Career Terms and Definitions

Attitude - a feeling or emotion toward something.

Aptitude - a capacity for learning, a natural ability.

Career - the sequence of roles and work experiences throughout life, including schooling, continuing education, employment, volunteer work, homemaking and retirement.

Career Awareness - acknowledgement of the many options available and knowledge of career planning techniques.

Career Education - a systematic program of activities and experiences designed to increase knowledge of self, occupations, training paths, job-search skills and decision-making strategies (includes the integration of work, family, leisure and community roles).

Career Planning - the ongoing process of making choices which are reviewed from time to time.

Decision-Making - the process of identifying and choosing among alternative courses of action.

Interest - a readiness to pay special attention to something.

Job - a position with specific duties and responsibilities within a company, factory, institution or organization.

Occupation - a group of similar jobs in a society.

Self-Awareness - having knowledge of self, including knowledge of interest, aptitudes and limitations.