This journal can be done as a stand-alone journal or in .docx

This journal can be done as a stand-alone journal or in
conjunction with an article.
Read an article on aligning interests with a career. For
example:
younger selves”
Journal #1: What career interests you the most and why?
Explain in
detail your career interest and tell why you feel that you would
be
successful in your chosen field.
6 soft skills everyone needs and employers look for
Technical skills may get you an interview, but these six soft
skills will get you the job.

By Larry Buhl
In a 2008 survey of more than 2,000 businesses in the state of
Washington, employers said entry-level
workers in a variety of professions were lacking in several
areas, including problem solving, conflict resolution
and critical observation.
You'll likely see these "soft skills" popping up in job
descriptions, next to demands for technical qualifications.
Employment experts agree that tech skills may get you an
interview, but these soft skills will get you the job—
and help you keep it:
Communication skills
This doesn't mean you have to be a brilliant orator or writer. It
does mean you have to express yourself well,
whether it's writing a coherent memo, persuading others with a
presentation or just being able to calmly explain
to a team member what you need.
Teamwork and collaboration
Employers want employees who play well with others—who can
effectively work as part of a team. "That
means sometimes being a leader, sometimes being a good

follower, monitoring the progress, meeting
deadlines and working with others across the organization to
achieve a common goal," says Lynne Sarikas,
the MBA Career Center Director at Northeastern University.
Adaptability
This is especially important for more-seasoned professionals to
demonstrate, to counter the (often erroneous)
opinion that older workers are too set in their ways. "To
succeed in most organizations, you need to have a
passion for learning and the ability to continue to grow and
stretch your skills to adapt to the changing needs of
the organization," Sarikas says. "On your resume, on your cover
letter and in your interview, explain the ways
you've continued to learn and grow throughout your career."
Problem solving
Be prepared for the "how did you solve a problem?" interview
question with several examples, advises Ann
Spoor, managing director of Cave Creek Partners. "Think of
specific examples where you solved a tough
Journal #2: What qualities and goals do you have and how do
they fit
in with your career interest? Based on the soft skills discussed
in this

article, discuss one that is a strength for you and one with
which you
struggle. Share your hopes and plans for the next five years.
http://oas.monster.com/RealMedia/ads/click_lx.ads/us.monster.e
n/career-advice/six-soft-skills-everyone-needs-hot-
jobs/913302949/Middle1/default/empty.gif/71416c562f6c616d5
33234414478542f?x
business problem or participated in the solution. Be able to
explain what you did, how you approached the
problem, how you involved others and what the outcome was—
in real, measurable results."
Critical observation
It's not enough to be able to collect data and manipulate it. You
must also be able to analyze and interpret it.
What story does the data tell? What questions are raised? Are
there different ways to interpret the data?
"Instead of handing your boss a spreadsheet, give them a
business summary and highlight the key areas for
attention, and suggest possible next steps," Sarikas advises.
Conflict resolution
The ability to persuade, negotiate and resolve conflicts is
crucial if you plan to move up. "You need to have the

skill to develop mutually beneficial relationships in the
organization so you can influence and persuade
people," Sarikas says. "You need to be able to negotiate win-
win solutions to serve the best interests of the
company and the individuals involved."
When it comes to soft skills, show—don't tell
How do you prove you're proficient at, say, critical
observation? Demonstrating these soft skills may be more
difficult than listing concrete accomplishments like $2 million
in sales or a professional certification. But it is
possible to persuade hiring managers that you have what they
need.
To demonstrate communication skills, for example, start with
the obvious. Make sure there are no typos in your
resume or cover letter. Beyond that, enhance your
communication credibility by writing an accomplishment
statement on your resume or cover letter, says Cheryl E. Palmer,
president of Call to Career. "Instead of
stating, 'great oral and written communication skills,' say,
'conducted presentation for C-level executives that
persuaded them to open a new line of business that became
profitable within eight months.'"
Learn soft skills

The good news is that, like any skill, soft skills can be learned.
The better news? Boosting your soft skills not
only gives you a leg up on a new job or a promotion, but these
skills also have obvious applications in all areas
of a person's life, both professional and personal.
areas such as effective written and
verbal communication, teamwork, cultural understanding and
psychology. Take a writing or
public speaking course to boost your communication skills.
Look for a conflict-resolution
course or "leadership skills" class at your local community
college.
r target
skill, and when you're approaching
a potential mentor, compliment that person with a specific
example in which you've seen him
practice that skill, advises Ed Muzio, the author of Make Work
Great. "Then ask whether that
person would be willing to share ideas with you about how you
might achieve the same level
of capability," he says. "Maybe it will grow into a long
mentoring relationship, or maybe you'll
just pick the person's brain for a few minutes."

fit organizations gives you
the opportunity to build soft skills.
And listing high-profile volunteer work on your resume gives
you an excuse to point out what
you gained there. For example, "As chair of the environmental
committee, planned and
carried out a citywide park cleanup campaign. Utilized team-
building, decision-making and
cooperative skills. Extensive report writing and public speaking.
Retrieved 25 January 2016 from http://career-
advice.monster.com/career-development/getting-promoted/six-
soft-skills-everyone-needs-
hot-jobs/article.aspx
http://career-advice.monster.com/career-development/getting-
promoted/six-soft-skills-everyone-needs-hot-jobs/article.aspx
http://career-advice.monster.com/career-development/getting-
promoted/six-soft-skills-everyone-needs-hot-jobs/article.aspx

APR 16, 2013
How Social Media Can Help (Or Hurt) You In Your Job Search
Social media is a key player in the job search process today.
Sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+ allow
employers to get a glimpse of who you are outside
the confines of a résumé, cover letter, or interview—while they
offer job seekers the opportunity to learn about
companies they’re interested in; connect with current and
former employees; and hear about job openings
instantaneously, among other things.
That’s probably why half of all job seekers are active on social
networking sites on a daily basis, and more than
a third of all employers utilize these sites in their hiring
process.
Career transition and talent development consulting firm Lee
Hecht Harrison asked hundreds of job seekers
via an online poll, “How active are you on social networking
sites?” Forty-eight percent said they’re very active
on a daily basis, while 19% said they log on about two or three
times per week. Another 22% said they use
social networking sites one to three times per month, or less.
Only 11% of job seekers said they never use
social networking websites.

“I was really excited to see how many job seekers are active on
social media,” says Helene Cavalli, vice
president of marketing at Lee Hecht Harrison. “As strong
advocates, we spend a lot of time coaching job
seekers on how to develop a solid social media strategy. While
it isn’t the only strategy for finding a job, it’s
becoming increasingly important.”
Greg Simpson, a senior vice president at Lee Hecht Harrison,
said in a press statement that job seekers must
understand how hiring managers and recruiters are using social
media in all phases of the selection process.
To help job seekers better understand the role of social media in
their job search, CareerBuilder.comconducted
a survey last year that asked 2,303 hiring managers and human
resource professionals if, how, and why they
incorporate social media into their hiring process.
First they found that 37% of employers use social networks to
screen potential job candidates. That means
about two in five companies browse your social media profiles
to evaluate your character and personality–and
some even base their hiring decision on what they find.
“Social media is a primary vehicle of communication today, and
because much of that communication is public,

it’s no surprise some recruiters and hiring managers are tuning
in,” says Rosemary Haefner, vice president of
human resources at CareerBuilder.
Journal #3: What is the most interesting thing I have learned
through
my career research? How does the information in this article
relate to
my future career?
http://www.careerbuilder.com/?cbRecursionCnt=1
CareerBuilder also asked employers why they use social
networks to research candidates, and 65% said they
do it to see if the job seeker presents himself or herself
professionally. About half (51%) want to know if the
candidate is a good fit for the company culture, and another
45% want to learn more about his or her
qualifications. Some cited “to see if the candidate is well-
rounded” and “to look for reasons not to hire the
candidate,” as their motives.
So, if you’re among the 89% of job seekers that use social
networking sites (daily, sometimes, or rarely), you’ll
want to be careful.

A third (34%) of employers who scan social media profiles said
they have found content that has caused them
not to hire the candidate. About half of those employers said
they didn’t offer a job candidate the position
because of provocative or inappropriate photos and information
posted on his or her profile; while 45% said
they chose not to hire someone because of evidence of drinking
and/or drug use on his or her social profiles.
Other reasons they decided not to offer the job: the candidate’s
profile displayed poor communication skills, he
or she bad mouthed previous employers, made discriminatory
comments related to race, gender, or religion, or
lied about qualifications.
(Haefner says no matter what information is found on a
candidate, and regardless of where it’s found, the
process has to abide by fair and equal hiring practices.)
“If you choose to share content publicly on social media, make
sure it’s working to your advantage,” Haefner
says. “Take down or secure anything that could potentially be
viewed by an employer as unprofessional and
share content that highlights your accomplishments and
qualifications in a positive way.”
Brad Schepp, co-author of How To Find A Job On LinkedIn,
Facebook, Twitter and Google+, adds:“Make sure

any profiles you write are free of typos, the information is
coherent and applicable to your industry [or job
you’re trying to land], and your photos present you in a
favorable light. You can verify the applicability of the
information by checking profiles of others in the same field.”
The information you provide online about your job background
and accomplishments should also be
consistent, he says. “Don’t assume an employer will only be
checking you out on LinkedIn. They may also
check Facebook, or even Twitter and Google+. The story you
tell on each site should be pretty much the
same, although it’s fine to adapt the material for the site.”
The good news is that hiring managers aren’t just screening
your social media profiles to dig up dirt; they’re
also looking for information that could possibly give you an
advantage. The CareerBuilder survey revealed that
29% of surveyed hiring managers found something positive on a
profile that drove them to offer the candidate
a job.
In some cases it was that the employer got a good feel for the
candidate’s personality. Others chose to hire
because the profile conveyed a professional image. In some
instances it was because background information

supported professional qualifications, other people posted great
references about the candidate, or because
the profile showed that the job seeker is creative, well-rounded,
or has great communication skills.
This means the job seekers shouldn’t just focus on hiding or
removing inappropriate content; they should work
on building strong social networks and creating online profiles
that do a really good job of representing their
skills and experience in the workplace, Simpson said in a press
statement. “Job seekers who are silent or
invisible online may be at a disadvantage. They need to engage
on social networking sites to increase their
visibility and searchability with prospective employers,” he
said.
Cavalli agrees. “It’s not enough to only post a profile and check
your news feed. There are a lot of lurkers–
people who have an online profile but don’t do anything or
engage in any meaningful way. You need to give to
the social networking communities, participate in group
discussions, share expertise, point someone to an
article. You have to work it. While it can feel uncomfortable
putting yourself out there, if you’re looking for a job,

it’s not the time to be timid.”
Retrieved 25 January2016 from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/04/16/how-
social-media-can-help-or-hurt-your-job-
search/#252b305a24fd
social-media-can-help-or-hurt-your-job-search/#252b305a24fd
social-media-can-help-or-hurt-your-job-search/#252b305a24fd
Article #1
Two-Year vs. Four-Year Colleges: Which One is Right for You?
Congratulations! You’ve made it (almost) through high school.
Now all you’ve got to do is plan out the next few
years of your life. When it comes to choosing your next
educational step, you’ll need to think about how much
of a time and money investment you’re prepared to make as
well as what kinds of jobs you can see yourself
holding in the future. To help you figure out where your next
move should be, here’s a short breakdown of the

pros and cons of two- and four-year colleges.
TWO-YEAR COLLEGES
About
Although four-year schools get all the media hype, many high
school graduates head right to a two-year
institution. Looking at the facts, it’s no surprise why. Cheaper,
quicker, and highly vocational, two-year schools
offer students the chance to start their careers sooner and with
less (or no) debt. You can also use a two-year
school as a launching point to start earning your bachelor’s
degree.
Who Goes There
Students looking to go directly into a trade or technical
vocation, those with blemished high school transcripts
looking to work their way into a four-year school, and students
who simply want to save money on their general
education courses before transferring to a more expensive four-
year institution.
What You’ll Take
Depending on your degree program, two-year students typically
either focus on taking general pre-requisite
courses that can transfer to a four-year institution or courses in

their specific trade. Since community colleges
are closely linked to area industries, students will find a wide
array of courses that cater directly to the local job
market.
Other Learning Opportunities
In addition to in-class learning, two-year college students
frequently take on apprenticeships and internships
within their local community. Beyond getting an insider’s look
at their future job, interns and apprentices also
gain valuable industry connections they can use to land a job
upon graduation.
The Cost Factor
Here is where two-year institutions shine. Since most two-year
colleges are designed for commuters, students
are responsible for finding their own housing and get to avoid
the high costs of room and board. Two-year
students get a huge break on tuition as well.
According to the College Board, the average cost of tuition and
fees at a two-year school is only $3,131, just
over one-third of the cost for a year at a four-year public
institution.
FOUR-YEAR COLLEGES

About
Get ready to make an investment. Students who put the time and
money into a four-year education will reap
the benefits throughout their lives. Though four-year schools
require at least twice the amount of time as two-
year schools AND three times the tuition, they offer students
on- and off-campus learning opportunities you
simply can’t find anywhere else.
Journal #4: What are your educational goals? What is your
plan for
achieving those goals? Based on what you have researched
about
your chosen career and the information in the following articles,
discuss your plans for future intellectual and academic
development.
Who Goes There
Those who want a well-rounded education and a flexible degree.
While four-year students are required to take
a much broader range of courses than two-year vocational
students, four-year students graduate with degrees
that can be used for a wide spectrum of jobs in the real world.

What You’ll Take
Everything—math, biology, English, history, even music
therapy. Although four-year students typically spend
the first two years taking generalized courses then the last two
years taking courses in their major, students
are free to take electives in any field of study.
Other Learning Opportunities
This is where four-year institutions shine. In addition to in-class
learning, four-year institutions offer an
enormous spectrum of on- and off-campus learning
opportunities. On campus you can attend performances,
cultural events, and guest lecture series, as well as participate in
student-run clubs and honor societies.
Students also go off campus for service-learning projects, study
abroad trips, internships, cooperative
education programs, and field trips.
The Cost Factor
Get ready to cough it up. The College Board reports that the
average cost of one year of in-state tuition and
fees at a public four-year school is $8,655. Tack on another
$9,205 in room and board costs and you’re looking
at an average yearly bill of $17,860. For private school
students, the situation is even worse. The average

private school student pays $29,056 in tuition and fees per year
and $10,462 in room and board for a grand
total of $39,518. While four-year college students are forced to
fork over the dough now, they’ll reap the
financial benefits later with higher salaries in the future.
Christina Couch is a freelance writer based in Richmond,
Virginia, and Chicago, Illinois. She is the author
of Virginia Colleges 101: The Ultimate Guide for Students of
All Ages (Palari Publishing, 2008). Her byline can
also be found on AOL.com, MSN.com, Yahoo.com and Wired
Magazine.
Retrieved 25 January 2016 from
http://www.collegeview.com/articles/article/two-year-vs-four-
year-colleges-which-one-is-right-for-you
Article #2
What Are the Benefits of College Vs. Technical School?
by Neil Kokemuller, Demand Media
For students who decide they don't want to dedicate four years
to a degree program, a technical or
trade school often makes sense as a way to advance a career
ambition. However, students who
possess more academic discipline and a desire for increasing
income and employment options, a
four-year bachelor's program might prove beneficial.

Social Experience
For students who want the more traditional college experience,
a four-year college or university is a
better fit. Trade or technical schools often have less on-campus
housing than four-year schools. At a
traditional college, you can live in a dorm or on-campus
apartment, become more active in social
clubs and Greek life, participate in intramural sports and hang
out with friends at school and in the
college community. This offers a better chance to social
involvement and the development of strong
friendship bonds. Technical schools are more commonly
commuter-based, with students driving in for
classes and leaving shortly after.
http://www.collegeview.com/articles/article/two-year-vs-four-
year-colleges-which-one-is-right-for-you
Employment Potential
College degrees generally included a broader range of content
that qualifies graduates for entry-level
careers in a variety of businesses and industries. Technical
schools are much more degree and
industry-specific. While they might offer more immediate
employment in the field, they lead to less
overall career flexibility. In some cases, students with a four-
year college degree can land jobs
requiring degrees in areas outside of their college major. This is
the benefit of taking classes in math,
sciences, language, humanities and communication, along with
major-specific classes.

Income Potential
Technical school graduates in certain careers can actually find
jobs that pay higher than entry-level
jobs attained by four-year graduates. However, on the whole,
four-year grads make more over the
duration of their working lives and have access to more high-
paying jobs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics studied median income across all education levels in
2012. The results showed that
bachelor's degree earners made more than 26 percent more,
typically, than workers with an
associate degree.
Broader Knowledge Base
Along with the tangible career and income advantages, a
primary purpose of a four-year college
experience is a broader knowledge base and skill set. The
combination of general education courses,
program courses, electives and hands-on college experiences
typically provide this. Along with
greater career flexibility, a more well-rounded education
enhances a graduates ability to converse,
interact with community and business leaders and participate
more fully in the entire operation of an
organization.
Retrieved 25 January from
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/benefits-college-vs-
technical-school-9505.html
Article #3
Updated on 12.07.15

Why You Should Consider Trade School Instead of College
by: Trent Hamm
For a lot of people, going to a four-year college seems like an
automatic choice when they graduate from high
school. The reason is obvious – higher income. According to the
National Center for Educational Statistics, a
bachelor’s degree accounted for an average of $16,900 in
additional income per year compared to a high
school diploma ($30,000 versus $46,900).
Over a 30-year career in the workforce, that’s more than a
$500,000 difference in earnings. These numbers
may not paint the whole picture, however. Due to the
increasingly high costs associated with a college
education, as well as other drawbacks, more and more people
have been considering trade school as an
education alternative. If you’re one of them, you can actually
search for a great trade school right here using
the tool below:
Trade School vs. College: Drawbacks to College Education
Length: Four (or More) Years vs. Two Years
For starters, a bachelor’s degree typically takes four years of
study, which means that people who enter the

workforce after receiving their bachelor’s degree aren’t doing
so until age 22. That shaves some years off of a
person’s career and can be considered an opportunity cost for
experiencing the ‘real world’ hands on instead
http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/benefits-college-vs-
technical-school-9505.html
of being in a classroom. Plus, a four-year program usually
makes you take classes outside of your major to
fulfill credit requirements. Unless you enjoy spending time in a
classroom, it may seem unnecessary to pay for
extraneous credits and courses. Sure, that improv theater class
was fun, but was it helpful for your chemistry
major?
High Cost of a Bachelor’s Degree
Another drawback is the cost. Research conducted by the Idaho
Department of Labor Idaho Department of
Labor found that the average bachelor’s degree in the United
States costs $127,000! Not only that, but nearly
70% of students take out loans to help pay for school.
According to the study, over 20% of students with loans
owe more than $50,000, and 5.6% owe more than $100,000 at
the end. Although some student loans are

certainly better than others, the added cost of accruing interest
makes the overall expense of receiving an
education in the U.S. significantly higher for the average
student than the already steep price tag suggests.
The college lifestyle isn’t cheap either — dorming, paying for
food, going out, and even doing your own laundry
adds up!
Dropout Rate + Late Grads
A third drawback: Some people simply aren’t prepared for the
rigors of a four-year college. For many students,
college is their first experience away from home and, without an
adequate plan, it’s easy to stray off course. In
fact, the Institute of Education Statistics estimates that 40% of
attendees at a four-year college drop out before
completing their degree. If you find yourself as a part of that
40%, not only have you incurred some of the
expense of college, you left without receiving a degree. For the
60% that do complete their degree, a whopping
64% take longer than four years to graduate, costing themselves
nearly $70,000 in lost wages and educational
expenses per year, according to U.S. News. Most colleges don’t
even require students to pick a major until the
end of their sophomore year, creating a class of undecided
students who may have wasted their time and

credits on courses that they chose not to pursue.
Poor Economic Conditions
Finally: Job prospects for new graduates may not be as bright as
they had expected. Although some college
majors are faring better than others when it comes to labor
market outcomes, a recent report released by
the Economic Policy Institute states that overall, the
unemployment (8.5%) and underemployment (16.8%)
rates for college graduates under the age of 25 are nearly double
what they were in 2007. Over the past five
years, graduates have faced sluggish labor markets Young
graduates are faced with limited job opportunities
and difficulty paying off their student loans. College degrees
are a career investment that require a
considerable amount of both time and money, and the portion of
grads who are unable to find desirable
employment (or employment at all!) are seeing negative returns.
Trade School as an Alternative
My response to these statistics is that people approaching high
school graduation should seriously consider
trade school, particularly if they are not at the top of their class.
A traditional four-year degree is not for

everyone, and trade school offers a pretty compelling career
path, especially when considering the factors
associated with a college education outlined above. I’ll provide
an overview of what a trade school education
is, who it would be best for, and some of the advantages of
trade school versus college.
What is a Trade School or Vocational School?
A trade school, also known as a technical or vocational school,
is an educational institution that exists to teach
skills related to a specific job. Trade schools are a more
streamlined approach to education, with curricula
focusing on developing a particular skillset and knowledge base
for a career rather than receiving a general
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/data-
mine/2014/12/01/report-too-much-freedom-hurts-college-
graduation-rates
education. Trade schools typically take a lot less time to
complete, have smaller class sizes, and the majority
of the training is hands-on, which is an ideal environment for
many types of learners. Vocational degrees can
lead to well-paying jobs like electrician, mechanic, machinist,
pharmacy technician, nuclear technician, and
dental hygienist, with room for growth and managerial potential
in each field.

Advantages to Trade Schools
Salaries for Trade School Jobs
For starters, salaries for trade school graduates aren’t that much
of a drop-off compared to a four-year degree.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics,
technical and trade school jobs have a median
annual salary of $35,720, though this figure varies heavily
based on the particular industry and the experience
level of the worker. The BLS predicted earnings for bachelor’s
degree holders to be roughly $46,900,
amounting to an annual difference of $11,180. This stat, of
course, doesn’t factor in long term earnings growth.
However, because trade school only takes an average of two
years to complete versus four, that amounts to
an additional two years of income for the trade school graduate,
or $71,440. Factor in another $70,000 in costs
for the many students who take an extra year to graduate from
college, and trade school grads can be over
$140,000 ahead at the get-go, making up for over 12 years of
difference in income.
Price of Education
The average trade school degree costs $33,000, which,
compared to a $127,000 bachelor’s degree, means a

savings of $94,000. But that’s not all! If you assume that
students are fully financing their education with loans
at 4% over 10 years, the bachelor’s degree will cost $154,000,
while the trade school degree will cost only
$40,000. That’s a savings of $114,000 just on the degree.
Of course, most students in both cases won’t fully finance their
education. They’ll work and find other sources
of income to help with the process, meaning the gap will be
smaller in the average case. Research gathered in
2012 suggests that the average college student debt load is
$29,900, and that number rises to $36,327 when
factoring in interest. Conversely, the average debt load for
students graduating from a two-year technical
school is $10,000, roughly 70% less than the four-year
graduate.
Job Security
Yet another advantage of technical trade school is that most of
the jobs you’ll get are extremely difficult to
export to another country. More and more jobs are being
outsourced to places where labor is cheaper, making
domestic employment in certain sectors difficult to get. It is
much easier to export, say, computer programming
work or other information economy work than it is to export

carpentry or electrical work, as that requires a
physical presence.
Not only that, but there’s a growing domestic demand for high-
precision skills. According to Forbes, skilled
trade workers are a disproportionately older population, and
will only continue to get older, creating increased
opportunities for young workers to fill their shoes.
Final Thoughts on Trade School vs. College
It should be noted that I’m not opposed to a four-year degree;
instead, I’m simply making a strong case for an
option that many people overlook when deciding what to do
after high school. In lifetime earnings, a bachelor’s
degree still pays off – don’t get me wrong. According to
statistics, a person with a bachelor’s degree is
projected to earn around $1.1 million, compared to the $393,000
projected earnings of an associate’s degree
or trade school program graduate.
The advantages of a four-year degree are many: You’re going to
earn much more later on in life and you also
have the door wide open to continue your studies and earn
substantially more with a masters degree or

doctorate, however the cost/benefit equation to even higher
education is changing every day.
Trade school graduates are very limited in opportunities to
continue to bolster their education. That being said,
a four-year degree is expensive, and not suited to everyone’s
learning style and skill set. If you’re a hands-on
learner, excited by the prospects of getting out of the classroom
and starting to work immediately after high
school, trade school is a relatively inexpensive alternative
education that may work well for you. Take
advantage of the search tool above to learn more about trade
schools near you and what they offer.
I’ll leave you with an anecdote. My wife’s cousin graduated
from high school at roughly the same time my wife
graduated. Her cousin went to electrician’s school, while my
wife went to four-year university. Her cousin
started working three years before my wife and incurred much
less student loan debt. Today, though he makes
a little bit less money than she does, the difference isn’t very
significant, plus he had hardly any debt to pay off
after school.
This past May, my nephew graduated from high school. He is
now attending electrician’s school as well. I think
it’s the wisest move he could have made in his situation.

If you are graduating from high school soon, or have a loved
one who is approaching graduation, I recommend
seriously considering trade school as an alternative option. If
you’re still unsure about your academic future or
you’re looking for more information and options, check out our
education series.
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/why-you-should-consider-
trade-school-instead-of-college/
http://www.thesimpledollar.com/why-you-should-consider-
trade-school-instead-of-college/
JAN 30, 2013
The Often Overlooked but Invaluable Benefits of Mentorship
My colleague Ken Perlman is a strong proponent of mentorship.
He gets as much out of being a

mentor as he does from his own mentors. Here he shares the
often overlooked benefits that make
mentorship invaluable. Read more about the “Serious business”
of mentoring in his interview in
the Financial Times.
I get to work with many different clients as they lead their
organizations through significant change.
When I ask them, to whom or what they attribute their strong
leadership skills, their answers are
rather consistent. More often than not, they attribute their
leadership skill-building to one or more
influential individuals – strong mentors – who helped show
them how to lead.
The value of a mentor can be doubly undervalued by many
people – especially younger professionals
and junior executives. We learn a great deal about management
principles and practices in school.
Leadership, though more popularly discussed in school now, is
still more often learned outside of
school. The value of a mentor who can help cultivate leadership
skills one-on-one in real-time, reduce
the anxiety in taking big steps, and focus leaders on achieving
their goals – is huge. Many times it’s

the first few years out of school that can shape the career path
of an MBA, and that is determined by
whether they create or are given an opportunity to demonstrate
their leadership skill.
Also, as a mentor myself, the lessons I’ve learned about myself
and my own leadership style are
huge.
Finally, I see many recent graduates looking to their friends and
peers for advice. While this is a good
perspective to have, the power of a mentor who can provide a
different perspective, relate different
leadership experiences, and ask a different set of questions is
critically important. Part of this “we
know better” thinking may come from the expectation that new
will disrupt old, simply based on its
‘awesomeness’. The danger is that people can far too easily
filter out views and opinions different
than their own simply by changing the channel or subscribing to
a different RSS or Twitter feed.
Leadership is about taking it all in, looking at what we really
want to achieve, and determining a
compelling path forward so that others will help you make it
happen. Mentors and peers, colleagues
and friends, customers and competitors are all part of that

ecosystem that helps give a platform to
leaders who know how to make it work for them.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/johnkotter/2013/01/30/the-often-
overlooked-but-invaluable-
benefits-of-mentorship/#5f9f4b9563e8
Journal #5: Describe your mentoring experience. Explain 3
new pieces
of information you learned by participating in this experience.
How
does the information about mentorship in the article relate to
your
experience?
overlooked-but-invaluable-benefits-of-
mentorship/#5f9f4b9563e8
overlooked-but-invaluable-benefits-of-
mentorship/#5f9f4b9563e8
Other topics:

OCT 5, 2012 @ 11:47 AM 11,241 VIEWS
The Career Tip To Follow Your Passion: Is It Bunk?
Richard Eisenberg, CONTRIBUTOR
Career coaches often say that if you’re looking for a job or want
to change careers you should “follow your
passion.” In fact, Next Avenue’s work and volunteering blogger
Nancy Collamer recently wrote a piece telling
you how to do it. But could the whole notion of following your
passion be bunk?
Yup, according to Cal Newport, the author of the new, buzzy
book, So Good They Can’t Ignore You. (The title
comes from advice Steve Martin gives to aspiring entertainers.)
Become a Craftsman at Work
He maintains that pre-existing passions are rare. Trying to
determine your passion and follow it, Newport says,
can be dangerous and lead to chronic job-hopping. You’d be
much better off, he believes, improving and
stretching your “rare and valuable” skills to become a
“craftsman.” That will make you a stronger job candidate
and help you have a successful career.

I have to admit I was a little disturbed to see Newport throwing
cold water on the “follow your passion” idea.
After all, many people in their 50s or 60s are working in fields
they never loved, maybe even never liked, and
are eager to make a switch for personal satisfaction. Others
have lost jobs that didn’t enthuse them and now
hope to find work aligned with a particular interest or passion.
Since Newport’s book is aimed primarily at young people
starting out in their careers, I called him to hear his
argument for midlifers. And I confess I reluctantly came away a
believer.
Career Advice for Midlifers
“If you’re 50 or 60, you have built up very valuable skills,” said
Newport, who is in his early ‘30s and an
assistant professor of computer science at Georgetown
University in Washington, D.C. “Don’t discount them.”
When you’re plotting your next career move, “work backwards
from your skills,” Newport said. “Ask yourself:
What skills do I have and how rare and valuable are they? The
intersection of your rare skills and what
interests you is what should start your job hunt, not
introspection about what you’re ‘meant to do.’”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/people/reisenberg/
http://www.calnewport.com/books/sogood.html
Introspection Is Overrated
Introspection is highly overrated, Newport maintains. “There’s
no one, true calling that you’re meant to follow,
one passion entwined in your DNA that you’ll discover if you’re
introspective enough,” he said. (If you’re
interested in other job-seeking goofs, I recommend the new
Forbes article by Jacquelyn Smith, “13 Big
Mistakes Job Seekers Make and How to Avoid Them.”)
Newport says it’s important to “deliberately stretch yourself
past your comfort zone” at your job, since this will
make you more valuable. “I’m an academic and my advisers in
their 50s and 60s are constantly tackling
complicated fields like abstract mathematics and systematically
stretching themselves. They’re able to do
things way better than I am.”
Hobby vs. Career
If you’ve made a hobby of, say, photography, it’s not wise to
expect success turning that into a second career,
Newport says. Unless, that is, you’re really good at it — back to
the craftsman idea.

“Yes, if you’re excellent at photography and that’s a valuable
skill, it can be a foundation for a career you’ll
love,” he said. “But for most people, it’s ‘Yeah, I’m pretty good
at it, but my deep skills rely on the career I’ve
had for the past few decades.”
Avoiding a Layoff
I noted that being a craftsman won’t matter if your employer
needs to lay off workers and decides that
shedding your high 50-something salary will translate into tidy
savings for the company.
“Yes, in general, people who are more senior cost more and are
in more danger of being laid off,” Newport
says. “But if you’re indispensable, you’ll be unlikely to get laid
off or you’ll have a clear value to the marketplace
when you start looking for a job.”
And what about launching an encore career to follow your
passion to serve others?
“An encore career is a great idea,” Newport says. “But you’re
much more likely to be successful if you
approach it from the skillset mindset. The more rare, valuable
and relevant your skill is, the more impact you’ll
have in your encore career and the more satisfying it’s going to
be.”

In other words, don’t randomly pick a nonprofit so you can do
the type of work it happens to need at the
moment. Instead, find a place that can truly benefit from the
skills you’re best at.
Finding Your ‘One True Love’
I asked Collamer what she makes of Newport’s view and
learned that she actually thought it had merit, to a
point.
“I agree that few people have one driving passion, so finding
your ‘one true love’ can create needless anxiety
and frustration,” she says. “That’s also true for the myth that we
only have one soul mate.”
But, Collamer adds, “that does not mean introspection is time
wasted.” She favors a kind of passion-meets-
craftsman strategy, which makes sense to me. “Think about
what you enjoy, do well, and find meaningful —
and then look for work that lines up with those interests and
skills.”
Skillfully said.
Retrieved 17 February 2016 from
http://www.forbes.com/sites/nextavenue/2012/10/05/the-career-
tip-to-follow-your-

passion-is-it-bunk/#4f05690528ae
tip-to-follow-your-passion-is-it-bunk/#4f05690528ae
tip-to-follow-your-passion-is-it-bunk/#4f05690528ae

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