Career Narrative
A career narrative is a 1 ½ - 2 ½ page typed essay that defines your career goals and
tells the reader a little bit about who you are, what you are good at, and why you have
chosen this path.
Section 1: Career Plan Sheet
Complete this plan sheet. This information will help you write your Career Narrative,
Complete one based on what you know about yourself and information you have
learned about yourself in class.
Part 1 Personal Profile
Interests: What do you like to do, what intrigues you, what do you enjoy learning about
and doing. This may include hobbies, sports, music, clubs, etc. BE SPECIFIC!
1. _______________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________
Skills: What can you do? Do you communicate well, speak well, manage money, fix
things, computer skills etc.
5. _______________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________
Aptitudes: What areas do you have a natural tendency to excel in? Are you good with
numbers, communication etc?
9. _______________________________________________________
10. _______________________________________________________
11. _______________________________________________________
12. _______________________________________________________
Personal Characteristics: This includes all of your qualities and personal attributes. Are
you patient, a good problem solver, competitive etc.?
13. _______________________________________________________
14. _______________________________________________________
15. _______________________________________________________
16. _______________________________________________________
Values: These are the things you hold deeply and are essential to you. You might
include things like, gaining recognition and respect, creating new things, helping others
etc.
17. _______________________________________________________
18. _______________________________________________________
19. _______________________________________________________
20. _______________________________________________________
Work Environment: Describe your preferred work environment. (Inside, outside, tasks
performed dress code etc.)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Geographic preference: Where do you want to live? Big City? Small Town? Stay in
AZ? Travel frequently?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Educational Level:
How many years of post-secondary education do you want to pursue?
____________________
What options for further education are you willing to consider (community college,
university, technical school?)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
What resources do you have to finance your education? (Scholarships, loans, parents etc.)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lifestyle Conditions: Consider your desired standard of living. In today’s dollar what
would be acceptable for starting pay? BE REALISTIC
____________________________________
Part 2: Career Plan
For this section you need to have a specific career in mind. You may want to refer to
your computer research.
The career I am planning on pursuing is: _______________________________
1. Write a job description for this job. This should include main duties and
responsibilities.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. Is this job related to my interests? yes
no
Explain:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
3. What main skills does this job require? Do you already possess these skills or
are you planning to learn them?
Skill
Have/Don’t have
Where learned
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
4. Does this career choice conflict with any of you values? Explain.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
5. How well do your personal characteristics fit with the career choice?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
6. How well does the work environment match with your preferences?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
7. What is the required level of education? _______________________________
8. Are there options for what degrees, certifications, or other post secondary
training you need?________________________________________________
9. Where can you get it?_____________________________________________
10. How long will it take?______________________________________________
11. How much is this training going to cost?_______________________________
12. What plan do you have to pay for your education?_______________________
Education required __________________________________________________
Where can you get the education? ______________________________________
How long will it take to complete the training? _____________________________
How much will it cost? ________________________________________________
How will you pay for it?_______________________________________________
13. Will this afford you the lifestyle you desire? What is the pay range you can
expect? Are their any special benefits that are common in this job? Is there
significant life style choices associated with this career? (travel, high stress, long
hours etc.)
Pay range: Starting Salary _________ Average _________ Top __________
Special considerations:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
14. What are the negative aspects or possible disadvantages to pursuing this
career?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
15. What is the job outlook? Are there any roadblocks that may make it difficult to
achieve this goal? How might you overcome theses obstacles? Explain.
Job outlook:____________________________________________________________
Roadblocks:____________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Overcoming obstacles:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Overall, does this career seem a good match for you? Explain.
______________________________________________________________________
Now that you have thought fully considered your future goals relating to
your career, use the information to write your report.
Career Narrative Rubric
Content
Title page
(5) has title page
5
typed neatly with
name, date and
titles
Introduction
15
Body
50
Conclusion
Mechanics
Totals
(15) clear and
complete,
interesting,
presented in a way
which make the
audience want to
read it,
(50) Covers all
topics presented in
the directions plus
other information,
flows smoothly.
with good
transitions
(20) Clear and
complete
statements
including a
thoughtful
description of
advantages and
disadvantages,
steps to fulfill
career goal clear,
All stated in
appositive manner
and enthusiastic
(30) Easy to read
and written in
proper format, less
than 2 grammar or
punctuation errors
typed as stated in
directions
(4) has title page
typed, with name,
date and titles
(2-3) Title page is
messy or hand
written
(0-1) no title page
(10-14) clear and
complete,
somewhat lacking
creativity contains
5 of 6 components
outlined in
directions
(40-49) Covers all
topics presented in
the directions
flows smoothly.
with good
transitions
(5-9) Statement
not clear, lack of
interest contains 4
of 6 components
outlined in
directions
(0-4) Not
interesting
contains less than
4 components
outlined in
directions
(30-39) Covers 3
of 4 topics
presented in the
directions,
flows less
smoothly, with fair
transitions
(10-14)Less clear
and complete
statements
including some
advantages and
disadvantages,
attempts to
describe steps to
fulfill career goal
clear, not as
positively stated
(0-29) ) Covers 2
or less of the
topics presented in
the directions,
does not flow
smoothly, with
weak transitions
(0-9) not clear and
complete
statements does
not including
advantages and
disadvantages,
attempts to
describe steps to
fulfill career goal
clear, not as
positively stated
(15-24) Not as
easy to read and
written in proper
format, less than 6
grammar or
punctuation errors
typed as stated in
directions
(0-14) Not easy to
read and not
written in proper
format, more than
6 grammar or
punctuation errors
font hard to read
or not typed at all
(15-19) Clear and
complete
statements
including
advantages and
disadvantages,
attempts to
describe steps to
fulfill career goal
clear, All stated in
appositive manner
and enthusiastic
(25-29) Easy to
read and written in
proper format, less
than 4 grammar or
punctuation errors
typed as stated in
directions
Section 2: Career Narrative
Now you should be ready to write your career narrative. Your final draft needs to be
typed. It should be in essay form and will be the introduction to your 4 th quarter project,
the Portfolio. Failure to complete this project will result in an incomplete and
possibly failing and loss of credit. Grading will be based on the attached rubric.
 Type should be 12 font in a plain easy to read font such as Arial, New Times
Roman etc.
 1 ½ -2 ½ pages
 1 ½ line spacing
Introduction:
Define your career goal. If you do not know for sure what you want to be, at least
identify a career cluster. Explain why you have chosen this career. What interests you
about it? Why do you think you would be successful at it? What experiences you have
had so far that lead you to think you would like this career?
Body:
Describe the career in all of the following areas
 job description: duties and responsibilities of the position
 personal qualities/characteristics needed for success
 working conditions and environment
 average salary
 benefits
 educational requirements
 cost and time of education
 where you can get the education needed
Conclusion:
 Include advantages and disadvantages for this career. It should be clear in your
writing that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. List the disadvantages
followed by the advantages.
 What Specific plans do you have for pursuing this career? Include further work
experience, classes/programs you will take post-secondary plans.
 End on a positive note. This should be a sample of your best work!!!