Career Trivia
Not so subliminal
messages about your
future and your life
There is a big difference between
careers students want and the careers
that are actually needed….
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Students don’t
know too many
careers--they
only know about
20 out of the
20,000 careers
that exist in the
United States.
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Students name
the same high
visibility careers
without regard
to the appropriate fit of that
career for them.
Here are the 10 careers
that students want*...
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Physician
Attorney
Nurse
Teacher
Veterinarian
Artist
*according to the Texas
SOICC hotline requests
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Professional
athlete
Psychologist
Police Officer
Computer
Programmer
These are the 10 most
needed careers* in
Texas…….
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General mgr.
Teachers
Systems analyst
Professional or
Paraprofessional
Technician
*according to the
Texas Workforce
Commission
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Accountant
Nursing
Computer
Engineer
Marketing
Advertising
Public Relations
Students’ early career
picks are usually based on:
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Careers they’ve
learned about from
friends or family.
Careers they have
seen on TV or in
movies
Careers they know
little about
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Careers that have
high prestige or
make big salaries.
Careers that
transform students
into the image they
wish to project or a
person they admire.
Facts about being a
doctor……..
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It takes 8-17 years of
education AFTER high
school and an
average cost of
$100,000 annually to
become a doctor.
Job possibilities/
satisfaction-- higher in
smaller, rural areas.
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There is an
oversupply of medical
specialists in urban
areas; a shortage of
geriatric doctors
(31,000 needed)
The average doctor
lives 8 yrs less than the
average American.
More doctor facts….
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Doctors’ annual
salaries vary anywhere from $125,000850,000 depending on
specialty/geographic
area.
Takes about 10 years
of work as a doctor to
pay back educational
loans for medical
education.
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Go to: www.studentdoctor.net for
detailed info about
medical careers.
To be a doctor
requires a love for
people as well as
science!
If you’d like to be a doctor,
you might like to also
consider….
Nursing
Physician’s Assistant
Podiatrist
Paramedic
Physical Therapist
Respiratory Therapist
Ultrasound Technologist
EEG Technician
Optometrist
Coroner
Cytotechnologist
Dentist
Dental Hygienist
Prosthetist
Surgical Technologist
Child Life Specialist
Orthoptist
Pharmacist
Dietician
Facts about being an
attorney
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It takes about 7
years after high
school to
become an
attorney
80% of lawyers
wish they were
doing something
else.
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Most new
lawyers act as
clerks/
paralegals
Only a fraction
of time is spent
in a courtroommost time is
spent in reading/writing
If you think you’d like to be an
attorney..you could consider
these careers…...
Bankruptcy
specialist
Hearing Officer
Sports Agent
Patent Law
Mediator
Elder Lawyer
Arbitrator
Adoption Specialist
So you want to be a
Professional Athlete??
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High School standouts in any sport have
roughly a 1 in 25,000 chance of ever
making it to the Big Leagues.
Even including officials and umpires, this
area only employed 51,000 people last
year. (Average for an occupational group
is 270,000)
Only 3,284 jobs each year in this area
(average for others is 10,500)
You want to be a
Psychologist?
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To be a licensed Psychologist requires a
Ph.D--about 8-10 years after high school.
Psychologists do more than listen to
people’s problems..they give tests, write
reports, battle with insurance companies
Can work in many different environments-schools, clinics, research, etc.
A Psychologist cannot prescribe
medications--this must be done by a
Psychiatrist, who is a medical doctor.
So you want to be an
Interior Designer??
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This job is more of a cross between an
artist and an architect.
Anyone can practice as an “interior
decorator” BUT an “interior designer” must
have a Bachelor’s degree and get an ASID
certification which requires knowledge of
building codes, fire safety codes, and
space planning.
Many interior designers begin their careers
working in a furniture store.
Your College Major Doesn’t
Necessarily Predict Your
Career!!
Celebrities and their college majors:
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Dan Akeroyd
Hulk Hogan
Jodie Foster
Meg Ryan
Michael Jordan
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a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Criminology
Finance
English Lit
Journalism
Mathematics
Have You Heard of
These Careers???
Retirement
Consultant
Artist Agent
Event Planner
Home Schooling
Consultant
Corporate Concierge Relocation
Consultant
Headhunter
Foreign Service
Officer
College Recruiter
Actuary
Cartographer
Fund Raiser
Expense Reduction
Consultant
Enologist
Temp Agency Owner Estate Appraiser
U.S. Dept of Labor - Job
Predictions 1998-2008
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Growth rate of new jobs will be
greater for those jobs that
require at least an Associate’s
degree (2 yr course of study @ a
community college.
108% increase for computer
engineers, the highest to minus
60% for machine operators.
U.S. Dept of Labor - Job
Predictions 1998-2008
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Physician’s Assistants will grow
to 32,000 jobs (48%)
Elementary teachers will grow
by 205,000 jobs (12%)
66% of the fastest-growing jobs
in computer / health industries.
Health jobs will continue to
grow as people age.
Career Quips…...
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Fewer than 28% of computer
science degrees went to women
in 1997.
Only 12% of American high
school students graduate with
the four-year sequence of Math
& Science required for related
majors in college.
Career Quips…...
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Over the past two years, demand for
Physical Therapists has slowed.
Some Hospitality majors are getting
five to ten job offers each after
graduation.
The Real Estate industry is actively
recruiting 20-somethings.
4 out of 10 Designers are selfemployed.
Career Quips…...
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Opportunities for Social Workers will
increase with the aging of the Baby
Boomers
Typically, careers that work with and
help people are the lowest paid of all
workers.
Two million teachers will be needed
in the next 5 years to fill vacancies
in education.
Career Quips…...
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Computer-related career trends are
still “up in the air” because of the
“dot.com” failures.
Employers are begging for Auto
Mechanics, Teachers, Nurses, Sales
clerks and Telemarketing workers.
Leave prestige out of your career
search!