Lecture 25

CHOOSING A CAREER-II

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Ten Steps for Choosing a Career Begin with your values Identify your skills and talents Identify your preferences Experiment Become broadly literate In your first job, opt for experience first and money second Aim for a job in which you can be committed Build your life style around your income, not your expectations Invest five percent of your income, energy, and money into furthering your career Be willing to change and adapt

Data, People, Things or Ideas Knowing your preferences for working with data, people, things, or ideas can help you find a career that matches those preferences. Most managerial, professional, and technical jobs provide some opportunity for working with data, people, and things. Job satisfaction is likely to increase when the individual engages in work that fits his or her interest in the four factors. (Ideas is somewhat restricted because it involves high-level innovation.)

Developing a Portfolio Career A portfolio career refers to making money in several different ways at the same time.

Developing a Portfolio Career Many people would like to change careers yet not be confined to focusing on one major type of job activity. To accomplish this, a growing number of people develop a portfolio career, in which they use a variety of skills and earn money in several different ways. A portfolio career also helps deal with the trend toward part-time positions. A portfolio career also spreads the risk of unemployment by earning money in several ways. An important part of developing a portfolio career is to keep your occupational skills current while not in active use.

Developing a Portfolio Career Career Switching: Many people switch careers to find work that fits their major values in life. It is important to be thorough when contemplating a career switch. A new career should be built gradually, such as phasing into the new type of work. An increasingly popular path for the career switcher is to move from salaried employment to self-employment.

Finding out About Occupations A fundamental rule of career planning is to gather relevant occupational facts. Few people have valid information about careers they wish to pursue. Printed and Web-Based Information Computer-Assisted Career Guidance Speaking to People Firsthand Experience Choosing a Growth Occupation

Strategy to choose a career The Importance of Skills in Choosing a Career: Knowing which skills and abilities you possess and enjoy performing can be the basis for a successful career. A skill is a learned, specific ability such as writing a report or negotiating well. Skill identification is also important for job finding. Your best skill represents your core competency, or whatever you do best. As these skills are developed, they may become a person’s core competency.

Strategy to choose a career Getting Help from a Career Counselor: A career counselor provides a professional approach to finding a first career or career switching. A counselor usually relies on a wide variety of tests plus an interview to assist a person make a sound career choice.

Suggestions for Career Preparation To prepare for a career is to be ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead in whatever career the person chooses. Nine useful suggestions follow: Be flexible about exploring different fields. Develop interpersonal skills. Think globally, such as studying another language and culture. Develop your information technology skills. Get an edge (employers can still be choosy). Keep learning after you have chosen a field. Be less concerned about promotions; it is what you know and how you apply it that really counts. Strive for high-quality work. “Do it right the first time.” Recognize that several different concepts of a career are possible. (The same career model, such as climbing the ladder, does not fit everyone.)