(Assignment) Identifying Career Interests

Identifying career interests is the first step on your way to getting yourself together for the future. Identification can be a difficult thing, especially if you aren't completely sure about what it is you want to do, but if you can identify and understand your job options first, you'll know exactly what it is you're getting into before it's too late to change your mind.

____________________________________

The Assignment

1. Go online to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Website and click on Occupational Outlook Handbook under the Publications section.
2. Think about and type the name of a career field you would like to do in the Search the Handbook text field on the top right part of the page.
3. Choose a link that matches your career interests from the list of results. (If you don't see your preferred career in this list, modify your search to one or two words, or try to look up the profession in the A to Z listing.)
4. When you have found careers that you are interested in, print out PDF files regarding the careers.
5. Read over the following sections from the careers you chose: (A) Nature of the Work; (B) Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement; (C) Job Outlook; and (D) Earnings.
6. Lastly answer in your blog the questions below for each of the three careers you have chosen.

____________________________________

Questions

1. Before you did this exercise, did you already know all the information in the Nature of the Work section, or were there some things that surprised you? If there were some things you didn't know, what are some examples?
2. How many years of training did you expect to have to complete for the career before you read the file in the OOH? How many years of training is suggested in the OOH?
3. What is the job outlook for the career you have chosen? Is this promising or forboding?
4. How are the earnings for the career you have chosen? Will this be enough to live on your own? (Consider that a salary of about $35,000 is needed to live comfortably in any of the outside boroughs paying the market rate for rent these days.
   
   When you have finished the above questions for each of your three career options, please answer question 5.
   
5. Of the three career options you have listed above, which seems the most feasible for you personally? Why? Do you think that this career will be rewarding? How old will you be when you have completed the training necessary to qualify for the position you choose? How will you support yourself until then?

____________________________________