SECTION 1: YOUR CAREER

Unit 2Career: Labor You Love

Objectives

In this unit you will learn: How career choices affect your income What an employer expects from you as an

employee The benefits of education and training Some of the characteristics of an entrepreneur Some of the benefits employees want from an

employer

Overview

You have advantages in high school You can consciously begin now to choose the career

you want Time and opportunity are on your side Your choices include training for a job now, going into

a training program after high school, and college The choices are yours to make Your greatest assets include the skills and talents you

learn now Take the Career Assessment Online

Print your results and place it in your notebook.

Your Career

Difference between a “job” and a “career” Job—short term work that pays the bills Career—chosen profession that provides an income

There is a planned sequence of jobs that builds to a career

Analogy: In high school you take classes (jobs) to achieve a goal (diploma=career); some classes you enjoy, some you endure, but all are necessary to achieve your goal

Your Career

All jobs provide skills that you will use later in your career of choice Discussion Question: What kind of skills can you learn

flipping burgers that might help you in a career as a doctor?

A positive attitude is the key to success on the job Discussion Question: Besides making you happier on the

job, what impact can such an attitude have on an employer?

Write the questions and group answers inyour notebooks.

Your Career

What Employers Want for a High-skill, High-wage Job

Basic skills: reads, writes, performs basic math computations, listens well, and speaks clearly

Thinking skills: creates new ideas, makes decisions, solves problems, organizes information, learns efficiently, and can reason things out

Personal skills: goal driven, positive self-image, sociable, realistic self-assessment, and demonstrates honesty

Take the Values Assessment Administered by Your Instructor

Score the Assessment and place it in your notebook

Your Career

What Employers Want for a High-skill, High-wage Job Resource management: makes good use of time, money,

materials and employee resources Interpersonal: team player, able to teach and lead other

employees with diverse backgrounds, meets customer expectations, and negotiates well

Information management: acquires and organizes information, and has solid computer skills

Systems: works well in a system (organizational and technological), can monitor and correct performance, and suggests improvements to the system

Technology: selects, sets up and operates tools and equipment (including computers), and maintains and troubleshoots equipment

Your Career

Personal Skills AssessmentDirections: Copy this chart to a page in your notebook. Select your strongest and weakest skills from the list on the previous

two slides. Complete the chart.

My Strongest skill is: I can put this skill to even better use today by:

My weakest skill is: I can improve this skill today by:

Your Career

Money “Ultimately all workers trade their time for money in

the form of wages” Time is a limited resource, so make it count Earn a large enough wage that you feel fairly

compensated

Watch the VideoBest Jobs of the Future

Make a list of jobs that most appeal to you.

After High School: Then What

The Costs and Benefits of a College Education Education is the amount of

formal knowledge and training you need for a certain job

Data shows that the more education, the higher the salaries

The downside is that education costs a lot of money, plus the opportunity cost is the loss of 4 years of wages while you are in school

After High School: Then What

So what are the benefits of a college education?Answer the following questions based on the article

“College Education Benefits Some More Than Others”

1. What group of students benefits most from a college education?2. Students from what background were most likely to attend college?

Why did they not show as much gain?3. In what ways does the level of college or degree affect the costs?4. What is the earnings difference between a bachelor’s and a high

school degree? Why do you think there is a difference in earnings between men and women?

Write and answer the questions in your notebook. Be sure to cite your source and indicate how the data was acquired.

After High School: Then What

Other Education Options Technical and trade schools and some two-year college programs take

1-2 years in a variety of fields, including computers and mechanics A general rule of thumb is that the less training a job requires , the

less it pays Even lower paying jobs offer opportunities for growth in job skills

and performance Many jobs offer on the job training for higher level positions With this training comes higher responsibility

Watch and discuss the video:

City Room: Trading College for Trade School

Write some ideas or feelings in your notebook. Which kind of school do you think you might prefer and why?

After High School: Then What

Entrepreneurship Entrepreneur—a person who creates a business from

scratch Pluses:

You are your own boss You set your own hours You have an idea that fits a niche or a need You can keep the profits for yourself

Some minuses: No guarantees No regular paycheck You need start-up money It’s risky—you could lose everything.

After High School: Then What

Characteristics of a Self-Employed Person

IndependencePositive attitudeCreativity and talentRisk-takerGood work ethicHonestyHard workerOrganization and planning skills

Self ConfidenceGood listenerTeam workerDecision makerMotivatedSalesmanshipFollow through

In your notebook, make a list of the skills you possess. Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

After High School: Then What

Starting a business requires three steps:1. See an opportunity to provide a service or goods not

yet present in your community2. Take the initiative to learn about competitors and

discover what the customer really wants3. Develop plans to market your business, analyze

potential profits and losses, and how to produce the product/service.

After High School: Then What

Should I be an entrepreneur?Directions: Copy the chart into your notebook. On the left side

write 5 activities or talents you enjoy. On the right side, brainstorm the types of businesses you could create with each

activity or talent.

Activity or Talent Potential Types of Businesses

BIBLIOGRAPHY

TEXT AND ASSIGNMENTSNEFE High School Financial Planning Program,

Student Guide. National Endowment for Financial Education. Greenwood Village, CO. 2001.

Page 4: Career Quiz for Students and AdultsPage 9: Best Jobs of the Future: Kiplinger.comPage 11: Kent, Mary Mederios.

“College Education Benefits Some More than Others.” Population Reference Bureau. 2008.

Page 12: “City Room: Trading College for Trade School.” New York Times.

Bibliography

IMAGES1. Page 1:

TechLink: IT Consulting and Staffing Services

2. Page 10: Hammond, Betsy. Oregon Live. “College Less Affordable…” October 22, 2013.

3. Page 14: MISB Bocconi Student’s Blog