You
should carefully explore each aviation career that you
are considering;
the best job is the one that matches you interests. Here
are a few steps you can follow to explore your career
choice(s):
Step 1:Self
Assessment
Self assessment is the process of identifying and documenting
information about yourself in order to make an informed career
decision. Learning about your skills, interests, personality,
and values can help you figure out what career to pursue.
A self assessment should be your first step in the career
planning process.
A
self assessment process involve documenting information
about yourself such as your:
•
Values:
the things that are important to you, such as achievements,
status, and autonomy
•
Interests:
what you enjoy doing, such as playing golf, running,
etc.
•
Personality:
what are your individual traits, motivational drives,
needs, and attitudes
•
Skills:
the activities you are good at, such as writing, computer
programming, teaching
There are numerous self assessment tests on the Internet that
can help match your interests with suitable careers. These
tests require you to answer a variety of questions about your
interests, skills, personality, and values. Based on your
answers, the tests display a list of careers that you may
be interested in. To find out more about these self assessment
tests, search the Internet using keywords such as “self
assessment tests”.
Note: Just because
your self assessment indicates that a particular career(s)
matches your interests, skills, personality, and values, it
doesn't mean it should be your only choice(s) and that you
should discount other careers, entirely. You just need to
do some more research.
Step 2: Career Research
Researching your career choice(s) can save time, money, and
help you make informed decisions about your career, and ultimately,
your future. After you have conducted your career research,
compare it against your self assessment.
Career research involves gathering details about a specific
career such as:
• Duties and Responsibilities
• Work Conditions
• Educational and Training Requirements
• Work experience and skills required
• Potential growth in the career field
• Future trends
• Salary range
• Industry standards
Advice
It is very important that you choose a career that:
•
Use
the skills you possess and complement your values, interests,
and personality.
•
You
enjoy the tasks and responsibilities as much as, or
more than, the monetary rewards or prestige attached
to a career.
Avoid
choosing a career that:
•
Would
compromise your values.
•
You
have received only limited or biased information about.
•
You
have chosen simply because a friend or someone you admire
is employed in that career.
•
You
have pursued to satisfy family members or because other
important people in your life have said you’d
be good at it.
You can find additional information about careers in aviation/aerospace
in the U.S.
Occupational Outlook Handbook. It provides information
concerning the "nature of the work," "working
conditions," "employment," "training,
other qualifications, and advancement," "job outlook,"
"earnings," "related occupations," and
"sources of additional information." You can also
find this book in the reference section of any library.
Step 3: Educational
Requirements
One step in planning for your career is to learn more about
the types of certificates, licenses, or degrees required for
a particular career.
Step 4: Employment
sectors and employers
It is also important to know where the jobs are located. Learn
more about the employment sectors and employers in the aviation/aerospace
industry.
Step 5: Gain
Hands-on Experience
You can learn more about a career through hands-on experience
by job shadowing, summer/youth camps, and internships.
Step 6: Conduct Informational Interviews
Informational interviews allow you to gather information about
a career from someone who is already employed in the career
you are interested in pursuing. This person may provide you
with information you may not be able to obtain elsewhere.
Contact your career guidance counselor, and ask if he/she
can arrange an informational interview with someone in the
career you are interested in pursuing. You or your parents
should also contact a company in the career field, and ask
if you could conduct an informational interview to learn more
about a particular career.
Step 7: Visit a college/university offering your career
program
Professors, teachers, and faculty members at post-secondary
schools (such as a technical, trade, vocational, community
college, and/or college/university) that offers training for
your career choice(s) can provide you with details about a
particular career, educational and training requirements,
current trends, and more.
Step 8: Contact
an organization or club
There are numerous aviation/aerospace associations, organizations,
and clubs that can provide insight, information, and guidance
in your efforts to research a particular career in aviation/aerospace.
Members of these organizations and clubs can share their personal
and career experiences to help you make an informed decision
about your career.
Step 9: Speak to your
family, friends, and teachers
Tell your family members, friends (at school and at home),
and your family’s friends that you are interested in
pursuing a career within the aviation/aerospace industry.
Your family and friends are excellent resources, especially
if they are employed in the industry you are pursuing as a
career. They may know of people working in the career field
who may be able to help you. Teachers and career guidance
counselors should be able to help you or at least guide you
in the right direction. Your teachers and guidance counselors
may be able to arrange a job shadow day or internship with
a company in the field you are interested in pursuing as a
career.
Step 10: Surf the Internet to find more information
There are other resources on the Internet that can provide
you with more details about a particular career. Search the
Internet for more resources.
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