Considering Considering CareersCareers

Career & College PrepCareer & College Prep

Mrs. WilsonMrs. Wilson

Notable Quote …Notable Quote …

• To be truly happy in what your do To be truly happy in what your do for a living, you need three things:for a living, you need three things:– You must be good at itYou must be good at it– It must come easily for youIt must come easily for you– You must enjoy itYou must enjoy it

• Unknown AuthorUnknown Author

Big Mistakes are Made!Big Mistakes are Made!• One of the biggest mistakes that individuals One of the biggest mistakes that individuals

make in their careers is to go aimlessly make in their careers is to go aimlessly through school or work in an entry-level through school or work in an entry-level position with no clear direction or goals. position with no clear direction or goals.

• They wait until the homestretch -- graduation, They wait until the homestretch -- graduation, layoff, or departure -- before taking a stab at layoff, or departure -- before taking a stab at other opportunities. other opportunities.

• Finding a well-paying job or locating Finding a well-paying job or locating opportunities for advancement shouldn't be opportunities for advancement shouldn't be treated as an afterthought, rather one that has treated as an afterthought, rather one that has been planned and prepared for months or been planned and prepared for months or years. years.

What is a Job?What is a Job?

• A jobA job is one particular position at is one particular position at one particular organization. one particular organization.

• An example of a job could be a An example of a job could be a security guard at the local beach.security guard at the local beach.

What is an Occupation?What is an Occupation?

• An occupationAn occupation is what you and some is what you and some other person doing the same thing other person doing the same thing somewhere else share in common. somewhere else share in common.

• It is a group of very similar jobs. It is a group of very similar jobs.

• An example of an occupation could be An example of an occupation could be a journalist.a journalist.

What is a Career?What is a Career?

• A careerA career is a course of successive is a course of successive situations that make up some activity. situations that make up some activity.

• One can have a sporting career or a One can have a sporting career or a musical career, but most frequently musical career, but most frequently "career" in the 21st century "career" in the 21st century references a working existence: the references a working existence: the series of jobs or positions by which series of jobs or positions by which one earns one's money. one earns one's money.

Careers of the FutureCareers of the Future

• New products and New products and services, together with services, together with global competition and global competition and computers, have computers, have changed the changed the expectations and expectations and needs of employers.needs of employers.

• The job you accept The job you accept will likely change a bit will likely change a bit within a few years.within a few years.

Careers of the FutureCareers of the Future

• Your grandparents Your grandparents or parentsor parents– One employer for One employer for

many years before many years before retiringretiring

• Your path…Your path…– So much different!So much different!

Question?Question?

• Why is it likely that Why is it likely that you will retrain, you will retrain, upgrade, or change upgrade, or change jobs several times jobs several times during your working during your working life?life?

Some reasons…Some reasons…

• New products and servicesNew products and services• Global competitionGlobal competition• Computerized work environmentComputerized work environment• Changing expectations & needs of Changing expectations & needs of

employersemployers

Technology Technology (My FAVORITE topic!)(My FAVORITE topic!)

• General term for General term for improvements in work improvements in work methods and equipment that methods and equipment that increase productivity.increase productivity.

• Creates newer, better, and Creates newer, better, and faster ways of getting things faster ways of getting things done.done.

• Give some examples…Give some examples…

ProductivityProductivity

• The amount a worker produces in an The amount a worker produces in an hourhour

• Business must constantly increase Business must constantly increase their output and lower their costs to their output and lower their costs to stay competitivestay competitive

• Companies today must be efficient in Companies today must be efficient in order to be profitable and stay in order to be profitable and stay in businessbusiness

Major Occupational Major Occupational GroupsGroups

• Early 1890sEarly 1890s– Farmers made up more than one third Farmers made up more than one third

of the total workforce of the USof the total workforce of the US– Now it is less than 3 percent, and the Now it is less than 3 percent, and the

number is decreasingnumber is decreasing

Today…Today…

• In most occupations the collection, use, In most occupations the collection, use, and distribution of information is the joband distribution of information is the job

• Computers and the Internet are key Computers and the Internet are key tools for gathering, transmitting, and tools for gathering, transmitting, and storing informationstoring information

One of the largest career groups is One of the largest career groups is the “the “professionsprofessions,” where knowledge ,” where knowledge

is is the key job skillthe key job skill

Examples of ProfessionsExamples of Professions

• DoctorsDoctors• LawyersLawyers• AccountantsAccountants• TeachersTeachers• They also work in the information They also work in the information

field, with the creation, processing, field, with the creation, processing, storage, and retrieval of information storage, and retrieval of information as a important parts of the job.as a important parts of the job.

As the Internet Evolves…As the Internet Evolves…

• Many new Many new professional professional careers will emergecareers will emerge

• Example:Example:– People who work as People who work as

web designers and web designers and database database administrators are administrators are the fastest growing the fastest growing fieldsfields

Service JobsService Jobs

• Large, increasing sector of the marketLarge, increasing sector of the market

• Also dominated by technology and Also dominated by technology and information needs that determine what will information needs that determine what will be produced and how it will be made be produced and how it will be made available to customersavailable to customers

• Service employees are using highly Service employees are using highly sophisticated information storage and sophisticated information storage and retrieval devices, from point-of-sale retrieval devices, from point-of-sale computers (POS) to optical scanners for computers (POS) to optical scanners for inventory countinginventory counting

Transformation of Transformation of OccupationsOccupations

• Previously labeled:Previously labeled:– Space AgeSpace Age– Electronic EraElectronic Era– Global VillageGlobal Village– Technological RevolutionTechnological Revolution– Information AgeInformation Age

• All of these refer to technology and the All of these refer to technology and the rapid increase of knowledge that affects rapid increase of knowledge that affects virtually all career choicesvirtually all career choices

Job Descriptions and Job Descriptions and TitlesTitles

• Some careers seem the same as they Some careers seem the same as they did 20 years agodid 20 years ago– However, they are considerable However, they are considerable

different when you compare present-different when you compare present-day job descriptions, qualifications, and day job descriptions, qualifications, and employment opportunities with earlier employment opportunities with earlier counterpartscounterparts

Careful ChoicesCareful Choices

• US Government PublicationsUS Government Publications– Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT)– Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)– Monthly Labor ReviewMonthly Labor Review

• Some are online:Some are online:– http://www.oalj.dol.gov/libdot.htmhttp://www.oalj.dol.gov/libdot.htm– O*Net: O*Net: http://http://online.onetcenter.orgonline.onetcenter.org//– OOH: OOH: http://http://www.bls.gov/oco/home.htmwww.bls.gov/oco/home.htm– MLR: MLR: http://http://

stats.bls.gov/opub/mlr/mlrhome.htmstats.bls.gov/opub/mlr/mlrhome.htm

Occupational Outlook Occupational Outlook HandbookHandbook

• Published by they US Department of Published by they US Department of LaborLabor

• Classifies jobs by nine-digit categories Classifies jobs by nine-digit categories according to their functions and dutiesaccording to their functions and duties

• Listed within the major categories are Listed within the major categories are numerous jobs available in the USnumerous jobs available in the US

What are the fastestWhat are the fastest growing occupations? growing occupations?

DOT Job DescriptionsDOT Job Descriptions