Aligning Your Interests With Career Choices Interior Design Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 1

The Concepts 1.Some people think that you get what you are born with (brains, wealth, talent, skill, etc. ) 2.Others believe that you can get…….. (smart, wealth, talent, skills…..) …….with effort and hard work. Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 2

Do either of those beliefs matter? People who believe they can “get smart” are able to face a challenge. If these people come up against a problem they can’t solve, they don’t give up. They don’t say, “I was never any good at math anyway.” Instead, they decide that they may just need to work a little longer or harder. Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 3

In Contrast People who don’t value hard work are likely to give up. If they run into trouble, they give themselves all sorts of reasons why it isn’t their fault. “I can’t do math. I was never very smart in math anyway.” It wasn’t in my cards… I didn’t get a lucky break…. It’s not fair….. Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 4

Job Satisfaction Statistics A recent Harris Interactive survey* uncovered the following statistics on American job satisfaction: – Across America, 45 percent of workers say they are either satisfied or extremely satisfied with their jobs – Only 20 percent feel very passionate about their jobs – 33 percent believe they have reached a dead end in their career – 21 percent are eager to change careers 5 Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.

Work Satisfaction … Can be gauged by how well a position matches the abilities, interests, needs, values as evaluated by the employee. Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 6

Interest Profiler The Interest Profiler helps you find out what your interests are and how they relate to the world of work. It does this by asking you to answer questions that represent important interest areas. Your Interest Profiler scores will help you identify your strongest work-related interests. Knowing your work interests can help you decide what kinds of jobs and careers you want to explore. Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 7

O Net interest profiler Instrument a tool for career exploration U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 8

O Net interest profiler Score Report U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved. 9

A person’s career is an extension of who he/she is and why he/she is here on this planet. It should be an enjoyable outlet that utilizes a person’s interests, skills and talents in a productive way. 10 Copyright (c) Texas Education Agency, All rights reserved.