Employment and Career Readiness

● Career goal - statement about what a person wants to be, do or accomplish

● Cover letter - a letter of employment interest which is sent with a resume
● Goal setting - the process used to determine what an individual wants to be, do, or
accomplish
● Long term goal - takes five or more years to accomplish, and may be more difficult
because they are further away
● Resume - a document that summarizes a person’s education, qualifications, previous
employment, other achievements, and references
● Short term goal - goals that can be reached in a few months

● Our personal dreams give us hope and may provide the incentive to stay in school or
work harder to improve our grades
● Whatever our dreams, we can only accomplish them if we have a plan to do it. Goal
setting is needed to accomplish what you need and want to do.
● Short term goals are more immediate. They can be reached in a few months.
○ Examples may be making an “A” in your math class, getting the lead role in the
class play, or helping Dad clean out the garage.
● Medium term goals take a little longer, generally about one to three years.
○ They may include buying a car or graduating from high school
● Long term goals take five years or more to accomplish, and may be more difficult
because they are further away.
○ That may be graduating from college, owning a home, being a grandparent, or
running a marathon.
● When setting goals, it is recommended that you start with at least one long term goal.

● Higher education is usually the first step towards choosing a professional career
● Some educational qualifications are required to gain employment.
○ For example, a Bachelor’s of Science or Bachelor’s of Art degree is required
before a candidate can be accepted into law or medical school
● Professional qualifications are required for some jobs
○ Ex. To become a Physician's Assistant you would need to complete a two-year
master’s physician’s assistant program
● Pursuing higher education can be quite costly, but can also provide important training
and education for future careers.
● Try doing some outside research on different college tuitions, as well as salaries of both
college graduates and non-graduates.
● Then try answering for yourself: is the cost of college worth it?

Career Development in Vocational Careers

 ● The length of training varies for vocational careers: some may only last a few days,
some may take months, and some will take several years to complete.
● It is possible to complete some qualifications part-time, but this would normally take
longer than working on it full-time.
● Some educational training may also include practical experience.
○ For example, a plumber would require some practical units to be completed in
the workplace. This is on the job training.
● Vocational careers include: mechanic, automotive repair, computer networking,
electrician, cosmetologist, dental hygienist, and more.

Career Development
● Once you have decided which career area, or industry, you want to work in, you need to
plan what training, skills, and experience needed
● You need to consider:
○ how to get into your chosen career
○ how to achieve success in your career once you have found a job
● This is achieved through training and development, which can take place both through
education or in the workplace

Resume
● A resume is a document that summarizes a person’s personal details, education,
qualifications, previous employment, achievements, and references.
● A resume should sound professional, be clearly set out and not contain too much
information (one page is the most appropriate).
● Most people use word processing or desktop publishing packages to design their
resumes. The editing tools and templates in them can help to create clear layouts.
● A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a longer version of a resume.

Designing a Resume
1. Personal details - include your personal details here so that you are easy to contact.
Make sure that you use a sensible email address
2. Education - include the secondary schools you have attended with dates (most recent
first). List any course you have taken, along with your grades.

- Underneath your education history, list any voluntary work experience you have done,
with the dates, names, and summaries of your duties.

3. Employment - Include the details of any paid jobs you have had (most recent to oldest)
with the dates, names, and summaries of your duties and responsibilities.
 4. Additional information - Describe your hobbies, interests and responsibilities. Explain
how they relate to the job for which you are applying.

5. References - Give contact information of two people (not family members) who can
vouch for your character -- a teacher and an employer would be ideal

Order of the sections found in a CV

1. Title: CV or your name
2. Personal details
3. Education
4. Employment
5. Additional information
6. References

● When applying for a job by CV, you must send a formal business letter with it to explain
why you are applying and why you are suitable for the job. The application letter should
be structured into five paragraphs.
● In the first paragraph, you should explain how you found out about the job and say that
you would like to apply for the vacancy
○ Example:

● In the second paragraph, you should give basic details about what you are currently
doing, such as studying for AP exams and working part time in a bookshop. It is also
helpful to mention here (or in the final paragraph) that you have enclosed your CV which
provides more information about you.
○ Example: I have just taken my AP exams and have started working as a
temporary receptionist in a doctor’s office while I wait to receive my results.
● In the third/fourth paragraph, you should explain why you want the job and to work for
the business or organization. This paragraph is the most important as you can make
your application really stand out here by showing your enthusiasm for the work and how
suitable you are for the role.
○ Example:
 ● In the final paragraph, you should state when you are available for an interview (mention
that you have enclosed your CV if you didn’t previously).
○ Example:

Order of Paragraphs in an Application Letter

- P1: The applicant says they want to apply for the job
- P2: The applicant provides basic details about what they are doing
- P3/4: The applicant then explains why they want the job
- P4/5: The applicant says when they are available for an interview

Cover Letter Tips

● When writing your cover letter, remember:
○ Take your time when writing it
○ Tailor it to the business -- do not reuse the same letter for every job
○ Use it to really sell yourself (without lying)
○ Make sure that it is laid out correctly
○ Proofread it for errors, and then ask someone else to check it too -- do not rely on
a spellchecker
○ Keep a copy of it in case you attend an interview

Career Goals Reflection

● Think about these questions:
○ What are your career goals?
○ What type of education or training will you need to achieve your career goals?
○ What are your personal earnings goals?
○ What is the current condition in the labor market for your chosen career?
● What personal information will you include to create a resume and cover letter to achieve
your career goals?