CHAPTER 9 CAREER PLANNING &
DEVELOPMENT
SECTION 1 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
OCCUPATION
• An occupation is a task or series of tasks
that is performed to provide a good or
service
• People are hired to fill occupations, and
they are paid for the work they perform.
CAREER
• A career is a goal for work that is fulfilled
through an occupation or series of
occupations.
• You kind of have a career goal right now which
is to complete your schooling and get ready
for your future.
CAREER PLANNING
This is the process of studying careers, assessing
yourself in terms of careers, and making
decisions about a future career.
THE CAREER PLANNING PROCESS
• Step 1 Personal Assessment
• Step 4 Interview Process
• Determine interests and values
• Prepare for interview
• Identify talents and abilities
• Follow-up activities
• Step 2 Employment Market Analysis
• Step 5 Employment Acceptance
• Geographic Influences
• Salary and financial factors
• Business and economic trends
• Organizational environment
• Step 3 Application Process
• Step 6 Career Development & Advancement
• Application form
• Practice career success behaviors
• Resume and cover letter
• Develop strong work relationships
YOUR STUDY OF CAREERS
• Too often, a career choice is not made until fulltime work begins.
• Many times this is too late, especially if certain
training and education are required.
• The study of careers is a continuous process.
• Your first career decision will likely be a tentative
career decision.
• A tentative career decision is a decision that is
likely to change as new information is received.
• It’s better to have a tentative career decision than
no decision at all!
• This will at least give you a direction.
• Making initial career decisions while you are in high
school has many advantages. One being that while
you are in school you have a lot of information
readily on hand.
• More importantly, early career planning will help
you chose the right courses you will need to take in
not just in high school but also in college.
CAREER TRAINING
Many careers require education and training beyond high
school. These educational alternatives include:
• Two-year schools, usually called community colleges or junior
colleges, offer training in many areas.
• Four-year colleges and universities, both public and private,
provide education for many careers and professions.
• Private business schools specialize in specific job training, such
as radio and television or computers and other technology.
HOW CAN YOU BE SURE THAT YOU ARE
MAKING THE BEST CAREER DECISION?
There is no way to guarantee a
perfect decision. However, those who
follow the steps on the previous
slide, generally make good decisions.
CAREER INFORMATION SOURCES
• Print and media sources
• Online sources
• Informational interviews
• Business contacts
PRINT AND MEDIA SOURCES
Some different print and media sources that can help give you
in-depth information on hundreds of occupations including job
duties, working conditions, education and training
requirements, advancement possibilities, employment
outlook, and earnings are:
• The Occupational Quarterly
• The Occupational Outlook Handbook
• Career World Magazine
• The Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance
• Newspapers
ONLINE SOURCES
Web sites are available to help you with career
planning. A search may be performed to gather
information about “resumes”, “effective
interviewing,” and “creating a career portfolio.”
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS
• An informational interview is a planned discussion
with a worker who is willing to help you find out
about the work that a person does, the preparation
needed for that career, and the person’s feelings
about the career.
• Informational interviews will help you gain insight into
what actually happens in a specific career area.
• You will find that most people like to talk about their
career experiences.
PLAN AHEAD
• Always prepare ahead of time for an informational interview. Have
questions written down to be and ask. Some example questions could
be:
• How did you get to your current job?
• In what ways do you find your work most satisfying? What are your main
frustrations?
• What tasks and activities are required for your job?
• What is the most important qualifications for working in this field?
• What advice would you give a young person who is thinking about this type of
work?
• Always make sure and take notes in your interviews!
Another great idea could be to plan during
your interview, a day to shadow the person
you are interviewing.
BUSINESS CONTACTS
• The process of talking to other people about their jobs is
called networking.
• The advantage of networking is that your contacts are not
limited to the people you know personally.
• Every person you meet is a potential contact for career
information.
• The contacts in your network can provide support when
you start work or when you are looking for a job.
GROWTH CAREER AREAS
• The life work you choose could be affected by the
careers available in a field.
• Future employment opportunities are influenced by
geography and business trends.
GEOGRAPHIC INFLUENCES
• You may have to decide whether you want to work in the
geographic area in which you now live or whether you are willing
to move to where the job you really want is located.
• People who successfully pursue the careers of their choice often
have mobility. This is the willingness and ability of a person to
move to where the jobs are located.
• The lack of mobility can lead to locational unemployment. This
occurs when jobs are available in one place but go unfilled because
those who are qualified to fill those jobs live elsewhere and are
not willing to relocate.
ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY TRENDS
• Career areas with most potential are influenced by
economic trends and current business activities.
• Consumer demand, changing demographic trends, and
new technology are factors that often affect career
opportunities.