Career Awareness

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. … Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice, and most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. -Steve Jobs

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Two-Year Colleges – 44.5% Four-Year Colleges – 34.8% College Dropout Rate 2013 First to Second Year Source: ACT

Louisiana 4 Year Public College 15.5%

In 2012, the average student loan balance was $24,803.

Career Ladder vs. Career Lattice

Stackable Credentials

How do you find a job you will love? 1.Self-Assessment What you like to do (interests) What you have a natural talent for (aptitudes) What you are good at (abilities) What is important to you (values) 2.Investigate Your Career Choices Research and read Talk to people Informational interviews Job shadow Internships Volunteer Network Professional organizations 3.Find a Career Match

Holland’s Self-Directed-Search Realistic – Enjoys machines, tools, the outdoors Investigative – Interested in science, theories, ideas Artistic – Enjoys self-expression Social – Interested in interaction, teamwork, human welfare Enterprising – Enjoys business, politics, leadership, having influence Conventional – Interested in data, finance, organization

The Career Key: Personality College Major Match

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Informational Interviews Sample Informational Interview Questions What is a typical day on this job really like? How did you get into this field? What do you like about your job? Any dislikes? What's the best way to find out about jobs in this field? What kind of experience or training is required? What is the career ladder for this position? May I have a copy of a job description? What are employers looking for (skills, education, experience)? How important is the resume and what makes one impressive? What do you look for in employees? How do you stay current in your knowledge? What's the corporate culture like here? Are there related fields I might want to look into if few jobs are available in my primary career choice? What are current job prospects like? What are the most important parts of your job? Is your job typical of others in this field? Which firms do you think are your toughest competitors, and how do they differ from your company? Is there anyone else you can refer me to in this field? How do you normally hire for this occupation? What is the average turnover in this type of job? Is my resume appropriate for this occupation? What would you recommend I do at this point to get into this field? Would you provide feedback as to the appropriateness of my resume for this occupation? What are the future trends for this field?

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Why It’s a tiny three-letter word that you should think about a lot. Why go to college? Why am I interested in this major? Why do I want to be a ________? Why am I getting up this morning and doing what I’m doing today?