Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
Instructions for Career Project
In order to succeed, millennials reported they need to pursue higher education, obtain
transferable skills, hold a variety of jobs and perhaps even pursue multiple career paths. The
research also shows that millennials would like their work to be personally meaningful.
—How the Recession Shaped Millennial and Hiring Manager Attitudes
About Millennials’ Future Careers, 20111
Purpose
This project is intended to help you step more confidently into the future, career-wise. In keeping
with current trends, you are encouraged to think less about a specific job and more about career
clusters—areas that offer a variety of opportunities for your skills, talents, and interests as you
move through college and beyond. Use this opportunity to shift your perceptions toward
becoming more of who you can be (remember the concept of possible selves/possible lives). See
this project as an opportunity for self-exploration and investigation into career options you might
not otherwise have considered.
Directions
Drawing on all the activities and resources you have completed in class—visiting the Career
Center, talking with academic advisors and career counselors, thinking about the impact you
want to make on the world around you, and your life goals—you will research a career field,
analyze data about that field, and develop an action plan for achieving your goal
This project has three distinct assignments:
• Identify possible career paths by completing the Possible Selves/Possible Lives Mind
Map and Reflection.
• Analyze one of the possible selves mind-map branches by completing a SWOT
(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis.
• Develop an action plan based on the results of the SWOT analysis.
This project will be completed independently and mostly outside of class. You will need to take
advantage of campus resources (having one-on-one conversations with an academic advisor,
taking one or more career-related assessments, talking to a career counselor about researching
career fields, and so on) in order to complete the project assignments.
1
Alexandra Levit with Dr. Sanja Licina. (2011). How the Recession Shaped Millennial and Hiring Manager
Attitudes about Millennials’ Future Careers. Chicago, IL: Career Advisory Board, presented by DeVry University.
Retrieved January 4, 2013, from www.careeradvisoryboard.org/public/uploads/2011/10/Future-of-MillennialCareers-Report.pdf.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
1
Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
Possible Selves/Possible Lives Mind Map and Reflection
Due date:
_____________________________________
Grading
This assignment is worth a total of _____ points. Your grade is based on the degree to which you
discuss the themes/patterns you see and what you have learned about yourself.
Instructions
1.
Complete a Possible Selves/Possible Lives Mind Map (see examples at the end of these
instructions). Use your notes from the class discussion about the impact you want your life
to have on the world around you to get started.
a. If you have trouble coming up with possible selves, visit the career center and work with
a career counselor. A counselor can help you fill out a career assessment, which should
provide some ideas for you to consider.
2.
Write a one-page reflection on your Possible Selves / Possible Lives Mind Map. Discuss the
following:
a. What themes/patterns do you see across the possible selves you’ve identified?
b. What branch of your mind map are you most committed to pursuing? You will focus the
remainder of this career project on this branch, so choosing the path you are most
invested in will make sure this project is a good use of your time and resources.
c. What motivates you to pursue this particular branch?
d. List any specific questions you have about this branch/career field that you want to find
answers to in the remainder of this project. Try to identify at least one question you want
to investigate.
Deliverables
You should turn in the following documents:
• Mind map
• Reflection
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
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Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) Analysis
Due date:
_____________________________________
Grading
This assignment is worth a total of _____ points. Your grade is based on the degree to which you
demonstrate that you have done the background research into your career field and have
thoughtfully analyzed internal and external factors that influence your career prospects. Each
section of your analysis should be at least one page long.
Instructions
1.
Write one paragraph of background information about the career field you are focusing this
analysis on. What is the field and what are the basic qualifications of entering this field?
2.
Complete the four sections of your SWOT analysis for this field; make sure your responses
are specific to the career field you are analyzing.
•
•
Internal / Personal Factors
External / Objective Factors
STRENGTHS
OPPORTUNITIES
What relevant skills, talents, abilities,
education, qualifications, and
experiences do you already have?
Why do you consider these to be
important for this future direction you
are exploring?
•
What have you discovered about the
openings available in this field? What is
the potential salary range? What evidence
can you provide to verify that?
•
What opportunities are currently available
on the websites of the identified company
or companies? What specific education,
skills, and abilities are they looking for?
Who do you know who is in this career
field already?
•
WEAKNESSES
•
•
THREATS
What gaps in your skills, talents,
abilities, education, qualifications,
and experiences do you have that
might concern a recruiter?
How motivated are you to address
these gaps? How long might it take to
address the costs and what might it
cost (e.g., additional credentials,
advanced degree, and so on)?
•
What changes are likely to happen within
this field over the next 1 to 3 years? Is it in
a growth area or is it in an area where
downsizing and other unhelpful changes
are happening?
•
How competitive is this field? What
qualifications might other candidates have
that would give them an edge over you?
Might this field involve relocating or other
changes to your current lifestyle?
•
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
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Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
Additional resources that provide data relevant to this analysis include:
• Mapping Your Future, available at www.mappingyourfuture.org. (Click on the
CareerShip tab.)
• Bureau of Labor Statistics, available at www.bls.gov/ooh.
Deliverable
You should turn in the following document:
• SWOT analysis
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
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Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
Action Plan
Due date:
_____________________________________
Grading
This assignment is worth a total of _____ points. Your grade is based on the degree to which you
have shown evidence of fully exploring, reflecting upon, and creating a plan of action to pursue
your selected future career (including future coursework and higher education, where relevant).
You should produce a 3-4 page report for this assignment.
Instructions
1.
Use your SWOT analysis to set three goals that you can work toward that will help you
move forward on this career path.
2.
Outline the specific actions you intend to take to reach these goals. The following prompts
are provided to help you identify important information to address in your action plan, but
they are not the only questions you should be answering with this action plan.
a. What college courses do you need (and intend) to take to ensure you are a compelling
candidate in this field? How often are these course offered and in what semester will you
be taking these courses?
b. What final GPA are you planning to achieve and how will this GPA improve your
attractiveness to recruiters in this field?
c. How do you plan to address the issue of an advanced degree or further qualifications, if
relevant to this career area?
d. Demonstrate that you have thought through the possible changes to your current lifestyle
highlighted in your research (e.g., moving to a new location; the working hours
involved; the amount of travel required, and so on). How do you intend to address those
issues?
Additional resources that provide data relevant to this assignment include:
• Class notes about goal setting
• Previous possible selves mind map and SWOT analysis
Deliverable
You should turn in the following document:
• Action plan
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
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Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
Career Project: Possible Selves / Possible Lives Mind Map (Blank)
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
6
Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
Career Project: Possible Selves/ Possible Lives Mind Map
(Completed)
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
7
Student introduces the field
he or she is writing about in
the first paragraph.
Student includes relevant
skills, talents, etc., that
contribute to his or her
potential success in this
field.
Student includes a
discussion of gaps or
weaknesses that might
impact success in this field.
Student includes minimal
information about industry
opportunities.
Student includes minimal
information about potential
changes occurring in the
chosen field.
The writing is readable and
clear.
Student is unclear about the
topic of the essay and/or does
not include the field he or she
is investigating in the first
paragraph.
Student does not discuss his
or her strengths and/or how
these might impact future
success in a career goal.
Student does not discuss his
or her weaknesses and/or how
these might impact future
success in a career goal.
Student does not offer
substantive details about the
industry he or she is interested
in pursuing.
Student does not address
potential changes present or
possible in the future in this
field.
The writing is difficult to
understand and/or requires
significant editing to make
sense.
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Additional
Comments
Writing and
Clarity
Threats
Opportunities
Weaknesses
Strengths
Introducing
the Topic
Acceptable
Inadequate
Student’s Name:
Career Project: SWOT Analysis Rubric
8
Career Project Assignment
The writing makes sense and is
not obstructed by grammar or
usage errors.
Student includes some
information about potential
changes occurring in the chosen
field.
Student draws on current data
and/or talks with experts in the
desired field and links this
information to his or her career
goals.
Student discusses potential gaps
and his or her motivation for
addressing these in order to
succeed in this field.
Student makes connections
between his or her relevant skills,
talents, etc., and those necessary
to have success in this field.
Student clearly introduces the
topic of the essay in the first
paragraph and also includes
details to prepare the reader for
what comes ahead.
Good
Date:
Total Score
The writing is compelling to read and
has few (if any) grammar or usage
errors.
Student includes a great deal of
information about potential changes
occurring in the chosen field and
discusses how these directly impact
him or her.
Student includes current data and/or
talks with experts in the desired field
and makes explicit connections
between that data and his or her
career trajectory in that particular field.
Student discusses potential gaps in
detail and includes a plan for how to
seek assistance to address these gaps
in order to succeed in this career path.
Student uses great detail in matching
skills he or she possesses to the
requisite skills for that career path.
Student grabs the reader’s attention in
a unique and interesting manner in the
introduction and offers clear direction
for what will be coming next.
Exemplary
Score
Version 2.0 (2013)
Version 2.0 (2013)
Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Frameworks for Mathematics and Collegiate Learning
Version 2.0 (2013)
Instructor Notes for Facilitating the Career Project
Mind Maps
A mind map is a way of graphically representing information so you can more easily see patterns
within the information. This note-taking strategy is discussed in more detail in week 7. Mind
maps are used in this project to help students brainstorm the many different ideas they may have
for future career paths.
Some years ago, psychologists came up with the term possible selves to describe what we might
become or would like to become at some point in the future, in order to help us set appropriate
goals. Later authors (see Chapter 5 of Katharine Brooks’s 2009 book You Majored in What?
Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career) changed to term to possible lives.
Often our goals are informed by our self-identified skills and abilities, and we often limit
ourselves to options that align with our perceived skills and abilities. However, our options are
often much broader than we realize—either because our beliefs limit us or we haven’t been
curious enough and explored all our options.
Creating a mind map, like completing career assessments available through career service
centers, helps expand the possibilities. Previous classwork identifying the impact we want to
have on the world also helps expand the realm of possible career choices.
SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis
SWOT analysis is a common strategic planning tool used in organizations to help with setting
goals, crafting vision statements, and identifying gaps in a company’s resources or an
individual’s skill set.
The SWOT analysis assignment is intended to set students up for success by helping them
anticipate and address obstacles or challenges in advance, rather than discovering them when it
may be too late to address them.
You might want to share with students this humorous definition of the mid-life crisis: Finding
that you climbed the ladder of job success only to discover it was up against the wrong wall.
Putting in time and effort early in your college career to understand the field you think you want
to enter and analyze how your personal talents and preferences fit with the demands of that field
helps ensure that you choose the pathway that’s right for you. It’d be a real shame to spend years
studying to become a teacher or lawyer or physical therapist only to discover, once you begin
working in that field, that it’s not fulfilling or enjoyable for you after all!
The Charles A. Dana Center at
The University of Texas at Austin
Career Project Assignment
9