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careers-nextright-crop
Once you’ve identified some career areas in which you are interested, learn what you can about them. READ: Pick up the Occupational Outlook Handbook available in most local college/university career centers to learn more about educational requi...

AboutUsCarolBy Carol Horner

Recently I attended an orientation at a top state university that our son was considering.   The sessions were mostly student-run and I was impressed by the maturity and enthusiasm displayed by college-level kids. It was endearing to see students usher in the “newbees” in their own way and with a manner that was sure to attract new talent to their beloved school.

At the onset of the orientation, the students introduced themselves and rattled off their double majors with minors and side research projects and studies abroad - most impressive and even intimidating to someone looking forward to this next educational step. I kept peering over at my son to see if his eyes were opened a little wider at the wonder of all that these accomplished students were presenting. He didn’t seem to be phased.

Break-out sessions ensued and our young hosts talked about the details of their class work and academic interests. At one point I mustered up the nerve to raise my hand and ask what kind of future they were planning with their hard work at the university. In other words, “What are you going to do with your life?” “What kind of livelihood are you intending with your major area of study?” Some of the students had grad school in their plans, others would travel, most just weren’t sure what they wanted to do beyond school. They all giggled nervously as they agreed that it was perfectly acceptable to have no idea what they wanted for their future.

AboutUsCarolBy Carol Horner

You may have a good idea of what interests you right now. That’s a start, but how do you know if those interests translate into the right career for you. There are plenty of practical ways to test your interest quotient. Read on…

GO ON A “MOCK” JOB SEARCH:

Read the Classifieds

One good way to see if you would like to work in a field or specific job is to simply read the classified ads. Most listings will describe the basic duties of the job along with the training and education required. It may even have the salary or total compensation if it includes bonus or incentive payments.

Try reading the classified ads in your newspaper or go online to any job listing site and wade through the categories. If you’re searching the web for job listings, go for the free ones where there are no obligations – there are plenty to choose from. You will quickly see which categories and jobs you find yourself gravitating towards. When you’re done, evaluate what you like and, more importantly, don’t like. When you’ve identified a few fields, start doing more research on them to get details about what you’d have to do to qualify. And of course, go on CareerZing.com to ask questions of professionals in those fields.

GET PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE:

Volunteer, intern or co-op

Volunteering is much bigger with high school students than it was when I was young. It is a way to give to the community and to those who are in need. Colleges have added volunteer activities into their evaluation criteria to separate the good candidates from the great ones.

Tracey Joinson is a career counselor at Palm Beach Community College in Boca Raton, Florida. CareerZing asked Tracey to explain the service provided by a typical college/university career center.

What types of services does a Career Center at the college level offer?

Almost every college or university has a career center, but depending on the size and mission of the institution, services can vary. A “comprehensive” career center will provide services to assist students at all stages of their career development. A sample “menu” of services might include:

  1. Career Advising/Counseling – if you are undecided about your choice of major or career, help is available. This may or may not include taking a “career assessment” which can be either a “paper or pencil” or computer-based assessment. You and the career advisor/counselor will together decide if this may be helpful for you. Many students will walk into a career center and say, “I want to take that test that tells me what I should do”. Keep in mind, no assessment will tell you what you should do. A career assessment is designed to help you figure out what might be a good choice for you based on things such as your interests, values, and skills.

  2. Career Information – if someone has told you that you would make a great “botanist”, but you’re not sure what a botanist is, this is where career information comes in. The Career Center provides good resources to help you research occupations and majors. Resources may be:  books, websites, databases, “mentor” programs, or even a file of collected articles and/or pamphlets. Typical information you might want to know is:  a definition of the occupations, job outlook, salary, required education, etc.

  3. Employment Services – most schools will have job listings for students, but don’t forget about other employment-related needs. You can get help writing a resume, preparing for interviews, and some schools might even offer workshops on other topics such as etiquette and dressing for success. As far as getting a job, services can range from a simple list of job openings posted on a bulletin board or website to formal recruiting programs where recruiters come to campus and students meet with and interview on-campus.

  4. Experiential Education – internships, co-op, practicum, clinicals, volunteer, service learning… all of these can fall under the umbrella of “experiential education”. You might be required to do something like this depending on your major, but if not, it is always a great way to test whether you will really like your chosen career field or not. It is also a great way to start building relevant experience on your resume and network with people in your field. These may be paid or non-paid and some schools will even give you academic credit for participating.

  5. Education Planning Services – if you find yourself in need of continuing your education beyond the institution you are at (think:  transferring, graduate school, law school, etc.), the career center can often assist you with researching what schools might be a good option for you.

mom-and-kidBy Carol Horner

Doing the Right Thing…
Your decision to be a stay-at-home parent is the most important decision you will make on your journey as a parent. You may have thought more about this decision than any other you’ve made.  In fact, it may go down as one of the top 3 toughest decisions you make in your life.  I know - I've made this decision myself!

Look at all of the things you feel like you’re giving up:

  • Your income

  • The impact you have on your household income

  • The ability to use your education and training in a paying job

  • Your chance to interact with adults

  • Your ability to buy luxury things for yourself and/or others in your life

  • Contributions to your retirement fund

  • Doing what you enjoy and what gives you a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction

  • Your ability to grow professionally

Tips on Networking

whynetworkWhy network?
Networking is the single most powerful way to get a job (or any professional goal) in today’s competitive market.

What is networking?
Networking is a vehicle for making contacts with people who will connect you to your ideal job. If you’re skilled at growing your network, it will help you realize your ongoing and changing professional and personal goals throughout your life.  

Who is in my network?
A network is made up of people who you meet and get to know. Anyone can be part of your network – your relatives, your friends, your hair dresser, your teachers, your previous employers, just about anyone you meet. Be creative. Consider anyone who has knowledge of your goals to be a part of your network.

How do I begin networking?
It is never too soon to begin networking. It is as easy as meeting new people and asking them what they do, telling them what you do or what you want to do.

What kinds of questions should I ask someone who I want to include in my network and what do I do with advice?
Ask about their professional and personal goals. Ask them how they achieved their goals or how they intend to achieve them. Ask them their opinions on things that matter to you. Ask them for their advice on how to go about achieving your goals. You don’t have to follow all the advice you get, but you may get some good thoughts especially from those who have more experience than you. Just remember, listen to what others say and evaluate advice as objectively as possible. Choose the advice that works best for you.

writer-authorWe’ve encountered many young people who tell us they love to write and are not sure what career to pursue. We decided to take a look at others who we’re sure felt the same way as they left high school searching for just the right outlet for their creative talents. Maybe this will be interesting to some of you out there who love to write.

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 Read what famous authors did before they hit it big with their first best seller. Their road to fame was not always direct but they eventually accomplished what they wanted. We’ve given you a link to our source if you want to read more about their journeys.

 

 

 
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