1. Career 101: Time to Explore
Monica F. Torres
“Girl Power”: Dream It, Be It!
January 23, 2016

2. Introduction
Be productive.
Make a contribution—to others, to your community, to your profession.

3. Introduction
Be happy.
Do something that you find interesting, maybe even joyful.

4. Introduction explore your interests and strengths
I want to introduce you to some ideas today to help you get there: productive, happy career.
explore your interests and strengths
explore potential careers
explore educational opportunities
develop some skills

5. Exploration discover who you are
Tell me about you.
What do you like to do?
What are you interested in?
What are you good at?

6. Exploration discover who you are
Tell me about your family—
parents and grandparents.
What did they do for work out of their home?
What did they do for work or for fun in their home?

7. Exploration discover who you are
Talk to others:
aunts, uncles, friends’ parents, teachers, counselors, anyone, everyone.
What do you like about your job?
What don’t you like about your job?
Why did you choose it?

8. Exploration discover who you are
More Exploration: mynextmove.org
Let’s say you know what career you are interested in.
Maybe you don’t know the specific career but you know a general area of interest.
Maybe you’re not sure at all.
You can begin exploring many careers and which ones might be right for you.

9. Exploration discover who you are
mynextmove.org
Community Health Worker
Knowledge, skills, abilities
Personality
Technology
Job Outlook: job availability, salary
Education

10. Exploration discover who you are
More Exploration: mynextmove.org
Dieticians, genetic counselors, home health aids, dental assistants, machinists, grinding and polishing workers, engineers, financial analysts, computer and information systems managers, purchasing managers, air traffic controllers, court clerks, fish and game wardens, security guards, aircraft mechanics, teachers, real estate appraisers, power plant operators, financial managers, etc. etc. etc.

11. Education what we know National Center for Education Statistics: nced
Education what we know National Center for Education Statistics: nced.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=77
That people with a high school diploma make more money over the course of their lifetimes than people who do not have a high school diploma.
That people with higher education—two-year or four-year credentials—make more money over the course of their lifetimes than people with a high school diploma.
While money is not everything, it is something. Having some resources makes a significant difference in the quality of one’s life. But interestingly enough—only to an extent.

12. Education Options, options, options
Two kinds of skills:
technical, job-related skills
what people call “soft” skills

13. Education Options, options, options
Lots of ways to develop technical skills:
All jobs: “on the job” training
Many jobs: many that people find most attractive and provide security require higher education

14. Education Options, options, options
We are familiar with professions that we see around us in our daily orbit, families and friends, television and movies: lawyers, doctors, nurses, police, teachers.

15. Education Options, options, options
Many, many, many more options:
X-ray technicians, respiratory therapists, biomedical electronics technicians, aerospace technicians, welders, public health professionals, computer technicians
Project managers, human resource professionals, nutritionists, researchers and scholars, horticulturalists, accountants,

16. Education Credentials
Certificates, typically less than a year Associate degrees, approximately two Bachelors degrees, approximately four Advanced study (master’s and doctoral degrees), time varies

17. Education Credentials and colleges
Match credential with your career interest
Match the institution with the credential

18. Exploration discover who you are
mynextmove.org
Knowledge, skills, abilities
Personality
Technology
Job Outlook: job availability, salary
Education

19. Education Options, options, options
Two-year institutions, like Doña Ana Community College Four-year institutions, like New Mexico State University

20. Education Options, options, options
What kind of institution?
Credential or area of interest
Academic opportunities
Relationship with professors
Class size
Out of class activities
Cost

21. Education Options, options, options
What sort of degree do you need for particular jobs? What sort of jobs can you get with a particular degree?

22. Engagement Develop Skills In/Through Community
Many technical skills are generally developed in the formal academic environment: earning certificates and degrees from colleges and universities.
The community can also be a place where we learn things we really need to know: “soft” skills.

23. Engagement develop Skills Through Community involvement
A few of the “Soft” Skills
communication skills
collaboration and teamwork
problem-solving
adaptability
“appropriateness”

24. Engagement Develop Skills In/Through Community
How do you develop these skills: in your family, at school, and in the community.
Volunteer! Get involved in community efforts.

25. Engagement Develop Skills In/Through Community
Community Service
Opportunity to develop skills
Opportunity to make contributions
My experience with two organizations

26. Getting started: one critical skill IdealistCareers.org
The 60-second “elevator” speech
What do you do?
What is your greatest strength?
What would you like to do? What are you asking for?
What is your motivation?

27. Getting started: one critical skill
***I am currently a college student. I am an accounting major and am active participant in Spurs, a community service organization. ***My friends and family often praise me for being able to organize others to get a project done. ***I’m looking for an spring internship with a community agency that provides financial literacy training. ***I was able to go to college because an organization in my hometown helped my family with financial planning. I want to pay it back.

28. Getting started: one critical skill
What do you do?
What is your greatest strength?
What would you like to do?
What is your motivation?

29. Getting started: one critical skill
The 60-second “elevator” speech: a skill for today, tomorrow, and the future
Getting involved in community service
Applying for college, for scholarships
Applying for jobs
Communicating in any number of contexts

30. Thank you! For me, a career is about being productive and being happy.
I wish you a lifetime of productivity and happiness.