PLAnning YOuR CAREER
the firSt SteP
toward success is Myers-Briggs (www.myersbriggs.org) tests.
making smart decisions
Terry Brock, director of the Texas Counselors’
Network, a group that helps counselors
about your education statewide advise their students on career
and career options.
planning, says, “These tools give most of our
students some career exploration awareness
by the time they enter eighth or ninth grade.”
Ask your principal or counselor about
career assessments available at your school.
Research Your Career Options
Once you’ve learned about yourself, learn
Succ
Pl
e
an
s
fo
s
r
more about your career options. There are
thousands of occupations out there of which
you may never have heard, and others that do
not yet exist because the technologies have not
been developed. Fortunately, there are plenty
of resources (see inside back cover) for you, and
they are as close as the nearest computer.
One of the most helpful is the Occupation
and Skill Computer-Assisted Researcher
W
hen I was in high school,” says Sheryl Let’s start with some basic steps you
(or OSCAR, for short) from the Texas
Kovach, a senior human resources should take to get organized, plan for the
Workforce Commission. It is a vast database
generalist with IKON Office future, and start on the road to success.
of information about hundreds of
Solutions in Houston, “the only job that I
professions. You can find
even knew about was receptionist work. I Assess Your Talents and Abilities
OSCAR at www.ioscar.
didn’t aspire to be a manager or entrepreneur First, you need to figure out some things
org/tx. Another good place
because I really didn’t know about those about yourself. This step can be as simple
to start is O*NET (online.
disciplines. I was just looking forward to as writing down a list of your interests (like
onetcenter.org).
graduating. That was it. I really didn’t know video games or rock climbing), your hopes
Gather information
what it was I wanted to do.” and dreams (like helping others), your
about what you can
Sound familiar? You, too, may not have a talents (like writing or math ability), and
earn in the careers
clue about what to do with your life. your weaknesses (if you’re squeamish at the
in which you are
Don’t worry, though. Help is right here sight of blood, for example, you might not
interested. Find out
in your hands. This issue of AchieveTexas want to be a doctor).
whether the careers
in Action is your guide to education and Follow up on this informal exercise
you are considering
career choices that can shape your future. by taking some formal assessments to
have a promising
It’s one of 16 career cluster guides published determine your interests and abilities.
future—are they
by AchieveTexas, Texas’s college and career Common assessments include the Kuder
adding or losing
initiative (www.AchieveTexas.org). This (www.kuder.com), Bridges (www.bridges.
jobs? Check out the
edition is all about Government & Public com), Career Cruising (www.careercruising.
education you’ll need to
Administration. com), COIN (www.coinedu.com), and
enter those careers.
The chart on pages
10–11 presents data on
Texas Has
25 possible professions.
more THan 1.4 mIllIon
Remember, though, that
these are just a sampling of
sTaTe and local governmenT emploYees,
careers available in the cluster.
abouT one for everY 17 Texans.
Go to OSCAR, O*NET,
or another resource to
investigate other careers.
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