1. Formulas for Career Success: Career Testing & Investigation Career Investigation

2. 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

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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. Reliable Internet Resources
Include:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
CareerOneStop
O*net Online
The Career Key

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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?