How to Write a Career Report

Choosing a career is a big decision in a person’s life. Not only must the career provide the income necessary for you to provide for your family, but you must also enjoy the job enough to do it for a long time. Writing a career report allows you to inform yourself or others about the experiences possible in a given profession. When you embark on a career path with knowledge, you are more likely to find the occupation that is right for you.

Pre-Writing

Research the career you want to write about. While there is a great deal of information on the Internet and in books, you may also want to go out into the field and actually interview someone who is actually working that job. You may find that interviews earn you the kind of information you probably won't find in books.

Split It Up

Divide your report into logical sections. Have a table of contents and a one-page summary of your report that gives your reader the basics. Continue with a detailed list of tasks someone working in the career must complete. Next, list everything you must do to achieve the position.

For example, according to the Princeton Review, physical therapists must obtain a license from the state and have the requisite education which includes a four-year bachelor’s degree in physical therapy or a master’s program in rehabilitation.

Think Long-Term

Inform the reader of the lifelong arc of the career in question. This increases the honesty of your report, but it also put things into perspective. For example, being a college teacher doesn't pay much in the beginning as you are earning the necessary degrees and building up your teaching resume. After several years, however, a college teacher’s experience opens a lot more options up and usually results in a bigger paycheck.

Make Comparisons

Orient the career alongside similar options. For example, U.S. News and World Report publishes yearly a "Best Careers" list. It may encourage a person to become a physical therapist when he knows that, as the magazine notes, the job is more satisfying than most, and the median income is comparatively high, as well.

Finish Up with Firm Data

Include an appendix in which you provide lots of raw data that perhaps does not fit elsewhere in your report. The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the United States Department of Labor provides charts and rankings to fill out your report. For example, the site informs readers about the number of people employed in a given profession.