Question: Reinventing You & Career Research Project

Overview: This project is designed to help you get more information about your desired career including salary ranges, job availability, career path, a typical day on the job, etc. While many of you are probably already working, or have worked in the past, you might not be working in your "dream job" or in the career for which you are currently studying. Also, I have found that many students are unsure of what exactly they want to do when they graduate. Thus, this project is designed to help you focus in and advance in your careers, no matter what stage you are in.

Requirements: 1. You must determine what your expected or desired entry level job will be upon graduation and typical salary ranges for that job title. There are many online and print sources for determining this information. Make sure to make appropriate adjustments for local cost of living in determining a reasonable salary expectation. Base your salary range on at least three sources.

2. Create a list of companies list of 4 companies you would like to work for and find a contact person using LinkedIn (An FIU Alum would be great). Include their name, title, company and email.

3. Using indeed.com, simplyhired or BusinessCareerLink find a job description that would be your dream job and add it to your paper.

4. Make the match. What are your top 4 skills that apply to this job? Do you have them? If not how will you obtain them?

5. Finally, please write a reaction to what you havenow discovered about your desired career. Are you still interested in pursuing this career? Whyor why not? Are you more or less excited about it than you were before? What was surprisingfrom your research? What is your overall reaction to this project? How prepared do you feel forthis career and what are your next steps?

What to submit:

The paper should be typed, using a double-spaced, professional font. The contents should be presented inthe following order:

1. Cover page listing name, date, course title and your targeted job title.

2. Self-Assessment

• What are your values?

• What are your interests

• What are your skills?

- Create a list of the skills you could potentially provide. Include a range- from stuff anybody could do (making phone calls to voters, pushing paper in the mailroom) to your unique talents (copywriting to improve their fund-raising letters, programming to create a new app for them).

• What is your personality type?

• How do your values, interests, skills and personality type impact the type of position you will be looking for?

3. Job description of your dream job.

• Make the match. Do you have the needed skills and education for this position? What are the top 4 needed skills? Do you have these skills? If not what will you do to obtain them?

• Expected Salary Range (Where did you find this information? Cite)

4. Create a list or table of 4 companies you would like to work for and contact names

• Find a contact person at each company using LinkedIn (An FIU Alum would be great)

• Include their name, title, company and email (and/or Screenshot of LinkedIn Profile)

5. Reflection

• Finally, please write a reaction to what you have now discovered about your desired career.

• Are you still interested in pursuing this career? Whyor why not?

• Are you more or less excited about it than you were before?

• What was surprisingfrom your research?

• What is your overall reaction to this project?

6. Next Steps (1/2 page)

• How prepared do you feel forthis career and what are your next steps?

• Make a list of three things you can do in the next several months to enhance your knowledge base

Projects missing any of the requirements will be penalized. Please note: all late projects will be immediately docked 5% for each day that they are late. No projects will be accepted more than one week late unless prior instructor approval was given.