PLAnning YOur CArEEr
the first step toward success is making smart
decisions about your education and career options.
Plan for
Success
W
hen I was in high school,” says Sheryl
Kovach, a senior human resources generalist
with IKON Office Solutions in Houston,
“the only job that I even knew about was receptionist
work. I didn’t aspire to be a manager or entrepreneur
because I really didn’t know about those disciplines. I
was just looking forward to graduating. That was it. I
really didn’t know what it was I wanted to do.”
Sound familiar? You, too, may not have a clue
about what to do with your life.
Don’t worry, though. Help is right here in your
hands. This issue of AchieveTexas in Action is your
guide to education and career choices that can
shape your future. It’s one of 16 career cluster guides
published by AchieveTexas, Texas’s college and career
initiative (www.AchieveTexas.org). This edition is all
about Finance.
Let’s start with some basic steps you should take
to get organized, plan for the future, and start on the
road to success.
Assess Your Talents and Abilities
First, you need to figure out some things about yourself.
This step can be as simple as writing down a list of your
interests (like video games or rock climbing), your
hopes and dreams (like helping others), your talents
(like writing or math ability), and your weaknesses (if
you’re squeamish at the sight of blood, for example, you
THere are
might not want to be a doctor).
602 federallY Insured
Follow up on this informal exercise by taking
some formal assessments to determine your interests
commercIal banks In Texas.
and abilities. Common assessments include the
Kuder (www.kuder.com), Bridges (www.bridges.
com), Career Cruising (www.careercruising.com),
COIN (www.coinedu.com), and Myers-Briggs
(www.myersbriggs.org) tests. Terry Brock, director
Page 2
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24