Formulas for Career Success: Career Testing & Investigation Career Investigation

Investigating Careers Will likely be necessary before making career decisions Includes learning the following about possible career paths: day-to-day tasks and activities challenging experiences rewarding experiences misconceptions

Resources For learning about careers include: the Internet counselors personal interviews volunteering job shadowing internships part-time jobs

The Internet Can be a great starting point for investigating careers there is an abundance of career information available, including: job descriptions job outlooks qualifications and requirements earnings advancement opportunities

Internet Resources Are NOT all equal be sure websites used are sponsored by credible, established organizations sources most likely to be credible are those ending in “.gov”, “.org” and “.edu” use a variety of sources to allow for comparison and consensus Did You Know? The organization which approves and regulates domain names is the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a privately held, nonprofit organization in California.

Reliable Internet Resources Include: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics www.bls.gov CareerOneStop www.careeronestop.org O*net Online www.onetonline.org The Career Key www.careerkey.org

Counselors Are experts on career exploration and decision-making Can help individuals sort through the vast amount of information and apply it to their specific career goals Ask questions to provide guidance concerning career goals and plans

Counselors Can be found in high schools, colleges and commercial career centers May request participation in self-assessments Will ask questions and discuss various career options Will not provide specific instructions, but suggestions, information and guidance concerning career goals and plans

Personal Interviews With those currently employed in fields of interest are a great way to gain insight into careers find professionals in careers being considered, arrange interviews, ask for information and advice Can also help when building a network of professional contacts

Personal Interviews Should be held in a professional manner develop questions and discussion points beforehand dress appropriately be polite, gracious and considerate listen and express interest express thanks consider asking for suggestions of others who would be helpful to talk to

Volunteering Is the act of offering services without the expectation of payment Allows for observation of job duties and tasks Provides an opportunity to experience the atmosphere and culture of a career field Allows for skill development specific to the career

Volunteering Can help when building a network of professional contacts Opportunities can be found through many different organizations in many different career fields to search opportunities use: volunteermatch.org idealist.org handsonnetwork.org Did You Know? On any given day, there are more than 10,000 volunteer opportunities in the United States.

Job Shadowing Is a program in which students learn about an occupation by following a professional throughout the work day Offers a chance to observe the day-to-day activities of a job Provides the opportunity to have questions answered

Job Shadowing May be available through programs at high schools and colleges Programs are also offered by some companies, organizations and government agencies May also be set up on an individual basis through students’ utilization of professional contacts

Virtual Job Shadowing Allows students to experience job shadowing through the Internet professionals participate in video interviews and answer questions about job responsibilities, qualifications and more

Internships Are a temporary form of employment with an emphasis on supervised on-the-job training May be paid or unpaid May be part-time or full-time Allow students to get exposure and gain experience in a career field without long-term commitment

Internships Typically include work directly related to the career field May also include some menial tasks Require skills including: time management communication organization initiative ability to learn and adapt

Internships Are a great way to enhance a résumé because they count as work experience Are a great way to build a professional network of contacts Can be found through: high school and college counselors online internship databases utilization of professional contacts

Part-Time Jobs Allow for career exploration while earning work experience and money Can provide valuable lessons about commitment, time management and responsibility Can enhance a résumé

Investigating Careers Is a process requiring patience, flexibility, thought and reflection be open-minded and willing to take on tasks which might not be considered desirable be enthusiastic and do not become discouraged if things do not go as expected be purposeful and think about how each experience affects career goals

Questions What is the main idea of this presentation? What are the details of the main idea? What is the important information about each detail?