Career Finder Worksheet
Career Finder Expedition
Active Research Worksheet
60-Min Expedition
Student Name:
Date & Period:
Part 1: The Target Career
Specific Job Title:
O*NET / BLS Code:
Why this career? (Interest match, skills, or family inspiration):
Matching RIASEC Code:
RIASEC
Part 2: Daily Responsibilities
Locate your career on O*NET or BLS and look at the "Tasks" or "What They Do" tab. Write 4 primary daily tasks.
1
2
3
4
Part 3: The Toolkit
Hard Skills (technical, systems, software)
Soft Skills (teamwork, communication, focus)
Career Finder Expedition Page 1 of 2
Career Finder Expedition
Research Data & Reflection
Part 4: Financials & Market Growth
Locate the salary and growth rate data using your online search tools. Pay attention to annual averages vs. hourly rates.
Median Salary
The midpoint salary for this career.
$
Starting Salary
Average pay for an entry-level position.
$
Growth Outlook
Projected job growth rate (%) over next decade.
%
Part 5: Preparation & Training Path
Required Education Level:
High School Diploma / GED
Associate Degree / Trade School
Bachelor's Degree (4 Years)
Master's / Doctorate (Graduate)
Common Majors or Field of Study:
Special Certifications, Licenses, or Tests Required:
Part 6: Reality Check
Based on your research, write a thoughtful response evaluating your alignment with this professional path.
Would you still consider this career after seeing the data? Why or why not?
What is one surprising thing you discovered during your investigation?
Career Finder Expedition Page 2 of 2
Career Finder Slides
Career Compass Series
Time Code: 60-Min Expedition
Career Finder
Expedition
An active, real-time investigation into your professional future. Navigate live market data, evaluate requirements, and execute a personal reality check.
Mission Briefing: Let's Begin!
Slide 1 of 6
Expedition Game Plan
Pacing Breakdown
05M
The Launch
Choose your target career path, find its professional O*NET code, and state your interest rationale.
Step 1
10M
Demo Tour
Follow along as we tour the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and decode professional data sheets.
Step 2
35M
Data Hunt
Dive deep! Gather your tasks, separate technical tools from people skills, and grab pay and growth metrics.
Step 3
10M
Reality Check
Synthesize your findings and determine if this career truly aligns with your personal vision and strengths.
Step 4
Complete your paper worksheet as we progress through each segment.
Slide 2 of 6
Part 1: Hunting The Code
Launch & Demo
Professional research starts with standard classification. Let's find your exact code.
A
Search O*NET On-line
Navigate to onetonline.org or search "BLS Career Outlook" to locate your selected job.
B
Record the SOC Code
Locate the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code (e.g., 15-1132.00 for Software Developers).
Pro Tip: RIASEC Connection
O*NET profiles display interests at the bottom. Identify which of the six RIASEC themes match your career:
Realistic • Investigative • Social
Watch the teacher screen for a quick 2-minute live lookup demonstration!
Slide 3 of 6
Part 2: Tasks & Toolkit
Active Investigation
Daily Duties Checklist
Locate the "Tasks" section on your career profile page. Look for things that require active work:
- Find at least 4 daily operations or tasks.
- Reword complex technical tasks in your own words.
- Focus on action verbs: "operates," "analyzes," "designs."
Hard vs. Soft Skills
Separate the hard technical tools from the interpersonal styles necessary to survive:
Hard Skills
Software, physical tools, machinery, surgical instruments, data tools.
Soft Skills
Active listening, collaboration, leadership, public speaking, empathy.
Keep your momentum. Research period: 35 minutes total.
Slide 4 of 6
Part 3: Money & Training
Active Investigation
The Paycheck Breakdown
Look under "Wages & Employment". Record two distinct dollar values on your worksheet:
Median Salary: The midpoint. 50% of people make more, 50% make less.
Starting Salary: Entry-level wages for workers just beginning.
Check if the salary is listed per hour or annually!
Education & Outlook
Training maps out your next steps. Locate the requirements and future job health metrics:
Growth Outlook Look for "% change"
Required Level Check high school vs degree
Credentials Note state licenses or certifications
Almost there! Save the final 10 minutes for your personal Reality Check.
Slide 5 of 6
The Reality Check
Reflection & Debrief
The ultimate goal of career research is self-discovery. Review your worksheet data and prepare to debate:
"Would I still pursue this career after looking at the actual starting salary and school years required?"
"What is the single most surprising thing you uncovered during the research phase?"
Share Out Prompts
1. Elevator Pitch: State your career, its O*NET code, and your primary daily duty in 15 seconds.
2. Deal Breaker: Identify one fact that might make you change your mind about this career path.
Ready to close? Submit your double-sided worksheet to the teacher dashboard.
Slide 6 of 6
Career Finder Teacher Guide
Career Finder Expedition
Teacher Facilitation Guide
60-Min Lesson Plan
Materials Needed
- Printed Career Finder Worksheets (1/student)
- Chromebooks/devices with internet access
- Teacher projector & Slide Deck
Target Research Sites
- O*NET OnLine: onetonline.org
- BLS Handbook: bls.gov/ooh
- *Pre-test connection before lesson start!
60-Minute Lesson Pacing Roadmap
00-05m
Lesson Launch & Target Selection (Worksheet Part 1)
Have students choose a target career they've previously matching on RIASEC. Hand out the physical worksheet. Explain the O*NET code concept.
05-15m
Live Search Demonstration (Teacher Screen Model)
Project onetonline.org. Walk through a search for a common career (e.g., "Web Developer"). Point out: SOC code location, daily tasks list, and wage data.
15-50m
Active Student Research Hunt (Worksheet Parts 2-5)
Release students to research independently. Circulate room. Ensure they are translating complex tech tasks into simple terms and converting hourly to annual salary metrics correctly.
50-60m
The Reality Check & Debrief (Worksheet Part 6)
Students answer the reflection section. Lead a structured share-out. Call on students to share "one deal-breaker" or "one surprise discovery" from their research.
Facilitation Prompts & Key Verifications
On Daily Duties: "If you see 'administers databases,' rewrite that as 'organizes computer systems so developers can find what they need.' Write it like you are telling a middle schooler."
On Salaries: "Be careful! If O*NET lists a wage as $45.00, that is an hourly rate. Let's calculate the annual average. Multiply that hourly rate by 2,000 hours to get the real yearly estimate."
On Education Options: "Make sure you identify if your job requires a state license or board certification (e.g., Registered Nurses, Electricians, Teachers). This is different from a regular college degree!"
Differentiation & Support Strategies
For Advanced Explorers
Have students look up the physical location variations of the salary. Let them search BLS "State & Area Data" maps to see which US states pay the highest wage for their selected career.
For Struggling Readers
O*NET text can be dense. Instruct struggling readers to search on My Next Move (mynextmove.org) or search the same job title inside the "Kid's Section" of BLS.
