Career Exploration Tools &
Career Preparations
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
THERE ARE SEVERAL SITES THAT WILL HELP YOU PLAN FOR YOUR FUTURE.
GET STARTED TODAY!
Try A Virtual Career Exploration Experience.
Accountant
Engineering
Fraud Specialist & IT Security Analyst
Pediatrician
Real Estate Agent
Freight Operations & Radio Frequency Engineer
Social Worker
USE THE CFNC SITE TO LEARN ABOUT YOURSELF. THEY HAVE SEVERAL TOOLS THAT WILL HELP YOU FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU SHOULD BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
HELPING YOU PLAN, APPLY AND PAY FOR COLLEGE
CLICK HERE TO START YOUR JOURNEY TO BUILD A BETTER FUTURE
Check out all the different assessments in CFNC.org that you can do to help you with understanding youself and which careers you would be good at:
UNDERSTAND YOURSELF & THE CURRENT JOB MARKET WITH THESE TOOLS:
PLAN FOR A CAREER
UNDERSTAND WHICH CAREERS ARE IN DEMAND
Check out our CTE Career Tree Slides
You may find a career that interest you. Understanding the different Career Levels can help you prepare for future careers. You could be gaining valuable work experience now to help you get your future career.
Did you know? You could be getting valuable work experience in a
CTE Internship.
NCCAREERS.ORG OFFERS TOOLS FOR YOU TO EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND YOURSELF, CAREERS AND FUTURE FINANCES
This interactive site will simplify the process of answering the following questions:
What do I want to be when I grow up?
How much money do I need to afford the lifestyle I want?
What jobs are in demand in North Carolina?
CLICK HERE TO GO TO: www.nccareers.org
Do you have the Skills for Employment?
Check out the image and see which skills you have to offer an employer. How many skills do you currently have? Can you see other skills that you may need in the future?
Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills
Hard skills are the specific qualities that you have that help you to do your job. They’re sometimes technical. They’re specific to your industry. It’s easy to tell if you have them or not because they can be measured. After you’ve acquired a hard skill, you generally have it for life. These could include:
Proficiency in excel
Fluency in Spanish
CPA certifications
Medical licenses
Forklift operation
The good news with hard skills is you aren’t born with them. Therefore, if you feel like you’re lacking hard skills, first of all, you’re probably selling yourself short! But if you’re still looking to acquire some more hard skills to make yourself more employable, you can do so!
Soft skills, on the other hand, are more central to your character and your personality. An example of a soft skill is empathy. While empathy is hard to quantify or measure, you can see it in how you act. Other soft skills include:
Self-motivated nature
Active listening
Adaptability
Team player mentality
Many people think that hard skills are more important than soft skills because they make you “more employable.” However, in almost all industries, you have to work with other people. Employers evaluate soft skills to make sure that you’re a person that they want to work with. When you’re scrolling through job postings on LinkedIn or Indeed, you’ll notice that most job postings include soft skills as well as hard skills in their requirements.
High School Resume Tips
What To Do Before Writing Your Resume
Before you even start to write your resume, there are a few steps you can take. Keep in mind that the goal of your resume is to show the employer that you are a strong candidate for the job and that you will add value to the company.
To do this successfully, you need to know what potential employers are looking for:
Start by researching job postings that interest you.
Make a list of keywords you find in the job listings, such as frequently mentioned requirements or skills. You will want to focus on these in your resume to impress the employer.
Ask experienced professionals what they consider important when they make hiring decisions.
Consider holding some informational interviews with people in your field to get a sense of what is most important for the kinds of jobs you’re looking at.
You can also read professional publications and websites related to your target industry. Immerse yourself in your chosen field and learn as much as you can. Once you know what is important to employers, you can target your resume to address those issues.
Before Your First Job Interview
Research the company. Take some time to research the company, so you are familiar with how they operate. There is a lot of company information available online. You might be asked what you know about the organization, so check out the "About Us" and "Careers" section of the company website if you're interviewing with a large employer. For smaller employers, review their website to get an idea of what the company is about. Also, check social media pages to ascertain the company's current focus.
Learn about the job. Find out as much as you can about the position you’re applying for, then ask yourself, "Why am I the best person for this role?" Do you know someone who works at the company? Ask them about the job, the interview process, and the company. The more you know about the job, the easier it will be to answer questions about why you'd be a good fit for it.
Practice interviewing. Review typical teen interview questions and answers, then ask a family member or friend to ask you some questions so you can practice your answers. You may also want to review the ten most common interview questions.
These tips will help you practice interviewing, so you'll be more comfortable with the process.
Dress appropriately. Choose simple and appropriate attire for the position you are interviewing for. If you're not sure what to wear, ask an adult family member, teacher, or guidance counselor.
Write a resume. A resume will make a good impression on the interviewer. You don't need formal work experience to write a resume. You can include informal experience, volunteering, academic achievements, and your participation in sports or clubs. Bring a copy of your resume, if you have one, to the interview, as well as a pen and paper so you can take notes.
Get directions and a ride. If you need a ride to the interview, line it up ahead of time. Make sure you know where you are going for the interview so that you do not get lost and are either on time or—even better—a few minutes early.
Use CFNC to help you get ready for the workforce.
These tools can help you get the job!
You can use their RESUME BUILDER to create a RESUME.
