Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 224 Unit 3 Investigating Career Pathways in Human Services Reading Recall 1. Name three consumer rights and three consumer responsibilities. 2. If you have a complaint about a product you purchased, what should you do? 3. List the five steps to creating a budget. 4. What do the terms interest and principal mean? 5. What form of credit is a student loan? Rewards, Demands, and Future Trends If you like solving problems, like working with money and people, and are detail oriented, a career in consumer services might be right for you. The consumer services fi eld offers many opportunities for brainstorming and investigating creative solutions to problems. These solutions can make a huge difference in customers’ or clients’ lives. Careers in consumer services are often salaried, and many workers are required to work long hours. Most require a relatively high level of education and training. These jobs demand brain power and can be very stressful. Careers in consumer services have a high level of responsibility. They are not physically demanding, but can be intellectually demanding and draining. People will always need goods and services, help with navigating the consumer world, and assistance in managing their monetary resources. Many people cannot or do not personally perform the tasks that consumer services workers provide. For example, a consumer may not have the skills to effectively resolve a consumer complaint. A client may not know how to overcome debt or may not choose to take the time to manage investments. Corporations also need the help of consumer services workers. They hire and train customer service representatives to help their customers. They employ buyers to secure needed supplies and products for resale. The future outlook for consumer services workers varies based on occupation (Figure 8.20). Some occupations, such as fi nancial advisors and computer support specialists are projecting faster than average growth. Other occupations, such as consumer journalists and insurance underwriters, are expecting declines. Technology will continue to change the way consumer services workers share and communicate. The need for the information, however, will remain. Reading Recall 1. What are some of the rewards and demands of careers in consumer services? 2. What is the future outlook for careers in consumer services?