In this topic, you learned that you can increase your value in the market by gaining more experience and knowledge. When you invest in human capital, you invest in yourself by making yourself more valuable to an employer. You also learned how to determine which careers are best for you and your interests. By finding a career that you like, you are much more likely to do a better job, again increasing your value to the employer and the market. Finding and obtaining a career that is a good fit for you is vital to your future success, but you also need some information about income.

• Why is the amount of your check less than what they told you that you would be making?
• Where did all your money go?
• What are benefits and how do they add value to your paycheck?

In the next topic, we will look at your paycheck including gross pay, net pay, deductions, and benefits.

Another great resource to access when thinking about your future is your school counselor. Consider setting up an appointment to talk about planning for your career.

The CollegeBoard™ also provides high school students with a number of resources and guides about choosing a career. Visit this website at:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/majors_careers/index.html