Career Planning“Congratulations!Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yourselfany direction you choose.

You're on your own and you know what you know.And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.”

- Oh the Places You’ll Go! By Dr. Seuss

College or Work?

Benefits of Going to College

Benefits of Joining the Workforce

Expand your knowledge and skills

Learn to express your thoughts clearly in speech and in writing

Grasp abstract concepts and theories

Increase your understanding of the world and your community

Learn a skill or trade Opportunity cost of college

◦ You’re out the cost of tuition- KU – Approx $12,000 a year

◦ That’s at least four years you may not get to spend working

◦ If your family can’t afford college and you don’t qualify for scholarships, student loan payments await you

Affords you time to figure out what you want to do

Weighing Your Options -Going to College

You’ll have More Job Opportunities◦ The world is changing rapidly; more and more jobs

require education beyond high school- Bachelor’s degree = the new high school

diploma?

◦ College graduates have more jobs to choose from than those who don't pursue education beyond high school.

You’ll Probably Earn More Money◦ A person who goes to college usually earns more

than a person who doesn't, this information is based on the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 median earnings for full-time workers at least 25 years old.  Annual earnings, based on degree, are . . .

Annual Earnings In a Year Based on Education Levels

High

Scho

ol D

iplo

ma

Asso

ciat

e's Deg

ree

Bach

elor

's D

egre

e

Mas

ter's

Deg

ree

Adva

nced

Deg

ree

0

40

80

120

Earnings (Thousands)

Earnings (T-housands)

Or . . . Finding a JobCreating your resume is the first step to

finding a job◦ Your resume is a summary of your education

and work experience◦ Most people also include special skills or

attributes which make them uniquely qualified for the job they are applying for . . .

◦ Examples of marketable skills:- Do you have a trade? What are you trained to do?- Do you speak Spanish?

- Spanish is the third most spoken language in the world- Second most prominent language in the United States, soon to

be the most prominent

What does this mean?? If you are bilingual, this is a huge asset and makes

you highly competitive in the workforce.

Other Things To IncludeIdentification

◦Name, address, phone number, e-mail address

◦If you’re a college student, you may want to include your permanent address

Objective◦You should only include this is if you are a

new college graduate entering a professional field or if you are switching careers

◦A job objective should describe your career interests, what kind of work you want to do, and why you want to do it. (2-4 lines)

Other Things to IncludeKey Accomplishments/Qualifications

◦ Scholarships◦ Awards◦ Skills you’ve acquired

Education◦ List your education experiences beginning with

your most recent and working backwards- For college graduates, this would be for your first

entry followed by your high school- For those who went to a trade school or Junior College,

list these first followed by your high school education

◦ List your cumulative GPA for each institution you name

Other Things to Include

Work Experience◦List the various jobs that you’ve held

paying special attention to those jobs which make you qualified for the job which you are applying for now

◦List jobs in reverse chronological order (most recent job experience first)

◦Provide contact information so that your prospective employer can contact your former or current employer

Other Things to IncludeAffiliations/Interests

◦This is an opportunity to list your extra-curricular activities - Are you involved in sports? Church groups?

Student government? Activist groups?- Did you hold a particular office or title in any of

these groups?

◦References- This is a place to include references from teachers,

professors, employers, or other professionals who are well-acquainted with you and can recommend you for a position. - Professional references should NOT be friends or family

members

What are Employers Looking For?1. Loyalty2. Honesty3. Problem-Solving Skills4. Communication Skills5. Technological Skills6. Flexibility7. Strong Work Ethic8. Determination & Persistence9. Personable 10. Lifelong Learners

Acing Your First Job Interview

Research◦Be familiar with the company and the job for

which you are applying before you go . . . - It helps to have questions in mind for the employer

- They will always ask you if you have any questions for them, and you should ALWAYS have some

Resume◦Your resume will likely be the only thing you

bring with you on your interview, and it will be the only thing the employer has after you leave . . .- Spend time on your resume, a well-prepared resume

is easy to spot

Acing Your First Job InterviewSocial Networking

◦ The more people you know, the better off you are . . .◦ Be friendly and personable and try to establish a

positive relationship with the company for which you are applying in advance

Prepare Your Answers◦ So much of acing an interview depends on your ability

to think quickly on your feet . . . ◦ Spend some time reviewing common interview

questions and preparing your answers.Practice!!!

◦ Practice makes perfect, a prospective employer can tell if you’re nervous and you can’t afford to be nervous.

◦ PRACTICE your answers in a mock interview with a friend or family member

What are some questions you might expect to be asked?

Keeping Your Job -The Fastest Ways to Get Fired

Dishonesty, evasion, or lack of integrityLying on your resumeRefusing to follow directions or ordersTalking too much and conducting personal

business at workInconsistency – unreliable work and behaviorInability to get along with other people

◦ Poor social skillsInability to actually do assigned tasksPerforming tasks slowly with numerous errorsHigh absenteeismDrug and/or alcohol abuse

You Got the Job!!! (SNAPS FOR YOU!)

Now Where are You Going to Live?!

Renting Your First Apartment

First Things First . . .Open a Checking Account to Pay Bills

◦Look for a bank with free on-line banking- It’s easier - It’s good for the environment

Set up Your On-Line Banking Account◦Add payees and send payments

electronically◦Saves money on stamps and envelopes

and saves time

Tips For First-Time RentersBudget Carefully

◦Your rent should be no more than 25-30 percent of your income

◦Take a look at your income after taxes and expenditures . . . it’s not as much as you think, and an eviction will ruin your credit

Pay Your Bills On Time◦Your credit score follows you

EVERYWHERE, it is crucial that you pay your bills on time every month if you hope to buy a car, a house, or open a credit card account.

Your Credit ScoreYour credit will follow you

everywhere, bad credit will make it difficult, if not impossible, to:◦Buy a car◦Get a loan◦Buy a house◦Open a checking account◦Get approved for a credit card◦Move from one apartment to another

What’s a Good Credit Score?

How Do I “Grow” My Credit?“It’s much easier to start with good habits than to repair black marks later on.”

1. Check your credit report2. Establish checking and savings accounts3. Understand the basics of credit scoring4. Piggyback on someone else’s good credit5. Apply for credit while you’re a college student6. Apply for a secured credit card (pre-paid) if you

haven’t built up enough credit to secure a regular credit card

7. Get a store card8. Use revolving accounts lightly but regularly

◦ One great way to establish credit is to open a credit card you use only for filling up your car and pay it off in full every month . . .

- Credit card companies only make money off you if you carry a balance!

Bills, Bills, Bills

Expenses You’ll Have to Pay

Extra Expenditures

Water Heat Electric (air-conditioning) Sewer Trash Gas (cars don’t run on water)

or…

Transportation Expenses Car Payment Car Insurance Health Insurance Renter’s Insurance

CableCell PhoneMagazine

SubscriptionsMovies & ActivitiesRestaurants & BarsClothesTripsChildcare

And Speaking of Credit Cards . . .Obviously there will be times in your life

when you’ll need a credit card . . . but be careful not to incur too much debt◦ This hurts your credit score even if you’re

making the minimum payments every month- Note: If you’re only making the minimum

payment, it will take you YEARS to pay off your debt, and you’ll end up paying thousands more in interest than the purchase price of the item.

- Try not to carry a balance at all, and if you do, try not to carry it for more than three months

Tips for First Time RentersDon’t Forget Deposits

◦Your landlord will likely expect first and last month’s rent up front in addition to a security deposit (usually equal to, but sometimes more than, your first and last month’s rent combined)

◦ In addition, the various utility companies will likely require deposits from you as well, so expect to pay anywhere between $50-$100 to each of them as well- After a certain amount of time has passed and

you’ve sufficiently convinced them that you’re capable of paying your bills on time, they will usually post these deposits as credits to your account

Tips for First Time Renters Learn How To Distinguish Between What You Want and

What You Need◦ Laundry, garages, bedrooms, fitness centers, swimming pools,

etc. etc.◦ That three bedroom house might seem nice, but keep in mind

that both the number of levels to your home (i.e., basements, split-levels, second levels, and the amount of space or square footage) will increase almost ALL your utility payments- This could potentially cost you a couple hundred dollars a month, which

adds up to $1000-$1500 a year you could be saving

Do NOT sign a lease without first visiting the apartment Make sure you read and understand your lease, you’re

stuck with it for a year GET RENTER’S INSURANCE!!! Finally, when you’re moving out give at least thirty day’s

notice if you hope to recover your security deposit.

Other Things to ConsiderPay Yourself First!!

◦ After you’ve paid your rent and your bills, pay yourself by saving! - At least 10% of each of your

paychecks should go straight into savings

- Researchers suggest you have at least three months worth of income in savings in the event of an unexpected expense or the loss of a job- TRUST me, if something bad could happen,

it will- Examples:

- Miss M has had $3,000 in unexpected car repairs over the past six months, a hard drive failure, three tickets for traffic violations, AND had the unfortunate experience of having to replace a $500 iPhone which sustained water damage

SAD FACE