Lesson 19 - Developing a Career Plan
Find Out About Yourself
1. Interests
2. Abilities
3. Wants & Needs
4. Values & Goals
Interests
Those things for which you hold
a curiosity or liking
 What do you enjoy?
 What are your hobbies?
Abilities
Those things for which you are naturally
talented or skilled
 What are you good at?
 What are your natural aptitudes
or natural talents?
Major Types of Abilities
1. Mechanical
2. Math
3. Communication
4. Human Relations
5. Problem Solving
Wants & Needs
Those things you either desire or must
have to survive.
 Will you be able to earn enough
to cover your basic needs?
 Can you cover at least some of
your wants?
Values & Goals
Values
Principles or standards which you
consider to be desirable or worthwhile
Goals
Those things you wish to accomplish
 What is important to me?
 Does this career match my values
and goals?
 Does this career interfere with my
values such as friends and family?
Computer Assignment: Myers Briggs Inventory
1. Navigate to personalitypathways.com. On the right
sidebar click on “What’s Your Myers Briggs
Personality Type?”. Scroll down to the inventory and
click the circles which best describe you.
2. What personality type are you? (It is a 4 letter
acronym like INFP at the bottom of the screen.)
3. How might knowing this help you choose a career?
Computer Assignment: Interest Inventory
1. Navigate to
http://careerservices.rutgers.edu/PCCPinterests.shtml.
Complete the interest inventory as directed. Write
down or print out your results for each category.
2. Click “Generate Options” and select your highest
category. Look through the list of majors and careers.
Write down four of each that interest you.
3. Does this sound like something you’d enjoy? How
might knowing this help you choose a career?
Locate Career Information
Find out everything you can about the profession
you have selected. You will need to know the
education and training requirements, the job
prospects and average salary, the likely areas
where such jobs are plentiful, and the typical
duties.
Sources of Information
 Networking
 Print Resources
 Electronic Media
Locate Career Information
Networking with other people is your best bet, so
stay plugged in!
Network
A group of people who have
common concerns or interests,
particularly regarding work.
People who can help:
•Person who works in that career
•Guidance Counselor
•Teacher
•Librarian
Locate Career Information
Print Resources
 Occupational Outlook Handbook
 Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational
Guidance
 Vocational Careers Sourcebook
Locate Career Information
Electronic Resources
 Online Job Sites and Job Boards
Careerbuilder.com
Monster.com
 Online Career Tests
Careerpath.com
 Online Career Resources
Careers.org
Job Requirements
Qualifications for specific jobs.
Questions Regarding Work Requirements
 What tasks do people perform in this
position?
 What skills does the position use?
 Do they provide job training?
 What personal or physical characteristics
are required?
 What type of personality is best for this
job?
 Do the tasks require problem solving
capability?
 Is any previous experience required or
preferred? If so, what?
Career Ladders
Methods of progressing from one level to
another.
 A Career Ladder begins with entry-level
positions and progresses to higher levels of
responsibility that may include management.
Education & Training
 What level of education
do you need?
- High School
- Post Secondary
Post Secondary
Any education beyond high school
Most jobs now require more than a high school
diploma.
Education & Training
 For postsecondary, what
degree do you need?
Types of Degrees
- Associate (2 years)
- Bachelor’s (4 years)
- Master’s (2-3 additional)
- Doctorate (PhD, MD, JD 5 –7 additional)
Education & Training
 Some trades require apprenticeships,
bonding, or other special instruction
instead of college
• Plumbers
• Electricians
• Mechanics
Other Considerations
1. Narrow your choices.
2. Identify clusters which interest you.
3. List alternatives in case your first choice
doesn’t work out.
4. Make tentative choices.
5. Recognize trade-offs – the opportunity cost of
choosing one career over another.
Computer Assignment: Career Assessments
1. Login to Careers.org. You will need a
Facebook account to do this. Research two
careers which interest you and write a one
page report on your findings for each.
2. Go to Careerpath.com and take:
 Job Discovery Wizard Test
 Career Planner Quiz
You will need to fill out the required fields to
obtain results.
Write a one page summary of your results.
Did this information surprise you? Will it
help you?