Expert answer:When developing your profile on LinkedIn
Solved by verified expert:Answer each question with 75-80 words. In your own words.1.When developing your profile on LinkedIn, what information did you consider to increase connections with others with similar interests? 2.Read chapter 6(attached) What is the value of creating portfolios for each of your courses?3.Read chapter 6(attached)How can a personal library of course content be used for both academic and professional background knowledge?4.What are ideas for items to include in your portfolio?
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CHAPTER 6
Careers
Learning Outcomes
By the time you finish this chapter you will be able to
LO 6.1
LO 6.2
LO 6.3
Identify your ideal job.
Analyze the best strategies for finding and getting a job.
Maximize your job interviewing skills.
Michelle Edmunds felt ready for her first job interview. In fact, she felt more than ready.
The interview, for a position as a medical assistant, had been scheduled the week before. And ever since
then, Michelle had been mentally preparing answer after answer about her background and about the
position. She’d researched the medical practice online, reviewed her own job experience, and even
scanned some websites for medical practices in the local area, to get a sense of the overall market.
But when the interviewer, seemingly out of the blue, asked her, “How many piano tuners are there in
your home state?” she was clueless. How should she know? And, more to the point, what did that
question have to do with being a medical assistant?
Looking
Ahead
Luckily for Michelle, what she later called the “piano crisis” was a turning point. Once she got beyond
her initial shock, she realized that the aim of the question was to test not her knowledge of piano tuners
but her problem-solving skills. After first considering the population of her home state, and then
guessing how many of those people might own pianos, she was able to come up with a rough estimate
of how many piano tuners there might be. The interviewer, clearly satisfied, moved on to other, more
predictable questions.
Job interviews can be anxiety-producing events. But they are just one of a series of challenging activities
that are part of the process of finding a job. In the last few chapters of P.O.W.E.R. Learning, we’ve been
looking at skills that are usually applied in a classroom setting: notetaking, test-taking, and so forth. In
this chapter, we explore strategies that will help you in the world of work. We address ways to identify
your career goals and the best methods to achieve them. To put it simply, we consider the things you
need to know to get the job you want.
LO 6.1 Career Planning
At this point, you’re in college to learn the skills to start down a specific career path. That means you’ve
made up your mind about your career … right?
In fact, the answer is no. Even those on their way to acquiring training to work within a particular field
need to think and plan carefully with regard to their professional ambitions.
For instance, imagine you are on your way to earning a degree in accounting. Clearly, you’ve made an
important decision about your career. But consider these questions: Do you want to work
independently or as an employee of a business? If you want to work for a business, would you rather it
be a small company or a large corporation? Do you want a job that will pay less initially but at which you
can advance, or would you rather trade the possibility of moving up the ladder for a better starting
salary?
Further, do you want to work locally, or would you be willing to relocate for the right job? What kind of
hours are you willing to work? What kind of hours can you work, given demands of family and other
obligations?
These are just some of the questions people need to answer as they approach their careers. Keep in
mind that you don’t need to have all the answers right now. Few people know exactly how they’d like
their professional lives to unfold. What’s important to realize is that even if you’ve chosen a field, you
still have lots of decisions to make and options to choose from as you pursue your career. Remember:
Career planning is not a decision you make once. Rather, it is an ongoing process. (To explore your
thinking about work and careers, complete the Journal Reflections.)
Journal Reflections
Thinking about Work
At some point in your life, you’ve almost surely had a job. Maybe you have one right now. And whether
you realize it or not, there’s no doubt you have developed some strong ideas about what it’s like to
work. Take some time now to consider your thoughts about work more fully.
1. What was most rewarding about the best job you ever had: the ability to earn money, social
aspects involving your fellow employees, enjoyment of the work itself, or something else?
2. What would you see as the positive and negative aspects of supervising other people? Would
you like to supervise others at some point in your career?
3. How important is the amount of money that you’re paid for the work you do?
4. Do you see work as something you must do in order to earn a living, or something that is a
central and important aspect of life in and of itself?
5. How important is variety in what you do? How important is stability in what you do?
Identifying Your Career Goals
Some people take a job for the money. Some people take a job for the health benefits. Some people
show up at work because they love to crunch numbers or treat patients or make filet mignon. Other
people go to the office because they believe that hard work is the key to happiness.
These are all valid reasons for doing a job. As you think about the kind of job you want to find, it’s
essential to consider your own goals. Apart from what you might do during the day, do you want a job
that helps others? A job that pays very well? One with flexible hours? Is having an impact on future
generations important to you? Use Try It 1 on page 134 to identify your long-term career goals.
LO 6.2
Finding Career Opportunities
Research, research, research. That’s the name of the game when it comes to charting your career. Even
if you know the general direction you want your career to take, you’ll want to get a feel for the specific
opportunities within your chosen field, as well as how your field is developing and changing.
Identifying Your Long-Term Career Goals
Consider each of these areas as you determine your long-term goals:
•
Achievement
•
Advancement opportunities
•
Challenge
•
Contribution to society
•
Control, power
•
Creativity
•
Financial
•
Friendships with coworkers
•
Helping others
•
Independence
•
Leadership
•
Learning new things
•
Loyalty
•
Prestige
•
Recognition from others
•
Security
•
Variety
•
Working with others
Using this list, create a set of your three most important occupational goals. For example, three primary
goals might be to (1) be challenged to reach my potential, (2) work with others in a cooperative
environment, and (3) make a lasting contribution to society. However, don’t be influenced by these
examples—choose goals that are your own.
My Primary Career Goals Are to:
1.
2.
3.
Stating your career goals up front, even before you consider the range of jobs that you have to choose
from, is important. Identifying your goals helps you know what it is that you want out of work. Future
employers are more interested in what you bring to your job, rather than how well a job fulfills your
important goals. It’s crucial that you consider what has significance to you before making career
decisions. If a career opportunity doesn’t fulfill your major goals, it will not be a good choice for you.
To Try It online, go to www.mhhe.com/power.
Be sure to keep notes about what you find. Your notes don’t have to be elaborately written or suitable
for handing in to an instructor. Just keep them simple, legible, and organized, and make sure that they
include the source of the information you’re describing.
Books and Websites
A good first step in obtaining career information is the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook
Handbook (OOH). The OOH, published every two years, categorizes occupations into 11 broad
groupings. It provides information on kinds of work, working conditions, job outlook, earnings,
education and training requirements, and expected job prospects.
You can also visit the Department of Labor website at www.bls.gov/oco/, which provides a wealth of
additional information. Among the most interesting features of the website is a compilation of the most
up-to-date information on the hottest professions, in terms of projected future growth. (This
information, summarized in Table 6.1 on page 136, must be used with care: The mere fact that a job is
expanding rapidly doesn’t necessarily mean that there are huge numbers of openings. A quickly growing
profession may have only a few openings, and even with rapid growth, the absolute number of jobs may
still be relatively small in coming years.)
From the perspective of …
A STUDENT Part of your growth as a student involves an honest assessment of career possibilities. What
careers appeal to you most?
You are likely to find the OOH, and a wealth of other information, either in the career center of your
college or in its library. In addition, almost every public library has a reference section on careers, and
state employment centers often have extensive materials to help identify careers.
In addition to books, you may find CD-ROMs, pamphlets, and other helpful material at career centers,
libraries, and employment centers. These resources also may offer on-site computers with software that
can help you gather job-related information. For example, the Discover Career Guidance and
Information System and SIGI PLUS (System of Interactive Guidance and Information) are widely used
computer programs that have proven helpful to those engaged in career searches.
Home health-care aides, forensic science technicians, and dental hygienists are all career areas on the
rise. Have you considered any of the careers on this list?
table 6.1 Occupations with the Fastest Growth, Projected 2010–2020
Personal Interviews
To get an up-close-and-personal look at a profession, another strategy is to talk with people who are
already in it. People love to talk about their jobs, whether they love them or hate them, so don’t be
afraid to ask for a meeting or information session regarding their profession. You don’t need a lot of
their time—just enough to get an inside view of what it’s like to work in their profession. Some
questions you might want to ask:
•
What’s your typical day like?
•
How did you find your job?
•
What are the best and worst aspects of being in your profession?
•
What do you look for in someone who wants to enter your field?
Keep in mind, of course, that the answers you get will be the opinions of one individual, reflecting his or
her unique, personal experience. That’s why it is a good idea to talk to several practitioners of a
particular occupation, and to consider what they say in the context of other research that you have
conducted.
Be sure to write a thank-you note following an interview. Not only is it a common courtesy, but it also
serves the additional purpose of reinforcing who you are and your interest in their profession. You never
know: One day, they might have a job opening, and you might want to ask them for a job!
Creating a Career Portfolio
Career portfolio
A dynamic record that documents your skills, capabilities, achievements, and goals, as well as provides a
place to keep notes, ideas, and research findings related to careers.
The research you’ve done on career options forms the foundation for creating a career development
portfolio. A career portfolio is a dynamic record that documents your skills, capabilities, achievements,
and goals; it also provides a place to keep notes, ideas, and research findings related to careers. Such a
portfolio will provide an easy-to-access history of your job-related activities, and it will include material
that will be helpful for you and, later, for potential employers. You’ll want to keep and update your
career portfolio for as long as you are pursuing a career.
Your career portfolio will consist of two main parts. The first part, background information, will hold
information to help you keep track of your accomplishments and notes on your research; the second
part, which includes your résumé and cover letter, will be material that you share with potential
employers.
Your career portfolio can be in the form of a traditional, hard-copy version, or you can create an eportfolio online. Some colleges provide online templates or “wizards” that guide you through the
process of creating a career portfolio. E-portfolios have the advantage of being easily modified, and—
because they reside on the web—they are accessible anywhere you have access to the web.
Career Portfolio Part I: Background Information
The information in this section of your portfolio is meant to help you make career-related decisions and
record your thinking about your career. This part is for your eyes only. Although you will draw on the
material for the “public” part of your portfolio that potential employers will see, think of it as your own,
private repository of information.
•
Basic personal data. Keep a record of data and identification numbers that you think you’ll
never forget—but, even with the best intentions, you probably will not remember at the least
opportune moment. For example, include your social security number, addresses (home and
college), college ID number, and telephone numbers. If you’re a renter, keep a record of your
landlord’s name and address; you might need a credit reference one day.
Course
Connections
Instructors as Career Guides
Each of your instructors has a job—that of a college instructor. But despite the similarity in their job
titles, each got that job in a different way, using different tactics and strategies. Each followed his or her
own particular career path and has a distinct educational background. Furthermore, your instructors
may have had a variety of positions, and possibly a number of previous careers, prior to becoming a
college instructor.
You can learn a great deal about career opportunities and the process of getting a job by talking to your
course instructors about their own careers. Set up an appointment with each of your course instructors
and ask questions such as these:
•
What is your educational and professional background?
•
How did you get your current job?
•
What students have you had that have been particularly successful careerwise? What qualities
did they have that set them apart from other students of yours?
•
What general advice do you have for someone looking for a job?
•
Knowing me from your course, what skills would you encourage me to work on and develop in
order to increase my chances of successfully getting a job?
You can gain valuable insights into navigating a career from your course instructors. Furthermore,
talking with your course instructors can help you get to know them better, and it may eventually pave
the way for your course instructors to provide letters of recommendation. Instructors also sometimes
get leads on jobs, and if they know your career goals, they may pass the leads on to you. Finally, if you
build a relationship with your instructor, it may help you do better academically in your course—no
small benefit!
•
Career research notes. Whether you have notes collected from books, web-based research, or
interviews with people in a particular occupation, they belong in your career portfolio. They will
provide a record of your career-related activities.
•
Syllabus and outline from courses you have taken. Include a copy of the syllabus and course
outline of every course you take, along with the grade you received in the course. The
information contained in a course syllabus and outline will serve to jog your memory about the
material the course covered. Without these materials, you’re at the mercy of your memory
when you’re trying to recall the content of a course you may have taken several years earlier
and that has direct relevance to your career.
For further documentation relating to your courses, you could include a copy of the course description
from the college catalog and, if the class had a list of competencies that students were to attain, a copy
of these as well.
•
Transcripts. Include the most recent version of your transcript, listing the courses that you took,
credits earned, and grades you received in your classes.
•
Your personal history. If someone were to write your biography, what are the key events that
you’d want him or her to know about?
The events that would be included in your biography can form the core of a list that you should make of
every significant experience you’ve had. Although the list should include every employment-related
experience you’ve had, even part-time jobs or summer jobs when you were in high school, don’t limit
yourself only to job experiences. Also include other accomplishments, such as the military service or
community service you perform. Personal events that have had a major impact on who you are should
also earn a place in your personal history, such as notable athletic achievements. Use Try It 2 on page
140 to help make this list, which you’ll use later to create a résumé.
•
Long-term career goals. Your career portfolio should have the statement of your long-term
career goals that you developed in Try It 1.
•
Writing samples. Add examples of your best writing. These can be papers that you’ve handed in
for classes or other writing you have done on your own or on the job. The idea is to have a
sample of your writing easily available should a potential employer ask for one.
•
Credentials. Include copies of any credentials you have earned. For example, place in the
portfolio a copy of diplomas you have earned, certificates of workshop or training participation
you have received, proof of noncredit continuing education courses you have taken, and the
like. You never know when an employer might want to see documentation of your
accomplishments.
Career Portfolio Part II: Résumé and Cover Letter
This section of your career portfolio encompasses information that you will share with potential
employers. Whereas the material in the first part of your portfolio provides the background for your
career planning, this is the public face of your portfolio.
Think of the components of the first part as the equivalent of the backstage of a play, with a director
and crew working behind the scenes to pull things together. In contrast, this second part of the portfolio
is the play the audience sees, the part that should proceed flawlessly. You want the critics to offer
nothing less than raves for your production.
The two primary elements that belong in the second part of your career portfolio are your résumé and
your cover letter.
Résumé
A résumé (pronounced res-oo-may) is a brief summary of your qualifications for a job. It is the first thing
that potential employers see and should serve to arouse their interest. Actually, a human may not even
initially see it: An increasing number of employers use computers to screen résumés. The computers
look for key skills, and if they are lacking, they send an automatic rejection.
Consequently, the résumé must be crafted with great precision and care. If you’ve created a personal
history statement earlier for Part I of your career portfolio, use it to get started.
The key elements of a résumé include the following and are illustrated in a sample résumé in Figure 6.1
on page 141.
•
Contact information. Include your name, address (current and permanent if they’re different),
phone number(s), and e-mail address. Don’t include your sex, age, race, or marital status. Not
only are they irrelevant, but employers who take them into consideration are breaking
antidiscrimination laws.
•
Job objective. If you are targeting a specific job, include a specific objective (such as “to obtain a
position as a buyer for a major retail department store”).
Cataloging Your Personal History
WORKING IN A GROUP
Compare your responses to those of other students in the group. What are the unique capabilities that
you have, the things that set you a …
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