Page 2 - Exploring Careers

ch03.qxp 2/13/2010 4:37 PM Page 38

38 Chapter 3 Why We Work

Examining Lifestyle Goals and Factors

Does a clinical laboratory technician earn enough money
to afford a vacation home? How many hours a week
does an agricultural inspector spend on the job? Is a
hotel clerk expected to work nights and weekends?
Does a sales representative travel a lot?

The career you choose helps determine the lifestyle
you will achieve, and your lifestyle might impact the
career you choose. Recall that your lifestyle is the way
you think and behave every day. Your lifestyle is the way
you reflect personal values, standards, and attitudes in
your life.
If you value expensive items such as designer clothes,
you might choose a career because it pays a high
salary.
If you value time with your family, you might choose
a career with a flexible schedule, even if it pays less
than other jobs.

You can consider lifestyle factors such as location, salary,
education, time, and environment when you choose a
career. You can also set goals for the way you want to live your life and the things
you want to have in life as part of your career plan.

What Are Lifestyle Factors?

The things about your job that affect the way you live your life are lifestyle
factors. There are five basic lifestyle factors you might want to consider when you
are making decisions about the career that will be right for you.
1 1.. Location. Where do you want to live? Do you want to be near your family? Do
you want to live in the mountains or near the ocean? Do you prefer a city, the
country, or the suburbs?
2 2.. Salary. How much money do you think you must earn to pay for your needs
and wants? Are you willing to work for less money to achieve other goals,
such as more free time or less work-related stress?
3 3.. Education. How many years are you willing to spend in school? Would you be
happy taking classes at night while you work during the day? Would you be
willing to earn less money while you train on the job?

4 4.. Time. How many hours a week do you want to spend at work? Would you
work at night or on weekends? Would you mind being on-call, which means
being available at any time to cope with emergencies? Do you want to work
part-time, even if it means earning less money?
5 5.. Environment. What type of space do you want to be in? Do you like sitting at
a desk? Do you want to be outdoors? What type of people do you want to
work with? Do you need windows in your office? Do you like to dress in a suit
or do you prefer casual clothes?