Teachers and Counselors - Agents of Career Change

As agents of career change, you guide students as they search for meaning, purpose, and direction.

In your role, you understand students:

• You see their talents
• You know their interests, abilities, and skills
• You help students plan for the future
• You know that you need to implement colorful, technological interactive presentations to engage students in using their senses and imaginations in process of career exploration

Your mission is help the students unlock their potentials. 

Tips for Finding the Right Career Tool

Career awareness tools help your students explore who they really are. Career resources answer the question "Who am I?" Career resources point out your students' likes, dislikes, or interests.

Search for the resource that meets your students' needs. Look at the benefits. Find resources that are:

• Eye appealing
• Easy to use
• Comprehensive - Full of supplemental resources

With the right resource, students are ready and willing to:

• Explore
• Investigate
• Learn
• Ask questions
• Enjoy discovering who they are
• Gain knowledge, wisdom, and understanding

An effective career tool motivates your students to explore careers. Creative career tools build a foundation for more detailed career exploration.

Step One: Select a Career Resource

How do you choose the right career resource? Look at 3 major areas:

• Format, e.g. Printed or on-line
• Cost
• Resources – Supplemental information on interests, skills, and careers

When you look at a career test, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do your students prefer? Printed or on-line career test?
• What is your budget for the tests?
• What resources do you have? Do you have a computer lab?

Find career tests that your students are interested in and that provide valuable information about careers and your student's interests. Look at career tests that use well-known career models. Match students' interest clusters to career or job codes. Engaging resources improve attention span, concentration, memory skills, and understanding. As students grow older, continue to use career models expand their knowledge of careers and college majors. There are a variety of career tests for youth, college students, and adults.

Step Two: Explore Careers

Career tests prepare students to explore careers. Gather information about fun, informative, and attractive career exploration resources. Look for resources that offer the following career information:

• Tasks
• Wages
• Career outlook
• Interests
• Education
• Knowledge
• Skills
• Similar careers

Career exploration is a process. As Agents of career change, use resources that make your students’ journey enjoyable, educational, and effective. Plan career exploration expeditions. 

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