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It's Your Paycheck! is designed to introduce personal finance content. Participants learn about a variety of personal finance topics including the link between education and income, budgeting, the benefits of saving, and credit reports. These learning modules will help participants make sense of W-2s, W-4s, pay-day loans and APRs in an interactive online format. It's Your Paycheck! consists of nine individual programs that can be used together or individually to enhance personal finance learning.
Teachers:
Lesson 1: Invest in Yourself
Participants solve word puzzles with varying degrees of knowledge. They discover that more knowledge (human capital) leads to more productive outcomes. Participants identify ways in which people invest in human capital and the link between investment in human capital and earning income.

Lesson 2: "W" Is for Wages, W4 and W2
Participants compute the gross pay for a fictional character named John Dough given his hourly wage and the number of hours worked. They compare gross pay to net pay. They learn what FICA and federal income taxes are. They learn how to complete a W-4 form and what a W-2 form is.

Lesson 3: Cash the Check and Track the Dough
Participants take part in an activity to learn about checking accounts, savings accounts and check cashing services. Participants learn the components of a check, and they organize and enter information into an account register - in order to determine the balance. They learn why maintaining account records is important. They balance a monthly account statement.

Lesson 4: Your Budget Plan
Participants play "Beat the Financial Expert!," a game that illustrates positive and negative spending behaviors. They analyze the "Beat the Financial Expert!" results, identify effective and ineffective budgeting behaviors and create a budget from a transaction history.

Lesson 5: Savvy Savers
Participants calculate compound interest to identify benefits of saving in interest-bearing accounts. They learn the "rule of 72" and apply it to both investments and debt. They learn that there is a relationship between the level of risk for an investment and the potential reward or return on that investment.

Lesson 6: Credit Reports - and You Thought Your Report Card Was Important
Participants learn about both the advantages and disadvantages of using credit. They read a scenario about a young person's use of a credit card and answer questions regarding repayment. They learn about credit history, credit reports and credit-reporting agencies.

Lesson 7: Creditors' Criteria and Borrowers' Rights and Responsibilities
Participants discuss key terms related to credit and learn how creditors use capacity, character and collateral as criteria for making loans. They learn about credit rights and responsibilities and identify the rights and responsibilities of using credit.

Lesson 8: So How Much Are You Really Paying for that Loan?
Participants learn what a payday loan is and the high cost involved in using such a loan. They calculate an annual percentage rate (APR) on a short-term loan and see why comparing loans using APR is more informative than simply by comparing interest rates.

Lesson 9: To Rent-to-Own or Not to Rent-to-Own?
Participants review the elements of a contract. They discuss the characteristics of rent-to-own contracts and compare the cost of those contracts with the outright purchase of goods.

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If you have difficulty accessing this content due to a disability, please contact us at 314-444-4662 or economiceducation@stls.frb.org.

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It's Your Paycheck! Online Module for Teachers and Students

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It's Your Paycheck! is designed to introduce personal finance content. Participants learn about a variety of personal finance topics including the link between education and income, budgeting, the benefits of saving, and credit reports. These learning modules will help participants make sense of W-2s, W-4s, pay-day loans and APRs in an interactive online format.

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Thinking about careers is fun - its also important. Here are some downloadable, printable "worksheets" that help organize ideas and apply different ways to think about careers. These are .pdf files - you will need Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to view and print. Click to download.

Aerial Reconnaissance Simulation. Communications skills and following directions are important career skills. This is a fun activity that provides step-by-step directions to build a "super" paper airplane.

Basic Business Etiquette. Sometimes it may seem there are so many little rules to follow that it just shouldn't matter. However, today manners matter more than ever. Because the world is changing, rules of behavior are changing as well.

Big6 Project Planner. Like everything else, any research project is easier to do if we take the time to plan what we need to accomplish. Here is a planning guide that can be used for virtually any other research or creative project. Research is a process and it is probably the first thing to review when starting to research careers.

Business Etiquette. Being polite and considerate in all our relationships helps promote understanding. Etiquette is important in business too, here's some tips.

Business Etiquette & International Business. Being sensitive to other cultures is important. This handout explains how to work with global communities and suggests some helpful Websites to learn more (by stephen fraser ).

Business Etiquette & Schmoozing. Schmoozing is an interpersonal communication style and a skill, a way of connecting with people and developing relationships through comfortable and pleasurable conversation.

Business Etiquette Fact Sheet. Business etiquette is another term for manners. No one was ever hired or promoted simply because he or she had good manners; however, being polite and considerate in business and work dealings may favorably tip the scales between two who are equally qualified.

Career Activities. Here is are some suggestions for different types of activities to help students more fully explore careers.

Career Activities 1-12. This comprehensive set of career exploration activities emphasize identifying interests and goals.

Career Activities 13-30. These activities continue to develop career exploration skills by focusing on career paths.

Career Activities Answer Keys. Use with some of the activities above.

Careers Are Everywhere Activities Workbook. Children start exploring careers as early as the elementary grades. Here are some suggestions to help young children begin to think about careers.

Career Bingo Lesson Plan. Here's a fun way to look at different careers with an traditional favorite B I N G O ! This complete lesson has directs, BINGO sheets, everything you need.

Career Bingo: Descriptions of Careers. This collection of career descriptions extends our bingo game to cover more occupations.

Career Bingo: Student Worksheet. Here's a handout to get started playing BINGO. This is not a complete a description of the game as the Career Bingo Lesson Plan link.

Career Clusters Interest Survey. Before we look at careers, its helpful to look closely at ourselves.

Career Cruising: Classroom Activities. Here is a set of 13 activities to start the process of career exploration.

Career Development Tips for Parents of Middle School Students. Talking to children about careers is important - these are also fun activities to share.

Career Education Activities By Suggested Grade Level. Ever wonder if you are doing enough to plan a career? Here are some suggestions for different activities for different age groups.

Career Exploration Activities. Use this form to document the different types of career projects you try - keeping track of what you have done and what you have learned is important. Its also the starting point for building a career portfolio.

Career Exploration Student Worksheet. This 2-column form makes it easy to research 2 different careers - it even includes some helpful Websites to start your search with.

Career Exploration Worksheet I. This simple tool helps organize research and suggest ways to learn more about careers.

Career Exploration Worksheet II. This 1-page form organizes research and encourages students to think about how classes in school or college can help prepare for a career.

Career Family Tree. Take a look at the careers chosen by your grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, and other relatives.

Career Information Worksheet. Here's another simple, one-page form to help organize information about careers and how you feel about them.

Career Navigator I. This simple exercise will let say what you know about yourself, your likes and dislikes, and creates a list of occupations that match your preferences.

Career Navigator II. Another simple activity that looks at 10 factors that most people believe to be important when looking at careers.

Career Opportunities. Take a look at the "classifieds" section for job openings from any newspaper for this exercise. Look over the job listing and circle/highlight any job that appeals to you. Then underline the the part that caught your attention. Do this for the one day's section and complete this chart.

Career Panel Worksheet. Listening to others talk about their careers and career choices is helpful. This worksheet helps listeners organize notes when they listen to others talk about careers.

Career Planning Worksheets. This comprehensive set of worksheets (12 pages) looks at career choices, career paths, and planning to continue your education.

Career Portfolio. A career portfolio is a visual representation of your abilities, skills, capabilities, knowledge, qualities - and it represents your potential.

Career Portfolio for Middle School Students. This is a comprehensive guide to creating portfolios.

Career Research Worksheet. This simple, 1 page guide provides an easy-to-use format to research different careers, organize what you learn, and compare different career choices. Use one for each career.

Career Scavenger Hunt: Networking. Here is a fun activity to met different people and learn important skills "networking" with other people. Sometimes its "who you know" that helps you get a career started.

Career Webquest. The Internet is full of wonderful career resources - let's take a look and see what we find.

CareerCHART Worksheet. This is a 5-step model for comparing your needs and preferences against career opportunities.

CareerWorm. A game for small groups of students that extends students' knowledge of job titles.

Choosing a Career Path. Career exploration and decisions are important, but then we have to build a plan to get us where we want to go. This activity shows you how.

College & Career Vocabulary. Here are some important terms when talking about careers and college.

College/Career Resume. In many ways, preparing to apply to enroll in post-secondary schools is like applying for any other job. This activity shows you how.

College Choice Worksheet. This activity looks at factors to consider when looking at post-secondary education options.

College Planning Guide. Use this checklist to help prepare you for educational opportunities after high school.

College Planning Checklist. Its never too early to start planning for college. Here are some things to consider starting in the 4th or 6th grades and then through high school.

College Prep Checklist: From Middle School to High School. Want to go to college? Here's what you need to know and what you need to do.

Consideration and Investigation of Career Choices. A set of 2 activities to help middle school students start career explorations.

Core Subjects and Your Career. Let's look at how math, English, and science classes help us prepare for careers.

Could This Be YOUR LIFE? This activity goes beyond career exploration and asks you to look at how career decisions affect the rest of your life.

Decision-Making Worksheet. This activity creates a process to help make better decisions about careers.

Developing Your Career Portfolio. Why develop a career portfolio? How do you start? Everything you need to know is here.

Educational and Career Plans Summary Sheet. Exploring careers and making decisions are important, but so is making a plan to make your career decisions happen. In many cases, the key is education.

Finding Your Career Focus. Here is a 4-step process for looking at careers, contains 4 activities.

Goal Setting Process. This activity looks at creating goals - an important part of any career path.

Goal Setting: Smart Goals. To be effective, goals need to be S.M.A.R.T.

Goal Setting: Start Small. Sometimes, simpler is better. Here's a good way to get started setting goals.

Goals Worksheet. This activity has everything you need to plan a career path and make it happen.

Help Your Child Make Career Decisions. Here are some suggestions for parents to help their children.

High School Courses & Career Interests. This booklet (16 pages), reviews how students can use high school to prepare for careers. While written specifically for Jamestown High School, it provides a lot of good information for anyone preparing for high school.

High School Courses & Career Paths. Once you have made some decisions about career paths, it is time to look at classes that will help prepare you to achieve your goals. Let's look at some high school courses that help prepare students for careers.

Job Application Lesson Plan andStudent Activity Handout. Filling out job applications accurately and neatly is important. BE SURE TO DOWNLOAD/PRINT BOTH OF THESE FILES to use this activity.

Job Corp Information Packet. This document outlines information and guidelines for Job Corps - great opportunity for young adults (16-25). It provides additional contacts and lists local offices for get more information. Click for a Job Corp Admissions Map for Wisconsin.

Job Search Manual. Here is a comprehensive manual, everything you need to know about the job search.

Life Skills: You, Your Job, Your Career: Competitive Advantage Worksheet. Understanding yourself is the key to making good career choices.

Life Skills: You, Your Job, Your Career: My Strengths. When looking at careers, start with those that use your strong points.

Likes and Dislikes. Life is about finding balance - career exploration means looking at the positives and potential negatives.

Multiple Intelligence Test - for Adults. What are your strengths and learning preferences?

Multiple Intelligence Test - for Young People. Looking at our strengths and learning preferences is the key to meaningful career explorations.

Making Career Decisions. Career exploration leads presents us with choices. Let's look at some suggestions to help make decisions about careers.

Networking Activity. Consider the people you know in all areas of your life. They are your potential consider the people you know in all areas of your life. They are your potential personal and professional network, and can lead to the best information and job leads for you.

Parents' Guide to Career Development. One of the most valuable things parents can do to help a student with career planning is listen: be open to ideas, try to help your student find information, and be nonjudgmental.

Resume Planning Worksheet - Traditional Resume. Everything you need to get started.

Resume Worksheet. This activity will help you organize your thoughts and résumé content. Then, it will be easier to choose the best format for your resume.

Resumes: Collecting Your Facts. Its easier to create a resume if you plan it first.

Resume Planning. Here's another way to get organized BEFORE trying to create a resume.

Student Learning/Career Planner. Let's look at a set of exercises that focuses on how students can use their time in middle school or high school to prepare themselvse for careers.

What Will I Be? Here's a good way to get started exploring careers.

Workmate: Working in Teams. This project shows the important of teamwork and teaches the difference between a personal quality and a skill.

Would I Like This Work? This is an important question and this activity helps you find a good answer.

Your Guide to Using Career Directions. For teachers, counsellors and facilitators. It's easy to use, full of ideas and loaded with activities, worksheets and overheads!

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Thinking about careers is fun - its also important. Here are some downloadable, printable “worksheets” that help organize ideas and apply different ways to think about careers. These are .pdf files - you will need Acrobat Reader installed on your comput…

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In this lesson students will play an Uno-like card game to learn about different occupations and their related median wages, entry-level education requirements, and projected growth. GRADE LEVEL 7-12 TIME REQUIRED 60 minutes VIRTUAL-FRIENDLY?

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Free Posters | Realityworks | Innovative Learning Tools

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Use Realityworks downloadable posters and infographics to generate discussions about a variety of topics related to our skills training tools.

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Middle School Career Exploration: 8 Ways to Incorporate It In Class

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Need ways to incorporate middle school career exploration in your classroom? Discover 8 of the best strategies…

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Students use AI to generate a playful (or serious!) prediction of who they’ll be in 10 years. This activity blends imagination, self-reflection, and career exploration with a healthy dose of humor and goal-setting.

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The National Career Clusters® Framework The Career Clusters Framework serves as the foundation for designing consistent, high-quality Career Technical Education (CTE) and career pathway programs. Career Clusters Home About the Framework Your Place in the Framework Methodology Resources Implementation Support All learners deserve to participate in meaningful career exploration and preparation experiences through Career Technical Education (CTE) that prepare them […]

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Navigate

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This resource for 7th through 9th graders introduces students to planning for careers and college. Many students may not be familiar with the pathways to education and jobs after high school. Navigate gives them tools to investigate a career they’re interested in, find out what education they’ll need, prepare to apply for college and determine how to pay for it. In six units, Navigate guides students through important steps: Examine various careers and educational requirements.
Evaluate different educational opportunities after high school.
Identify academic choices and extracurricular activities that will enhance college applications.
Research the cost of education options after high school.
Explore types of financial aid and educational assistance.
Imagine their own path to success.
Download Navigate materials of the student workbook and teacher handbook. Teachers can use the parent letter to inform families about Navigate and invite them to explore it along with their student.

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Getting Technical about Career Choices

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In this activity, students are assigned different jobs and group themselves according to different job characteristics to see the connection between education, training, and experience in determining income.

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It's Your Paycheck Lesson 1

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Building Human Capital | It’s Your Paycheck Lesson 1

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In this interactive, identify ways in which people invest in human capital and the link between investment in human capital and earning income.

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Filling out the I-9 Form

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Have you accepted a new job recently? Are you aware of the paperwork you need to complete when you start a new job? Watch this brief video to learn about the I-9 form; an important document required to prove you have the legal right to work in the United States.

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Required each time you start a job, the W-4 form and worksheet are used to determine the amount your employer should withhold from your paycheck for federal income taxes. This brief video explains the basics of taxes, dependents, and exemptions.

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Grab the FREE Career Inventory Activity!

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Employers report 2.8 million injury and illness cases in 2022, up 7.5% from 2021

In 2022, employers reported 2.8 million injury and illness cases in private industry, up 7.5 percent from 2021. Injury cases increased 4.5 percent to 2.3 million, while illness cases increased by 26.1 percent to 460,700 cases in 2022.

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.

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Unemployment Rate - Arkansas and United States

Seasonally Adjusted

Source: Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, LAUS Program

Arkansas County Unemployment Rates

Source: Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, LAUS Program

Click on a County for the Current Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate

Current Labor Force Statistics, Seasonally Adjusted

Source: Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, LAUS Program

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Unemployment Rate - Arkansas and United States Seasonally Adjusted Source: Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, LAUS Program Arkansas County Unemployment Rates Source: Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, LAUS Program Click on a County for the Current Not Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate Current Labor Force Statistics, Seasonally Adjusted Source: Arkansas Division of Workforce Services, LAUS Program

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The Puzzle Factory: Employability Skills - FamilyConsumerSciences.com

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When I begin my unit on getting a job, I always, always, always start with employability skills. This is where The Puzzle Factory: Employability Skills comes in. This activity is a super fun and engaging way to help students understand hard and soft skills associated with the world of work.

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Roadtrip Nation | Find your career roadmap

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Explore your career options and find professions that match your interests by reading about how inspiring people started doing what they do.

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"Soft Skills" is the eighth video in the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis series, No-Frills Money Skills. The video stresses the importance of academic preparedness and introduces soft skills and professionalism. By viewing examples using several workplace scenarios, students learn the about the importance of soft skills in the workplace, including communication, cooperation, professionalism, work ethic, and many others. Students learn several key concepts about interviewing for, obtaining, and keeping a job.

To provide students with online questions following each video, register your class through the Econ Lowdown Teacher Portal.
Learn more about the Q&A Resources for Teachers and Students "

No-Frills Money Skills is a video series that covers a variety of personal finance topics. The brief videos use clear, simple language and graphic elements so that students can better visualize the personal finance content being presented. In the end, they will see how important these concepts are to their everyday lives.

Transcript:

Prospective Employer: I see on your resume that your GPA is 3.98.

Job Applicant: Yes.

Employer: That's quite impressive.

Applicant: Thank you.

Employer: Your background in IT is just what we're looking for.

Applicant: Hmph.

Employer: We're looking for someone who can act as a liaison between the users and the IT department.

Applicant: Okay.

Employer: So we need someone with great communication skills.

Applicant: Okay.

Employer: How would you assess your communication skills?

Applicant: Okay.

Employer: Well, it was nice meeting you. I don't think our company is the right fit for you.

Applicant: Okay.

Kris: Wow that applicant had a 3.98 GPA and is skilled in IT, but didn't get hired. Can you see what went wrong? There's a lot of talk about choosing the right school and program of study, which are important, but on today's episode of No-Frills Money Skills, we'll look at another set of skills you need to succeed in the job market.

You probably already know that high academic performance is a key skill needed for success. As a student, you're challenged to demonstrate your academic proficiency in various ways. Examples include grade point average, ACT or SAT scores, standardized state exams, honor roll, and Dean's list recognition in college and universities.

These achievements are numerical representations of your academic ability. They can put you in the running for scholarships and later employment but employers look for something more: skills that go beyond academics-known as soft skills. Soft skills are getting more attention in the workplace because, according to various reports, they are lacking in the workforce.

So what are soft skills and why are they so important? Soft skills are your personal traits, characteristics, and interpersonal skills that show how you present yourself and get along with other people. Examples include:

civility

appropriate appearance

punctuality and regular attendance

communication

honesty

focus and attentiveness

critical thinking and problem solving

leadership

professionalism

strong work ethic

teamwork and collaboration

flexibility and preparation for work

Some of the skills listed are self-explanatory. Others might not be familiar to you yet they're very important. In one survey, about 70% of businesses emphasized workplace professionalism as a sought-after skill.

What is professionalism? It's the consistent use of the skills, good judgment, courtesy, honesty, and responsibility expected in a business environment. These qualities and personal attributes are ambiguous and harder to measure than test scores or grade point averages. A firm handshake, communication skills, and eagerness to learn new things are hard to gauge from an application, and sometimes even from an interview. But when people lack them, it is glaringly obvious.

Take communication skills for example. Look at the difference between these two interactions between Shannon, a new employee trying to figure out the copy machine, and a co-worker.

Shannon: Hey.

Co-worker: Hi.

Kris: That was a bit awkward. Let's try that again and see if we can do better.

Shannon: Excuse me. Hi, I'm new here and I'm having trouble with the copy machine. Can you help me, please?

Co-worker: Yeah, absolutely. So what are you trying to do?

Kris: You see the difference?

In the first scene, Shannon lacked the professionalism, interpersonal and communication skills needed in the workplace. In the second, Shannon showed how to handle the situation.

You can take advantage of opportunities to develop soft skills while you are in school. This will help you become a good job prospect and a better future employee. When you're ready to apply for work, there are some important things to remember to increase your chances of getting the job.

According to research conducted by the Center for Professional Excellence, over 90% of employers would not hire someone with poor personal hygiene. Nearly 75% of employers would not hire a person with inappropriate attire, or facial piercings other than ears. Inappropriate footwear, visible tattoos and unnatural hair color are other frequently cited reasons not to hire a job candidate. However, you can control all of these things. You can bathe, brush your teeth, wear a long-sleeved shirt, and take piercings out of need be. Of course, these vary somewhat, depending on the job a person is applying for, but remember personal hygiene tops the list.

According to the survey, what you wear to an interview matters as well. Take a look at the following interview scenes and you decide who is appropriately dressed for the job described.

Prospective Employer: Professionalism is the hallmark of our company. We're really looking for someone to be the face of our company, primarily representing us at board meetings of Fortune 500 companies. It says on your resume that you have extensive experience doing presentations in our line of work. Can you tell me a little more?

Candidate 1: I've worked in the industry for many years. I'll bring expertise and insights that will move your company forward.

Candidate 2: You want someone to represent your company in a professional manner? Look no further, I'm your man.

Kris: Given the job description, who dressed the best for the interview? While most people wouldn't wear a flamingo suit to a corporate job interview, it's a reminder to keep the job you're applying for in mind as you get ready and dress accordingly.

Let's say you've just landed a job. How do you keep it? According to a recent survey of business leaders, 57.9 percent of respondents said attendance and punctuality are the primary reasons employees get fired. 45.5 percent said the next reason for termination is poor quality work. Let's drop in on some workplace interactions. You decide if the qualities you see show professional and soft skills... or not.

Supervisor: Why aren't you working?

Employee: I didn't see you coming.

Supervisor: Hi, this is Shannon. I understand it's not necessarily part of your job, but is it okay if somebody shows her around today?

Employee: Yeah, absolutely! It would be my pleasure.

Kris: Those were some examples of what to do, and what not to do, in the workplace. You have time to develop those soft skills and other desirable habits now while you're in school. Attend school regularly, be on time, and do good work. Work cooperatively with your classmates and treat people respectfully. When you interview for a job, dress appropriately. You probably won't see questions about soft skills on a standardized test, but they may be just as important in finding and keeping a job as how much you know are able to do.

I'm Kris Bertelsen, and I'll see you next time!

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If you have difficulty accessing this content due to a disability, please contact us at 314-444-4662 or economiceducation@stls.frb.org.

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"Soft Skills" is the eighth video in the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis series, No-Frills Money Skills. The video stresses the importance of academic preparedness and introduces soft skills and professionalism. By viewing examples using several workplace scenarios, students learn the about the importance of soft skills in the workplace, including communication, cooperation, professionalism, work ethic, and many others.

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Students perform calculations-with half the class given information to make the task easier-to demonstrate the importance of human capital in increasing a person's productivity. They then look at the wages for various occupations and consider the role of human capital in explaining the differences in those wages.

The Making Personal Finance Decisions curriculum teaches valuable personal finance lessons grounded in economic theory. The curriculum is divided into 10 themed units, with each unit containing two lessons. The twenty individual lessons employ a variety of teaching strategies designed to engage students in the learning process and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed personal finance decisions. Investing in Yourself is lesson 3A of Unit Three: Earning Income.

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If you have difficulty accessing this content due to a disability, please contact us at 314-444-4662 or economiceducation@stls.frb.org.

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Students perform calculations-with half the class given information to make the task easier-to demonstrate the importance of human capital in increasing a person's productivity. They then look at the wages for various occupations and consider the role of human capital in explaining the differences in those wages.

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This resource for 7th through 9th graders introduces students to planning for careers and college.

Many students may not be familiar with the pathways to education and jobs after high school. Navigate gives them tools to investigate a career they're interested in, find out what education they'll need, prepare to apply for college and determine how to pay for it.

In six units, Navigate guides students through important steps:

Examine various careers and educational requirements.

Evaluate different educational opportunities after high school.

Identify academic choices and extracurricular activities that will enhance college applications.

Research the cost of education options after high school.

Explore types of financial aid and educational assistance.

Imagine their own path to success.

Download Navigate materials of the student workbook and teacher handbook. Teachers can use the parent letter to inform families about Navigate and invite them to explore it along with their student.

For students

For teachers

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This resource is an introduction to the investigation of careers and college and is designed for 7th through 9th grade students.

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Payroll employment increases by 175,000 in April; unemployment rate changes little at 3.9%

Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 175,000 in April, and the unemployment rate changed little at 3.9 percent. Job gains occurred in health care, in social assistance, and in transportation and warehousing.

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The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics.

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In this lesson students learn strategies that they can employ now to start preparing for their future dream job or career. Students conduct an interview to collect anecdotal information about a real-life career progression experience. They will explore their current and potential human capital. Additionally, they learn about hard and soft skills important to job success and identify ways their current talents, interests, and extracurricular activities can form the foundational building blocks of their future careers.

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If you have difficulty accessing this content due to a disability, please contact us at 314-444-8624 or economiceducation@stls.frb.org.

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Dream Today, Job Tomorrow: Building a Foundation for Career Success

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Students learn strategies that they can employ now to start preparing for their future dream job or career.

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Students will use a decisionmaking chart to research career options. They will use the online US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to compare future job/career choices, considering both income and non-income factors. The accompanying handout includes a comparison chart and reflection questions.

Materials:

Visual: QR Code

Handout: Job-Comparison PACED Chart (one copy for each student)

Phone or computer for each student to access bls.gov/ooh

Student Objectives:

Identify non-income factors to consider when choosing a career.

Use a decisionmaking chart to evaluate career options.

Explain how their preferences/priorities impact which factors are most important in their decisionmaking process.

Identify the education/training necessary to enter the selected career field.

Identify obstacles to entering the selected career field and possible avenues to overcome these obstacles.

Standard/Benchmarks: National Standards for Financial Literacy
Standard I. Earning Income Benchmarks: Grade 12

1. People choose jobs or careers for which they are qualified based on the income they expect to earn and the benefits, such as health insurance coverage or a retirement plan, they expect to receive.

2. People choose jobs or careers for which they are qualified based on non-income factors, such as job satisfaction, independence, risk, family, or location.

3. People vary in their willingness to obtain more education or training because these decisions involve incurring immediate costs to obtain possible future benefits. Discounting the future benefits of education and training may lead some people to pass up potentially high rates of return that more education and training may offer. People can make more informed education, job, or career decisions by evaluating the benefits and costs of different choices.

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Learning Activity: Career Evaluation Worksheet

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Students will use a decisionmaking chart to research and compare career options, considering both income and non-income factors to consider when choosing a career.

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Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation promotes greater public understanding of advanced energy in Arkansas through research, public education programs and economic and workforce development.

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Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation promotes greater public understanding of advanced energy in Arkansas through research, public education programs and economic and workforce development.

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Don't know how much money you will need to earn in the future? Don't know which occupation to choose? No problem! Below are three options to help you select the right career for your spending needs.

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Don't know how much money you will need to earn in the future? Don't know which occupation to choose? No problem! Below are three options to help you select the right career for your spending needs.

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"Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments. The basic structure of the program is comprised of modular, hands-on, engaging activities that focus on six key skill areas: communication, enthusiasm and attitude, teamwork, networking, problem solving and critical thinking, and professionalism.

Introduction Materials

Soft Skill #1: Communication

The activities in this section will not only help participants practice and recognize how they provide information to others, but also help them consider how others may prefer to receive information. It is important to reinforce with participants that communication skills involve give and take - and they can, indeed, be learned and strengthened over time.

Soft Skill #2: Enthusiasm & Attitude

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of enthusiasm and a positive attitude in the workplace. Participants will hear strategies for turning negative thinking into positive thinking and displaying and discussing enthusiasm during an interview and on the job.

Soft Skill #3: Teamwork

The activities in this section seek to teach participants about the importance of teamwork to workplace success and the specific role each individual on a team may play. Participants will learn about positive teamwork behavior and discover how their own conduct can impact others on a team.

Soft Skill #4: Networking

The activities in this section focus on the process of networking and its relevance and importance to career development. Participants will learn about taking initiative and overcoming fear, informational interviewing, as well as potential guidelines to consider when using social networks, texting, and email for networking purposes.

Soft Skill #5: Problem Solving & Critical Thinking

The activities in this section focus on learning how to solve problems in a variety of ways in the workplace. Participants will hear about how to properly tell the difference among criticism, praise, and feedback and reacting appropriately. The section will also review strategies for making ethical decisions, solving problems on a team with others, and learning how to take into account others' perceptions when assessing actions or statements in the workplace.

Soft Skill #6: Professionalism

The activities in this section focus on each of the five individual soft skills presented in this publication (communication, enthusiasm/attitude, teamwork, networking, and problem solving/critical thinking), but in a broader framework. This is because professionalism, is not one skill but the blending and integration of a variety of skills.

Additional Materials

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"Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success," is a curriculum developed by ODEP focused on teaching "soft" or workforce readiness skills to youth, including youth with disabilities. Created for youth development professionals as an introduction to workplace interpersonal and professional skills, the curriculum is targeted for youth ages 14 to 21 in both in-school and out-of-school environments.

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It's Your Paycheck! is designed for use in high school personal finance classes. The curriculum contains three sections-"Know Your Dough," "KaChing!" and "All About Credit." The lessons in each of these sections employ various teaching strategies to engage students so that they have opportunities to apply the concepts being taught. Each lesson includes black-line masters of the handouts and visuals needed to teach the lesson.

All of the lessons are correlated with the National Personal Finance Standards and the National Standards in Economics. See the Lesson Correlation section (pdf) for more information.

Each lesson is accompanied by a SMART Notebook file that contains visuals and handouts (whenever practical), along with definitions of terms and review questions.

*Full curriculum (pdf)

Unit A: Know Your Dough

Lesson 1: Invest in Yourself
Students are divided into groups to produce name tents. Each of four groups in the classroom produce name tents in a different way to highlight different levels of human capital. The students identify ways in which people invest in human capital and the link between investment in human capital and earning income.

* Lesson 1 (pdf)

*Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

*Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

*PowerPoint (pptx)

Lesson 2: "W" Is for Wages, W4 and W2
Students compute the gross pay for a fictional John Dough given his hourly wage and the number of hours worked. They compare gross pay to net pay. They learn what FICA and federal income taxes are. They learn how to complete a W-4 form and what a W-2 form is.

* Lesson 2 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Unit B: KaChing!

Lesson 3: Cash the Check and Track the Dough
Students participate in an activity to learn about checking accounts, savings accounts and check-cashing services. Students learn the components of a check, and they organize and enter information into an account register for a fictitious person in order to determine the person's balance. Students learn why maintaining account records is important. Students balance a monthly account statement.

* Lesson 3 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Lesson 4: Your Budget Plan
Students work in pairs to participate in a "Track Star" game that illustrates positive and negative spending behaviors. Each pair of students analyzes the "Track Star" results, identifies effective and ineffective budgeting behaviors, and generates a list of budgeting principles.

* Lesson 4 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Lesson 5: Savvy Savers
Students calculate compound interest to identify benefits of saving in interest-bearing accounts. They learn the "rule of 72" and apply it to both investments and debt. They learn that there is a relationship between the level of risk for an investment and the potential reward or return on that investment.

* Lesson 5 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Unit C: All about Credit

Lesson 6: Credit Reports - and You Thought Your Report Card Was Important
Students complete an activity sheet and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using credit. Students read a scenario about a young person's use of a credit card and answer some questions regarding repayment. Students learn about credit history, credit reports and credit-reporting agencies.

* Lesson 6 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Lesson 7: Creditors' Criteria and Borrowers' Rights and Responsibilities
Students discuss key terms related to credit and learn how creditors use capacity, character and collateral as criteria for making loans. Students learn about credit rights and responsibilities. Groups use role-play scenarios in order to identify and discuss the rights and responsibilities of using credit.

* Lesson 7 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Lesson 8: So How Much Are You Really Paying for that Loan?
Students learn what a payday loan is and the high cost involved in using such a loan. Working in groups, students calculate an annual percentage rate (APR) on a short-term loan.

* Lesson 8 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Lesson 9: To Rent-to-Own or Not to Rent-to-Own?
Students review the elements of a contract. They discuss the characteristics of rent-to-own contracts and compare the cost of those contracts with the outright purchase of goods.

* Lesson 9 (pdf)

* Whiteboard (SMART/notebook)

* Whiteboard (ActivInspire/flipchart)

* PowerPoint (pptx)

Other Files

* Introduction (pdf)

* Glossary (pdf)

* Standards correlation (pdf)

This lesson received the 2015 Curriculum Gold Award from the National Association of Economic Educators. Read more about this and other awards.

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It's Your Paycheck! Curriculum Unit | Education Resources | St. Louis Fed

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It's Your Paycheck! is designed for use in high school personal finance classes. The curriculum contains three sections-"Know Your Dough," "KaChing!" and "All About Credit." The lessons in each of these sections employ various teaching strategies to engage students so that they have opportunities to apply the concepts being taught.

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Click the individual counties on the map below to download a PDF of the largest employers in each county.

ALPHABETICAL LISTING OF COUNTIES

Download a PDF or Excel spreadsheet of the top employers in each county in Arkansas.

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Click the individual counties on the map below to download a PDF of the largest employers in each county. Download a PDF or Excel spreadsheet of the top employers in each county in Arkansas.

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AEDC's mission is to create economic opportunity by attracting higher paying jobs, expanding and diversifying our state and local economies, increasing incomes and investment, and generating positive growth throughout Arkansas. Here are some examples of businesses that are thriving!

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AEDC's mission is to create economic opportunity by attracting higher paying jobs, expanding and diversifying our state and local economies, increasing incomes and investment, and generating positive growth throughout Arkansas. Here are some examples of businesses that are thriving!

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90% of the NAM's members are small and medium-sized manufacturers. Thanks to leading manufacturers who step forward to be their voice, we're a powerful force for the people who make America.

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The Job Interview: Preparing for Common Questions

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The Job Interview: Preparing for Common Questions

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The Job Interview: Preparing for Common Questions

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The Making Personal Finance Decisions curriculum teaches valuable personal finance lessons grounded in economic theory. The curriculum is divided into 10 themed units, with each unit containing two lessons. The twenty individual lessons employ a variety of teaching strategies designed to engage students in the learning process and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed personal finance decisions.

Download the complete curriculum unit or individual lessons (.pdf). PowerPoint slides (.pptx) are provided for the lessons that have visual content.

* Complete Curriculum (pdf)

Unit One: Thinking Economically

Lesson 1A: The Wealth Game-Factors for Success
Students play "The Wealth Game" (based on "Market Exchange and Wealth Distribution: A Classroom Simulation" by Robert B. Williams, Journal of Economic Education, Fall 1993). Students are given an initial set of colored beads with defined values that determine their wealth in one of three categories: poor, middle-class, or rich. Their task is to increase the value of their wealth by trading their beads with other students. Individual student outcomes of the game are discussed in terms of the four primary determinants of wealth: natural abilities, effort, motivation, and luck.

* Lesson 1A (pdf)

Lesson 1B: Making Choices and Identifying Costs
Students are introduced to the PACED decisionmaking model and grid as a guide to making personal finance choices. The grid is used to evaluate product choices based on ratings from Consumer Reports ® and to demonstrate trade-offs and opportunity costs.

Unit Two: Planning and Tracking

Lesson 2A: The Inventory Game-Net Worth and Cash Flow
Students physically move into and out of a "wallet" (a specified area in the room) and note the change in the number of students in the wallet over time, as well as the inflow and outflow rates. This demonstration is then related to the stock (an amount at a point in time) concepts of assets and liabilities and the flow (an amount per unit of time) concepts of income and expenses. Students use this distinction to determine net worth, cash flow, and the relationship between them.

* Lesson 2A (pdf)

Lesson 2B: Meeting Financial Goals-Rate of Return
Students are shown the two ways that investments can earn a return and then calculate the annual rate of return, the real rate of return, and the expected rate of return on various assets.

Unit Three: Earning Income

Lesson 3A: Investing in Yourself
Students perform calculations-with half the class given information to make the task easier-to demonstrate the importance of human capital in increasing a person's productivity. They then look at the wages for various occupations and consider the role of human capital in explaining the differences in those wages.

Lesson 3B: Entrepreneurship-Working for Yourself
Students are asked to volunteer for a potentially embarrassing task (which they ultimately do not have to perform) in return for a reward, which demonstrates a characteristic of entrepreneurs. They then take a personal assessment to discover other important characteristics of entrepreneurs and determine how entrepreneurial they are based on these characteristics.

Unit Four: Paying Taxes

Lesson 4A: What Are Taxes For?
Students participate in an activity that demonstrates the difference between private and public goods to show why it is necessary for the government to provide some goods and services. They also participate in an activity to understand why the government redistributes some tax revenue as income to others.

Lesson 4B: Understanding Taxes
Students discuss factors that make various taxes different: bases, rates, structures, methods of collection, and level of government imposing the tax. They learn a simple tax formula and information about four common types of taxes (income, payroll, sales, and property). Students apply this knowledge to calculate for three households the total taxes paid and the net income based on their gross income and expenditures.

Unit Five: Budgeting

Lesson 5A: Making a Budget-It Is All Spending!
Students discover that all elements of a budget are essentially spending on goods and services. They are shown a process for establishing a budget.

Lesson 5B: Budget Trade-Offs-A Penny Here and a Penny There
Students participate in an activity that illustrates that budgeting is really an allocation problem. They must decide how to allocate limited income among many alternatives, which requires trade-offs. For the activity, students are given pennies representing monthly personal income to allocate for their living expenses-to purchase goods and services for housing, food, transportation, and so on.

* Lesson 5B (pdf)

Unit Six: Saving

Lesson 6A: Time Preference-Why It Is Hard to Save
Students investigate the decision to save as a choice between spending now or spending later and how people's natural preference to enjoy goods and services now affects this decision.

Lesson 6B: Simple and Compound Interest-Why It Is Great To Save
Formulas for simple and compound interest, as well as the Rule of 72, are explained and used to illustrate the benefit of saving in general and the benefit of saving early in particular.

Unit Seven: Spending

Lesson 7A: The Spending Decision-Colas and Hot Dogs
Students help Joe, a guy at a baseball game, decide how many colas and hot dogs to buy. Joe's "best" choice is shown to depend on not only what Joe likes but also the amount of money he has and the prices charged.

Lesson 7B: Big Spenders
Students compare the spending behavior of two families to see how a higher saving rate can lead to not only greater savings but greater spending.

Unit Eight: Investing

Lesson 8A: Managing Risk-Time and Diversification
Students are introduced to investment risk-the chance of losing some or all money invested. That is, the actual rate of return on an investment may vary from the projected rate of return and may even be negative. Students investigate the trade-off between the expected rate of return on an investment and the risk. Finally, they play the role of investors in a simulation that shows how time and diversification may lower risk.

Lesson 8B: Evaluating Investment Options
Students use the PACED decisionmaking model to investigate the trade-offs involved in choosing an investment.

Unit Nine: Borrowing

Lesson 9A: The Three C's of Credit
Students play the role of credit providers and assess the credit worthiness of an individual with a loan request and randomly selected borrower characteristics. Students classify those characteristics based on the three C's of credit (capacity, character, and collateral), assess the riskiness of lending to that individual based on these characteristics, and then decide whether or not to approve or deny the loan request.

Lesson 9B: Evaluating the Benefits and Costs of Credit
Students are introduced to different types of credit and discuss some of the benefits and costs of credit. They then consider how borrowing affects a person's net worth.

Unit Ten: Protecting

Lesson 10A: The Three D's of Identity Theft
Students are introduced to various options for deterring and detecting identity theft. They then play a game about identity protection. They choose ways to protect their identity then face random events where their identity will either remain safe or be stolen. They learn that 100% identity protection is not possible and ways to defend themselves if identity theft occurs.

10B: Is Insurance Worth Buying?
Students learn about insurance options and possible risks. They play a game where they first choose levels of insurance coverage and then face random events. They track the cost of their insurance choices (premiums plus lost investment income) and the benefit of their choices (loss reduction) based on each event drawn. They determine whether the insurance choices they made were financially beneficial or not and why insurance may be a good idea regardless.

This lesson received the 2017 Curriculum Gold Award from the National Association of Economic Educators.

This curriculum received the 2017 Excellence in Financial Education Award from the Institute for Financial Literacy.

Read more about this and our other awards "

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Making Personal Finance Decisions Curriculum | Education Resources | St. Louis Fed

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The Making Personal Finance Decisions curriculum teaches valuable personal finance lessons grounded in economic theory. The curriculum is divided into 10 themed units, with each unit containing two lessons. The twenty individual lessons employ a variety of teaching strategies designed to engage students in the learning process and equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed personal finance decisions.

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Statistics confirm that people of color and women are underrepresented in Architecture and Interior Design. As design professionals, we experience this apparent reality daily. Our focus is changing that narrative by shaping a new future for our profession and building an equitable foundation for future designers.

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Devoted to Providing Unbiased Investor Education and Funding Investor Protection Efforts

Investment Fraud: Spot the Red Flags

Working with Financial Professionals

The term financial professional generally describes a person who provides some form of financial services and works independently or for a firm. This short guide focuses on three categories of financial professionals who service investors: investment advisers, stockbrokers, and financial planners.

If you are an organization, educator, or citizen, and would like to order copies of the booklet, please contact us. State securities departments can order print and digital copies customized with their state-specific information.

Contact the IPT team here or preview the booklet here. Booklets are also available in Spanish.

Military Guide to Money and Investing

Your New Job: Starting Your Financial Future

Marriage & Money: Starting Your Financial Life Together

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Devoted to Providing Unbiased Investor Education and Funding Investor Protection Efforts Investment Fraud: Spot the Red Flags Working with Financial Professionals The term financial professional generally describes a person who provides some form of financial services and works independently or for a firm.

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Why are 25% of Gen Zers bringing their Parents

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Why are 25% of Gen Zers bringing their Parents

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Some Gen Zers are relying on their parents for help with their job search - and some are even inviting their moms and dads to attend job interviews with them, according to a recent study by ResumeTemplates.com.

The survey found that 70% of Gen Zers have asked their parents to help them find a job, Sixteen percent say their parents submitted job applications for them - and 1 in 10 had their parents actually write their resume.

But even more of a revelation is this: The survey found that 25% of Gen Zers say they've brought their parents along with them on job interviews.
'BUSY BRAGGING' WORKPLACE TREND HAS EMPLOYEES RETHINKING THEIR OFFICE BEHAVIOR: 'IT DOESN'T IMPRESS PEOPLE'
This young-adult generation of job seekers seems to appreciate their parents' wisdom, as 83% of respondents credit their parental guidance with landing their new job and advancing their career goals.

Yet is the input and assistance from parents a good thing for job seekers, or are members of this generation taking the easy approach - and taking things too far?

Three employment pros weighed in on what's behind this trend, on the drawbacks of letting parents take an overactive role in job-hunting - and more.

'Depends on the family dynamic'

Having a parent proofread a resume or cover letter is common, and asking a parent to role-play for an interview is appropriate - but are there limits to parental involvement in a job search?

Most experts say it depends on the job seeker and other factors.
JOB TREND 'RESENTEEISM' HAS EMPLOYEES COASTING THROUGH WORKDAYS AND HANGING ON, RATHER THAN QUITTING
"I think it just depends on the family dynamic, which is different from person to person," said David Rice, an HR professional at People Managing People, based in Atlanta, Georgia.

"Some parents are overbearing and some kids always seek their parents' help, but in terms of looking for a job, every kid wants their parents to know they're doing the right things and pursuing opportunities," he said.

Rice also said it's "totally OK to solicit or accept help from your parents, to pick their brains and apply their wisdom to your own search."

Even so, when does that type of involvement cross the line?

What's causing Gen Z to be so reliant on their parents?

Seeking parental help is due to several factors, experts say.

"I think this is probably a bit of wisdom and laziness," said Rice.

Events of the last few years have only fueled the parental shadow, such as the pandemic and the unstable economy, he said.

"We live in a culture and time of instant gratification, and it doesn't exactly encourage young people to endure any amount of failure."

"These groups have had to make quite a few shifts in their career and weather some storms, find work quickly and do work that didn't align with their goals at times," Rice said.

"So they may have a certain level of wisdom that can be useful to Gen Zers in hunting for jobs."
WHY THE VIRAL TREND 'CHRONOWORKING' IS MAKING WAVES AMONG EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS
Still, he cautioned that some Gen Zers simply want to take a passive approach.

"There certainly will be cases where, essentially, the person wants their parents to do it for them," said Rice. "I don't think it's controversial to say that children today have a bit more of a pampered existence than their parents did."

He added, "We live in a culture and time of instant gratification, and it doesn't exactly encourage young people to endure any amount of failure - so looking for help the moment it becomes challenging isn't exactly a surprise."

Concerns about the 'ability to work unsupervised'

Most job experts frown on bringing moms or dads along on a job interview.

"Pursuing a job, getting it and going to work is a journey that is meant to be a life experience, which shapes you and helps you move into adult life," Rice told Fox News Digital.

"It's not something your parents should be holding your hand through," he said. "And if I were a hiring manager seeing this, particularly in a person who is old enough to go to college, I'd be concerned about this person's ability to work unsupervised, make decisions on their own - and how easily they can be misguided."

Another expert had a similar reaction.

"Parents should not go into a job interview with their child," said Jill Chapman, director of early talent development with Insperity in Houston, Texas.

"If the parent is intimately involved in the process ... it reflects poorly on the candidate."

She said it is one thing to bring a parent along for the ride and have that parent wait in a nearby coffee shop or parking lot - but including a parent in a sit-down with an interviewer is taking parental involvement too far.
MOST JOB SEEKERS LIE OR CHEAT DURING THE HIRING PROCESS, STUDY FINDS
"It speaks volumes to an organization if the parent is intimately involved in the process, and it reflects poorly on the candidate," cautioned Chapman.

How can parents constructively help their kids?

There are some valuable ways parents can help.

"Parents can help kids prepare for the interview ahead of time: Talk about what to wear, how to behave, and what to expect," Amy Morin, a psychotherapist in Marathon, Florida, who is author of the book "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do" and host of the "Mentally Stronger" podcast.

They can also provide insight regarding professional protocol.

"Discuss things like basic social skills - such as turning off your phone - to how to ask questions about benefits such as health insurance," she said.

Helping a child prepare for an interview is beneficial.
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"Perform a mock interview and give feedback," Morin added.

"Review sample questions and talk about how to address tough questions or how to explain gaps in employment."
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle
Another way parents can help their kids is to share their own employment anecdotes.

"Talk about your own experiences in pursuing a job and relay what you learned," said Rice with People Managing People.
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"But insist that this is something that they have to do on their own," he said.

"If you're old enough to go to work, you're old enough to explore what working life is on your own. Emphasize that this is a natural part of life and becoming an adult."

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Why are 25% of Gen Zers bringing their parents on job interviews with them? Experts weigh in

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A new survey found that 25% of job-seeking Gen Zers are bringing their parents with them on job interviews. Human resource professionals weighed in on this trend.

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Be Pro Be Proud is proud of the partners, volunteers, and future skilled trade workers who are making an impact on the s…