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, Assess Your Talents and Abilities
a senior human resources generalist with First, you need to figure out some things about
IKON Office Solutions in Houston, “the only yourself. This step can be as simple as writing down
job that I even knew about was receptionist work. I a list of your interests (like video games or rock
didn’t aspire to be a manager or entrepreneur because climbing), your hopes and dreams (like helping
I really didn’t know about those disciplines. I was just others), your talents (like writing or math ability),
looking forward to graduating. That was it. I really and your weaknesses (if you’re squeamish at the
didn’t know what it was I wanted to do.” sight of blood, for example, you might not want to
Sound familiar? You, too, may not have a clue about be a doctor).
what to do with your life. Follow up on this informal exercise by taking some
Don’t worry, though. Help is right here in your formal assessments to determine your interests and
hands. This issue of AchieveTexas in Action is your abilities. Common assessments include the Kuder
guide to education and career choices that can (www.kuder.com), Bridges (www.bridges.org), Career
shape your future. It’s one of 16 career cluster guides Cruising (www.careercruising.com), COIN (www.
published by AchieveTexas, Texas’s college and career coinedu.com), and Myers-Briggs (www.myersbriggs.
initiative (www.AchieveTexas.org). This edition is all com) tests. Terry Brock, director of the Texas
about Hospitality & Tourism. Counselors’ Network, a group that helps counselors
Let’s start with some basic steps you should take statewide advise their students on career planning,
to get organized, plan for the future, and start on the says, “These tools give most of our students some
road to success. career exploration awareness by the time they enter
eighth or ninth grade.”
Ask your principal or counselor about the career
assessments available at your school.
Research Your Career Options
Once you’ve learned about yourself, learn 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,
TeXas HosTed
203 mIllIon Travelers
In 2005—more THan In anY
prevIous Year.
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