It's My Life...

Introduction | The Task | Resources | The Process | Grading Advice | Conclusion

Introduction                                     Objective

The Scenario:

YOU MADE IT!  You will be graduating Cherokee High School and look forward to working and living on your own.  

In order to be prepared for a career, you will research an occupation of your choice and through outlined steps, find a job, place to live, create a budget and forecast your Net Worth in five (5) years based on your salary.

 

The purpose of this WebQuest is to 

1) Allow my Juniors and Seniors the ability to utilize tools that we have learned in class (Career Exploration, Budgeting, and Net Worth);

2) Allow students that have not yet considered career options the forum to research possible careers; and 

3) Allow students that know their career path the ability to see how their future will unfold based on the selection that they have chosen.  Therefore, please take this task seriously.  The more you put into it, the more prepared and certain you will be about your future.

 

  The Task

The following will guide you through the career choice and savings projections.  In this WebQuest, you will be responsible to:

  • Choose an Occupation that most interests you based on research.  
  • Using the Internet to locate potential jobs offerings in your chosen career.  
  • Create a Budget based on your salary and monthly expenses. 
  • Use the Internet to find a Home.  
  • Create Net Worth Statement. 

  Resources      

Use the following resources to aid you in completing this WebQuest.

To Research Occupations/Salaries

  • First use the one of the personality tests (career inventory test) at Similarminds.com or the Personality Test  to find occupations that are relevant to your interests and skills.  As you complete the survey it will allow you to scan different areas as they relate to your interests.
  • The Occupational Outlook Handbook 'The Bureau of Labor Statistics' "Occupational Outlook Handbook" is a nationally recognized source of career information. It describes what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects in a wide range of occupations.
  • Other Occupation and Job information can be found at the Cherokee Library Website - Careers

To Research Help Wanted Ads

  • Determine where you will want to work.  Then use Mailersoftware.com to find the zip code for a city and distance between zip codes for job search. (Use FREE Zip City Phone)
  • Use America's Job Bank to search the Internet for jobs in your chosen career across the country.  Search according to the State or zip code where you wish to reside.  Other job search engines include: Monster.com, HotJobs.com, and Thingamajob.com. Also,
  • See the Cherokee Library website Careers to find more links to job search engines.

 

Research Sample Cover Letters:  Eresumes.com ,  Technical Job Seach.com, Resume-Resource.com

Research Sample Resumes:  Resumes.com, Technical Job Seach.com, Resume-Resource.com

Research Budget Information: 

Research Interview Questions/Resume/Coverletter: Mississippi State Cooperative Education Program

To Research Places to Live

  • Realestateabc.com This site is a Mega-Search engine for Real Estate.  First, enter into the calculator section to see for what price your salary will allow you to qualify for a mortgage.  Next, enter the Buyer section to view all the major realtor sites.  Find two homes/apartments and print them out.  Finally, reenter the information into the Super Calculator to determine your monthly payment.  Include this number into your budget.

To Research about Budgeting:

 

  The Process

  1. Research an occupation of your choice.  This includes choosing 2 occupations.  Research using the web site given above and write a Pro and Con for each. HINT:  Once you link to this page, you must highlight page, copy and paste it to a Word Document in order to write within the document.  Save this in you H: drive.  Include information about:  Schooling, Working Conditions, Employment, Job Outlook, and Salary.    Finally write a Final Evaluation listing the Occupation that you choose and why.  (ASSIGNMENT 1)
  2. Find A Job.  Assume that if you chosen career needs additional schooling/college, that it has now been completed.  First, decide where you would like to live.  Then, search the Net to find at least 3 Help Wanted Ads for your chosen occupation in that area.  Finally, contact ads and determine salary for entry-level position.  Print out these ads. (ASSIGNMENT 2.a)
  3. Create Resume/Cover Letter (ASSIGNMENT 2.b)
  4. Create a Budget.  View “Research Budgeting” above.  Based on your salary and monthly expenses (food, utilities, car insurance, gas, entertainment, savings, 401 (k), determine how much money each month can be spent on lodging.  (ASSIGNMENT 3)
  5. Find A Home.  Now that a job has been found and a budget has been determined, search the Net to find a suitable Home.  Location must be within 25 miles of new job location. List Mortgage information, taxes.  Be sure to include necessary information on BUDGET above. (ASSIGNMENT 4)
  6. Create a Net Worth Statement. Assume that you have been working at your job for 5 years.  Calculate your Net Worth. (ASSIGNMENT 5)
  7. Present your chosen Occupation (salary, job duties, job outlook), Job Choice, Home Location, Budget and Net Worth Statement to the class in POWERPOINT format.  Be sure to include any "savings" ideas or interesting finds to class in this presentation so we ALL can learn from your research.
  8. Are you Finished?  Check Grading Below.  

  Grading Advice  

ASSIGNMENT      DESCRIPTION                                                      POINT VALUE

1                               Two Pro and Con Forms and One Final Evaluation        15

2                               Three job printouts with salary and work hours                5

3                               Completed Budget printed                                            10

4                               Print out home information with mortgage calc.              10

5                               Print out Net Worth Statement                                     10

6                               PowerPoint Presentation                                              15

7                               Create cover and Index to hand-in report                       5 

                                  Total Points                                                              70

 

Questions to ask...

Have I spell checked/proofread all documents?

Have I checked calculations with fellow student to insure accuracy?

  Conclusion

Conclusion: Congratulations! You should now have a short-term outlook of your career and savings goals over the next 5 years.  Research has shown that success is more achievable when one has written short-term and long term goals which are periodically viewed. I hope that you periodically retrieve the information compiled here and have achieved the success that you desire.  

References - This page was created with the help from material obtained by:

This page was adapted from Bernie Dodge's WebQuest_Template1.html by Tom March 

WebQuest: When I Grow Up by Jamie Sandel and Randy Wells   http://whenigrowup1.homestead.com/title.html

Bon Jovi, It's My Life  Album: Crush

This page written by Shellie Hughes, Business teacher at Cherokee High School, Marlton NJ.  shelliehughes@hotmail.com.  Last  updated: July 15th, 2001