Chapter 20 Developing a Career Plan

Why it is important  There’s no better time than the present to start planning a career.  There are positive steps you can take toward reaching a career goal.

Three Steps to Planning a Career  Choosing a career is very important decision that each person has to make  The decisions will affect the rest of your life  But what is a career?  How is it different from the job you do after school or on weekends or vacations

Three Steps to Planning a Career  Unlike simply getting a part time job or doing work during a vacation, a career involves preparation  Such as education, training, as well as specialized skills or abilities  A wise career choice may require more of you, but will provide more to you in return

Three Steps to Planning a Career  Step 1: Deciding What you Want to do When you leave school you will have to work for a living You have a choice of whether to get a job or whether to pursue a career A job is something you do to make money. A career is an occupation or field in which you work over a long period of time.

Deciding What you Want to do  To pursue a career takes time, training, experience, and most of all, planning  Career planning consists of assessing your potential, analyzing your options, and preparing for the future.  The first step in choosing a career is taking inventory of your interests, abilities, goals, and values.

Interests  What do you enjoy doing? What are your talents and hobbies?  Many people’s hobbies, such as cooking, hiking, and writing stories, are their interests.  Each one might suggest a possible occupation.

Interests  Some questions to keep in mind when looking at specific occupations or careers are: What tasks do people in the position typically perform? What qualifications are necessary to secure the position? Which skills do people in the position use?

Interests What personal and physical characteristics are necessary? Is any previous work experience required or preferred? What are the wage levels for the position? What is the outlook for this occupation?

Abilities  To help you make a career choice that will be rewarding and satisfying, first determine your individual abilities developed through learning and experience  Aptitudes are very different from skills  Aptitudes are talents that come naturally.  Skills are abilities developed through learning and experience.

Abilities  Sometimes it is the easiest to make a list of things you are good at and thing you enjoy doing  Then determine your individual abilities by assessing those skill and aptitudes

Goods and Values  When you choose a career, it’s important to consider whether it will give you the satisfaction that you want.  Most of us have similar values, but we put them in vastly different orders of importance  The occupations that you choose should relate to what you value or think is important for your life.

Step 2: Analyzing Your Job Options  The second step in planning a career is figuring our your options  What kind of jobs will be in demand in the future  What kinds of skills will you need  Where you can get information  Before deciding on a career, you need to find out where the jobs are and how to find them.

The Job Market  The job market changes along with changes in population, technology, and other factors.  In the 1990,s for example, as a result of the boom in computer technology, there was a great demand for computer experts  As the population increases, there will be an increased demand for workers in construction and engineering.  Health care is expected to be one of the biggest areas of growth.

Sources of Career Information  Investigating the job market can be overwhelming  There are thousands of different occupations from which to choose from.  However, career information is plentiful and simple to use if you know how to find it.

Asking Career Counselors  One of the best ways to get information is by speaking to a career counselor  A career counselor is a person trained to provide information and guidance on choosing a career.  A career counselor can help you learn more about your interests and abilities.

Asking Career Counselors  A counselor might recognize leadership or organizing skills you have shown  Your teachers might be able to suggest careers that would use the abilities and interests you have shown in class.

Networking  Another way to get information is by networking  Networking consists of meeting and talking to people in different occupations to find out what they do and make connections.  By talking to people you can learn about what their job involves, how they got it, what their training was and whether you would like it

Step 3: Researching a Career  A simple way to learn what the market is for certain types of occupations is by looking in the want ads of a newspaper.  Business magazines and journals are a good source of information on changing job trends.  For other sources of information, you can attend career days and job fairs that might be held at a local school or community center.

Researching Careers  You can find information about careers at your school library or public library.  The Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) describes more than 300 occupations.  It lists the fastest growing job fields and give addresses of places to write for more information

Researching Careers  The Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance describes over 1,500 jobs including educational requirements, employment outlook, and opportunities for experience.  Or by looking online: Monster.com Careerbuilder.com  The more skills you acquire, the better your chances of having the career you want and the more money you’re likely to make..

Education  Most jobs today require at least a high school education.  To pursue a career, you’ll probably need some form of advanced education.  There are different types of schools to choose from depending on whether you want to go into a profession or a trade

Education  A profession is a field that requires a high level of education, such as law, medicine, or architecture.  A trade is a field that requires a high level of manual or technical skill, such as carpentry, mechanics, or computer programming.  To pursue a profession, you have to study at a college or university for several years and get an advanced degree.

Education  If you want to learn a skill, you can go to a trade, technical, or vocational school.  These types of schools prepare you for a specific occupation, emphasize hands on training, and help you find a job afterward.  Most schools offer students some form of financial aid, or money to help you pay for your education.

Experience  In planning for a career, gaining experience is as important as getting an education  If you do not plan on going to college or you want to enhance your education, there are a number of ways you can gain work experience

Apprenticeship  An apprenticeship consists of learning a trade by working under the guidance of a skilled worker, such as a chef, a plumber, or an electrician.  Many apprenticeship programs are available through labor unions and trade schools.  An apprenticeship can last from two to five years

Apprenticeship  As an apprentice’s skills increase, so does the pay.  An apprentice who completes a program is called a journey worker, or skilled craftsperson, and can make very high wages.

Internship  An internship is a program that provides hands-on experience for a beginner in an occupation, usually as a temporary, unpaid trainee.  Internships allow you to learn how a business works from the inside and can lead directly to a job.

Other Types of Experience  You can gain valuable skills and experience by doing volunteer work..  Your school might have a cooperative work or earn-and-learn program.  Business and community leaders, teachers, and students work together to plan students’ work experiences and educational goals.

Other Types of Experience  In some cases you might be able to shadow a person in a certain business or trade  Shadowing means following a person throughout a workday to see what a job involves.

The Career Ladder  You can’t expect to go from an intern at a local TV station to a network news anchor.  You have to move up the career ladder, or through different job levels within an occupation.  You climb the ladder to better positions as you gain more skills, knowledge, and experience.

The Career Ladder  You might have to start out with an entry- level job, or a beginning career job.  People who obtain the right skills and education end up earning a lot more money in the long run.

Homework  In class crossword  Homework due next class period Pg #’s 1-24