Career+Cruising

=**Comparing Careers**=

The purpose of this activity is to help you understand which criteria are important to you as you make career decisions and why. In a side-by-side comparison of two career options, you will evaluate your interest in each career based on the following criteria: work tasks, working conditions, potential earnings, and education and training requirements. At each stage, you are asked to choose between the two occupations based on the information available to you and reflect on why you have made that choice.

At the end of the activity, you are asked to interpret the changes in your career choices and prioritize which of the criteria are most important to you at this stage of the career decision-making process. You are also encouraged to reflect on other possible factors that may influence your career choice and to project how your priorities may change as a result. Ultimately, you will learn that career choices are not usually made on the basis of a single criterion, but instead, are influenced by multiple factors that constantly need to be re-evaluated as you gain more knowledge about career options and the decision-making process.

Log in to Career Cruising and click on Careers. Use the Keyword Search to find two occupations that interest you but that you may not know much about. Write the names of the careers.


 * Career One**


 * Career Two**


 * If you had to pick one of these careers based only on the working conditions described,**
 * which would you choose and why?**


 * Click on Earnings in each career profile. Answer the following questions:**
 * How much do people in each career typically earn on a yearly basis? (If annual salary figures aren’t**
 * available, how much do they earn per hour or per contract?)**


 * What other kinds of compensation or benefits can people in each career receive? (e.g. health and dental**
 * benefits, contributions to retirement savings plans, performance bonuses, etc.)**


 * If you had to pick one of these careers based only on how much you could earn, which would you**
 * choose and why?**


 * Click on Education in each career profile. Answer the following questions:**
 * What are the education and training requirements for people in each career? (e.g. high school diploma,**
 * associate or bachelor’s degree, apprenticeship, on-the-job training, additional licensing or certification,**
 * etc.)**


 * Approximately how many years of training or education are required for people in each occupation?**


 * If you had to pick one of these careers based only on the amount of education and training you need,**
 * which would you choose and why?**


 * Now that you have evaluated your interest in these two careers based on work tasks, working**
 * conditions, potential earnings, and education and training requirements, answer the following**
 * questions:**
 * Did you change your mind about the career you chose at the beginning of the activity as different types**
 * of information became available to you? What new information caused you to change your mind and**
 * why?**


 * Which of the criteria that you used to compare your career choices is most important to you and which**
 * is the least important? Rank them in order from 1 (the most important) to 4 (the least important) and**
 * explain why you have ranked them that way:**
 * Criteria:**


 * Work Tasks:**


 * Working Conditions:**


 * Earnings:**


 * Education & Training:**


 * What other factors may influence your career decision? (e.g. parents, favorite school subject, job**
 * outlook, etc.) Do you consider any of them to be more important than the ones you ranked above?**
 * Why?**

=**Learning Styles**=


 * Go to www.careercruising.com. Enter your personal My Plan username and password in the spaces**
 * provided, and click on Log In.**

(If you can't get into //Career Cruising//, you can go to @http://www.personal.psu.edu/bxb11/LSI/LSI.htm or @http://www.learning-styles-online.com/inventory/ or @http://www.edutopia.org/multiple-intelligences-learning-styles-quiz or @http://www.engr.ncsu.edu/learningstyles/ilsweb.html or @http://www.educationplanner.org/students/self-assessments/learning-styles.shtml or @http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire).


 * Log in to Career Cruising and click on Assessments, then on the Start Learning Styles button.**
 * Read the instructions on the Introduction page and start the assessment. Remember, there are no right**
 * or wrong answers; simply select the answer that you feel best applies to you.**
 * What kind of learner are you?**


 * 1. Read the Learning Styles profile. Answer the following questions:**
 * Which parts of the profile best describe the way that you learn and retain new information?**


 * Are there parts of the profile that do not accurately describe the way that you learn and retain new**
 * information? Which ones?**


 * 2. Think about how your learning style relates to your work at school. The Learning Styles profile**
 * offers lots of suggestions to help you learn in your preferred style.**
 * Which suggested strategies do you already use? How successful do you think they are in helping you**
 * learn and remember information?**


 * Which suggested strategies can you begin using now to help you learn and remember information?**


 * 3. Now try to think of some more tips that you could use in the following situations:**
 * You have a test in two weeks that is worth 30% of your final grade. What strategies could you use to**
 * help you study for the exam?**


 * You’re having trouble absorbing information in class. What suggestions could you make at the next**
 * student-teacher conference that would help you and your teacher develop a learning plan to suit your**
 * learning style?**


 * You have to write a 5-page essay, and you’re feeling a little overwhelmed. What tips can help you**
 * prepare to tackle the project and write the paper?**


 * 4. Think about how understanding your learning style relates to career possibilities. How can knowing**
 * how you learn help you make important career decisions and succeed in the workforce?**


 * Click on Careers in the menu bar near the top of the screen, and search for a career that interests you.**
 * Career:**


 * 5. Read the Job Description section.**
 * Write down two or three tasks that people in this occupation perform.**


 * Describe how you could learn to perform each task in a way that complements your learning style. (e.g.**
 * adjusting technical equipment: auditory learners could listen to someone explain how to adjust the**
 * equipment; visual learners could read the manual; tactile learners could test out the equipment)**


 * 6. Read the Working Conditions section.**
 * Write down two working conditions that are common for people in this occupation.**


 * Describe how you could adapt the working conditions you listed above so that they support your**
 * learning style. (e.g. working in an office: auditory learners could reduce noise distractions by closing their**
 * office door; visual learners could reduce visual distractions by clearing away clutter in their office or**
 * cubicle; tactile learners could take frequent breaks or walks.)**


 * 7. Now that you’ve learned a little more about your learning style, answer the following questions:**
 * What do you think are some of the challenges associated with your learning style?**


 * What do you think are some of the advantages of your learning style?**