Heather Owings
SLM 521
Fall 2003
WebQuest

 

The Future Is So Bright
A Career Exploration WebQuest

 

Introduction:
What is your favorite color?
What type of music do you like to listen to?
Neither of these questions will directly help you choose a career, but the answers to both are important because they reveal aspects of your personality. Your personality is comprised of a multitude of unique traits and interests that make you you.

It is important to know what you like or don't like, or what personality "type" you are, in order to choose a career. The difference between people who are happy with their jobs and people who are unhappy with their jobs is usually based on whether their personality and the requirements of the job are in sync. For example, someone who loves the outdoors (a personality trait) will never be happy trapped in a cubicle or office (a requirement of some jobs).

No one chooses a career out of thin air. Most people first evaluate their interests, skills, and dreams; then they take that knowledge and match it against the skills and demands of a career they might be interested in. And if the two do not match up, that career is probably not a good choice for that person.

This webquest is designed to help you explore your personality in order for you to focus in on a possible career goal.

The Task:
First, you will need to learn about yourself, your interests, your strengths and weaknesses, and possible career paths. You will visit at least two web sites that help you define your interests and turn them into possible job skills.

After analyzing your results, you will then move on to the career web sites and investigate at least three careers! As you explore, answer these questions:
(1) Is this something I would be be good at doing? Why or why not?
(2) What training is needed to do this particular job?
(3) Do you know anyone who does this job? Do they like it?
(4) What computer skills or advanced technology will you need?
(5) Imagine yourself in this work environment, what types of clothes are you wearing? A business suit? A chef's hat? Jeans?
You and a partner will create three simple career brochures with this information. Everyone will get an opportunity to view each other's brochures, helping you to narrow your career choices down to one.

Once you have your career choice, you will explore it in-depth. Here are some additional questions you should be asking yourself:
(1) Are their classes available in high school to prepare for this career? What are they?
(2) What colleges or universities offer degrees in this field?
(3) What does the future look like for this job? Is it in demand?
(4) What types of companies need this work?
(5) Would you need to relocate to a specific city or region?
(6) What is the starting salary? What is the average salary?
When you know enough to be the next expert-in-the-field, you will create a resume that showcases your skills, education, and talents.

Process:
(1) You will first visit the What Color Is Your Parachute? web site and read the "Seven Rules About Taking Career Tests" guidelines.

(2) Visit at least two personality/career test web sites. As you explore your strengths, weaknesses, and talents, think about how these traits could possibly translate into job skills. Keep track of what you discover in the chart below. (You might want to check the "Evaluation" section to see how you will be graded on this!) Also cite the web site tests that you took in MLA style at the bottom of the chart.

YOUR: PERSONALITY TRAITS: HOW COULD THIS BE A JOB SKILL?
Likes

 

 

  
Dislikes

 

 

  
Strengths

 

 

  
Weaknesses

 

 

  
Natural Abilities    
Aptitudes

 

 

  
SOURCES:    


(3)When you have completed your chart, start searching for a partner who shares similar likes, dislikes, and career goals.

(4)Once you have chosen your partner, the two of you will explore at least three careers in more detail. Keep in mind the five questions from "The Task' portion above.

(5)You and your partner must agree on three career choices. Together you will create a simple brochure for each of the three chosen career paths. Your brochure should loosely follow the example below:

 

 

Inside Flap:

Brief
Description
of Job

 

 

Back:

Your Names

Front Cover:

Logo or Clip Art and Job Title

 

  

Inside:

Job Skills and
Training Needed

 

 

 

Inside:

Personality Traits (that you have that work well with this career)

 

Inside:

Description or Drawing of the Uniform (or type of clothes worn for this job)

(6)As you finish each brochure, turn it in on the table at the front of the room.

(7)When you and your partner are finished and have turned in all three brochures, go to the front table and look at all the other brochures that have been turned in. Examine them carefully and find the one career that appeals to you the most. Why is it your favorite? Would you be good at it? Is it one that you and your partner explored? Or is it totally new?

(8)Once you have chosen your career goal, say good-bye to your partner and return to your computer by yourself. Using the six questions from "The Task" section delve deeper into your specific career.

(9)If you know everything there is to know about your career path, it is time to build your resume. The guidelines on the "Creating a Resume" web site should help you make a impressive resume. It should include, but not be limited to, your job skills, your education and your talents. Use your imagination and what you know about your future career to fill in the sections like education and previous work experience.

(10)Review your resume. Make sure there are no spelling errors and that it looks professional.

 

Resources:
What Color Is Your Parachute?
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com

Explore your personality at these web sites:
My Future: Work Interest Quiz
http://www.myfuture.com

Personality Test
http://users.rcn.com/zang.interport/personality.html

Career Interest Game
http://career.missouri.edu/holland

Planning Your Future
http://career.berkeley.edu/Plan/Plan.stm

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Career Information for Kids http://www.bls.gov/k12/html/edu_over.htm

Explore your career possibilities here:
JobWeb Career Library
http://www.jobweb.com/resources/default.htm

Career Services
http://www.umanitoba.ca/counselling/carserv.html

Occupational Outlook Handbook
http:www.bls.gov/oco/

And look for possible job opportunities:
Monster.com
http://www.monster.com/

Flipdog
http://www.flipdog.com/index.html

Web Resources:
MLA Citation http://www.oslis.k12.or.us/secondary/howto/cited/index.html

Create a Brochure with MS Word (PDF)
http://www.edzone.net/%7Emwestern/tutorials/makeabrochure.pdf

Creating a Resume
http://www.sru.edu/pages/1536.asp

Evaluation:
The following Rubric will be applied to all projects, including your personality chart, the three career path brochures, and your resume:

 
1
2
3

 

Content:
Clear, well-organized, and easy to understand

 

 Short non-descriptive responses that are unfocused and/or difficult to follow. Gives very little information and no unique facts.

 

Brief responses that are somewhat descriptive and mostly understandable. Some unique facts.

 

 Comprehensive responses that includes a great deal of description. Contains unique facts. Engaging and easy to read.

 

Application:
Extracting and applying relevant information

 

 

 

Incomplete answers that shows little or no logical connections between information given. Little if any creative thought applied to future plans.

 

 Bare minimum of information given that shows somewhat logical connections made. Creative thought shown but no elaboration on future details. Well-crafted answers that make logical connections made between information. Imaginative details create vivid future career goals.

 

Grammar, Spelling and Citations

 

 Poorly spaced and incomplete. No sources listed. Frequent misspelling and grammatical errors.

 

Sources listed but not MLA format or all crammed together. A few misspelling and grammatical errors.

 

 Well spaced and clean looking. MLA citation used. No spelling or grammatical errors.


Conclusion:
You have spent considerable time defining who you are and imaging what your future holds. Remember that the career you chose today is not your only option. There are other careers out there just waiting to be explored. However if you are really excited about your career path from today, talk with your parents about it, visit a library to find more resources about it, and tell your school counselor. Your parents can offer suggestions for work in that field, other resources will help you understand better what the job entails, and your counselor can suggest classes that might help or volunteer opportunities in for your career field.