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Explore Career Pathways

July 17, 2018

​Your customer may be just starting to think about careers or making a transition to a new or better job. Either way, they need to make an informed choice before they make their move. Each customer's discovery process may be a little different. However, the basic process is the same:

  1. Understand their skills and interests.
  2. Learn about career options. These include projected job openings for a region, wages, and work conditions.
  3. Determine the training and credentials that are needed to get into that career.

Take a look at the recommended tools and approaches below.

Minimal Experience

Customers with minimal experience can start exploring careers with the Employment 101 Guide. Employment 101 is a self-guided online approach that includes:

  • Recommended steps
  • Career exploration tools
  • Articles
  • Videos
  • A career plan that can be updated as the process evolves

Customers can access this guide and their saved results through their My Dashboard.

Recommended Tools and Approach for Your Customer:

  1. Use Skill and Interest Surveys as a starting point to find career pathways that may be good matches.
  2. Use the Careers, Wages & Trends search tool to learn more and take notes about careers, projected job openings, and the training that is required for each career.
  3. Once you have narrowed down your career options use the resources, training programs, and/or Illinois workNet JobFinder tools (menu items within the Careers, Wages and Trends search results) to find a person in that field. Set up a phone or in-person interview to learn more about the career as well as tips for getting into that career.
  4. Use your career research information to prepare questions for your interview.
  5. Be professional, friendly, and confident during the interview.
  6. Send a "thank you" letter. 
  7. If you are interested in that career or career area, send a request to connect with the employer via social media. Make sure to thank them for taking the time to help you learn more about the career and industry. You have just made a new networking contact! Learn more about Networking for Success.

Work Experience

Customers with work experience may need to explore careers for a variety of reasons.

Some customers may be interested in advancing within their current field. They can use the Careers, Wages and Trends search tool to learn more about advancement opportunities and required training and credentials.

Other customers may need to change career fields because they:

  • Have been laid off and their skills are out of date.
  • Are in a career area they dislike.
  • Are moving to a region that does not have a demand for their career area.

Recommended Tools and Approach for Your Customer:

  1. Use Skill and Interest Surveys as a starting point to find career pathways that may be good matches.
  2. Use the Skills Assessment in the Resume Builder Tool (requires login). This assessment can help you identify your skills as well as when and where you developed those skills. It is helpful for recognizing your transferable skills and developing your resume.
  3. Use the Careers, Wages & Trends search tool to learn more and take notes about careers, projected job openings, and the training that is required for each career.
  4. Once you have narrowed down your career options, use the resources, training programs, and/or Illinois workNet JobFinder tools (menu items within the Careers, Wages and Trends search results) to find a person in that field. Set up a phone or in-person interview to learn more about the career as well as tips for getting into that career.
  5. Use your career research information to prepare questions for your interview.
  6. Be professional, friendly, and confident during the interview.
  7. Send a "thank you" letter. 
  8. If you are interested in that career or career area, send a request to connect with the employer via social media. Make sure to thank them for taking the time to help you learn more about the career and industry. You have just made a new networking contact! Learn more about Networking for Success.

Illinois workNet Materials

Illinois workNet provides several materials that can help your customers:

  • Tools and resources that every customer can use for the basic process.
  • Articles that dive into the details and provide more guidance based on a customer's specific situation. Articles will continue to be added over time.
    • NOTE: If you have a suggestion for an article, or you would like to contribute your original work, send the information to info@illinoisworknet.com.
  • Videos for those who prefer or learn better by watching them.
  • Related Resources for online resources and tools (in addition to Illinois workNet tools) that have been reviewed.
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