I. Career planning
Exercise
1.
It is important to find where these overlap to target career choices
that are a best fit for you. This exercise can help you refine your
career search by identifying where your interests, abilities, and
career dreams overlap. To get started, grab a blank piece of paper
and draw three columns labeled Interests, Skills, and Career Fields.
Then, simply fill in the answers to the questions below.
What interests, conditions, or rewards do you think will be most important to you in a career?
Using the list below as a starting point, list your top five under the column labeled Interests.
Status
Income
Power
Geographic location
Working inside/outside
Working with people/alone
Helping people/animals
Flexibility
Each day is the same/different
Live to work?
Work to live?
Prestige
Ability to be creative
Other_________
Which academic subjects interest you most? Add your top two favorite high school subjectsto the list under Interests on the worksheet. (Don’t restrict your answers to subjects you excel in. We’ll consider that in a later step.)
What are your five greatest personal or social strengths? If you’re unsure about your strengths and abilities, ask your friends, parents, or teachers what they think. You can even show them the list below and ask them to pick those traits that best describe you. Your school counselor may also have aptitude tests that can help pinpoint your strengths.
Teamwork
Communication
Work ethic
Positive attitude
Time management
Creativity
Computer skills
Empathy
Curiosity
Working alone
Task-oriented
Building relationships
Learning new things
Persistence
Leadership
Problem-solving skills
Other___________
List these strengths under the Skills column on your worksheet.
What are your two greatest academic strengths? Under the Skills column, list the two subjects in which you best perform academically—English, social studies, sciences, mathematics, computer science, etc. For the sciences and mathematics, be specific about the subject area or level—biology, chemistry, algebra, calculus, and so on.
Which general career areas or Career Clusters® most interest you? Choose at least two from the list below and enter them under the Careers column on your worksheet.
Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources
Architecture and Construction
Arts, A/V Technology, and Communications
Business, Management, and Administration
Education and Training
Finance
Government and Public Administration
Health Science
Hospitality and Tourism
Human Services
Information Technology
Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security
Manufacturing
Marketing
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics
Now that you’ve completed the career planning worksheet, it’s time for some reflection and research. Take a look at your worksheet and consider where your personal interests, skills, and career aspirations overlap or diverge. (If you’re not sure of the skills and interests associated. Does the exercise suggest you’re on the right track—or are there exciting new career options you should be exploring?
Exercise 2. Creating your personal brand. This section provides suggestions for phrases and vocabulary that can be used to communicate your personal brand at work. Remember, however, that you should only use the language and approach that you feel comfortable with in you specific context.