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 helping others), your talents (like writing or math
Kovach, a senior human resources ability), and your weaknesses (if you’re squeamish
generalist with IKON Office Solutions in at the sight of blood, for example, you might not
Houston, “the only job that I even knew about was want to be a doctor).
receptionist work. I didn’t aspire to be a manager Follow up on this informal exercise by taking
or entrepreneur because I really didn’t know about some formal assessments to determine your
those disciplines. I was just looking forward to interests and abilities. Common assessments
graduating. That was it. I really didn’t know what it include the Kuder (www.kuder.com), Bridges (www.
was I wanted to do.” bridges.com), Career Cruising (www.careercruising.
Sound familiar? You, too, may not have a clue com), COIN (www.coinedu.com), and Myers-Briggs
about what to do with your life. (www.myersbriggs.org) tests. Terry Brock, director
Don’t worry, though. Help is right here in of the Texas Counselors’ Network, a group that
your hands. This issue of AchieveTexas in Action helps counselors statewide advise their students on
is your guide to education and career choices career planning, says, “These tools give most of our
that can shape your future. It’s one of 16 career students some career exploration awareness by the
cluster guides published by AchieveTexas, time they enter eighth or ninth grade.”
Texas’s college and career initiative (www. Ask your principal or counselor about the career
AchieveTexas.org). This edition is all assessments available at your school.
about Information Technology.
Let’s start with some basic steps you Research Your Career Options
should take to get organized, plan for the Once you’ve learned about yourself, learn more
future, and start on the road to success. about your career options. There are thousands of
occupations out there of which you may never have
Assess Your Talents and Abilities heard, and others that do not yet exist because the
First, you need to figure out some things about technologies have not been developed. Fortunately,
yourself. This step can be as simple as writing there are plenty of resources (see inside back cover)
down a list of your interests (like video games for you, and they are as close as the
or rock climbing), your hopes and dreams (like nearest computer.
global posITIonIng sYsTem (gps) navIgaTors,
cell pHones, and Tv saTellITe dIsHes
are jusT a few of THe
consumer producTs developed
from TecHnologIes creaTed aT
nasa’s joHnson space cenTer In HousTon.
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