Is College Worth It? 6 Ways to Increase Chances of Success in College

More students and parents are asking themselves, is college is worth it? A recent Pew study visualized in TIME magazine finds more people questioning college's value, and yet statistics are clear that it is. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York's 2014 report, "Are Recent College Graduates Finding Good Jobs?" shows compelling reasons to go to college. But the report raises valid concerns about underemployment after graduation and the differing value of certain college majors and skills in the labor market.

Like anything else, research and planning ahead give a big payoff in these types of life decisions.  In Career Key's new website article"Is College Worth It?", counseling psychologist Dr. Lawrence K. Jones, NCC looks at whether people are getting good jobs after graduation based on the latest statistics. Then he recommends how people can increase their chances of success after college graduation.

These recommendations include:

1. Choose a major that matches your personality and interests.
2. Consider choosing a major in high school before you choose a college.
3. Be open to choosing a good job that does not require a 4 year degree.
4. Have realistic employment expectations; Underemployment is a reality you may have to face.
5. Be smart and make good decisions about your education plans using an effective decision making process.
6. Be aware of how the nature of work is changing and plan ways you can respond and adapt.

For more about why college is worth it and what's behind these recommendations, visit Career Key's Choose a College Major section and "Is College Worth It?"

New 2012-2022 BLS Employment Projections: What Career Counselors Need to Know

The U.S. 2012-2022 Employment Projections provide new data for career counselors and career development professionals to rely upon in helping people make career and education choices.  I put together a summary of resources to help you incorporate this new information in your work. You can make your own expert “take” on the data based on your experience and geographic area.

Start with the Basics and the Big Picture

You will find helpful summaries about the projections in the Winter 2013/14 issue of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly. The graphics are great for people (like me) who need a visual boost to understand data. If you are short on time, read the Introduction and the Occupational Employment section (the PDF versions are easier to read).  For those of us who do not work with these numbers every day, it helps to get reminders on how to interpret the data.  For example, “faster growth” does not necessarily mean a greater number of new jobs.

Trends and Highlights 

• Occupations related to healthcare are projected to have the fastest growth and add the most new jobs.
• Most growing occupations require a degree or post-secondary training/certification.
• Workers make more money with a degree or post-secondary training/certification.
• More older people will be working and working longer (the 65-75 age group more than any other group).
• The labor force continues to become more diverse with Caucasians’ share declining and Hispanics’ share to rise.
• The construction industry is recovering, but not yet to 2007 levels.
• Most job growth is coming from replacing workers, not new jobs. 

Most of the trends are unsurprising given technology advances and the state of our economy.  Issues continue with unemployment, underemployment, and most job creation in poorly paid retail and service occupations.

Best Graphs to Look At

The best graphs to understand job outlook by occupation are in the Occupational Employment Section of the OOQ I mentioned earlier.  If you want to drill down to promising occupations by degree level, scroll down to the last half of the article (page 13 on the PDF).

Differences between the 2010-2020 and 2012-2022 Projections

Laurence Shatkin nicely summarizes in his Career Laboratory Blog the differences between the employment projections two years ago and the new ones just released.

Help Others with Critical Thinking

It pays to help people evaluating career choices take a hard look at how “promising” and growing certain occupations are. For example, lawyers continue to get a high growth and median wage marks in the BLS data.  But the legal profession is going through big upheaval and change, due to technology, the Internet, offshoring, and businesses’ willingness to pay the high cost of using large law firms.  There is also a wide gap between the number of middle-class and low income people needing legal representation and lawyers who can afford to serve them. For example, the Washington State bar association magazine has had a number of articles about these changes and the difficulties for young lawyers to get hired.  So people should not just immediately look at the graph and say, hey – lawyers is a promising career. It may be for some but there are many variables to consider.

New Projections and Occupations Added to the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)

The new job outlook information is now available for specific occupations in the Occupational Outlook Handbook, just out yesterday (January 8, 2014).

As a consequence, Career Key updated its career interest inventory to include several new occupations added to the Handbook (see the Teacher’s Guide below) along with the new job outlook projections for all the test’s occupations.

There is a new version of the OOH “Not just for teachers” Teacher’s Guide, that includes a list of the new occupations listed in the Handbook. Counselors and other career development professionals will find the explanations and context for data helpful.

Funny Note: The OOH's occupational profile for legislators has been deleted, gone the way of textile occupations.  Hmmm. 

We are huge fans of both the Occupational Outlook Handbook and the Occupational Outlook Quarterly. As Mr. Shatkin points out in his blog, we are extremely lucky to have government resources like these. Even Canada, Great Britain and other countries you would think have similar resources - in fact, do not.  So give a cheer for OOH and OOQ author, the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics and have fun with numbers! It only comes once every two years…

New Promising Self-Employment Careers List by Holland Personality Type

Our new promising self-employment careers list on the Self-Employment Key website helps people match their Holland personality types to self-employed careers the U.S. Department of Labor forecasts to have a bright job outlook. If you're trying to decide whether self-employment is right for you, try our article, "Getting Started with Self-Employment Careers."

We also uploaded to thecareerkeyYouTube channel a short video overview about the list and the Self-Employment Key:

What made compiling this list a little more challenging is that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tracks "unincorporated" and "incorporated" self-employed people differently.  So BLS counts an incorporated, self-employed lawyer as a wage employee, treating him or her like other lawyers working for an employer. I addressed this issue by looking at the new 2012 Employment Projections, industry trends and Mr. Hipple's excellent Monthly Labor Review article cited below.

With the new 2012-13 BLS data, we also updated the matching occupations shown during the Career Key Self-Employment Test.  These occupations contain significant numbers of self-employed people.

The Career Key Self-Employment test, developed by Career Key author Dr. Lawrence K. Jones, NCC,  is unique in that it measures Holland's personality types, shows users occupations with a significant number of self-employed people in them, and measures two "Big 5" personality dimensions research shows are related to success as an entrepreneur. Click on "Research" to learn more about it.

Another great thing about the Self-Employment Key is that at no extra charge, test takers can use their RIASEC scores to explore more matching careers, green careers, college majors, and career clusters and career pathways at the Career Key website.

Sources: O*NET's My Next Move, the Occupational Outlook Handbook, and Steven F. Hipple's article, "Self-employment in the United States," Monthly Labor Review, September 2010.

Will You Be Shut Out of Popular Education and Career Choices? 3 Tips for Career Planning Success

When changing careers or choosing a career, you may be considering a career option in which many people are interested. What if a required education program has too many applicants, a lot of prerequisites, or is just very selective?

Competition to get into some education programs required for in-demand careers can be stiff.  Funding is being cut for community colleges and public universities, making the situation worse. Take, for example, these statistics for a top career options like nursing:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing says 75,000 qualified nursing school applicants turned away in 2011. 

Dig deep into choosing a career, college major and training program – as early as possible. And once you know what’s involved and the better prepared you are, the better your chances of getting into the program you want.

3 Tips for Career Planning Success:

1.  Fully research your career options, including related occupations. Reading these Career Key articles will help:

• Getting Started (3 Steps to Choosing a Career) 
• Learn about Occupations 
•  Learn More About the Jobs that Interest Me 

How can you find similar occupations?

• Explore careers in the same Holland personality type and Career Key work group in Career Key’s “Match Your Personality with Careers” article. You can also do that during the Career Key's valid career test. If you are short on time or money, there may be similar occupations requiring fewer years of education. Maybe that career can be a stepping stone on the way to a final career goal.
• Click the “similar occupations” tab at the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) entry for a career. Try it with pharmacist.

Example:

On Career Key’s career lists, Pharmacist is found in the “Health Sciences” group under the Investigative personality type.  See all the related careers and groups.

OOH Entry for Pharmacist

2.  Fully research your education options, including different types of degrees/programs and the schools that offer them. The OOH will be a big help, especially the tabs “How to Become One” and “Contacts for More Info.” Make sure the program environment, what we call “college major environment” fits your personality. We recommend many ways to learn more about these environments.

How do you find good quality information about education programs?

Usually under the OOH's tab “Contacts for More Info,” it will link to a national association of the colleges or program providers for the required education and training programs. Rely on that organization website first before consulting commercial sites you find via Internet searches for “_____ degrees”

For example, the OOH's “Contacts for More Information” for Pharmacist links to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.  Under Resources and Student Center “Is Pharmacy for You?” I found a huge “Admissions” section with lots of informative FAQs and a whole free PDF book “Pharmacy School Admission Requirements” you can download.

 CareerOneStop’s “Education and Training Finder” can help you find information about education programs required for specific occupations located in your state, region or zip code too. 

3.  Have a back up plan if your first choices do not work out.

If you make a high-quality career decision (follow the link for 4 steps to follow and a free Decision Balance Sheet download), you’ll know what your backup choices are, information about them, and their pros and cons.

Even though it may cost more money to apply to more, less attractive schools, it's worthwhile insurance against rejection and disappointment.

And if you are unable to get into any school you are considering, working in the same industry that interests you (say Healthcare) but in a different occupation than you originally envisioned may open your eyes to new careers and opportunities you hadn’t known about.

It’s a challenge to stay positive and confident when career planning in a difficult economy. Adopting the Free Agent Outlook on Work may help – particularly principles 5 and 6:

5.  Be Loyal to Yourself and Your Family, and

6. Think “Right Thoughts.”

Career Key Career Test & New Career Information Links to the 2012-2013 Occupational Outlook Handbook

The Career Key's valid career test and online career assessment now links to the latest career information from the new 2012-13 Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) released late last week. When Career Key test takers create their personal job option list of matching occupations, each job or career is linked with career information (job requirements, education and training, salary, etc) from the new OOH.

New entry and look for "High School Teachers" in the Occupational Outlook Handboook.

Our career information update was also made to one of our most popular articles, "Match Your Personality with Careers." It shows hundreds of occupations by Holland personality type and Career Key work group.  Users of our paper-pencil Career Key career test often use this article to get online career information about matching careers and jobs that interest them.

Best features of the new OOH, in my opinion:

• It's easier to read, with the most important information clearly up front in the summary. (Pay, Education, Job Outlook);
• A Tab format for browsing with easy to understand labels like "What They Do" and "How to Become One";
• More attractive, photo-heavy listing of "Similar Occupations,"
• The content in "What They Do", "Work Environment," and "How to Become One" - the details are practical and helpful, truly giving a flavor of the work environment.

We have preferred the career information in the OOH to the O*NET for quite some time. There are some content differences and advantages to using both, which I explained in a June 2011 post:

"Comparing Top Career Information Resources: Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET's My Next Move."

Taking into account the new OOH look, my advice for exploring government career information is still the same: 

• Start with the OOH for better detail and quality of information; the new OOH format just makes it a lot easier to explore and navigate. 
• Use the O*NET (or America's CareerInfoNet) for links to more specific, local (state and metropolitan area) salary and education information.  

Green Careers: How to Choose One in this Economy

If you are exploring green careers and care about the environment, try following the tips in our newly updated web article, "Green Economy: Match Your Personality to Green Jobs". In addition to showing you how the green economy impacts you, the article gives you 4 steps to follow in your career decision-making.

It shows nearly two hundred Green Jobs by Holland personality type and recommends you look at other career options that make "green" contributions, like teachers and clergy.

Don't limit yourself to thinking that a "Green Job" only means occupations like "wind turbine technician" and "solar panel installer." If your strongest personality types are Artistic or Social, there are plenty of green contributions you can make.

First, match your interests to occupations, then brainstorm ways your green values can fit in.  What can you do with a nursing degree that might be "green"? What about focusing on public health or occupational health?  For more ideas on how to learn about your career options, visit our Green Jobs article.

Even though the Green Economy has gotten a fair amount of negative press recently, with the solar panel manufacturer Solyndra's bankruptcy and the use of Federal green job training dollars topping the news, I don't think it means green jobs are not promising. Here's one NYT commentator who thinks solar power is more than a "hippie fantasy." The current job market and economy is challenging for just about any industry other than software and Internet commerce.

Regardless of one's politics, global warming and impacts on humans of environment factors are not going away. And I wouldn't wait for a clear job outlook prediction in this politically charged and slow economy.  Besides, you may be living in a nursing home by the time the boxing match between China and the U.S. solar power industries is decided.

Don't wait for others to give you a green light.

My favorite green economy and green career information links:
Government
Occupational Outlook Handbook Green Careers
O*NET Green Economy
CareerOneStop's "Find Education and Training"
Industry (I'll be updating this shortly - but until then, check the industry associations for careers you're interested in, like alternative energy, environmental health, etc.)

See also our PRWeb Press release on Green Jobs.

Promising Conventional Careers 2011: Administration, Health, and Records

If you're a Conventional personality type, employers are looking for your structured, orderly approach to records, numbers or machines in many promising careers. Administrative careers involving mathematical detail or the ability to work well with material or records processing systems are in demand. In the last post of this 6 part series, Promising 2011 Careers that Match Your Personality, we list occupations compatible with the Conventional Holland personality type.

We recommend starting with Part 1, our introduction and tips on how to use this Promising Careers list. To see promising careers for the other five Holland personality types, see our other posts in this series:
Realistic Careers, Investigative Careers, Artistic Careers, Social Careers, and Enterprising Careers.

The world of Conventional occupations has greatly changed in the last 50 years.  Paper handling and filing occupations of the past have disappeared with better computers, information technology, and outsourcing.  But if you combine the needs of a more high-tech world with analytical skills and attention to detail, you will find Conventional jobs that pay well and have a positive job outlook.

Combining an occupation (from any personality type) with a growth industry (health care, information technology (see my previous post on high-tech in particular), energy, and materials moving and processing) is a recipe for more job opportunities.

When researching career information, make sure to use BOTH the O*NET (occupations below link to it) and the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH). There is a link to the OOH at the end of each O*NET occupation page. Read this previous post about their different advantages and disadvantages.

Promising Conventional Careers by Career Key Work Group

Holland's Theory of Career Choice and a description of the Conventional personality type

Mathematical Detail

Actuaries

Bill and Account Collectors

Billing and Posting Clerks and Machine Operators

Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks

Energy Auditor

Computer Security Specialists

Cost Estimators

Database Administrators

Investment Underwriters

Mapping Technicians 

Web Developers

Network Designers

Financial Detail

Financial Analysts

Material and Records Processing

Cargo and Freight Agents

Freight Forwarders

Logistics Analysts

Medical Records and Health Information Technicians

Administrative Detail

Clinical Data Managers

Compensation, Benefits, and Job Analysis Specialists

Dental Assistants

Executive Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Web Administrators

Medical Secretaries

Purchasing Agents

Regulations Enforcement

Compliance Managers

Environmental Compliance Inspectors

Government Property Inspectors and Investigators

Licensing Examiners and Inspectors

Quality Control Analysts

Regulatory Affairs Specialists

Risk Management Specialists

For ideas on how to learn more career information about the occupations and jobs that interest you, visit these Career Key website articles:
Learn More About Occupations
Learn More About the Jobs that Interest Me
3 Tips to Finding a Promising Job in High-Tech or Any Growth Industry

Promising Careers 2011 Part 5: Enterprising Careers

Explore these promising Enterprising career options, and consider how you might combine them with a growth industry (see my previous post on finding careers in high growth industries). In part 5 of our series, Promising Careers 2011, we focus on careers compatible with Holland's Enterprising personality type.

While business, finance, and sales careers took big job loss hits in the last few years, you can see how much of a difference it makes to be in the right industry.

For example, real estate and banking have had massive layoffs and restructuring this recession.  But it's different story when you look at similar Enterprising careers in finance, business, management and sales jobs in growth industries like health care, technology, and the green economy.  No job is perfectly secure, but an aging population and the continued importance of energy makes managing projects and manipulating (in a positive way, right?) systems in these fields more promising.

To learn more about how to use this list and what "promising" means, please visit Part 1- our introduction and 4 Smart Strategies for Career Planning. We recommend starting with our valid career assessment that measures Holland's personality types, The Career Key test.  You'll also want to explore the careers for other personality types that fit you (see list at the post's end).

Promising Enterprising Careers by Career Key Work Group

Holland's Theory of Career Choice and a description of the Enterprising personality type:

Sales and Purchasing

Customs Brokers

Energy Broker

Insurance Sales Agents

Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing,Technical and Scientific Products

Securities and Commodities Traders

Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents

Finance

Accountants

Auditors

Treasurers and Controllers

Financial Managers, Branch or Department

Investment Fund Managers

Personal Financial Advisors

Business Administration

Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes

Chief Executives

Chief Sustainability Officers

Clinical Nurse Specialists

Clinical Research Coordinators

Construction Managers

Employment Interviewer

General and Operations Managers

Logisticians

Logistics Managers

Loss Prevention Managers

Personnel Recruiters

Quality Control Systems Manager

Supply Chain Managers

Government and Public Administration

Curators

Regulations Enforcement

Financial Examiners

Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts

Regulatory Affairs Managers

Legal Practice and Support

Lawyers

Paralegals and Legal Assistants

Promotion

Public Relations Specialists

Other promising careers by Holland personality type in this series (there will be links when posted):

Promising Realistic Careers

Promising Investigative Careers

Promising Artistic Careers

Promising Social Careers

Promising Conventional Careers

Promising Careers 2011 Part 4: Social Services, Nursing and Education Careers

Are you interested in promising social careers, like different careers in social services, nursing and education? In part 4 of our Promising Careers series, we list careers that are compatible with Holland's Social personality type, linking them to career information from the U.S. Department of Labor.  Our series has one post for each Holland personality type.

For the introduction and 4 Smart Strategies for Career Planning, feel free to start with Part One of our Promising Careers series. It also has a description of what we consider to be a "promising" career.

When you click on each career, you'll see career information from the O*NET. But while they have good information about skills required and local job openings via CareerOneStop, I highly recommend you either click on the "Sources of Additional Information" at the bottom of each O*NET occupation page - the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) specifically, or visit the OOH separately to search for the occupations that interest you. The OOH has much better education and training information than the O*NET (see my previous post comparing the two). Using both sources is ideal.

If Social Services interests you, you might download this excellent new (September 2011) PDF from the Occupational Outlook Quarterly called "Helping Those in Need: Human Service Workers."

Promising Social Careers by Career Key Work Group

Holland's Theory of Career Choice and a description of the Social personality type

Social Services
Child, Family and School Social Workers
Clergy
Emergency Management Specialists

Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers

Medical and Public Health Social Workers

Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers

Mental Health Counselors

Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors

Nursing, Therapy, & Health Promotion

Acute Care Nurses

Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses

Athletic Trainer

Critical Care Nurse

Dental Hygienists

Genetic Counselors

Hearing Aid Specialists

Informatics Nurse Specialists

Low Vision Therapists, Orientation and Mobility Specialists,and Vision Rehabilitation Therapists

Nurse Midwives

Nurse Practitioners

Occupational Therapist Assistants

Occupational Therapists

Patient Representatives

Physical Therapist Assistant

Physical Therapist

Radiation Therapist

Registered Nurses

Respiratory Therapists

Child and Adult Care

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses

Education and Library Services

Elementary School Teachers

Instructional Coordinators

Middle School Teachers, except Special and Vocational Education

Preschool Teachers

Secondary School Teachers

Self-Enrichment Education Teachers

Special Education Teachers, Pre-K, Kindergarten, Elementary

Training and Development Specialists

Sport, Recreation and Fitness

Adaptive Physical Education Specialists

Fitness Trainers and Aerobics Instructors

Explore other Holland personality types in this series (I will add links when they are posted):
Promising Realistic Careers
Promising Investigative Careers
Promising Artistic Careers
Promising Enterprising Careers
Promising Conventional Careers

Related Blog posts:
3 Creative Approaches to Gathering Career Option Information (using nursing as an example)
5 Ways to Channel your Inner Career Choice Optimist - Being Realistic but Optimistic
Job Outlook for Careers Matching the Social Holland Personality Type (2009)

Promising Careers 2011 Part 3: Art Careers

Are there promising art careers for Artistic personality types out there? You bet. In part 3 of our 6 part Promising Careers 2011 series, we list careers that are compatible with Holland's Artistic personality type. Visit part one for an introduction and tips for "how to use" this list.

Unsurprisingly, there are few Artistic jobs given a "bright outlook" by the U.S. Department of Labor. Maybe if you lived in Renaissance Florence, creating art would be considered a "growth industry," but in today's world, pursuing an Artistic career with a living wage requires - well - a little creativity.


Expand your career options: Combine your Artistic interests with other strong interests
One way to expand your Artistic career options in a creative way is to combine your Artistic interests with other strong interests you have.  For example, when you take The Career Key test, we recommend that you explore at least your two strongest personality types indicated by your test scores.  Make sure you read this short summary of Holland's Theory that explains the relationship between personality types and which ones are more compatible than others.

Common combinations of top two strongest types might be:
Artistic and Investigative
Artistic and Social

So we added a few Investigative and Social careers that can have a strong Artistic aspect to them. For a complete list of promising Investigative Careers, go to Part 2 of this series.  For Social Careers, I'll post that list later this week and link it up.


Combine Art with a Growth Industry
While they may not have a large number of job openings, you may be able to find your niche in growing industries like the sciences and healthcare.  Try combining:

Photography with the sciences: Scientific Photographer
Illustration with the Health Sciences and Medical Field: Medical and Scientific Illustrator
Graphic design with Computer Science: Video Game Designer


Last caveats:

• A few of these careers did not meet the U.S. Department of Labor's "bright outlook" standards but have at least an average or above average rate of growth if data is available.
• You can combine artistic interests with the commercial world in ways that you might not have thought of - and in ways that satisfy your values. Keep an open mind.  
• Make sure to read the Occupational Outlook Handbook summary on Artists and related occupations.  It will be updated in late March 2012 (from 2010) but is still relevant now.
• Self-employment is common in the arts. Learn more about Self-Employment here and whether self-employment might be right for you at the Self-Employment Key website.

Promising Artistic Careers by Career Key Work Group

Holland's Theory of Career Choice and a description of the Artistic personality type

Literary Arts
Technical Writers

Visual Arts
Architects
Graphic Designers
Landscape Architects
Multi-Media Artist or Animator
Scientific Photographers
Medical and Scientific Illustrators

Communications
Interpreters and Translators


Promising Social Careers with a strong Artistic aspect (SA)
Substance Abuse and Behavioral Disorder Counselors
Self-Enrichment Education Teachers
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
Special Education Teachers, Preschool, Kindergarten, and Elementary School
Training and Development Specialists

Promising Investigative Careers with a strong Artistic aspect (IA)
Anthropologists
Biochemists and Biophysicists
Sociologists
Video Game Designer;  learn more in "Work for Play: Careers in Video Game Development" in Occupational Outlook quarterly, September 2011 PDF article.


Explore other posts in this series (I will link to them as they are posted):
Promising Realistic Careers
Promising Investigative Careers
Promising Social Careers
Promising Enterprising Careers
Promising Conventional Careers

Related Blog Posts on Artistic Careers that might interest you:
Self-Employment and Artistic careers - including my grandfather's story as an artist (illustrator and sculptor)
Artistic Careers Job Outlook (2009)

Why Maps (and related promising careers) Still Matter

As I was working on the blog's new Promising Careers list, I came across several map related occupations (see list below) and I admit thinking at the time - really? I love maps and nautical charts and prefer using them to GPS, but I admit I was a little skeptical about promising job outlooks for careers in geography and cartography.

Then this morning I heard this fascinating public radio program (KUOW Seattle): "The History and Adventures with Maps with Ken Jennings." (The podcast is free) It really made me think about maps' roles in history and where we are going now with Google Maps and technology. The program gives insight into why maps are still relevant today. Ken Jennings's infectious enthusiasm about maps makes for a great interview. If you liked the movie "National Treasure" and making history come alive, you'll enjoy it.

Promising Careers involving maps...
Cartographers and Photogrammetrists (Realistic Personality Type)
Mapping Technicians (Realistic)
Surveying and Mapping Technicians (Realistic)
Geographic Information Systems Technicians (Investigative)
Geospatial Information Scientists and Technologists (Investigative)
Geographers (Investigative)

Promising Realistic Careers
Promising Investigative Careers

For more tips on learning more about certain occupations, visit our website article, "Learn about Occupations."

Promising Careers 2011 Part 2: Investigative Careers that Fit Your Personality

Our Promising Careers 2011 list continues with the second Holland personality type, Investigative.  If you score high in the Investigative personality type using a valid Holland career test like The Career Key, then consider these promising careers that fit you.  You'll find careers in science, technology, engineering and math: a.k.a. "STEM" careers.

To catch the intro to this 6 part series, including what we consider a "promising career", 4 Smart Strategies for Career Planning, and how to use our career list, see Part 1: Promising 2011 Careers that Match Your Personality.

To explore the other Holland personality types, see Promising Realistic Careers, Promising Artistic Careers, Promising Social Careers, Promising Enterprising Careers, and Promising Conventional Careers. And to see lists by personality type of college majors and training programs, green jobs, career clusters and pathways, visit The Career Key website.

Make sure that when you click on each one below to see career information from U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET, go to the bottom of that O*NET page to see other recommended resources, like the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH).  Both O*NET and the OOH offer different career information so be sure to explore both.

Promising Investigative Careers by Career Key Work Group

Holland's Theory of Career Choice and a description of the Investigative personality type

Physical Sciences

Environmental Scientists and Specialists

Geodetic Surveyors

Geographers

Geographic Information Systems Technician

Geospatial InformationScientists and Technologists

Life Sciences

Biochemists and Biophysicists

Biologists

Geneticists

Medical Scientists, except Epidemiologists

Molecular and Cellular Biologists

Health Sciences

Allergists and Immunologists

Anesthesiologist Assistants

Anesthesiologists

Audiologists

Chiropractors

Coroners

Dermatologists

Family and General Practitioners

Internists

Naturopathic Physicians

Neurologists

Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists

Nuclear Medicine Physicians

Nurse Anesthetists

Obstetricians and Gynecologists

Optometrists

Orthodontists

Orthoptists

Pathologists

Pediatricians

Pharmacists

Physical Medicine andRehabilitation Physicians

Preventative Medicine Physicians

Prosthodontists

Psychiatrists

Radiologists

Sports Medicine Physicians

Urologists

Veterinarians

Veterinary Technologists and Technicians

Laboratory and Medical Technology

Cardiovascular Technologistsand Technicians

Cytogenetic Technologists

Cytotechnologists

Environmental Science andProtection Technicians

Forensic Science Technicians

Computer Science & Technology

Bioinformatics Scientists

Bioinformatics Technicians

Computer and Information Scientists, Research

Computer Software Engineers, Applications

Computer Software Engineers, Systems Software

Computer Systems Analyst

Computer Systems Engineers/Architects

Network and Computer Systems Administrators

Network Systems and Data Communications Analysts

Software Quality Assurance Engineers and Testers

Mathematics and Data Analysis

Biostatistician

Financial QuantitativeAnalysts

Mathematicians

Operations Research Analysts

Engineering

Automotive Engineer

Biochemical Engineers

Biomedical Engineers

Civil Engineers

Energy Engineers

Environmental Engineers

Industrial Engineering Technologist

Logistics Engineers

Management Analysts

Microsystems Engineers

Photonics Engineers

Robotics Engineers

Transportation Planners

Validation Engineers

Social Sciences

Anthropologists

Archeologists

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Market Research Analysts

Sociologists

Survey Researchers

Promising 2011 Careers that Match Your Personality

This practical, promising 2011 careers list from career guidance leader Career Key shows you how to match your personality to living wage (or better) careers that make sense in today’s economy. Holland’s Theory of Career Choice is one of the most widely used and respected career choice theories used by professional career counselors.

This will be a 6-part series (all linked together at the end) - 1 post for each personality type.  Included are 4 Smart Career Planning Strategies to put it all in perspective.

It’s time for us to choose more promising careers….

Of the largest 10 occupations in the U.S., only one (registered nurses) had an average salary over $44,410. That’s the mean for all U.S. occupations. (BLS, 2010) When you consider what food costs and the money it takes to support a family, that’s a staggering number of people making very little money – many of them in so-called “growth” a.k.a “service-related” jobs like cashiers and fast food workers. It’s also consistent with the latest Census national poverty rate of 15%. 

While it's true accountants, engineers, nurses and practically any occupation in the sciences is the ticket to good job opportunities and wages, there are many other options, with a variety of education and training requirements.

What is a “promising” career? 

It’s a career that,

• requires more training and education beyond a high school diploma*;
• has decent projected future job openings – a “bright outlook” according to the U.S. Department of Labor;
• exists in a growth industry or industries found nationwide**; and
• provides a “living wage” job (one with which you could possibly support a family) (minimum median $30,000/year).

*99.9% of all living wage jobs require at least a high school diploma, but not necessarily a 4 year college degree. (If you disagree, send me stats that say otherwise)

**I excluded careers that I thought were too specialized or narrowly focused (like biofuels processing). Explore our Green Jobs article for more promising, specialized green and energy-related jobs.

Begin with 4 Smart Career Planning Strategies

1. Take the right approach to work – the “Free Agent Outlook.”
2. Take a practical, 3 step “end-game” approach to career planning. 
3. Explore our promising career list below to help you decide on your career path. Find more resources at The Career Key website:  Match Your Personality to…  Careers, Green Jobs, College Majors and Training Programs, and Career Clusters and Pathways.
4. As you consider your options, think about the costs and benefits.  Some careers require a big education investment (time, money) but prepare you for jobs that do not pay very much.  Consider the repayment of student loans.  Consider the industry in which you will be employed. Ask yourself:  Are there better paying, more promising options, in growing industries that fit your personality that you hadn’t considered before? Go back to our "Match Your Personality with..." Lists for more ideas.

How to use our promising careers list:

1. Take our valid career test and career assessment to identify your Holland personality types you are most like, jobs that interest you, and learn more about each one;
2. Explore our promising careers list, and identify careers you’d like to learn more about. Click on each one to visit the U.S. Department of Labor’s O*NET website description for that career. Don’t forget to click on links at the bottom of the O*NET page to (1) “Wages and Employment Trends” to get more local information relevant to you, and (2) “Sources of Additional Information”, which takes you to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. The OOH gives you much better education and training information than O*NET (see my recent post about using O*NET vs. the OOH for researching career information).
3. Do the activities listed in “Learn About Occupations” and “Learn More About the Jobs that Interest Me.” Pay a lot of attention to your local situation – or the location you intend to work.  Talk to (ideally face to face) real people working in the careers that interest you before investing in any training or education program.
4. Follow all 4 Smart Career Planning Strategies listed above.

Career Key's promising careers list by Holland personality type and Career Key work group...

Promising Realistic Careers

Holland's Theory and a description of the Realistic personality type

Safety and Law Enforcement

Correctional Officers or Jailers

Fire Fighters

Forest Fire Fighters

Municipal Fire Fighters

Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers

Private Detectives and Investigators

Security Management Specialists

Sheriffs and Deputy Sheriffs

Engineering

Automotive Engineering Technician

Cartographers and Photogrammetrists

Computer Support Specialists

Electrical Engineering Technologists

Electromechanical Engineering Technologists

Electroneurodiagnostic Technologist

Electronics Engineering Technologist

Endoscopy Technicians

Environmental Engineering Technicians

Histotechnologists and Histologic Technicians

Manufacturing Engineers

Manufacturing Engineering Technologists

Mechanical Engineering Technologists

Non-Destructive Testing Specialists

Photonics Technicians

Precision Agriculture Technicians

Robotics Technicians

Surgical Technologist

Surveying Technician

Transportation Engineers

Construction Crafts and Support

Carpenters

Construction Carpenters

Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters

Solderers and Brazers

Crafts – Mechanical

Automotive Master Mechanic

Automotive Service Technicians & Mechanics

Automotive Specialty Technicians

Hearing, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers

Medical Equipment Repairers

Crafts – Electrical-Electronic

Electricians

Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers

Crafts – Metal, Wood, Plastic, Fabric

Museum Technicians and Conservators

Welders, Cutters and Welder Fitters

Manufacturing and Production

Manufacturing Production Technicians

Ophthalmic Medical Technologists and Technicians

Other Posts in this Series: 

Promising Investigative Careers

Promising Artistic Careers

Promising Social Careers

Promising Enterprising Careers

Promising Conventional Careers