1
Name: ___________________________
Career Studies
Short Answer Questions
Revised December 2011
Chapter 1:
Exercise 1: A Positive Role Model
Think of a positive adult role model in your life, outside your immediate family. Who is this
person? What is the person’s greatest accomplishment? List three admirable skills or
qualities of that person. How have these skills helped the person achieve personal and
professional goals? Please write your response in an organized paragraph of 5-7 sentences.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 2:
Imagine your high school graduation. What is the weather like? Who among your family and
friends is present? How do they look? How do you feel? Proud? Happy? Sad? Why? Describe
the scene in detail in your notebook. Please write your response in an organized paragraph
of seven to nine sentences.
A.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____
2
Exercise 3
A. List 5 professional or educational goals that you would like to accomplish in your lifetime.
Be Specific.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Exercise 2: Identifying Desirable Character Traits
Read the following sketches. After each one, write your answers to the questions that
follow. Write your answers in complete sentences.
Sketch 1
Rachael is a high school junior. She is a hard-working student with a B average. While she has
a natural talent for mathematical computation and problem solving, she struggles in her
literature and writing classes. Because she wants to earn a good grade even in the classes
that she has difficulty understanding and finds less enjoyable, she organized a study group
which meets for two hours every Thursday after school. A student-teacher in Rachael's
English class agreed to act as the group's leader and tutor. Rachael is also a member of the
school's Spanish Club. She is not an elected officer for the club, but she is a very active
member. The club organizes monthly fundraisers to raise money for an upcoming trip to
Spain in the summer. Rachael has assisted other club members in making phone calls,
developing promotional flyers, meeting with community members, cooking, cleaning, and
managing the ticket sales of various fundraising events.
1) Using the character traits listed earlier in the lesson; list at least four traits that you feel
apply to Rachael. Include a statement explaining why you selected each trait or what activity
allows Rachael to develop that trait.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___
2) Can you think of other desirable characteristics Rachael has which are not on the list? List
these
now._________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___
3
Sketch 2
Bill is a high school sophomore. He is a good student with a B average. While he has to study
nearly every night to get these grades, he really enjoys his broadcasting classes. Bill feels
fortunate that his school operates a small radio recording studio and is able to offer a course
for credit in English and Technology which focuses on broadcasting. In this class, students
write letters, interview community members, edit transcripts for announcers, practice oral
communications, develop programming schedules, and record a thirty-minute program
which airs on a local radio station. Bill's other favorite class is art. He is skilled at creating
three-dimensional works of art and has been nominated by his teacher to display one of his
creations in the end-of-the-year art show. Both his broadcasting and art instructors say that
Bill's attention to detail is outstanding and is what makes him excel in these classes. Outside
of school, Bill's main activities and interests are playing the guitar and helping his mom, who
is a single parent, look after his two younger siblings.
3) Using the character traits listed earlier in the lesson, list at least four traits which you feel
apply to Bill. Include a statement explaining why you selected each trait or what activity
allows Bill to develop that trait.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___
4) Can you think of other desirable characteristics Bill has which are not on the list? List these
now.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___
Sketch 3
Gabrielle is a high school senior. She is looking forward to graduation and is making plans to
attend college. After reviewing the financial aspects of attending the local community
college, she and her parents have determined that it would be best if Gabrielle worked parttime while taking classes. Except for recording and compiling the statistics of players on the
girls and boys basketball teams for the coaches, Gabrielle has never had a job. While she has
had nearly perfect attendance throughout her high school career, Gabrielle did not apply
herself to her studies as much as she could have. However, she did earn a C average.
Gabrielle was never inclined to join school clubs. Her extra-curricular activities have always
centered on social activities with friends, many of whom regard Gabrielle as a good listener
who offers sound advice. Her friends also trust her and therefore often confide in her.
4
5) Based on what you know about Gabrielle, list at least four character traits which apply to
her. Include a statement explaining why you selected each trait or which activity allows
Gabrielle to develop the trait.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___
6) Can you think of other desirable characteristics Gabrielle has which are not on the list? List
these now.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___
7) List four characteristics that an employer might want in an employee that Gabrielle has not
apparently developed. For each characteristic, list something Gabrielle could do to develop
that quality. Alternatively, list a characteristic which Gabrielle has demonstrated and identify
something she could do to further develop the quality.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____
Personal Acrostic
This exercise will become a part of the final research project and oral presentation.
An acrostic is a form of poetry in which the first letters of each line spell out the name of the
subject being described by the poem. Write your first name or last name vertically down the
left side of the page. Use all capital letters. Next to each letter, write an adjective or
characteristic that applies to you that a potential employer would find desirable. You may use
the list of qualities listed above for inspiration.
Example
J - jovial
O - organized
H - hard-working
N - noble
5
2) Personal Statement
Use the acrostic list you wrote as a starting point. Next, review the list of qualities listed
above. Finally, take a moment to self-reflect and identify any qualities that you possess which
have not yet been identified.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____
Write a paragraph, which clearly states your qualities and characteristics that employers will
respect and find desirable. State what qualities you feel apply to you and the actions or
activities, which have allowed you to develop these qualities.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___________
Career Studies Submission 2
A. List five school activities or responsibilities, apart from class and schoolwork that you have
participated in since you entered high school. Some examples are playing on a school sports
team, helping a teacher with a project, setting up for a school dance...etc.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
B. List five activities or responsibilities you have done outside of school; for example, a
religious youth group, babysitting a younger brother or sister, taking out the trash, mowing
lawns, etc.
1.
2.
3.
4.
6
5.
D. Which activity/responsibility would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
Why? Write your response in a 5-7-sentence paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________
Chapter 3:
Exercise 1: People, Things, and Information
Please list three activities that you currently participate in or would like to participate in that
involve working with people, things, or information:
Preference for working with people:
1) _____
2) _____
3) _____
Preference for working with things:
1) _____
2) _____
3) _____
Preference for working with information:
1) _____
2) _____
3) _____
7
Exercise 3: Personality and Interest-Inventory Tests
Take one of the following Myers-Briggs type tests and print out the results for your facilitator
http://www.personalitytest.net/types/index.htm
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
http://www.iccweb.com/careerfocus/Login.asp
Exercise 4B
Comparing and Evaluating Test Results: Compare and contrast the test results with your
own perceptions of yourself. In what ways are they different, and in what ways are they
similar? How are personality and interest-inventory tests accurate or useful? How might they
be counter-productive? Write an organized paragraph of five to seven sentences.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______
Exercise 5: Interests and Goals
Complete the following exercise:
a) Reflect upon the interests you came up with in this lesson, both on your own and through
the tests you took. How are those interests related to the life goals you developed in Lesson
1? Do any of your goals and interests match up with each other particularly well? For example,
a goal of spending five hours a week volunteering would fit very well with an interest in
helping adults learn to read. Do any of your goals and interests clash with each other? Write a
paragraph of seven to nine sentences.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
8
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________
Chapter 4:
Exercise 1: Career Guide to Industries
On your computer, navigate to the Bureau of Labor Statistics website at
<http://www.bls.gov/>. Click on the link named "Career Guide to Industries", which is located
under the heading "Publications & Research Papers". You can also navigate directly to the
Career Guide to Industries site by typing <http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/home.htm> into your
Web browser.
In the right-hand column of the page is a list of 10 industry clusters. When you click on an
industry cluster, you will be presented with a selection of industries within that cluster.
Choose an industry that interests you and click on it. Answer the following questions about
the industry using the information provided.
1) What is the name of the industry? __________________________________
2) What do establishments in the industry make or do? Does the industry
produce goods or provide services?
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________
3) How many workers are employed by the industry?
__________________________________________________________
4) How much is employment in the industry expected to grow between 2010
and 2020?
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
5) Identify three occupations within the industry. Provide a short (1 or 2
sentences) description of each occupation.
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
9
________________________________________________________________
_____
Chapter 7:
Exercise 4: Choosing a Career Option to Research
This exercise will become a part of the final research project.
Choose an occupation to research based on your goals, aptitudes, interests, and personality.
After reviewing the information on industries and occupations provided in Lesson 4 and
Lesson 5, as well as the lists you composed in Exercise 3 of this lesson, choose an occupation
that interests you.
The occupation you select should also be an occupation profiled in the Occupational Outlook
Handbook. Some entries in the Handbook include several sub-occupations. For example, the
entry titled, "Physicians and Surgeons" includes "Anesthesiologists," "Psychiatrists,"
"Surgeons," and details on other specific occupations. For the sake of simplicity, regard each
entry as a single occupation.
After you have selected the occupation you wish to explore, please explain your choice in
three to five paragraphs in your notebook. Consider the following questions and respond to
them in your answer.




How does the choice relate to your goals, aptitudes, interests, and personality?
What factor or factors most influenced your choice (e.g., earnings, working
conditions, family connections)?
Do you know anyone who works in this occupation?
What do you hope to learn by researching this occupation?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________
10
Chapter 9
Exercise 1: Investigating Post-secondary Education Options
In this exercise you will practice identifying goals for post-secondary education related to
various careers you have an interest in. You will also practice identifying desirable criteria for
a post-secondary institution.
By now you have had some practice investigating the Occupational Outlook Handbook online
at the U.S. Department of Labor website. You have identified various careers that interest
you and read the information provided regarding various aspects of the occupation.
1) Return now to the Occupational Outlook Handbook website <www.bls.gov/oco/home.htm>
and locate an occupation which interests you. Navigate to the section titled, "Training, Other
Qualifications, and Advancement." Read the section and determine the type of postsecondary education required for the occupation.
2) Consider the various characteristics of post-secondary institutions. List the characteristics
which appeal the most to you












small student population or large
student population
close to home or far away
public institution or private
institution
religious affiliation or secular
institution
military
liberal arts
scientific
research-based
single-gender or co-educational
historically ethnic
selective or open admission
less than two-year, two-year, fouryear, graduate
11
3) Once you have considered the desirable qualities in a post-secondary institution, go to the
following website operated by the U.S. Department of Education:
<http://www.nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/>.
4) Identify four post-secondary institutions that offer the type of education needed for your
desired occupation. On the IPEDS College Opportunities On-line website you will see several
dialog boxes. Each box allows you to identify a desirable characteristic for a post-secondary
institution according to geographic location, type of institution, instructional program, and
number of students enrolled. The more characteristics you enter, the narrower your search
becomes, and fewer results will emerge. Too few characteristics will result in a list so long, it
will be difficult to sort through the listed institutions.
You may be able to identify one or two specific institutions which meet your exact criteria.
You may wish to widen your search by modifying the geographic location or the size of the
institution. The most important thing is that the institution offers the program you are
interested in.
Once you obtain a list of institutions, the listed schools appear as links. Click on a link, and it
will take you to a page with more detailed information about the institution. The page will
contain information on the types of degrees offered, application fees, and tuition costs, as
well as a link to the website of the actual school.
Four Post-Secondary Schools that I am interested in.
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
1) List the names of the four institutions that match your search criteria and appear
interesting to you. Record the following information about each institution in your notebook:








Name of institution________________________________
Web site of institution______________________________
Type of institution_________________________________
Location (country, state, city)_________________________________________
In-state and out-of-state tuition & fees__________________________________
Cost of books and supplies___________________________________________
Total cost of living on-campus (room and board plus other
expenses)_________________________________________________________
Total cost of living off-campus (room and board plus other expenses)
____________________________________________________________________
2) List the names of the four institutions that match your search criteria and appear
interesting to you. Record the following information about each institution in your notebook:
12








Name of institution________________________________
Web site of institution______________________________
Type of institution_________________________________
Location (country, state, city)_________________________________________
In-state and out-of-state tuition & fees__________________________________
Cost of books and supplies___________________________________________
Total cost of living on-campus (room and board plus other
expenses)_________________________________________________________
Total cost of living off-campus (room and board plus other expenses)
9.1 ____________________________________________________________________
3) List the names of the four institutions that match your search criteria and appear
interesting to you. Record the following information about each institution in your notebook:








Name of institution________________________________
Web site of institution______________________________
Type of institution_________________________________
Location (country, state, city)_________________________________________
In-state and out-of-state tuition & fees__________________________________
Cost of books and supplies___________________________________________
Total cost of living on-campus (room and board plus other
expenses)_________________________________________________________
Total cost of living off-campus (room and board plus other expenses)
____________________________________________________________________
4) List the names of the four institutions that match your search criteria and appear
interesting to you. Record the following information about each institution in your notebook:








Name of institution________________________________
Web site of institution______________________________
Type of institution_________________________________
Location (country, state, city)_________________________________________
In-state and out-of-state tuition & fees__________________________________
Cost of books and supplies___________________________________________
Total cost of living on-campus (room and board plus other
expenses)_________________________________________________________
Total cost of living off-campus (room and board plus other expenses)
____________________________________________________________________
13
Exercise 2: Calculating the Cost of College
Show your work
1) Tuition at Carleton College, a four-year liberal arts college in Minnesota, is $30,666 per
year. How much would it cost in tuition to earn a bachelor's degree from Carleton?
____________________________________________
2) Montana State University is a public four-year university in Bozeman, Montana. For a
resident of Montana, one year of enrollment costs:




$4,577 for tuition
$5,500 for room and board
$930 for books and supplies
$2,470 for personal and miscellaneous expenses
9.1
If these fees do not change, what would be the total cost of attending Montana State for
four years?
3) DeVry University is a system of for-profit vocational colleges. A degree in electronics
engineering technology from DeVry's campus in Morrisville, North Carolina, costs $5,895 per
term of enrollment. If nine terms of enrollment are required to earn an electronics
engineering technology degree, what would be the total cost of earning this degree?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
__
4) Tuition at Foothill College, a community college in California, is $17 per unit (credit hour).
How much would it cost to attend Foothill for two years, taking 30 credits each year?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
___
5) Suppose you spent two years at Foothill College, taking 30 units per year, and then
transferred and spent the next two years at the University of California at Berkeley, which
costs $7,422.90 per year. What would be the total cost of your four years of college
education? How much would you save in tuition by going to Foothill for two years and then
transferring to Berkeley rather than attending Berkeley for all four years?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____
14
6) Look back at the list of post-secondary institutions you identified in Exercise 1. Select two
and calculate the cost of living on campus for four years.
1.
2.
Chapter 10:
Answer the following questions with two to four complete sentences for each. Each
question is worth 3 points.
Compare and contrast an apprenticeship and internship. Tell how they are similar and
different.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What are some advantages of working as an apprentice in a construction trade?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Name a profession that typically includes an apprenticeship as part of its training program,
then describe in a sentence how the apprenticeship works.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Name some military occupations with civilian counterparts. Why are these good
opportunities?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
What is the difference between the professional career pathway and the entry career
pathway?
15
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
Chapter 12:
The following job application has at least five problems or errors. Identify the section in
which each problem occurs and describe what is wrong next to the error.
16
Exercise 4: Comparing Résumés
Complete the following exercise.
1.
Study the two résumés printed in the reading for Chapter 12. Tell what kind each one
is (chronological or functional). In two or three sentences, give the reasons for your
answers.
17
2. Which of the two résumé forms do you prefer? Which do you think will be more
successful for Mr. Phillips? Write a paragraph of four to five sentences explaining why
you think one resume will be more successful than the other.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
1.
Use the Cover Letter below to complete the following activity. Write the appropriate
number from the list below beside the corresponding section of the cover letter.
1--salutation
2--body
3--closing
4--inside address
5--signature
6--heading
2. In your notebook, list the personal traits given by the letter writer.
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. List some of the action verbs used by the letter writer.
__________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
4. In two or three sentences, explain how this letter would be effective in opening the
door to an interview.
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
18
1090 Plum Drive, Suite 7
Norwhich, GA 77777
(321) 555-3030
July 31, 2005
Ms. Joan Winters
City-Wide Board of Realtors
132 Old Post Road
Norwich, GA 77772
Dear Ms. Winters:
I believe I am the "multi-talented administrative assistant" you seek in your "Multi-Talented
Assistant" advertisement in today's Norwich Post. I'm a versatile office manager and
administrative aide, ready to oversee your office needs as early as next week. I have the solid
office and clerical experience you specify as well as the strong computer skills you desire.
I am presently employed as a temporary bookkeeping clerk with a well-known local
accounting firm. Mr. Bill Robinson, the managing director, may be contacted to confirm my
performance. The details of your advertisement suggest to me that the position will involve
many of the same responsibilities that I am currently performing.
In addition to the planning, administration, and customer relations skills I highlight in my
résumé, please note that I have an associate’s degree as well as a Microsoft Office Suite
certificate from the University of Georgia.
Knowing how frantic you must be without an office manager, I will call you in a few days. Or
if you agree upon reviewing my letter and résumé that I am the “right-hand” person you
need, call me at the home number listed above, or at 321-555-0002 during business hours.
Thank you most sincerely for your time and consideration.
Respectfully,
Melissa P. Rogers
19
Chapter 13
Write brief (no longer than one paragraph) answers to the following interview questions.
Keep the guidelines listed above in mind as you write your answers. When you have
completed writing your answers, read them over and try to commit as much of your written
comments to memory as you can. Next, sit down with a classmate. Have your classmate ask
you each of the questions on this list. Practice giving verbal answers to each question and
stating out loud the answers you wrote. Do not read your answers. You will not be able to
read answers in an actual interview.
1) Tell us about yourself.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____
2) Explain what will make you an excellent employee.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____
3) Where do you see yourself in five years?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____
4) What are your top three strengths and top three weaknesses?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____
5) Describe a time in which you had conflict with a project partner. How did you handle the
situation and how was it resolved? What did you learn from the experience?
20
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____
6) Describe a time in which you had to work to meet a tight deadline. Were you successful?
What strategies did you use to meet your obligations? Were you able to do your best work?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____
7) Describe a time in which you did not agree with a supervisor or teacher. How did you
approach the situation? How was the situation resolved? What would you do differently as a
result of your experience?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_______
Exercise 2: Conducting an Interview
This exercise will become a part of the final research project and oral presentation.
Much of what you have learned in this lesson prepares you to be in the "hot seat" as the
subject of an interview. Another way to learn about getting a job while increasing your
interview acumen, or expertise, is to interview someone else. This exercise does not have to
be an interview with someone in the field you wish to enter although that would be a bonus.
Select someone who is established in a career. Plan to interview your subject for the purpose
of learning how the person decided upon a career, what career path was followed, and what
the challenges and satisfactions of the career have been. Requirements for the assignment:

Select a person who is willing to spend time with you. You may choose a neighbor,
family friend, or relative. You may also interview someone working in the field you
are considering even if you do not know the person. Most people are more than
happy to assist others with such projects. In either case, contact the person to
21





request permission to do an interview and set a specific date and time for your
session.
Prepare for the interview by developing a list of questions to ask. As you saw with
the questions typically asked in an interview, you want to avoid closed-ended
questions where the responses will simply be "yes" or "no." Always try to get your
subject to elaborate.
Even though you will be the one asking the questions, follow other interviewing
techniques such as being prompt, taking notes, and being mindful of body language
and speech habits. Dress appropriately if you are going to your subject's place of
business or if the subject is someone you do not know well.
Follow up the interview with a thank you note. Mention how helpful the person was
in the project and in teaching you some things that will help you on your own career
search.
Consult with your teacher about the format for submitting your interview results.
You may be asked to write your interview as a list of questions and answers or as an
essay. Find out whether or not your teacher has any additional criteria for this
project.
Be sure to provide your teacher with a copy of your interview report before
completing the submission for this lesson. There will be a part in the submission for
your teacher to record the interview grade.
Why did you choose to go into this career?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
What is your specific title and what are your responsibilities?
What education did you need to achieve this position?
How long have you been working in this specific position?
What other positions have you held along the way?
What are the most satisfying aspects of your job? What are the most disagreeable
aspects?
Describe the fringe benefits of your job. Are there any other side benefits such as
travel?
Are there occupational hazards in this job? If so, what are they?
What character traits do you think are necessary to enjoy and be successful in this
job?
What other positions are available on the career ladder in this field?
If you could start over on a career path, would you choose the same one? Why or why
not?
22
Chapter 15:
Exercise 5: Determine a Budget for Your Chosen Occupation
This exercise will become a part of the final research project and oral presentation.
1) Using the U.S. Department of Labor Web site you explored earlier in this course,
<www.dol.gov>, locate information on a specific occupation you are interested in (hint:
choose the occupation you are researching for your report). Under the heading "Earnings"
should be an indication of the median income for that occupation. Using the numbers
provided on the Web site, follow the directions below to calculate the monthly salary.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____
2) If the median income is given as a yearly salary, divide the number by 12. If the median
income is given as an hourly wage, multiply the number by 160 (this is the number of hours
worked in a month, given a work week of 40 hours).
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
__
Keep in mind that this would be the gross income. The net income would be lower
depending on how much was taken out for taxes. For this reason, once the monthly salary
has been calculated, multiply the number by 75% (0.75). Use this number as your monthly
income.
_____________________________________________________________________________
3) Copy the chart and information below into your notebook. Now perform the calculation
indicated to determine what your recommended budget would be.
23
Your Calculated Monthly Income
Category
% of Income
Calculation
Food
26%
$total monthly salary x .26
Housing
23%
$total monthly salary x .23
Transportation 17%
$total monthly salary x .17
Clothing
8%
$total monthly salary x .08
Recreation
7%
$total monthly salary x .07
Insurance
5%
$total monthly salary x .05
Other
4%
$total monthly salary x .04
Savings
10%
$total monthly salary x .10
$ Budgeted
$_____
$_____
$_____
$_____
$_____
$_____
$_____
$_____
15.1
Questions
1) Does this budget seem reasonable to you? Were there any surprises after calculating the
budget?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
2) Are there categories you would like to allocate more or less money to? Why?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
3) Based on this budget, what adjustments do you think you will have to make to your
spending habits?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
24
Career Studies Investigation
Portfolio Requirements
Student’s Name: ______________________________________

All about Me PowerPoint: Lesson 1

Typed Personal Narrative/College Application Essay: Lesson 1

Completed SYF Scholarship Application: Final Copy: Lesson 9

Typed Current Resume: Lesson 12

Typed Cover Letter: Lesson 12

Typed Thank You Letter: Lesson 12

Typed Reference Page: Lesson 12

Final Copy Mock Job Application: Lesson 12
For assistance with your portfolio, please visit: www.nca-careerclass.wikispaces.com
This website includes a variety of examples.