Factors Affecting Career Choice

Setting the Stage

When asked,“what is the most important things to think about when choosing a career”, students might automatically jump to such typical responses as “a big salary” or “lots of time off”. While salary and vacation time are certainly factors to consider, many other factorsshould be considered. 

Some factors are linked to a person’s personal interests and skills. Others may be associated with future career plans the person may have (e.g., lifestyle goals). Some factors will be more practical in nature (e.g., possibility of gaining employment, salary, and location). Factors that are important to one person may not be as important to another person. The factors that a person deems important will align with that person’s career goals. The important point is to ensure career goals are realistic.Through their discussions in this activity, students should come to understand that there are many factors to consider when choosing a career, all of which are important.

Material & Preparation

• Arrange for computer and internet access for students working in pairs or groups.
• Three Factors in Choosing a Career Admit Slip reproducible [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF] -1 per student
• Three Factors Key Ideas Round Robin reproducible [Google doc] [Word doc] [PDF] - 1 per student

What to Do

Part 1: Activating and Developing Prior Knowledge

The ready-to-use Admit Slip will stimulate students’ prior knowledge and encourage discussion. Students start by completing their slip individually. Teachers can then pair students and allow them to share their thinking with one another. Each student should explain to his/her partner why he/she thinks each of the factors listed is important. For most students, sharing their thinking in a two-person partner group is less threatening or anxiety provoking than sharing with the whole class. In total, this should take about 10 minutes to complete.

Part 2: Extending the Discussion

Using the Key Ideas Round Robin learning strategy, teachers could extend and deepen this discussion. 

Provide each student with a copy of the Factors to Consider – Round Robin Reproducible. Have each student independently list three factors they feel are most important when choosing a career. After this is completed, have students choose a partner to share their thinking. After sharing and discussing their three factors, the partners must select their top two factors for the next stage. Ideally, each student will contribute one factor to this top-two list. However, if both students agree, one student can contribute both factors.

Next have two pairs come together to form a quad. Each set of partners will share their top two factors, indicating why they feel the two factors are important. After both sets of partners have shared their factors, the group will discuss and agree upon one factor as being the most important. 

Each group will then select a spokesperson to present their top factor and rationale to the class. Teachers could record the top factor from each group and lead the class in a discussion on the various factors people will consider when choosing a career, why different people will have different factors, etc. Teachers could conduct a class poll to determine the class’ top two or three factors. 

Please refer to the Educators’ section of the Let’s Talk Science website for more information and ideas for using the Admit Slip learning strategy and Key Ideas Round Robin learning strategy in your classroom.