Career Analysis Essay 1 CAREER ANALYSIS ESSAY Here is the formal Career Analysis Essay assignment sheet. This assignment sheet will provide you with the nuts and bolts of the essay. Also keep in mind that throughout each week, you will participate in discussions and compose weekly writings that will assist you with writing the Career Analysis Essay. Requirements: • Length: Full five to seven pages, MLA format, double-spaced • Five sources cited in the body of the essay and on the works cited page Criteria: • Three criteria you have considered when attempting to answer the question: “Should I stay on my career path or change?” What three criteria are most important for you? • Criteria for Determining Whether I Should Continue on my Current Career Path or Change: In order to support your thesis, you need to do research. You would base this research on the criteria you have chosen. Here are some examples: ✓ employability--How easy would it be to get a job in your field? How soon you could get a job? ✓ salary--How much money would you make? ✓ job satisfaction--How satisfied would you be in your field? ✓ types of people you would work with/workplace community ✓ distance from home (Would you have to move in order to find a job in your field, or could you get a job around where you live now? What would your commute be like?) ✓ schedule and work/life balance (would you work on a shift schedule or a more regular schedule? How much time will you have for personal pursuits?) ✓ variance in job duties (would you do the same thing most of the time, or would you have different job duties?) These are just examples. You are welcome to choose other criteria than those I provided here. Career Analysis Essay 2 Sections and information to include in your essay. You may create section headings for each section. • • • • • • Background Thesis Research Methods Criteria Research Findings Future Outlook Works Cited Page Here’s a little bit about each section: • Background: In this section, please include a short introduction that discusses why you initially wanted to pursue a career in this field. Do you have family members involved with the field? What were your initial assumptions about this career before you began your research? Did you have concerns about this field? Make sure your information flows in one smooth paragraph or more and always write in complete sentences. Do not copy the questions. Rather, use clear topic sentences, and then develop your points. • Thesis: You are determining if you should remain on your current career path or change. You will do the research first and then make your decision. Once you have made your decision, you will be ready to write your thesis. Your thesis would look something like these three sample thesis statements (feel free to modify to suit your topic and writing purpose): ✓ Based on my research, I should stay on my current career path because research shows positive growth in X, X, and X (criteria) ✓ Based on my research, I should change my current career path because X, X, and X (criteria). ✓ While research shows stability regrading X and X criteria, the research surrounding Y criterion is concerning. Based on this research I will remain on my career path but will consider ways in which I can combat Y criterion. • Research Methods: In this section, you will discuss what kind of research you did. You might think of it as answering this question: Career Analysis Essay 3 -How did you go about researching whether or not you should stay on your career path? What sources did you use? What keywords helped you retrieve sources? How do you ensure that these sources were credible? Be sure to discuss your research process and the sources you retrieved. If you read in a book or books, discuss those texts and the titles. If you searched on the Internet, discuss the title or titles of the websites (not the URLs). Italicize all titles of books, websites, newspaper titles, and journals. Place essay titles and article titles between “quotation marks.” Example: The Wall-Street Journal’s website published an article entitled “Twenty-first Century Job Skills.” This article . . . • Criteria Research Findings: This section should include fully developed individual paragraphs. Each criterion should have its own heading and should be in paragraph form. Each criterion discussion could exceed one paragraph. For example, you could dedicate two or three paragraphs to the criterion ‘Employability’ if you wish. Your paragraphs should discuss what the criterion is, why this criterion is important, what you learned through the research process, and how the research influences your assumptions/expectations about the career. As you discuss your research findings you should include summaries, paraphrased material, and direct quotes when necessary. Remember, you should include in-text citations that correlate with your works cited entries. Review the MLA folder materials and your text. Example Research Findings Section: Criterion Section: Salary Through my research into a civil engineer career, I was pleased to read about the substantial salary associated with my intended career. I also learned that salary is not the most important aspect of my career choice. I always thought that making more money would lead to more happiness. However, an article in Forbes magazine, a leading business publication, states, “Work-life balance is the most important factor in job selection for the millennial generation. This generation is less interested in money than having time for family and friends” (Johnson 43). While Johnson is right about the importance of work-life balance, my own observations indicate that millennials are very much concerned with salary and this concern is not Career Analysis Essay 4 a negative, as a healthy salary is essential for one to gain balance in other aspects of life. The Occupational Outlook Handbook provides detailed information about the pay associated with a civil engineer career. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a civil engineer’s salary can range from 53,470 to 132,880, and the median pay in 2016 was 83,540 (“Pay” par. 1). This median salary for civil engineers is satisfactory because I hope to have enough income to provide my family with a home in a safe neighborhood. A starting salary anywhere from fifty-thousand dollars to sixty-thousand dollars will suffice and provide a comfortable starting base income. Another website devoted to average salaries in the field of civil engineering provided similar average salaries. Finding similar information was a relief, for I worried that different sources would provide drastic changes in annual salary. However, that was not the case. The article “Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering Pay and Responsibilities” shows that . . . Here, the writer integrates a second source about one of his criteria, salary. Remember, you can use multiple sources to discuss a single criterion. The topic sentence of this paragraph indicates to the reader that he will continue to discuss salary. **Notice how the research is smoothly integrated into the salary paragraph. It is used to support the writer’s claims about the criterion and the criterion’s importance. Also notice the in-text citations.** Be sure to be thorough in telling what you learned. Don’t skimp on this section. You should, as the example above demonstrates, maintain an academic voice, integrate research to prove your points, and respond to the research. The criteria sections are the longest sections of your essay. Be sure to cite what you have learned as we have discussed in class. If you find a source that gives you a one-sentence answer, which is likely with salary, check another source as well to verify what you have learned and to make your information more convincing. Be sure to cite all quotations and paraphrases properly. Review MLA if necessary. A note about academic voice: -Rather than writing “I selected three criteria and researched them . . .” you should write: “Research into three criteria revealed new information and insights that . . . ” Career Analysis Essay 5 **Notice how the second example removes the first person “I” which changes the tone of the sentence and emphasizes the point of the sentence— the research** • Future Outlook: You have now studied your field extensively and made a decision regarding whether or not you should remain in this field. Based on your investigation of this career field, what opportunities or challenges do you see? Are there potential concerns? Will there be any specific changes or developments in this field? • Works Cited: (does not count toward page length) This section starts on a separate page. Here, list the sources you used in alphabetical order. Be sure to follow MLA citation style (MLA). Other Considerations: The paper will count as 100 points. As with all college-level work, it should be sound in grammar, mechanics, punctuation, usage, spelling, etc. These writing standards will count significantly in the grade, and poor work in any of these areas can fail a paper. Perhaps in classes you have had before, the major concern was the content, or what you would say. However, in a college-level English class, we will not only be ensuring that the information is sound but also that it is properly cited, that words are correctly spelled, that the punctuation is correct, that sentences are well worded, etc. Therefore, check your essay carefully before turning it in. Proofreading and editing are not always fun, but they make a huge difference. Do not forget to cite your sources in the text (in-text citations) and on the works cited page. This requirement is imperative in academic writing. Student 1 Student Professor English July 04, 2019 Career Analysis Essay: Should I continue my current career path as a Computer Science major or switch over to Business in Computer Information Systems? Background Thesis: Research Methods: Criteria Sections: Salary: Education: Employability: Student 2 Future Outlook: Student 3 Works Cited Unknown 1 Tamlin Unknown Professor Elphick English 103 28 July 1734 Career Analysis Essay: Should I Continue my Career Path to Become a Web Developer, or Switch to Another Career Path? Background My interest in web development started after taking a college-level data management course. In this course, I was exposed to web languages such as HTML and CSS. I was determined to master these languages after seeing what they could do. My initial concern with pursuing a career in web development was my ability to perform. I was never good at math or science, and I rued the thought of being at a desk job in a cube for the rest of my life. However, after I did more research into what it means to be a developer, and what it is like to work at cool companies like Google in that position, I was encouraged to continue on my path. I was also excited to find that there are many different resources for learning how to code. Websites such as codeacademy.com and codeschool.com have helped me discover how exciting and fun learning can be. With sites like these, I have created several websites that have helped me land jobs as a freelancer and other technical roles. Thesis: After researching the pros and cons of becoming a web developer, I have found several criteria that have helped me decide if I should continue on this career path. The first of my criteria is the salary of a web developer. This criterion is important because the base salary of Unknown 2 your position and earning potential can encourage you to start sooner, and stay longer. Formal education requirements for a developer are also critical because I do not have a Bachelor’s Degree at the moment. However, the employability of a web developer was overall the most important criterion in my decision, because I want to be able to find work quickly. As a result of my research, I have found sufficient evidence that I should stay on this career path because of how perfectly web development satisfies my salary, education, and employability criteria. Research Methods: My research methods for my career choice were entirely online based. I chose to stick with online sources because web development is still a very new field, and there are not a lot of print sources that talk about it. Furthermore, I prefer the quick access that online articles and blogs have in comparison to print sources. The best sources I retrieved were from CNN and the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS). These sites were strong resources for my criteria and gave me insight on things I had not quite thought about prior to starting the research. My technique for finding quality articles was searching specifically for my individual criterion. By doing this technique, I was able to focus on finding research that supported my main points and vice-versa. It was a lot harder to find reputable sources that discussed my topic besides CNN and BLS. However, there are a lot of tech blogs that discuss web development, and they cite mostly BLS data when going into specific details. Criteria Sections: Unknown 3 Salary: Although money is not everything to me, it has become one of the most important necessities in my life. Fortunately, the Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports the median salary for a web developer at $62,500 annually (par. 1). For entry-level web developers with less experience, payscale.com says that the average salary is roughly $51,000 annually (par. 1). Both salaries are a respectable salary for me, and with this data I feel comfortable focusing more on the type of company I want to work for rather than who pays the best. However, earning potential is still important because it can motivate you to stay in the field longer (if your motivation is money). According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the top ten percent of web developers make over $105,200 annually; so overall, the average salary for web developers is very impressive, and the possibility to earn more over the length of your career is also high. It is also not uncommon for skilled web developers to take on freelance work for extra income. An online article from Fortune titled “Welcome to the age of the freelancer” mentions that forty percent of the subscriber base of elance.com (a craigslist style website for tech freelancers) comes from people taking contract work to supplement income from full-time jobs (Stern par. 10). The great thing about development is that there are many ways to make money, and plenty of people willing to pay for your skills. However, as I progress in my career, money will become less important. Once I have accumulated years of experience, making sure that my work is challenging and meaningful will be my primary focus. Education: Education is more important than ever in this day and age. Higher education can be often viewed as the one and only way to earn high six-figure salaries; however, this is quickly Unknown 4 changing with professions in information technology. As of 2010, about thirty-eight percent of web developers had less than a four-year college degree, according to U.S. Census data (Kurtz par. 9). The great majority of the web developers that I have met are self-taught, whether they have a degree or not. Personally, I prefer being self-taught because it allows me the freedom to learn at my own pace. The disadvantage to this approach is that it will always be you against a degreed person, more often than not. In today’s job market, this statement still holds true, “Having a formal education on your resume shows employers that you have been taught industry standards, that you understand fundamental theories and that you are up-to-date on today’s trends” (Harrington College of Design par. 10). There are, however, individuals that prove to be an exception to the stereotype that a Bachelor’s degree is the best shot at getting a high salary. An article on CNN Money mentions Matt Kenefick, a successful entrepreneur, as an example of a non-degreed individual making more than six-figures, and Matt is only twenty-five years old (Kurtz par. 10-11). Kurtz goes on to mention that Matt was self-taught, and dropped out of college at eighteen to pursue coding as a full-time job at $65,000 a year. Matt is living-proof that talent overcomes all when it comes to getting work without all the fancy credentials. Skill is what matters the most as a web developer because your ability to do the job is what proves your worth, not your degree. A Bachelor’s degree is still a great way to hone your skills and gain knowledge, but it does not guarantee that you will be a great developer. I believe that being a great web developer means being able to learn from anything and everything, whether that be information be from college or online. I chose web development as a career path because I enjoy knowing that my success is determined by my own aptitude and knowledge of technology. Unknown 5 Employability: Employability is without a doubt the most integral part to this whole equation, because if you cannot find jobs to even apply to, you are out of luck. Luckily for developers, a company in today’s world cannot simply utilize a generic online template if it wants to provide a custom, genuine experience for its consumers (Malvik par. 29). For that reason, web developers are highly in-demand, and will be for quite a while. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics reports that employment of web developers is projected to grow 20 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations (Job Outlook par.1). After finding this statistic I was pleased to know that I would not have to worry about changing jobs often, because there will always be more work somewhere else. However, in my past job search experience I have found that it is critical that you are qualified for the position you are applying for. This could be in the form of talent, or credentials. Typically, during a web development interview you will get technical questions and challenges to prove your skills. I have gone through several technical interviews and failed miserably due to lack of preparation. Often times even senior developers can get baffled during these technical interviews, despite having a degree with experience. What this means is that having a degree might get you through the door faster, but if you cannot pass these on-the-spot tests it will not matter. This is why I put a high emphasis on making sure I have the experience needed to perform well. To start gaining the experience I need, I accepted a position recently as a SQL Report Developer. Although my position does not directly involve web development, it plays a part in the process. My work is challenging, but I still yearn to be in a web development specific role. I could be taking a quicker path to becoming a web developer by being willing to work for around $40,000-45,000 per year. But for me, that salary range is not ideal for the type of lifestyle I would like to live. Instead, I will continue to gain more experience Unknown 6 in SQL reporting from my current job, and web development work from freelancing in my free time. The more effort I put into gaining experience, the greater chance I have of being employed as a web developer. Future Outlook: Based off my findings, I have decided to stick on my path to become a web developer because of the salary benefits, low formal education requirements, and high employability. As I move forward in my career, what type of developer I am will eventually change. However, I know I will always be in the web development space, as a developer or possibly a manager. Possible foreseeable roadblocks could range from lack of credentials (if I do not finish my degree), or lack of time to study. Being a developer means you must always be learning. For this, I usually turn to online sources such as codecademy.com and codeschool.com because of their versatility and reliability. Most of what I have learned about web development has come from online sources, and I am just now starting to take college courses on web development. No matter what position I’m in, I plan on continuing my education whether it is in a classroom, office, or online course because I am determined to be the best at what I do. Unknown 7 Works Cited "Entry-Level Web Developer Salary." Payscale. 1 Oct. 2015. http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Web_Developer/Salary/b98d92f7/EntryLevel. Accessed 1 Sept 2016. Kurtz, Annalyn. "Web Developer: Make $30 an Hour, No Bachelor's Degree Required."CNNMoney. Cable News Network, 13 May 2013. http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/21/news/economy/web-developer-job/index.html. Accessed 1 Oct. 2015. Malvik, Callie. "Everything You Need to Know About Becoming a Web Developer." Ramussen College, 11 Feb. 2014. http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/technology/blog/everythingabout-becoming-web-developer/. Accessed 25 Sept. 2015. "Self-Taught vs. Degree Program: What Should I Do?" Harrington College of Design, 11 July 2013. http://www.harrington.edu/student-life/blog/july-2013/self-taught-vsdegree-program-what-should-i-do. Accessed 1 Oct. 2015. Stern, Gary. "Welcome to the Age of the Freelancer." Fortune. 27 Nov. 2012. Web. 1 Oct. 2015. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Web Developers." Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition. 8 Jan. 2014. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-andinformation-technology/web-developers.htm. Accessed 25 Sept. 2015. Unknown 8
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