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Chapter
2
Planning Your
Career
2.1 Finding the Right Career Fit

2.2 Finding Career Opportunities

Consider THIS

“To be happy in your work life, you must be able to work as if you
don’t have to.”
—Dr. Alfred Mukakis

Larissa was energetic and outgoing. She enjoyed being around other people
and helping them. She often volunteered in the community center, and it
made her happy to support others in doing things they couldn’t do by
themselves. Larissa was strong and physically fit but not especially interested in
athletics. She hoped to find a career that would allow her to use her natural
talents and help others at the same time.
“I think I’d like to be a physical therapist,” she told her high school
counselor. “What steps should I take now, while I’m still in high school, to
help me decide if this career is really right for me? If the career is a good fit for
me, then what can I do to get there as quickly as possible?”

24 Unit 1 Career Decisions

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2.1

Finding the Right Career Fit

n List reasons why people work. n identity, p. 25 n interests, p. 27

GOALS

TERMS
n Discuss factors that affect career n values, p. 26 n personality, p. 27
choices. n lifestyle, p. 26 n goal, p. 29
n Identify and describe good career n aptitude, p. 26 n experience, p. 31
planning techniques.

WHY PEOPLE WORK

People work to meet their needs, wants, and goals. The main reason people
work is so they can buy things they need, such as houses, cars, and furniture,
as well as fun things they enjoy, like TVs and video games. Working also
provides a sense of purpose—such as helping others, contributing to society,
and making a difference in the world. You can gain this sense of purpose at the
same time you earn a living and provide for life’s necessities.
People also work to gain a sense of identity—of who they are and how they
fit in. In the United States, work is typically the central activity of a person’s
life, and thus becomes strongly linked to a person’s sense of identity.
Right now, your identity is that of
a student. One of the first questions
you are asked is “How old are
you?” or “What grade are you in?”
Some students also work part time.
When you finish school, your work
identity will be based on the career
you’ve chosen and what you do
with your time. No one will ask
you about your age or grade level.
Instead they will be asking, “What
do you do?” Your answer will be
what you do at work.
People who are happy with their
work lives are more likely to be
happy in other areas of their lives.
© Digital Vision/Getty Images

This is partly because most work-

ers have difficulty leaving work at
the office door; they take it home
with them at the end of the day.
They continue to think about
work issues and talk about work
with friends and family members. What are some reasons why people work?

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 25

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Remember, what you do for a living will affect your home and family life
as well.

FACTORS AFFECTING CAREER CHOICE

Because your career will affect nearly every part of your life, your choice of
career is very important. Many factors will affect your decision. Among them
are your values and lifestyle, aptitudes and interests, and personal qualities.

VALUES AND LIFESTYLE

Values are the ideals in life that are important to you. Values are based on life
experiences as well as perceptions and beliefs. Each person chooses what he or
she believes to be true, meaningful, and important. Your values are shaped by
your family, social and cultural groups, and religion. They are also influenced
by the media and society as a whole. Ultimately, you must establish your own
value system. A common value is the desire to help others. Values can also
include spending time with family and loved ones, taking annual vacations,
leaving the world a better place, and raising a family.
Lifestyle is the way people choose to live their lives, based on the values they
have chosen. Your lifestyle is evident from the clothes you wear and the things
you buy, use, do, say, and enjoy. Most people desire to have a lifestyle that is
either the same or better than what they experienced growing up. A career is an
important part of most people’s lifestyle. Your career establishes not only the
way you spend a large part of your time but also your level of income. For
example, if you seek a lavish lifestyle, you will need a high-income job to
achieve that lifestyle. Many people want a higher-level lifestyle but aren’t
willing to put the time or money into an education that will allow for the
lifestyle. It’s important for you to understand the connection between your
lifestyle choices and the commitments required of you to achieve those goals.
Another choice, of course, is to decide to live a simpler lifestyle that requires
less time and commitment for education and career goals.

APTITUDES AND INTERESTS

An aptitude is a natural physical or mental ability that allows you to do
certain tasks well. For example, you may have an aptitude for working with

GLOBAL View
A recent study revealed that States is the only wealthy country that does not
nearly one-fourth of all U.S. mandate paid vacation and sick leave.
workers receive no paid vaca-
tion or holidays. Nearly half of THINK CRITICALLY
all private sector workers receive
no paid sick leave. In contrast, full- Do you think the U.S. government should pass
time workers in most European countries, laws about paid time off? How could you con-
such as Finland, receive six to eight weeks of vince an employer that offering more paid
vacation and holiday time annually. The United time off would be beneficial to it?

26 Unit 1 Career Decisions

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numbers. If so, a career that requires calculations, such as engineering,

might be a good fit for you. Aptitude tests can help you identify your
natural abilities so that you can focus your career search on jobs that use
those aptitudes.
Your career search should also consider your interests—the things you like
to do. By examining the types of activities you enjoy, you can choose a career
that involves tasks you find interesting and satisfying. For example, if you
enjoy interacting with people, you will likely prefer a job working with others,
such as in sales or a helping profession, to one that involves working alone. Use
Figure 2.1 to help identify your interests.
The Internet offers a number of questionnaires to help job seekers identify
their interests. Use keywords such as “interest test” to search for these ques-
tionnaires. They are fun to fill out. Plus, they may reveal something about you
that will help you find a good career fit.

PERSONAL QUALITIES
Your personality is made up of the many individual qualities that make you
unique. Personal qualities include such things as your intelligence, creativity,
sense of humor, and general attitude. Most jobs require a particular set of
personal qualities. For example, a person who represents a company to
potential customers needs an outgoing, friendly personality. A job that
involves working alone at a computer needs someone with a more introverted
personality. You will be happiest in a job that fits your personality. Which
qualities listed in Figure 2.2 on the next page describe you?

CAREER PLANNING
Planning for your future career is an important task. Consider the total time
spent working: 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 50 weeks a year totals 2,000 hours
each year, not including any overtime. If you work the average career span of
43 years (from age 22 to age 65), you will spend 86,000 hours or more on the
job! Because your work will likely take so much of your time, you will need to
plan your career carefully.

FIGURE 2.1 Types of Work Activities

Which of these work activities appeal to you?

analyzing and recording physically inactive work
creating and designing presenting or speaking
following directions repetitive tasks
helping others self-motivated work
indoor work thinking and problem solving
managing people and resources variety of tasks
manual work working alone
outdoor work working on a computer
physically active work working with machines

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 27

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FIGURE 2.2 Personal Qualities

1. I am ambitious and willing to work hard to reach my goals.

2. I prefer a low-stress work environment.
3. I am happiest working alone.
4. I enjoy working with a group to achieve goals.
5. I am friendly and outgoing.
6. I am shy, and meeting new people is difficult for me.
7. I like to lead group activities.
8. I am more of a follower than a leader.
9. I am a high-energy person who must be constantly on the move.
10. I enjoy sitting quietly and reading for long periods of time.
11. I like my activities to vary a lot.
12. I am most comfortable when I follow a regular routine.
13. I like to be in a setting where I can help others.
14. I like working in a setting where I can meet personal goals.

STEPS IN CAREER PLANNING

Effective career planning involves careful investigation and analysis—a pro-
cess that you should start now and revisit throughout your work life. The steps
in career planning involve self-analysis, research, a plan of action, and periodic
re-evaluation.

Self-Analysis
Using resources available from schools, employment offices, testing services,
and online, explore personal factors that relate to your career choice.
1. Determine your wants and needs.
2. Determine your values and desired lifestyle.
3. Assess your aptitudes and interests
and determine how they match job
tasks.
4. Analyze your personal qualities
The U.S. Office of Education has grouped careers into and the kinds of job tasks that best
16 different “clusters” based on similar job character- suit your personality.
istics. The occupations within each cluster may seem
quite different, but many of the people who work in Research
them have similar interests, skills, and personalities.
Access [Link]/school/pfinance/mypf and Based on a good self-analysis, deter-
click on the link for Chapter 2. Identify the 16 different mine the careers that best suit your
career clusters. Select a cluster that interests you, read its interests and aptitudes and will help
online brochure, and describe the employment outlook you meet your lifestyle goals.
for the occupations in that cluster.
1. Seek information in books, mag-
azines, and web sites; use resources
[Link]/school/pfinance/mypf available from libraries, counseling
centers, and employment offices.

28 Unit 1 Career Decisions

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2. Compare your interests, aptitudes, and per-

sonal qualities to job descriptions and
requirements. Most jobs can fit into one of
the categories shown in Figure 2.3, which
contains various occupations described in the
Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). In
which category does the job of your choice fit?
What training do you need to qualify for this
job?
3. Talk to people in the fields of work you find
interesting.
4. Observe occupations, spend time learning
about jobs and companies, and seek part-
time work to get direct experience. Some-
times following someone throughout his or
her workday will give you real insight into

© Digital Vision/Getty Images

the daily activities and requirements of a
career.

Plan of Action
After you have done some job research, develop
a plan of action that will eventually bring you to What steps are involved in career planning?
your career goals.
1. Use good job search techniques. Get
organized, make a plan, follow through, and
don’t give up.
2. Develop necessary skills by taking courses (traditional or online) and
gaining exposure to the field in which you want to pursue a career.
3. Seek a part-time or volunteer job to gain experience in your area of choice.
4. Evaluate your choices over time. People change and so do jobs. If you
discover you are following the wrong career path, change your direction
before you stay on it too long.

Re-evaluation
Because the world changes rapidly, we all need to prepare ourselves to meet
the challenges ahead. You may wish to prepare for career changes in order to
take advantage of new opportunities. About every five years, think about what
you will be doing and where you would like to be in the next five years.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOALS

A goal is a desired end toward which efforts are directed. Goals provide a
sense of direction and purpose in life. There are three types of goals: short-
term, intermediate, and long-term.
n A short-term goal is one you expect to reach in a few days or weeks.
A short-term goal could be to achieve at least a B on next week’s math
test. You know you must plan time to study soon to meet your goal.

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 29

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 FIGURE 2.3 OOH Occupation Categories

30
Beginning
Occupations Job Examples Description of Environment* Training/Education* Working Hours* Salary/Wages*

Unit 1
Management Sales manager, marketing Work in offices close to top Bachelor‘s degree; MBA or 40-hour work week plus travel Median salary plus
manager, systems managers; under pressure to specialized master‘s degree and extended hours as needed bonus: $34,000 to
administrator meet goals preferred $40,000

Professional Engineer, teacher, Work in offices, laboratories, and Bachelor‘s degree; advanced 40-hour work week plus extended Highest paid
architect, economist, specialized work sites work or master‘s degree often hours as needed bachelor‘s degree:

Career Decisions
lawyer required $50,000 to $75,000

Service Police detective, pharmacy Work in and out of office; High school plus law Shift schedule varies; often nights $48,000 to $56,000,
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aide, chef, flight attendant complete field work investigations enforcement training; associates and weekends depending on rank
or bachelor‘s degree preferred and years of service

Sales Retail sales clerk, cashier, Assist customers in store or on High school; must have Varied; often evening, weekend, $8 to $13 per hour;
real estate sales agent location of goods being sold associate‘s or bachelor‘s degree and holiday advancements with
for advancement years of service

Office and File clerk, order clerk, teller, Work in offices entering/retrieving High school/GED; additional 40-hour work week $7 to $13 per hour;
Administrative dispatcher, postal worker data training or education preferred advancements with
years of service

Farming Agricultural workers, Work outdoors raising crops and Skills learned on the job and with When needed (feeding, planting, Piece rate based on
fishers, forest and animals experience; little formal training harvesting) and seasonal peaks output (crops produced)
conservation workers

Construction Carpenter, laborer, Work at site where construction Apprenticeship and special 40-hour work week plus overtime $11 to $30 per hour;
electrician, roofer, painter occurs, much of it outdoors on-the-job training as needed to meet deadlines more with experience
and skill

Installation/ Auto mechanic, home Work in shops using specialized High school vocational training 40-hour work week $12 to $28 per hour;
Repair appliance repair person, equipment and following precise program preferred plus more with experience
equipment installer procedures specialized or on-the-job training and skill

Production Assembler, textile Work in factories using tools and High school/GED plus specialized 40-hour work week $9 to $22 per hour
operator, machinist, machines focusing on quality or on-the-job training
welder, jeweler

Transportation Air traffic controller, bus Work in tight spaces under FAA or other approved program Shift schedule varies; often nights $40,000 to $50,000
driver, pilot, flight engineer stressful conditions focusing on and pre-employment test and weekends
safety

*Based on first example in bold.

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n Intermediate goals are those you wish to accomplish in the next few
months or years. Some examples are graduation from high school, a
vacation trip, or plans for summer employment. These goals take longer
to achieve and also require more planning.
n Long-term goals are those you wish to achieve in five to ten years or longer.
They might include a college degree, career, marriage, or family. Many
people find it helpful to write down goals and then revisit them every year
to evaluate their progress.
If goals are to be meaningful, they should be well defined and realistic. They
should also be written down to become a part of your life. If you are like most
people, your goals will change every few years, either because you have
accomplished them or because your values have changed. You may decide to
take a different path. Many people find a checklist to be a handy way to help
them reach their goals. Figure 2.4 shows a typical goals checklist. Use it as a
guide to create your own checklist.

THE ROLE OF EXPERIENCE

Experience is the knowledge and skills acquired from working in a career
field. As you gain experience in a field, you become more valuable to an
employer. Most employers give wage increases that reflect the increased value
of an employee’s experience. When you change career fields, however, you no
longer have the advantage of experience. You may need to accept a lower wage
as you work to gain experience in your new career field.

FIGURE 2.4 Goals Checklist

GOALS CHECKLIST
Week of ____________

Accomplished
Short-term goals (today/this week):
1. Buy birthday gift for mom ______________
2. Get haircut (Saturday) ______________
3. See counselor about chemistry class ______________

Intermediate goals (next month/year)

1. Get a C or better in Chemistry ______________
2. Prepare for SAT (test in May) ______________
3. Finish term report (due December 14) ______________

Long-term goals (future)

1. Graduate from college ______________
2. Buy a car ______________
3. Get a full-time job ______________

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 31

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ISSUES IN YOUR WORLD

HELP WANTED
The following is a typical ad from a newspaper’s Help Wanted section. It poses a
dilemma for many young people today. How can you have education and experience?
If no one will hire you, how can you ever get that “experience”?
There are a number of ways you can meet this
employer’s requirements of both education and
experience. As you complete your formal WANTED: Web site manager.
education, you can prepare for your future Must have course work in
HTML programming, graphic
career in the following ways:
design, and platform
1. Cooperative Work Experience. A job after management. Degree preferred.
class, part time, evenings, and weekends Two years of sales experience
while you are in school will add valuable required. Starting salary
$36,000 plus benefits.
experience. It will give you insight into the
work environment and the tasks, skills, and
activities that are performed day to day.
2. Summer Work. During the summers, you
could work at a job that sounds exciting or interesting to you. To do this, try:
a. Temporary Work. A company that places temporary help may be able to
find you a job filling in for a regular employee. While the position is only
temporary, it gives you valuable insight and work experience.
b. Volunteer Work. As a volunteer worker, you may be giving up pay, but you
will gain important skills and be able to observe working conditions.
c. Community Service. Get involved in the community by serving on committees,
working on clean-up projects, or serving food in a homeless shelter. These
activities give you general work experience and tell a prospective employer
about your character.
3. Internship. An internship is an on-the-job training experience that usually pays
only your cost of getting to work and any extra expenses you incur. You receive
training and exposure to the job requirements.
These suggestions will help you find ways to avoid the “education but no experience”
dilemma. Plan ahead and be ready for that opening!

THINK CRITICALLY

1. Does the career you want require experience for an entry-level position?
2. What are some specific ways you can gather experience for the career of your
choice while completing your formal education?

32 Unit 1 Career Decisions

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2.1

Assessment
KEY TERMS REVIEW
Match the terms with the definitions. Some terms may not be used.
1. The sum of the many individual
qualities that make you unique a. aptitude
2. Ideals in life that are important b. experience
to you
c. goal
3. A natural physical or mental ability d. identity
4. A desired end toward which efforts e. interests
are directed
f. lifestyle
5. A sense of who you are as a person g. personality
and how you fit in with the world
h. values
6. The way people choose to live their
lives, based on their values
7. The things you like to do

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

8. If your job does not help you achieve your personal goals, what will likely
happen?
9. Describe your interests—what do you like to do with your free time?
10. Why is it important for you to have a career plan of action?

APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE

11. Using Figure 2.1 as an example, list activities that appeal to you. Identify
several occupations related to these activities. Are you willing to get
the education and experience needed for these occupations? Would
your choice of occupations support your chosen lifestyle? Based on
your answers, do you think your choice of occupations is the right one?
Why or why not?

THINK CRITICALLY

12. Job-related contacts can help you get the inside track on finding job
openings. How many contacts do you currently have? How can you
add more names to the list?
13. Do you set goals for yourself, both personal goals and work-related goals?
Create a written list of your short-term, intermediate, and long-term
goals. Explain why goals that are written down are more often achieved
than those that are not written down.

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 33

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2.2

Finding Career Opportunities

n List sources of job opportunity n contact, p. 34 n headhunter, p. 35

GOALS

TERMS
information. n job shadowing, p. 34 n temporary agency, p. 36
n Itemize job search techniques and n cooperative education, n work history, p. 37
design a plan to get the job you p. 35
want. n employment agencies,
p. 35

SOURCES OF JOB OPPORTUNITY INFORMATION

You can find out about job opportunities in a number of ways: word of mouth
from personal contacts; school counseling and placement services; periodicals,
books, and other publications; public and private employment agencies; news-
paper, business telephone directory, and private job listings; and the Internet
through online career and employment sites and company web sites.

CONTACTS
Many job openings are never advertised. They are filled from within the
company or with people from outside who were privately informed of the
opening by a contact within the company. A contact is a member of your
network, such as a relative, friend, member of a group to which you belong, or
a former work associate. Contacts can provide you with inside information on
job openings. Therefore, the larger your network, the better your chances of
hearing about a desired job opening.
If you are seeking a job in a field in which you have no contacts, try to get to
know people who can tell you about openings. Start by letting it be known to
the current members of your network that you are looking for a particular type
of job. If, for example, you want to work at a bank, ask the people you know
whether they have any contacts in the banking industry. You might also
participate in student and professional organizations and community activities
that could provide links to banking professionals. You can also meet and talk
with bank personnel through school-sponsored visits, job shadowing, and job
fairs. Job shadowing is spending a morning or afternoon with a worker in the
type of job that interests you. You can see how activities are performed in a
typical day firsthand. Job shadowing can give you an inside track on finding
out about future job openings.

SCHOOL COUNSELING AND PLACEMENT SERVICES

Many schools have programs to assist students in preparing for careers,
making career choices, and securing part- or full-time work. One such

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program is called cooperative educa-

tion, where students attend classes part
of the day and then go to a job that
provides supervised field experience.
Students receive credits for on-the-job
experience that directly relates to class-
room studies in a chosen career field.
Students placed in work situations are
given grades on their work and are paid
minimum wage for their efforts.
Employers often receive tax credits for
the wages they pay the students during
training.
School counselors and teachers are
also good sources of job opportunity
information. They are often asked by
employers to recommend students for
specific job openings. If you are inter- © Digital Vision/Getty Images
ested in an office job, you should talk
to counselors and business teachers as
you complete business courses.
Placement centers help students find
jobs. Their services are usually offered
free of charge. Placement centers post
job openings at the school and provide How could you find out about job openings that aren’t advertised?
information to qualified students so
they can apply. They also keep a
placement folder on each student that
contains school records, including attendance, academic, and disciplinary
records. When employers ask for information about a student, they receive
copies of information from the student’s placement folder. If your school
has a placement center, examine your folder and have teachers and other
adults write recommendations to put in it. You should also confirm that all
school records are in the folder. Be sure to check at your school to see what
other types of assistance are available.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES

All major cities have public and private employment agencies. Employment
agencies help job seekers find a job for which they are qualified. They also
help employers locate the best applicants for job openings. Private employ-
ment agencies may or may not charge a fee for their services. Such fees vary
from agency to agency, so you should compare prices before you sign with
one. Some of these agencies charge a fee to the employer. Others charge the
prospective employee when a job is found, and still others divide the fee
between the employer and the hired employee.
A headhunter is a type of employment agency that seeks out highly
qualified people to fill important positions for an employer. For example, a
company may need a new manager or vice president. Rather than post a job

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 35

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COMMUNICATION Connection
Think of a job you would like informational interview is one in which you are
to have or a company for not applying for a specific job, but learning
which you would like to work more about the job, the industry, or the com-
in the future. Assume you are pany itself. It is a good way to explore careers
going to contact the Human and can help you achieve career goals. To pre-
Resources Director for that company pare for your informational interview, compile a
and set up an informational interview. An list of questions you might ask.

opening and go through an open interview process, the company may hire a
headhunter to recruit an executive with the skills and experience needed.
Often those being recruited are already gainfully employed and not actively
seeking a new job. The headhunter contacts them, explains to them the
open position, and asks them if they would be interested. These job offers
often entice highly paid workers to switch jobs for better pay and/or better
working conditions. Headhunter fees are paid by the companies seeking
employees.
The state employment office does not charge a fee because it is a government
agency. There you can also obtain information about government job-training
assistance programs, YES (Youth Employment Services), Youth Corps, Civil
Service (state and federal), and apprenticeship boards, as well as other gov-
ernment employment programs that exist from time to time. You may qualify
for one or more of these types of work programs.
If you initially have trouble finding a permanent position in your desired
field, you may want to start out working for a temp agency. A temporary
agency, commonly referred to as a “temp agency,” provides part- or full-
time temporary job placement. Working in a temporary job for a company
gives you a chance to make an impression and expand your network. When
the company sees that you are a good fit, it may try to buy out your contract
with the temp agency. Or, it may contact you at a later time when a full-time
position is available.

NEWSPAPER, YELLOW PAGES, AND PRIVATE

JOB LISTINGS
The help wanted ads in the classified section of your local newspaper list
job openings in your area. The ads will give a brief description of the job,
the requirements of job candidates, and often the salary range. Watch these
ads closely and respond quickly when a new job enters the market. Both
employers and employment agencies advertise job openings to attract
qualified applicants.
The Yellow Pages is an alphabetically arranged subject listing of businesses
advertising their services. If you are looking for a job in a certain field, you can
search The Yellow Pages to find a listing of local businesses in that given field.
You can then send an unsolicited letter of application to those businesses that
interest you or stop by to see if they have openings.
Many companies, government offices, and schools place job opening
announcements on bulletin boards, circulate them within their organization,
36 Unit 1 Career Decisions

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and post them on their web sites. Checking in these places may give you the
current information you need to apply for a position when it opens.

ONLINE JOB INFORMATION

Searching the Internet using keywords related to your chosen career field will
provide many new sources of job information. Some web sites are specifically
designed to help people find jobs. These online career and employment sites
offer online job postings and provide assistance in matching job openings with
applicants. Many of these sites allow you to post your resume for employers to
see. Some allow you to apply for a job online.
Examples of general online career and employment sites that provide infor-
mation on a variety of industries include [Link], Yahoo! HotJobs,
Monster, [Link], craigslist, and [Link]. Others, such
as [Link] and [Link], are more specialized. Many local news-
papers also list web sites with searchable job listings.
Companies often list their job openings on their own web sites. Go to the
web site of a company for which you would like to work. Read the infor-
mation the company supplies about itself. Then follow the links to its list of
open positions. The site will tell you how to apply.
Professional associations often allow job seekers to post resumes and browse
their database of job openings. For example, if you have trained for a career
as a paralegal, you can post your resume and search for job openings at the
National Paralegal Association web site. Professional associations usually
include job openings in their print publications as well.

JOB SEARCH TECHNIQUES

Finding and getting the right
job takes hard work, careful
planning, and often a great deal
of time. Nevertheless, a careful
search can land you a job you
will enjoy for many years. Dis-
satisfaction leads to frequent
job changing, which may
damage your employment
chances in the future.
Your work history is a record
of the jobs you have held and
how long you stayed with each
employer. Employers will eval-
uate your work history when
© Digital Vision/Getty Images

you apply for a job. If it shows

that you have changed jobs
frequently without a logical
career progression, potential
employers might think hiring
you is risky. They do not want
to invest in training you for a How could your work history affect your chances of getting a job?

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 37

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position only to have you leave. You do not want to invest your time and effort
in the wrong job either. So, take time to do what is necessary to find the job
that is the right fit for you. To find the right job, you will need to get
organized, make a plan, follow up, and don’t give up on your search.

GET ORGANIZED
After you decide what kind of job you want, the first step toward getting that
job is to get organized. Prepare a checklist of things to do and check them off
as you complete them. The checklist may contain the following items:
n Assemble all the information you will need about the type of work you
want to do.
n List prospective companies for which you would like to work.
n Gather your sources of information and research job descriptions, skills
and aptitudes needed, and other job requirements.
n Make lists of personal contacts, places to go, and people to see.
n Prepare a current resume and a letter of application (to be discussed in
Chapter 3).
n Ask previous employers, teachers, coaches, counselors, or others to write
letters of recommendation for you. Also, ask them if you may give their
names and contact information as references for employment purposes.
n Update your placement folder at school.

MAKE A PLAN
A plan is important to the success of your job search because it keeps you
organized, shows what you have done, and indicates what you need to do in
the immediate future. A good plan lists all your goals and shows a timeframe
for achieving them. As you accomplish each step or goal, check it off. Your
plan might look similar to Figure 2.5.

FIGURE 2.5 Plan to Get a Job

Job Leads: Contacts:

State employment office Aunt Jessica (knows manager)
Help wanted ads (newspaper)
School placement office
Marketing teacher
Online search

Time Line—Week 1

Day 1: Day 2:
Prepare resume and letter of application. Send two application letters.
Check help wanted ads in newspaper. Get two personal references.
Make a list of local stores from The Yellow Pages. Call Aunt Jessica to set up lunch date to talk.
Check store web sites for job openings. Check for online job postings.

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VIEW Points
Often after an interview, you There can be many reasons why you are not
may wonder why you weren’t the first choice for a job opening. Don’t assume
hired. There may be many the worst! It is acceptable for you to ask for
reasons why you didn’t get the feedback. Contact the interviewer and ask
job. Don’t feel bad about it or let what you could have done better. The infor-
it hurt your self-worth. Competition mation will help you prepare better for future
is fierce in the job market. Here is a partial interviews.
list of what may have happened:
n They were looking for applicants to hold THINK CRITICALLY
on file for future openings.
n There were more qualified applicants. If you were the person hiring a new
n The position was taken by someone with employee, how would you decide between
an inside track. two or more applicants that appear to be
n Your skills didn’t match up with their equally qualified? What are some questions
immediate needs. you might ask the seemingly equal applicants
n They liked you, but someone else inter- to help you determine which one would be
viewed slightly better than you did. best for the job?
n You didn’t “click” with the interviewer.

FOLLOW UP
After you have contacted a potential employer by letter or by filling out an
application for a job opening, check back from time to time to let the
employer know you are still interested in working for the company. At this
time, you may ask when the company expects to make its hiring decision.
If you had a formal interview with the Human Resources Director or a
manager, follow up with a thank-you letter. Express your appreciation for the
opportunity to interview. Convey your continued interest in the position.
Remind the interviewer of your skills and point out how they match the needs
of the company. The follow-up letter is common business etiquette and will
serve to keep your name in the forefront of the decision-maker’s mind.
Employers will be impressed with those individuals who follow up promptly
with a thank-you letter.

DON’T GIVE UP
You can expect to apply, and be turned down, for several jobs before you are
hired. Continue to remain courteous and upbeat, and keep checking back for
openings. Try all your job leads. Be prepared, so that if you are called for an
interview on short notice—even on the same day—you can go. Continually
check the want ads for new openings. Check with your contacts frequently.
Although a good job search may take several weeks or months, the effort will
pay off.

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Planning a Career in... Construction

Whenever anything is built, from a l Roofer

building to a highway to a factory, l Painter
there are construction workers who
make it happen. They give us shel- Needed Skills
ter, comfort, and convenience. Their l No specific degrees are
work is vitally important to the required, but apprenticeship
economy. and specialized skills are
Construction workers do physi- desirable.
cally demanding work. They lift and l Trade-related training is avail-
carry heavy objects; they stoop, kneel, able at vocational schools and
and crawl in awkward positions. Some community colleges.
work at great heights or in extremely
small and uncomfortable spaces. What's it like to work in. . .
When Hoover Dam was com- Construction
pleted in 1935, it was the world’s
Jim started his day at the work site
largest concrete structure. Located
by unloading, identifying, and dis-
on the border between Arizona and
tributing building materials. He took
Nevada, it impounds the Colorado
roofing materials to one house and
River and creates Lake Mead. There
drywall to another. He also checked
were 7,000 construction workers, of
the machinery to be sure it was
which 112 died due to the hazards
operational.
of their job. Today, Hoover Dam is a
He put on his helmet, safety
landmark, a recreation site, and a
goggles, and protective clothing
major power facility attracting more
before entering the demolition site
than seven million visitors annually.
of an older building that contained
Employment Outlook hazardous building materials. It was
his responsibility to load the asbestos
l Employment is expected to
materials into the receptacle so that
grow by 11 percent between
they could be removed from the site.
2008 and 2016.
Jim went to another job site to
l The industry is expected to meet with a stonemason who would
grow more slowly than in be laying brick for the house. Jim
recent years, since it is very loved watching the houses go up and
sensitive to cyclical changes in becoming the dream homes of sat-
the economy. Automation also isfied customers and their families.
eliminates many jobs each year.
What About You?
Job Titles
Why is the construction industry
l Construction worker
important to our economy? What
l Drywall installer work characteristics of this industry
l Carpenter do you like and dislike?

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2.2

Assessment
KEY TERMS REVIEW
Match the terms with the definitions. Some terms may not be used.
1. A type of employment agency that
seeks out highly qualified people a. contact
to fill important positions for an
employer b. cooperative
education
2. A member of your network
c. employment agency
3. A record of the jobs you have held d. headhunter
and how long you stayed with each
employer e. job shadowing
f. temporary agency
4. Organization that helps job seekers
find a job for which they are qualified g. work history

5. An agency that offers part-time and

temporary full-time work
6. Spending a morning or afternoon with a worker in the type of job that
interests you

CHECK YOUR UNDERSTANDING

7. How do companies fill jobs without advertising?
8. How can cooperative education help you get a job?
9. How can the Internet help your job search?

APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE

10. Using your phone directory and online research, list five employment
agencies in your area. With your instructor’s permission, call one of the
agencies and ask about its fee structure. What would be charged for
placement of a job that paid $2,000 per month? Would fees be paid by the
employer, employee, or both?

THINK CRITICALLY

11. Networking can help you get the inside track on job openings. What can
you do if you are seeking a job in a field in which you have no contacts?
12. Posting your resume online can be risky. It is easy for predators to post
bogus job openings in order to get people to apply and give them
personal information found on a resume. How can you protect yourself
when applying for jobs on the Internet?

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 41

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Chapter Assessment
SUMMARY

2.1
n People work to buy the things they need and to gain a sense of purpose
and identity.
n Factors affecting career choices include values and lifestyle, aptitudes and
interests, and personality.
n Steps in career planning include performing self-analysis, completing
research, developing a plan of action, and periodically re-evaluating
your career path.
n Goals provide a sense of direction as you develop your career plan.
n Create a checklist of your short-term, intermediate, and long-term goals,
and check them off as you accomplish them.
n As you gain experience in your chosen field, you become more valuable
to employers. When you switch career fields, you lose the advantage of
experience.
2.2
n Many job opportunities are never advertised, but you can learn about
them through your contacts (networking). You can expand your network
and learn about careers through job shadowing and informational
interviews.
n You can find jobs through placement services, employment agencies,
newspaper ads, The Yellow Pages, private job listings, and online job
postings.
n If you initially have trouble finding a permanent position in your desired
field, you may want to start out working for a temp agency.
n Once you are established in your career, a headhunter may seek you out
to fill an important position for an employer.
n Employers will evaluate your work history when you apply for a job.
n For a successful job search, get organized, make a plan, follow up, and
don’t give up.

42 Unit 1 Career Decisions

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APPLY WHAT YOU KNOW

1. Explain why people work. Why are people’s jobs so important to them?
2. What is an aptitude? Why is it important to know what your aptitudes
are?
3. What are personal qualities? List three of yours.
4. Look at the want ads in the classified section of your local newspaper.
Find an ad that appeals to you. Does it fit well with your aptitudes and
personal qualities? Explain your answer.
5. List the four major steps in career planning. What are you doing to
prepare your career plans?
6. Describe your desired lifestyle in ten years. Develop a plan of action to
get a job that will support your desired lifestyle.
7. Using Figure 2.4 as an example, prepare a checklist of your short-term,
intermediate, and long-term goals. At the end of one week, check to see
what you have accomplished.
8. Find the web site of a major national company that has job openings
listed. Briefly describe the available jobs. Then find the company’s
description of its business. Make a list of key information about the
company. How could you use this information in an interview with
the company?
9. Write a paragraph describing your work history. It can be current or what
you would like it to be in ten years.
10. Using Figure 2.5 as an example, prepare a plan for getting a job using
a one-week timetable. List your job leads, your contacts (or potential
contacts), and a list of several items you would like to accomplish
each day.

MAKE ACADEMIC CONNECTIONS

11. Research Use the Internet to locate four different sources of current
job opportunities. Develop a table that compares the sites in terms of
their effectiveness in providing information about the job, the company,
and the procedure applicants should follow in applying for a job.
12. International Studies Do Internet research on three countries, two of
which are wealthy (first-world) nations and one of which is a third-world
(developing) nation. Compare jobs and working conditions, along with
annual wage and salaries earned by citizens of those countries. Also
find out what you can about benefits such as sick pay and holiday pay.
Compare their average work week with that of U.S. workers.
13. Math You are considering the services of three different employment
agencies, all of which can get you a job that starts at $2,000 a month.
Agency A charges 50 percent of the first month’s gross salary. Agency B
charges 10 percent of your monthly salary for the first six months. Agency
C charges a $100 up-front fee and a flat fee of $500 when you are placed.
Compare the three choices. Which of these offers the least expensive
overall fee?

Chapter 2 Planning Your Career 43

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SOLVE PROBLEMS AND

EXPLORE ISSUES
14. Tracy Alegro has decided that her long-term goal in life is to become a
mechanical engineer. She is now a sophomore in high school and hasn’t
done any planning. Tracy’s grades are average. She is active, outgoing,
and bright. What can Tracy do now, in the next few years, and beyond
to prepare herself for a career as an engineer?
15. Research the jobs listed below to determine the working environment,
skills and education required, working hours, and beginning pay.
Compile the information in a chart. Next to each occupation, indicate
whether or not you would be interested in this type of career
a. webmaster g. physical therapist
b. court reporter h. cosmetologist
c. sheet-metal worker i. radio announcer
d. technical writer j. tailor
e. building custodian k. infantry officer
f. civil engineer l. administrative assistant
16. Dunghoon Lee would like to work as a merchandising manager for a
large department store. He has the education and needed skills. His
experience to this point has been with a medium-sized retailer. He
currently doesn’t have any contacts inside a large store. Most openings
seem to be filled before he even knows they exist. What can Dunghoon
do to find out about job openings in a large department store?
17. Julie Lopez has worked part time after school for the past two years.
She worked for two weeks as a cook, but she rarely got to work on time
and was fired. She worked for two months as a waitress but quit because
she didn’t get enough tips. Julie also worked for three weeks as a
hotel maid but was laid off. Finally, she worked for four months as an
administrative assistant but quit because working on the computer hurt
her wrist. Would you hire Julie? What does her work history say to
potential employers?

EXTEND YOUR LEARNING

18. Legal Issues When you go to work for a temp agency, you will sign a
contract. The contract is a legally binding agreement where you agree to
work for a set period of time for a set rate of pay. Your employer is the
temp agency and will provide paychecks and other benefits. After they
have started their job assignments, some workers will try to get out of
the contract with the temp agency prior to the stated time period in
order to work directly for the employer. Doing this denies the temp
agency of its lawful fees (source of income). Explain why it is important for
those entering into agreements to fulfill their legal responsibilities.

For related activities and links, go to [Link]/school/pfinance/mypf

44 Unit 1 Career Decisions

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