CRITICAL SKILLS
Unit 2: Exploring Careers
Deciding what you want to in your adult life can be a daunting task. You may think to yourself,
“Why do I need to think about my career. I’m only in high school”, but just consider how many
types of jobs people have in America! It is important to spend time now thinking about what
career paths interest you so you can prepare for the job you want by taking electives in high
school, volunteer, job shadow and applying to the right schools before you graduate.
This unit will help you determine what careers are best suited to your interests and abilities. As
you read the material and complete the assignments, keep in mind that you get to decide what
career path you will take in life. Your future is tomorrow and now is the time to decide on it.
Section
Description
1) Finding Careers That Interest
You

2) Making Contact to Find Out
More






Unit Project: Which Direction
Will You Go


Online Pathways Survey
Comparing Careers Chart
Phone Etiquette Scenarios
First Phone Interview Worksheet
Second Phone Interview Worksheet
Job Shadow
Job Shadow Worksheet
Which Direction Report
Which Direction Presentation
Page
Point
Value
3-4
5
10
30
9
12
13
14-15
16-19
10
10
10
50
20
20
21
85
45
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 1
Section 1: Finding Careers That Interest You
Anyone ever ask you what you wanna’ be when you grow up? If the first thing that comes to
mind is ‘I don’t know’ then you are like many other students! Deciding what you want to do for
a living can be a difficult thing. There are ways to help you decide what careers might work best
for you.
Assignments

Online Pathways Survey

Comparing Careers Chart
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 2
NAME:_______________________
Online Pathways Survey
Objective
To explore career options by taking a survey and consider careers that might work well for you.
Directions
You will need access to the Internet to complete this assignment.
Step 1: Registration
1. Go to the following URL (Internet Address) : www.collegeincolorado.org
2. In the upper right section of the page click on the Create an Account link
3. Complete the registration form
a. Create a username and password. Write them here and keep this page.
Username:
Password:
b. Once the form is complete, click the create choices portfolio now button at the
bottom of the registration page.
Once you have completed the form you will see a page that looks like this
Start Here
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 3
Step 2: Planning
Now you can begin exploring careers. Complete the following and answer the questions along
the way.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Find the Guideways section on the page (See arrow on previous page)
Click on the View your recommended guideways link
Click on the Getting Started Guideway link
Click on the Continue link as you progress through the Guideway
Complete the surveys to determine your career clusters.
Career Cluster – a group of careers that require similar skills and interests.
What are your top 3 career clusters in order?
Top 3 Career Clusters
1.
2.
3.
6. Click on the Continue on Guideway link when you have recorded your top 3 clusters.
7. Complete the career finder survey to determine which careers might work for you.
8. Once you have completed the survey you will see a screen with your top 20 jobs and
graphs showing your interests and skills.
What are your top 2 interests and skills?
Top 2 Interests
1.
2.
Top 2 Skills
1.
2.
Turn this worksheet in to your instructor.
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 4
Comparing Careers Chart
Objective
Compare careers that you are interested in to help you choose a possible career path.
Research
Look at the list of Career Suggestions for You. These are jobs based on your interests and
abilities. To find out more about each career click on the View Article link next to the job title.
This will open a new page that gives you details about the career. On the left side of the window
you will see tabs that include more information about the career including the salary, outlook,
and education requirements. Once you have researched a career, you can return to the list of
careers by clicking the Explore Other Careers at the top of the page.
Research
Tabs
Return
Link
Directions
1. Choose at least 5 careers you want to find more information about and research them
2. Create a chart that looks similar to the one on the next page. Use your own paper or the
computer.
3. For each job, list at least five things you like about the job and several things you dislike.
For each job you might want to consider:
 What are the hours?
 What is the work environment?
 What is the salary?
 Will the standard salary allow you to live the lifestyle you want? (You will want
to keep this in mind when you do your Budget Unit later on.)
 Will the number of jobs increase or decrease in this field? (for example,
technology will probably increase, while assembly lines will probably decrease.)
 What are the expectations for your job? Do you need continual training or a lot of
travel, or do you have to talk in front of people?
 What are the educational requirements?
 You may also include questions you have about the jobs.
4. Turn your chart in to your instructor
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 5
Sample Job Comparison Chart
Job Title
Things I Like About This Job
Things I Dislike About This Job
Plumber
-Not much training requiredneed to apprentice for a year
and take tech classes.
-Good salary (40,000 to start)
-Hands on work is good for
me. I like to build things and I
am good at reading maps and
blue prints.
-I will probably work on my
own
-I can own my own business or
work for a company.
Hours are not consistent
Not many jobs available in the next
10 years
How hard would it be to start my
own plumbing company?
Pilot
-Get to travel around the world
which fits my values!
-Good salary (50,000 if hired
by a reputable company)
-I like being in control and
working with a small group of
people.
-I am good at physics and
math
-There would be a lot of
opportunity to advance
-Companies offer good
incentives like free travel and
bonuses
Outlook not good
Lots of training required
School is expensive
Very specific training – Limited
opportunities in other fields
Hours are tough! Have to fly for
several days at a time without a
break!
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 6
Section 2: Making Contact to Find Out More
Researching careers is a good way to narrow down your career interests. The next step is to
contact people who work in the business to find out more about those jobs. This is typically
done by interviewing a professional or spending some time at the job site.
Assignments

Phone Etiquette Scenarios

Interview Worksheet 1

Interview Worksheet 2

Job Shadow Setup

Job Shadow Worksheet
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 7
Phone Etiquette Tips
Phone Etiquette is very important. People can’t see you, so you can’t use body language, and
usually you are speaking to a person you don’t know. Good and acceptable manners are
therefore an important part of having a productive phone conversation. Some important rules of
phone etiquette include:

Free up your time and environment before you call. Find a quiet place, sit down and
don’t let yourself be distracted by other conversations

Do not answer other calls

Spit out your gum and don’t eat while you talk

Ask for the first and last name of the person you are contacting

Be sure to give them your first and last name so they feel more comfortable

Ask them when a good time would be to interview

Speak clearly and distinctly

Use a pleasant tone of voice

Don’t use slang or swear words

Speak loudly enough to be heard

Ask follow-up questions if you need clarification

Thank them for their time
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 8
Name:
Date:
Phone Etiquette Scenarios
1. You call a business to find out if they are hiring. The employee on the other end says she
does not know and puts you on hold. You are on hold for 5 minutes until she comes back
and asks why you were calling. She puts you on hold for 2 more minutes before
returning with a “no”. How do you respond?
2. You are talking to the manager of a company where you would like to get a job. The
manager asks you a question that you don’t know the answer to. What do you do?
3. You call to get more information about a posted job. The man who answers the phone
starts asking you questions that make you uncomfortable. What do you do?
4. Read this sample conversation between a potential employee and a store manager. There
are at least 8 errors in the potential employee’s questions. On a separate sheet of paper,
rewrite this conversation to correct the potential employee’s mistakes in this inquiry
interview. Attach it to the worksheet.
Manager: ACME Company, Mike speaking
Potential: Hi. I have some questions about your company.
Manager: Okay. I can help you. What are your questions?
Potential: What kinds of things do workers do there?
Manager: We have manufacturers, janitors, engineers, accountants.
Potential: How much do you pay?
Manager: That depends on which job you work.
Potential: Okay. [long pause while Anna writes some info]. Uh…hold on
[another pause; some chatting in the background]. Okay. Do you have any entry
level positions?
Manager: Yes. We are hiring a part-time sales rep.
Potential: How do I apply for that job?
Manager: You can come in if you like and pick up an application.
Potential: I don’t have a car right now. My mom gets off work at three, but I
think she has to pick up my brother today. I might be able to come in tomorrow.
Manager: Sounds good. We are open from 8 to 5.
Potential: Thanks! Bye!
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 9
Sample Interview Conversation
This is a sample interview conversation. Look it over to help you have a positive and productive
conversation with the people you interview.
Worker: Hello.
Student: Hi, may I speak with John Smith please.
Worker: This is John.
Student: John, my name is _(First and Last Name)_____. I am a student at (_School
Name) . I am taking a career exploration unit in class and one of my assignments is to
interview someone who has a job I am interested in. Do you have a few minutes to
answer some questions for me?
Worker: Sure, what do you want to know?
Student: (Ask your first question)
Continue asking questions and taking notes on the answers you are given. Do not
write word for word what the person tells you. Take notes and complete the
worksheet later.
Once you have asked all of the questions you need to:
Student: Those are all of the questions I have. Thanks for your time!
Worker: You’re welcome.
Student: Goodbye.
Things to Think About…
 Be prepared to answer questions about yourself to the person you are interviewing
 If you need the person to repeat something just ask
 If you don’t understand something the person said, ask them to tell you what they
mean
 People are BUSY! Respect their time by being prepared and efficient
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 10
Interview Preparation Worksheet
From the list of careers you researched, choose two that you would like more information about.
For this assignment you will contact a person who has that job and ask them some questions
about what they do.
1. Which two jobs would you like to find more information about?
2. What are some resources you can use to help you find a person who has this job?
Brainstorm a list below. (Examples would be asking people you know, calling local
businesses, etc.)
3. Create a contact by filling out the list below to find people who you can interview for
each job. Find contact information for two people for each job.
Job Title
Name of Person/Company
Phone Number
4. Before you contact the people on your list, you must complete the Phone Etiquette and
Interview Assignments
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 11
Name:
Date:
Interview Worksheet 1
Use these worksheets to help you contact and interview the people in your career areas..
BEFORE YOU CALL…


Complete the Phone Etiquette Assignment
Read the Sample Interview Conversation
Contact Information
Name of Contact:___________________________ Company:_____________________
Job Title:____________________________ Phone Number:_______________________
You can come up with 1 or 2 additional questions that you might have specifically related to this
job.
Questions
1. What do you do at your job?
2. What education or training did you have to have?
3. What do you like most about your job?
4. What would you change about your job?
5. What are some important skills needed for your job?
6. I’m a high school student. Can you recommend two or three things that I can do now to
prepare for this job?
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 12
Name:
Date:
Interview Worksheet 2
Use these worksheets to help you contact and interview the people in your career areas..
BEFORE YOU CALL…


Complete the Phone Etiquette Assignment
Read the Sample Interview Conversation
Contact Information
Name of Contact:___________________________ Company:_____________________
Job Title:____________________________ Phone Number:_______________________
You can come up with 1 or 2 additional questions that you might have specifically related to this
job.
Questions
1. What do you do at your job?
2. What education or training did you have to have?
3. What do you like most about your job?
4. What would you change about your job?
5. What are some important skills needed for your job?
6. I’m a high school student. Can you recommend two or three things that I can do now to
prepare for this job?
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 13
Job Shadow
Objective
Spend at least 2 hours observing someone who has a job that interests you in order to find out
more about the job.
Directions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Decide upon a job that you would like to know more about.
Make contacts to the employer to determine if they will allow you to shadow.
Set up a time and date to shadow.
Complete the Job Shadow Setup and submit it to your instructor before going to your
job shadow.
5. During your shadow, ask the worker the questions on the Job Shadow Worksheet.
6. After your job shadow, send a thank you note to the person you shadowed.
7. Complete the Job Shadow Worksheet and turn it in to your instructor.
Grading
You will earn 50 points for attending you job shadow for at least 2 hours.
You will earn 20 points for completing the Job Shadow Worksheet.
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 14
Job Shadow Setup
Student Name __________________________________________________
Who will you shadow? ___________________________________________
What is his/her job title? _________________________________________
What is his/her phone number? ___________________________________
What company does he/she work for?_______________________________
What date will you shadow? ______________________________________
What time will you shadow? ______________________________________
How long will you be at your shadow? ______________________________
How will you get to your shadow?__________________________________
Once this sheet is completed, turn it in to your instructor for
approval. You must get approval from your instructor before
attending your shadow!
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 15
Job Shadow Worksheet (4 pages)
Student Name _________________________________________________
Teacher _______________________
Name of person shadowed _______________________________________
Job title/Occupation _________________________ Phone _____________
Company name ________________________________________________
Date of Shadow _____________________ Number of hours ____________
I confirm that the student listed above has completed the assigned 2 to 5 hour
shadow required for Critical Skills.
_________________________________________
_______________
Signature of person shadowed
Date
________________________________________________
Parent Signature
__________________
Date
________________________________________________
Student Signature
__________________
Date
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 16
Interview Questions
Following are questions to be answered during your shadow. The person may not wish to
answer all the questions. Get as much information about the career as possible.
1. What are the major responsibilities/duties associated with your job?
2. How did you get interested in this type of work?
3. What do you like most about your job?
4. What do you find most frustrating or like the least about your job?
5. What qualifications/training/education/experience are required for this position?
6. What are the most important skills needed/used in this position?
7. What is something that you’ve found interesting or surprising about this job, or something
that most people really don’t know about this occupation? Any myths?
8. What is the outlook for this occupation?
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 17
9. What is the competition like to get this kind of job?
10. What advice would you offer to someone interested in this occupation?
11. Could you have done something different in high school to help prepare you for this career?
If so, what?
12. Write your own question here:
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 18
Reflection Questions
Write a brief explanation of what you did and saw during your shadow.
What did you feel about what you learned? Are you still interested in this career?
Was this experience worthwhile? Why or why not?
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 19
Which Direction Report
Objective
Summarize what you learned in this unit and how you can use the information to help you make
decisions now, and in the future.
Directions
Write a report using the information you learned in this chapter. Use the guidelines below.
Format
 2 pages or at least 500 words
 12 point font, Times New Roman, double spaced
 Include a title at the top of the first page
 Include a header with your name and the assignment
 Include page numbers
 Spelling and grammar count!
Content of Report
 Introduction: Introduce yourself briefly. Describe what you did in this unit and
the purpose of this unit. Why is this stuff important to study?
 Summary of findings: Summarize the results of each of your assignments into a
paragraph (one paragraph per assignment). How is the information you found
helpful to you?
 Conclusion - Putting it together: When you consider all of the information you
have gathered, what careers would best fit you? What things could/should you do
now to help you move into that career later in life? What other information might
you need to make a decision?
 Feel free to add other information you believe is important and relevant to career
exploration
Grading
Grading will be done with the rubric found on page 22.
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 20
Assignment: Which Direction Presentation
Odds are at some point in your career you will have to give a presentation to a group of people.
This may be impromptu (on the spot without time to prepare) or a formal presentation that you
have had time to prepare for. Presenting is a hard thing for many people. Nonetheless, it is an
important skill to have! Here is your chance to practice by telling a group of people about your
experience with this unit and how you might use the information you gathered.
Objective
Summarize what you learned in this unit and present your findings to a group of people by
giving a short presentation.
Directions
It is recommended that you give your presentation after you have completed the written report.
Use your written report to help you develop a speech about what you learned in this unit.
Practice your speech several times before you give it. Once you are ready to give your speech,
contact your instructor to set up a time and place.
Format
 3-5 minutes
 Given to an audience determined by your instructor
 You may use a paper or note card to help you but don’t read your entire speech
 Use good eye contact, a clear voice and don’t fidget
Content
 Introduction: Tell the audience who you are and give them some background
information about yourself.
 Discussion of your assignments: Tell the audience about your experiences
completing the assignments in this unit. Give details!
 What does it mean for you: Tell the audience how you can use the information to
help you, what careers are best suited for you and what you might do next to
prepare for those careers
 Conclusion: Thank your audience and ask if they have any questions
Grading
You will be graded according to the rubric provided
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 21
Which Direction Rubrics
Written Report
20 Points
15 Points
10 Points
5 Points
Format
Typed, 12 pt. standard font, double
spaced, title, header, page
numbers, at least 500 words
Contains at least 6 of the
formatting criteria listed
Contains at least 4 of the
formatting criteria listed
Contains 3 or less of the
formatting criteria listed
Spelling, Grammar
and Organization
No more than 2 errors
Well Organized
No more than 4 errors
Evidence of some
organization
No more than 7 errors
Evidence of some organization
More than 10 errors
Poorly Organized
Full description of all criteria
Missing several of the listed
criteria
Lack of description
Three or more assignments not
discussed
Few or none of the results are
discussed thoughtfully
Results not considered in
discussion
Missing possible careers or
next steps
Little effort in discussion
Introductory
Paragraph
Summary of
Findings
All assignment in unit discussed
fully in a thoughtful manner
Conclusion
Paragraph
One assignment not discussed
Most results discussed in a
thoughtful manner
Two assignments not discussed
Some results discussed in a
thoughtful manner
Considers results in discussion
Thoughtfully discusses
possible careers and next steps
Some consideration of results
Some discussion of careers and
next steps
Oral Report
15 Points
10 Points
5 Points
3 Points
Organization and
Length
Clear organization and consistent
flow
Between 3-5 minutes
Organized with some
interruptions in flow
Over or under time 30 sec.
Not well organized
Inconsistent flow
1 minute over or under
Unorganized
Inconsistent flow
More than 1:30 over or under
Content
Includes introduction, discussion
of results, possible careers and next
steps. Discussed in detail
Includes all components listed
Most discussed in detail
Missing one component
Some details missing
Missing several components
Little or no details given
Delivery
Clear voice, eye contact, good
posture, not fidgeting, does not
read entire report, practice evident
All but one of the criteria listed
is done well
All but two of the criteria listed
is done well
Four or more of the criteria are
not done well
CS U2 Career Exploration pp. 22