Chapter 2: Career Planning Personal Finance

Learning Objectives Identify the key steps in successful career planning. Clarify your work-style personality. Analyze the financial and legal aspects of employment. Practice effective employment search strategies.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2- 3 Career Planning Career: Lifework chosen by a person to use personal talent, education, and training. Career Planning: Finding employment that will use your interests and abilities and that will support you financially.

Steps in Career Planning

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2- 5 Key Steps in Career Planning Review your –Abilities (Professional abilities, Aptitudes) –Experiences –Education and professional training Identify your values. Values: Principles, standards, or qualities, that you consider desirable.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2- 6 Key Steps in Career Planning Consider costs, benefits, and lifestyle trade-offs. Align yourself with tomorrow’s employment trends. Take advantage of networking Professional Networking: Making and using contacts with individuals, groups, and other firms to exchange career information. Target preferred employers Preferred Employer: Employers that would suit you best.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2- 7 Key Steps in Career Planning Be willing to change career goals and plans. Know your preferred work-style personality.

Projected High-Wage, High-Growth Occupations

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.2- 9 Financial and Legal Aspects of Employment Compare salary and living costs in different cities. Compare using city indexes. City Indexes: Comparing wages and cost of living for various employment locations.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Financial and Legal Aspects of Employment Place values on employee benefits. Non-salary (or Employee) Benefits Place a market value on the benefit. Calculate the future value of the benefit. Know your legal employment rights.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Effective Employment Search Strategies Assemble a resume. Identify job opportunities, such as: –Career Fairs –Classified Advertisements –Employment Agencies –Networking –The Internet

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Effective Employment Search Strategies Write an effective cover letter. Cover Letter: Letter of introduction sent to a prospective employer to get an interview. Obtain strong reference letters. Apply!

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Effective Employment Search Strategies Interview for success. Job Interview: Formal meeting between employer and potential employee to discuss job qualifications and suitability.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Interview for Success Do some research before the interview. Compile revealing personal stories. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. Prepare responses for anticipated interview questions.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Interview for Success Create positive responses to negative questions. Be ready for telephone interviews. After the interview, evaluate it and send a thank-you note

Top 3 Financial Challenges in Career Planning People are challenged in building and maintaining a good career when they do the following: 1.Don’t learn as much as possible about a company before going for an interview.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Top 3 Financial Missteps in Career Planning 2.Fail to match your interests and preferred work style with the requirements of the career. 3.Change jobs and cash out employer- sponsored retirement savings plans, instead of leaving it there, transferring it to the new employer’s 401 (k) plan, or moving it to a rollover IRA account. 4.Fail to use the COBRA law to continue participating in the old employer’s medical health plan benefits for up to 18 months.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Good Money Habits in Career Planning Take the time to plan and make the effort required to obtain employment in your desired career. Contact the MCC career services office to explore opportunities in your field. Identify your career planning values and live them in your selection of jobs and your performance at work.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Good Money Habits in Career Planning Do not miss an opportunity to continually enhance your education and professional training. Understand your preferred work-style personality Practice effective employment search strategies, especially interviewing skills.

Copyright ©Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved Questions ?