Questions:
Find the Occupational Outlook Handbook online from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Pick twodifferent careers you are interested in. If your career choice is not listed, choose the next closest career you can find. Learn about the career (you may also use other sources-cite them!) and answer the following questions for both career choices. O*Net https://www.onetonline.org/ is another source.
1. What career did you decide to research? Why did you pick this career? What is your opportunity cost of pursuing this career?
2. What type of personal traits work best for people in this career? Do you have these traits or can you develop them?
3. What type of education, training, and/or experience is needed for this career? What steps have you already taken towards these? What are the next steps you should take? How will you go about taking financing and taking the next steps?
4. What is the expected starting salary for this career? What are the expected mid-career earnings?
5. What type of working conditions and lifestyle can you expect in this career? Do you think this is a good match for you? If so, why? If not, why not?
6. Does your research suggest that demand for people in this career is increasing, decreasing, or expected to stay the same in the future? Is the supply of workers in this career increasing, decreasing, or relatively constant? Given these demand and supply conditions, do you think it will it be easy or difficult to find a job when you are ready to start this career?
7. What are some changes (e.g., technological, economic, political, etc.) you expect to affect the industry of your career choice over the next 5-10 years? How might these change the supply and demand conditions from your previous response?
8. Imagine yourself 10-15 years down the line unable to breakthrough and succeed in this career. What went wrong? What are the reasons and barriers for the lack of success?
9. Now, imagine yourself in 10-15 years being successful in this career. What went right? What factors played a key role in your success?
10. Use marginal analysis to determine whether you think it would be wise to pursue this career. What are the marginal costs and marginal benefits?
11. Given what you learned, are you still interested in this career? If so, why? If not, why not?
12. Do you think it would be a good decision for Joseph (or pick anyone you know -I use myself as a placeholder) to switch careers into your chosen career choice? Why or why not?