Success After High School: Whose Job Is It?

Many students don’t go right to college and also don’t have vocational training. Once graduated, they’re “off the radar screen”.

According to a December 2009 study by The Public Agenda, post-secondary students have complex issues that undercut their ability to completion their education and training:

• Among students in four-year schools, 45 percent work more than 20 hours a week.

• Among those attending community colleges, 6 in 10 work more than 20 hours a week, and
more than a quarter work more than 35 hours a week.

• Twenty-three percent of college students have dependent children.

They are desperate for enhanced guidance and we are desperate to give it to them. In an article for the National Career Development Association, Dr. Janet Wall points out that the US ranks 20 of out 28 in high school graduation rates and 12th in college graduation, the likely long-range impact to our economy is frightening.

It’s not academics that hold these folks back; according to research, it’s stress, problems with work/life/school balance and costs. They don’t lack potential; They lack support.

And the problem starts early: It’s no secret that high school counselors are overworked; particularly in public schools. In private schools, they often focus on admission into prestigious colleges. Few have the resources to intervene with the average student, who may not know how to advocate for him or herself; who doesn’t know the job and college/training options that are out there. They can’t even ask the right questions to get actionable information.

How criminal that they often must struggle only to fail and leave training with a greater, not lesser, burden: student loans

But they can tell us what they need: They need college and training to be more convenient and more affordable. A great majority say part-time financial aid and flexible course scheduling would be key to their success.

Many of us can help: Rather than dropping this societal issue in the laps of high school counselors, the whole school staff should be focused on it. Employers, community, politicians, parents, foundations, nonprofits share the vision and can share programming resources.

Contact us for college and career planning.

You Control the The "You" Factors in Career Planning

Don’t know what you want to be when you grow up?

If you’ve already graduated from high school, you may not know yourself well enough to give a career counselor all the information he or she needs to help you.

He or she will probably suggest one or more of the most reliable career assessments: perhaps the Strong or Campbell Interest Inventories. They’re quick, a good investment and the results statistically represent your age group results. Or, a career counselor could use a values assessment, to determine what’s important to you and where you could find those qualities in a job.

These assessments work on the premise that you will be successful at things you like, and believe in. That’s very true, but how do you know what you COULD be good at, and interested in, if you never get exposed to new ideas and get a chance to try them out? For young adults, in particular, assessment results are limited to what they’ve been exposed to up until now.

The most sophisticated tests used to guide career planning are available through a psychologist or someone trained in tests of personality, ability (like the DAT for PCA) and intelligence. Still, the results here are somewhat fixed, and speak only to the potential for you to fit a career. They’re more apt to help an employer make decisions, not you.

Even if you could get interested in a new skill, there is a ticket to admission into this career path: Your skills may have to be developed. Should you go to college, or to a career center? Or somewhere else?

Discouraged? Please don’t be!

Yes, these decisions are expensive, both in time and money. And, like any service, even a medical doctor, your career counselor needs your direction and thoughtful responses to their questions. No one can give you all the answers.

The thing to remember is that you are in charge of this process; not the professionals. And it’s a lifelong process. That’s why so many college students change majors; many more than once. And so many college students are undecided about a major. Many college graduates never pursue the job that they went to college for. Any many adults change careers.

As you move through your work life, you will make better decisions when you understand all the factors that uniquely drives your satisfaction in a job: interests, abilities, personality, and values. You’ll be more motivated and confident about the investment you might need to make in training or education. Our Career Explor-a-tion workshop might just be a good place to start! Write to info@whatsyourmajor.net

Five “Simple” Steps to Find High-Demand Jobs and High-Demand Majors

When deciding among over 20,000 job titles and over 3000 colleges, it’s important to best your best advocate. No one can tell you what’s right for you. The following steps sound easy, but will require you to do some reading and thinking about your own interests, values and skills before making final decisions. And you’ll probably have to back-track through these steps several times before you have information that feels actionable to you.

You’ll also have to carefully consider what you’re willing to do to attain these jobs. And realize that “everything depends”:

- on what you’re willing to do to get the job (including taking steps to increase and broaden some of your natural skills), and

- on the specific opportunities available from the specific employers in your area, and their hiring criteria.

Once you’re armed with the facts and a plan, you’ll be more motivated and confident, with the greatest chance of meeting your goals.

1. Research the high-demand jobs and high-demand majors can be researched for each state at http://www.bls.gov/oco/oco20024.htm

The Department of Labor currently publishes projections for growth, number of openings, and salary levels through 2016.

2. Once you know the projections for your state, you can read about the job requirements in the Occupational Outlook Handbook by plugging in the SOC code.

3. Learn about job requirements, including education by reading the job description.

4. If you’re college-bound, use a search engine like College Board’s Matchmarker to plug in the type of degree you need to get the job. If you register at this site, you can also create and save a list of potential colleges, using your criteria for cost, location, and many more factors.

If you’re not college-bound, or want to make a career change without returning to college, look into training programs at your local community or career colleges, or certifications available through professional associations.

5. Talk to faculty, not just the admissions folks, at the colleges or programs that you’re considering. Share your research and questions with your prospective instructors and get their reaction. The really “connected” faculty will be approachable and knowledgeable about where recent students are working today.

Remember, most hiring decisions are based on “soft skills,” so you must polish up your communication and team work skills. Nearly everyone thinks that they have these skills, but you must be able to show specific examples of your work style during interviews.

Write to us at info@whatsyourmajor.net for advice and workshops for college planning and success!

www.whatsyourmajor.net

Jill Bernaciak Linked In Profile

Linking Majors and Careers was Never Easier! (Still, You Have to Do Some Legwork)

It’s never too soon for students to explore careers; and conversely, it’s never too late for an adult. You can learn about the types of high school and college coursework needed, and -- whether or not you go to college -- the types of jobs that you can prepare for, in each cluster. At the States Career Clusters Initiative, there are 16 Career Cluster Plans of Study; and 81 Pathway Plans of Study across them.

According to the site, “A Plan of Study can serve as a guide, along with other career planning materials, as learners continue on a career path.” Course recommendations should be individualized to meet each learner’s educational and career goals and each school’s entrance and graduation requirements.

Knowledge and Skills Charts are available at the links provided for each Cluster and under the "Resources" tab on the site. Secondary and post-secondary coursework is detailed “across the disciplines” of math, science, social studies and English/Language Arts. Other required courses, electives and learner activities are also provided.

Since many professional jobs these days don’t require a college degree, coursework in both career and technical programs and degree major courses are provided for each cluster. A sample listing of job titles gives you an idea of the types of jobs that can result from following these study programs. For example, in the Marketing, Sales and Service cluster, common job titles include:

►Copywriter/Designer
►E-Commerce Director
►Entrepreneur
►Field Marketing Representative
►Forecasting Manager
►Interactive Media Specialist
►Inventory Manager/Analyst
►Logistics Manager
►Merchandise Buyer
►On-line Market Researcher
►Public Relations Manager
►Promotions Manager
►Retail Marketing Coordinator
►Sales Executive
►Shipping/Receiving Clerk
►Telemarketer
►Trade Show Manager
►Warehouse Manager
►Webmaster

Armed with this information, you can jump over to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook to learn about salaries, what the jobs are like, and the growth projections in your region. Contact me at jill@whatsyourmajor.net for help with streamlining this process.