Log into Career Planner https://[yourdistrict].schooldata.net/v2/career-planner
Click on Reality Check in the left-hand navigation menu. Next, click Introduction and read the instructions.
Location
The first step to completing the Reality Check is choosing where to live. Living expenses vary by location. For example, if you plan to work and live in a big city, your cost of living and the salary required to cover it may be different than if you plan to live in a small town.
|
Click “Location” from the left-hand menu. Then, select “Where would you like to live?” from the drop-down. |
Click "Next: Expenses" on the right side of the screen. |
Expense Calculator - What are your monthly expenses?
There are eleven (11) types of expenses. Pick your preferred option for each expense. Each option will show how much it will add to your monthly expenses. Remember you are investigating your work world (post-high school/college) and the career that will support this lifestyle.
|
For each Expense type, click on the option you like most (The box will be highlighted yellow). Each option will show a dollar amount reflecting how much that choice will add to your monthly expenses. |
As you complete each section, the cost of your choice will be recorded, and a checkmark will appear next to the section name in the left-hand menu. |
Click “Next Expense” to move to the next question. Click the “Next: Education” button at the top-right of the screen when you have answered all of the Expenses questions. |
- Housing - How much space do you need? How much money would you like to spend?
- Utilities - Select the utilities you want to have available. Look for the $$$ section. This is the default value for the location you selected. Type “0” for any utility you do not want.
- Food - How much money will you spend each month on food?
- Transportation - How much will you pay for transportation in a month?
- Clothes - How much will you spend on clothing? Remember, some careers require a specific type of dress.
- Health - Healthcare issues sometimes arise (Dr., Dentist, Eyeglasses). How will you handle healthcare expenses?
- Entertainment - Hobbies, Recreation, and Concerts are some of the activities that fall under this category.
- Personal Care - Hair care, makeup, and gym memberships are some items included in this category.
- Miscellaneous - Gadgets, travel, and household items are some of the items included in this category.
- Student Loans - Will you need to pay for any educational expenses?
- Savings - Saving money will allow you to plan for unexpected expenses.
Education
Depending on your career, you can expect to put in anywhere from a few hours to several years of training and education after high school. For example, a job may require up to a month of on-the-job training to work independently, while others may require years of graduate school and must pass an exam before beginning work.
|
Use the drop-down to select how much time you will spend on post-high school education and training. |
Click “Next: Occupation” to move to the next section. |
Occupation
|
Select a Career Cluster that interests you by clicking the pictures. Select “No Preference” from the drop-down window if you are unsure what to pick. |
Click “Next: Results” to see your Results! |
Results
Look at your Total Annual Salary Needed. This multiplies your calculated monthly expenses by twelve (12) to find how much you must earn yearly to support your preferred lifestyle.
Look at the list of Careers at the bottom of the page. This area shows a list of careers that match all of your choices.
- You will see only careers that earn your total annual salary needed or higher.
- You will see only careers that require your education choice or less.
- You will only see careers that belong to the career cluster you selected.
If your list of careers is too small, there are a couple of ways to broaden your selection:
- Choose a different time span for "How much time are you willing to invest?".
- Choose No Preference for “What general career cluster interests you most?”.
- Redo the Expenses section and choose less expensive options (the lower the Total Annual Salary Needed, the more careers you will see).
Comments
0 comments
Please sign in to leave a comment.