Career Planning 10 Lesson 2.1.2: Identifying Your Interests

Goals

Warm Up Activity:

Lesson 2.1.2

Identifying Your Interests

Classroom Expectations

• Be kind
• Ask questions
• Raise your hand to unmute
• Have fun!

03:00

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Identifying Your Interests

Your interests are things you enjoy doing or learning about. Your interests may be similar to some of the hobbies you explored in the previous lesson. While interests and hobbies often overlap, there are some key differences which are explained in the table below.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Identifying Your Interests

Check out the image below. Click on the Tool Tips to explain more about careers which align to your interests.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

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lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Interest Assessment

When you pursue a job that you are passionate about, it can lead to job satisfaction and fulfillment. Many people find that when they align their interests with their careers, it is much more enjoyable. You may already know some of your interests, but at times, connecting them to a career can be difficult. Today, you will take a self-assessment that will help connect interests to a future career.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Interest Assessment

You will take an interest assessment to discover which careers match your interests. The Interest Assessment from CareerOneStop will include 30 short questions regarding how much interest you have in different activities. Those answers create your Interest Profile. Then, you will see a list of careers that are a good match for your unique Interest Profile.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Rating Scale

Each question lists an activity that some people might do in their jobs. For each question, you will rate your interest in completing the activity from strongly dislike to strongly like. Look at the image below for an example of what the scale will look like.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Rating Scale

A couple of important things to note:

• If you select all "Strongly Dislike" or "Strongly Like," then the system will not be able to match you with any careers.
• There are no right or wrong answers, only honest ones. Think about if you would like that kind of work over if you would be good at it, have enough education, or make enough money.
• If you have never completed one of the activities, imagine yourself doing it and consider if you would like it. Answer to the best of your ability.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Rating Scale

Once you are finished rating the 30 activities you will be given a list of careers that may be right for you. The careers are sorted by how close of a match they are for you. You can see if the match is:

• Best (a very close fit for your interests)
• Great (a good fit for most of your interests)
• Good (fits some of your likes or dislikes, but not as closely as Best and Great)

If you would like to, you can filter your results on the left to show only "Best."

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Education Level

In Interest Assessment, the biggest difference is the filters on the left side of the results page. They are based on the five job zones from the O*NET Interest Profiler which you may have previously taken in Career Planning 9. You can see the new filter options in the image above. some high school

• little or no preparation needed
• some preparation needed
• medium preparation needed
• high preparation needed
• extensive preparation needed

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lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

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lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Wages

Other items that might impact the career you choose from the list might be the column labeled hourly wages. This data comes from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The hourly wage listed on this chart represents the median hourly wage for this field. The median wage means half of the workers make less than that number, and half of the workers earn more than that number.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Wages

Making an hourly wage that supports your lifestyle and allows for long-term financial security is important.

• Your hourly wage influences what type of leisure activities you will be able to do.
• Your hourly wage influences what type of home you will be able to buy or rent.
• Your hourly wage influences what type of transportation you may use or if you will buy or lease a car.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Outlook

Recall that the outlook is an indicator as to whether or not the career listed is expected to be in demand. There are three categories:

1. A bright outlook means that new job opportunities are very likely in the future.
2. An average outlook means that a small number of job opportunities will be available in the future.
3. A below-average outlook means that new job opportunities are less likely in the future.

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Take the Assessment

Press the link below to get started, and follow the directions to complete the CareerOneStop Interest Assessment. Do not exit out of the Interest Assessment when you are finished. Instead, return to your lesson and use your results to respond to the question that follows. It is important to note that if you see the careers at the end and they do not seem like a good fit for you, it is possible to change your ratings. A button in the upper left-hand area states, "Change answers." It will show all of your responses, and you can adjust accordingly.

05:00

lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Results

Once you have a list of careers that align with your interests, you can begin recording your responses. On the left-hand side of the results page, you will see a table with your interests separated into six categories:

• realistic
• investigative
• artistic
• social
• enterprising
• conventional

These categories are the Holland Code. Rarely will one person fit into just one type, so Holland's Code allows for 720 different combinations of patterns. Holland's theory is that different personality types work best in different settings.

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lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Results

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lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Results

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lesson 2.1.2: identifying your interests

Results

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Review Time!

Next Time: Assignment: Career Preparation

Investigative individuals are often analytical and enjoy problem-solving. They may have interests in scientific or mathematical fields, and their abilities may include critical thinking, research, and data analysis. Career examples include:

• computer science
• librarian
• healthcare

Realistic individuals are often practical and enjoy working with their hands. They may have interests in mechanical or technical fields, and their abilities may include physical coordination, problem-solving, and attention to detail.Career examples include:

• engineering
• construction
• farming

This education filter option requires extensive skills, knowledge, and experience. Many require more than five years of experience. Most of these careers need a graduate school education. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). These careers often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organization skills are required. Examples include:

• astronomers
• physician assistants
• veterinarians

Artistic individuals are often creative and enjoy expressing themselves through art or design. They may have interests in fields such as fashion, graphic design, or photography, and their abilities may include imagination, visual perception, and creativity. Career examples include:

• chef
• interior designer
• actor

This education filter option requires little or no previous work-related skills, knowledge, or experience. Some of these careers may need a high school diploma or GED. These careers involve following instructions and helping others. Examples include:

• food preparation workers
• floor sanders and finishers
• baristas

This education filter option requires long-term work-related skills, knowledge, or experience. Most careers need a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. Many of these careers involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include:

• real estate brokers
• sales managers
• graphic designers

This education filter option requires some previous work-related skills, knowledge, or experience. These careers usually need a high school diploma. These careers often involve using your knowledge and skills to help others. Examples include:

• customer service representatives
• security guards
• upholsterer

Conventional individuals are often detail-oriented and enjoy working with numbers and data. They may have interests in fields such as finance, accounting, or administrative work, and their abilities may include attention to detail, organization, and accuracy. Career examples include:

• accountant
• cashier
• informational technology specialist

Enterprising individuals are often ambitious and enjoy taking risks. They may have interests in fields such as business, entrepreneurship, or sales, and their abilities may include leadership, persuasion, and networking. Career examples include:

• customer service representative
• lawyer
• entrepreneur

This education filter option requires previous work-related skills, knowledge, or experience. These careers need vocational school training, on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. These careers usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include:

• electricians
• barber
• court reporter

Social individuals are often outgoing and enjoy helping others. They may have interests in fields such as education, counseling, or healthcare, and their abilities may include communication, empathy, and interpersonal skills. Career examples include:

• doctors
• teaching
• social worker