This is a review of CashCrunch Careers, one of the tools offered on the online resource of CashCrunch Games. CashCrunch Careers is a career survey and aptitude assessment tool developed by Paul Vasey. It is available on his website CashCrunch Games. We were provided access for two users to the CashCrunch Games survey. The survey can be taken in 10-15 minutes. The survey results are then available to the student to assist them in the process of evaluating their own interests, strengths and aptitudes. Following the survey results a Careers Report is provided with a summary of the students strengths, interests and attributes. From there they can further explore how their personal profile can lead to certain career choices. Using the results they can begin a more in depth exploration of potential career paths. Resources with additional information regarding general categories of work and more specific requirements of certain jobs are built into the website.
CashCrunchCareers begins with a survey that takes about 15 minutes to complete.
Final survey results provide feedback to the participant. Two of my young adult children took the survey and explored the information provided. They were each provided with a printable download of Career Survey Report that included sections for:
- Career Work Styles
- Motivators & De-motivators The bullet point list here offered useful feedback for my daughter. I saw the explanations as true to her personality but don't think I or she could have pulled the synopsis together as clearly.
- Career Attributes
- Career Match
- Matching Jobs This section is the section which is divided into job categories and within each category there is a list of jobs available within in that category. By looking deeper into each area more specific information is provided. It is here that more specific performance tasks are listed for jobs. This is where college lists and videos giving more info about tasks and activities involved in performing a particular job are provided.
After obtaining the survey results each student is provided with an extensive and linked list of possibilities of career options in the matching jobs section. Exploration of that list leads to the suggested paths to follow and to a more specific list of occupations with descriptions of the roles and tasks involved in that occupation. Each section is broken down into a list of specific job possibilities within the category and the roles involved. Click into the list deeper and you will find information regarding the tasks and activities to perform the job. Short videos are provided about each job as well as lists of potential colleges.
My daughter is currently in her last year of homeschooling. She intends to continue her dance training following graduation. She has a potentially workable plan but it also very aware that dance will probably be one of two or more lifetime career paths. It is the additional career options that she is still exploring. She completed her survey and we explored the results. She read the summary of her Career Survey Report, the suggestions and information provided. I'm don't think she came to any definite conclusions as a result of reviewing her CashCrunch Career Report but she is certainly more aware of the many possibilities ahead of her and of where some of her interests might lead.
My 19 year old son also took the survey and reviewed the results. For him, I think it was the initial report that reads as a personal traits summary that was most useful. He communicated to me that he thought the specifics about the jobs provided would be changing rapidly. Despite the information contained in the videos, my son didn't find them inspiring enough.
I don't see this tool as a one time use and move on resource. Given the rate of change and the dynamic aspects of our economy, this is a tool that can be returned to over and over. It could be used to begin a reassessment if someone is re-evaluating a job choice or looking to make a change. I see this as a potentially useful tool in that way for my 19 year old son. He is currently completing his general education requirements while in his second year of college and has not yet narrowed down his field of study. I will encourage him to return to this survey over the next year for info and to assist in pointing him in directions of further research as he plans for his second two years of college.
While the survey itself takes only 15-20 minutes to complete, reviewing the potential opportunities, as would be expected, does take more time. There is enough information available for anyone to follow up the survey with ongoing exploration and to obtain a fairly clear understanding of the initial requirements for a specific career pursuit. This is where I see the value for my son with his high expectations of this online resource.
Initially when my daughter first took the survey, I considered the $99.00 price point per individual user a little steep. After she completed her survey, explored the results, suggestions and further information provided, I can see the benefits of the use of this product over an extended period of time possibly justifying that cost. I do, however, still consider the price a little high for one user.
CashCrunch Careers was developed by Paul Vasey. It is one of several products that he offers on his CashCrunch Games website. There are other products that look useful. The Personal Finance Bite Size is a curriculum that I intend to use as a review with my daughter this year before she leaves our home. The Personal Finance Bite Size is available on the CashCrunch Games website or on the Old Schoolhouse Teachers members website. I had a question about access to the product we reviewed and got an immediate and cheerful response from Paul. He is obviously very enthusiastic about creating products to improve financial literacy among students. It is an important goal. I think the use of his products will help to achieve it.
To read more reviews done by homeschooling families of Cash Crunch Careers, click on a banner below to find the links on the Homeschool Review Crew site.
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