explain the purpose of career clusters  Evaluate career options using information gathered from appropriate sources  Compare ways of getting firsthand work experience  Describe the components of a career plan

Key Terms  Aptitudes  Career Cluster  Job shadowing  Career plan

Personal Assessment  Your aptitudes and skills  Your interests  Your personality  Your values  Assessment tools

Your Aptitudes and Skills  Aptitudes – natural talents that you are born with  What school subjects are easiest for me?  What do I do well?  What could I probably learn to do well?  Which of my skills were easiest to learn?  What aptitudes and skills do my teacher, family, and friends think I have?

Your Interests  Interests that you enjoy in your free time could lead you to a career that you enjoy.  Getting involved in school or community activities can help you to learn career skills and learn about new opportunities.  An interest that starts out as a hobby can lead to a successful career.

Your Personality  You’ll be happier if you are in a career that matches your personality and your abilities. Ask yourself the following questions:  Do you prefer working alone or with others?  Do I look for stability or do I enjoy taking risks?  Am I careful and methodical or do details annoy me?  Do I dislike stress or do I thrive on it?  Am I good at concentrating or do I need distractions?  Do I prefer working indoors or outdoors?  Do I prefer to lead or to follow?

Your Values  Your values should guide you in your career choices.  For example, if you feel that you should help others, you may choose a profession as a policeman, nurse firefighter or doctor. If you feel that education is important, than you may consider teaching.

Assessment Tools  Assessment tools are available to help you find your strengths and weaknesses.

Career Clusters  Agricultural and Natural Resources  Arts, Audio/Video Technology, and Communication  Business and Administration  Construction  Education and Training  Financial Services  Health Science  Hospitality and Tourism  Human Services  Information Technology  Legal and Protection Services  Manufacturing  Public Administration  Retail/Wholesale Sale and Services  Scientific Research, Engineering, and Technical Services  Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

Sources of Information  Print Sources – Career Guide to Industries and Occupational Outlook Handbook  Online Sources – Same as above or O*NET  Interviewing People – talking to people in the career about what they do on a daily basis.  How can you benefit from interviewing someone about his or her career?

Information to Gather  Nature of Work  Working Conditions  Qualifications  Employment Patterns  Earnings  Future Prospects  What kind of trends should you investigate when researching careers?

Looking at Trends  Examples....  How is technology affecting how people work complete their jobs.  What are popular jobs and why.  What are population trends?

Getting Firsthand Experience  Part-time work  Volunteer work  Youth employment programs  Job shadowing  Work-study programs  Internships

Developing a Career Plan  Career Plan – includes a long-term goal and short-term goals that will enable you to reach your long-term goal.  Decision-Making Process 1. Identify the decision to be made 2. List possible options 3. Evaluate the pros and cons of each option 4. Make a choice 5. Act on your decision 6. Evaluate your choice