Investing in Yourself - Your Career

If you start working after college graduation at the age of 22 and work until the age of 65, that is 43 years in the workforce. If you take two weeks off each year and work 40 hours per week, you will work for 43 years times 50 weeks times 40 hours per week for a total of 86,000 hours. If you work until you are 67 when you will be eligible to receive social security, you will work at least 100,000 hours. These hours don’t include overtime, commuting to and from work, unpaid hours, or getting ready to go to work. Work is going to be a major part of your life. It is very important that you find a career that you enjoy, that you are good at, and that will provide you with enough money to live comfortably.

In this topic, you will find out how to assess yourself in order to find out what careers best fit your personality, your interests, and your values. You will also learn about the tools required to help you land that job—a cover letter, a résumé, and interviewing skills. You will learn how investing in yourself through education, training, and skill development will increase your value to employers and our free-market economy as well.

Essential Question:

• How can you find a career that is right for you?