1. Choosing a CareerChoosing a Career
Rule#1Rule#1:: Choose a career that is somethingChoose a career that is something
you really like to do.you really like to do.
Rule#2Rule#2:: Do your research and chooseDo your research and choose
carefully and thoughtfully.carefully and thoughtfully.
Rule#3Rule#3:: Make it meaningful toMake it meaningful to you.you.
One of the hardest—and most exciting—
choices you’ll ever make is your career.
Although chance may play a part, come
prepared!
You owe it to yourself to look for work
that is meaningful and rewarding!

2. Choose Career Options ThatChoose Career Options That
Match Your ValuesMatch Your Values
 Knowing what you value most will helpKnowing what you value most will help
you refine your career search and choice:you refine your career search and choice:
 Helping othersHelping others
 PrestigePrestige
 High incomeHigh income
 Flexible work hoursFlexible work hours
 Establish and align values, career choice,Establish and align values, career choice,
and career goals for motivation.and career goals for motivation.

3. Surviving in a Fast EconomySurviving in a Fast Economy
 You will always have some control overYou will always have some control over
your career.your career.
 You must accept risks and plan for theYou must accept risks and plan for the
future to advance your career.future to advance your career.
 A college degree does not guaranteeA college degree does not guarantee
employment.employment.
 A commitment to lifelong learning willA commitment to lifelong learning will
help keep you employable.help keep you employable.

4. Factors to ConsiderFactors to Consider
Do:Do:
 explore a number ofexplore a number of
careers and majorscareers and majors
 get involvedget involved
 Get advice fromGet advice from
people in yourpeople in your
target occupationtarget occupation
 follow your passionfollow your passion
 Dare to tryDare to try
something newsomething new
Don’t:Don’t:
 focus on a majorfocus on a major
just to get a careerjust to get a career
out of itout of it
 select a major justselect a major just
because it is “cool”because it is “cool”
or seems to promiseor seems to promise
prestigeprestige
 let someone elselet someone else
push you into a jobpush you into a job
 Assume that youAssume that you
have it all figuredhave it all figured
outout

5. Factors Affecting Career ChoicesFactors Affecting Career Choices
InterestsInterests
SkillsSkills
AptitudesAptitudes
People skillsPeople skills
ExperienceExperience
FamilyFamily
traditionstraditions
PersonalityPersonality
Life goalsLife goals
and workand work
valuesvalues

6. Exploring Your InterestsExploring Your Interests
Holland’s Hexagonal Model of Career FieldsHolland’s Hexagonal Model of Career Fields
Investigativ
e
Artistic
Socia
l
Realisti
c
Conventiona
l
Enterprisin
g

7. Where to Go for HelpWhere to Go for Help
 Career centerCareer center
 FacultyFaculty
 Upper-classUpper-class
studentsstudents
 StudentStudent
organizationsorganizations
 PlacementPlacement
servicesservices

8. Become KnowledgeableBecome Knowledgeable
About CareersAbout Careers
 Explore theExplore the Occupational Outlook HandbookOccupational Outlook Handbook atat
http://www.bls.gov/oco/http://www.bls.gov/oco/
 Research several careers, not just oneResearch several careers, not just one
 Browse the Careers section of a local bookstoreBrowse the Careers section of a local bookstore
 See a career counselorSee a career counselor
 Scope out Internet resourcesScope out Internet resources
 Network--many people love to talk aboutNetwork--many people love to talk about
their jobs!their jobs!

9. Explore theExplore the Occupational Outlook HandbookOccupational Outlook Handbook
http://www.bls.gov/oco/http://www.bls.gov/oco/
 Keep up with the occupationalKeep up with the occupational
outlook for various fields.outlook for various fields.
 Get to know which ones areGet to know which ones are
adding jobs and which onesadding jobs and which ones
are losing them.are losing them.
 The Occupational OutlookThe Occupational Outlook
HandbookHandbook is an excellentis an excellent
source, and is updated everysource, and is updated every
two years.two years.
 Good news!Good news! Over the next fewOver the next few
years, jobs requiring collegeyears, jobs requiring college
degrees will be the fastest-degrees will be the fastest-
growing and highest payinggrowing and highest paying..

10. What to Look for in aWhat to Look for in a
CareerCareer
 Major career field targetMajor career field target
 Preferred type of workPreferred type of work
 Income requirementsIncome requirements
 Geographical requirementsGeographical requirements
 Special needsSpecial needs
 Industry preferencesIndustry preferences
 Stress levelStress level
 Level of interaction with otherLevel of interaction with other
peoplepeople
 Indoor vs. outdoorIndoor vs. outdoor
 Amount of independenceAmount of independence
 Balance between creative andBalance between creative and
conventional tasksconventional tasks
 The type of people you wouldThe type of people you would
interact withinteract with
 Physical requirementsPhysical requirements
 Local/national/internationalLocal/national/international
organizationorganization
 Benefits and perksBenefits and perks
 Advancement opportunitiesAdvancement opportunities
 A good bossA good boss
 TrainingTraining
 Industry outlookIndustry outlook
 Reputation of the firm in theReputation of the firm in the
industryindustry

11. Select Several Careers,Select Several Careers,
Not Just OneNot Just One
 It’s a good idea to have several careers in mindIt’s a good idea to have several careers in mind
rather than just one in your first year of college.rather than just one in your first year of college.
 Approximately 60% of students change theirApproximately 60% of students change their
major at some point during their college career.major at some point during their college career.
 It pays to be knowledgeable about more thanIt pays to be knowledgeable about more than
just one career field. The average graduatejust one career field. The average graduate
changes their job seven times in their life.changes their job seven times in their life.
 It also pays to develop a wide variety of generalIt also pays to develop a wide variety of general
skills, particular those related to communication.skills, particular those related to communication.

12. NetworkNetwork
 Check with people you know about careerCheck with people you know about career
information.information.
 Networking can lead to meeting someoneNetworking can lead to meeting someone
who may be able to answer your questionswho may be able to answer your questions
about a specific career or company.about a specific career or company.
 It is an effective way to learn about the typeIt is an effective way to learn about the type
of training necessary for a particularof training necessary for a particular
position, what it took to get into the field, andposition, what it took to get into the field, and
the positive and negative aspects of thethe positive and negative aspects of the
work.work.
 More andMore and more professionals are active onmore professionals are active on
online networks such as LinkedIn.com andonline networks such as LinkedIn.com and
Doostang.com. Some professionals evenDoostang.com. Some professionals even
use Facebook to get in touch with others inuse Facebook to get in touch with others in
their field…as well as research potentialtheir field…as well as research potential
candidates.candidates.

13.  Assess Your SkillsAssess Your Skills
 Academic StrengthsAcademic Strengths
 Reading, Writing, Speaking, and ListeningReading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening
 MathMath
 Creative ThinkingCreative Thinking
 Problem Solving and Decision MakingProblem Solving and Decision Making
 Personal QualitiesPersonal Qualities
 Self-Esteem, Self-Management,Self-Esteem, Self-Management,
ResponsibilityResponsibility
 People SkillsPeople Skills
 Social, Negotiation, Leadership,Social, Negotiation, Leadership,
TeamworkTeamwork

14. See a Career CounselorSee a Career Counselor
 The career counselors at your collegeThe career counselors at your college
are trained professionals who can helpare trained professionals who can help
youyou
discover your strengths anddiscover your strengths and
weaknessesweaknesses
evaluate your values and goalsevaluate your values and goals
sort through what type of career yousort through what type of career you
wantwant
 They will not tell you what to do, theyThey will not tell you what to do, they
will simply help identify what factorswill simply help identify what factors
may lead to successful and interestingmay lead to successful and interesting
career options.career options.

15. Questions for Academic AdvisorsQuestions for Academic Advisors
 What classes should I take this termWhat classes should I take this term
and next?and next?
 What sequence of classes should IWhat sequence of classes should I
take?take?
 Am I taking too many difficult classesAm I taking too many difficult classes
in one term?in one term?
 What electives do youWhat electives do you
recommend?recommend?
 What careerWhat career
 opportunitiesopportunities
are there if I studyare there if I study
mainly _____?mainly _____?

16. Getting ExperienceGetting Experience
 Volunteer or serviceVolunteer or service
learninglearning
 Study abroadStudy abroad
 Internships/co-opsInternships/co-ops
 On-campus employmentOn-campus employment
 StudentStudent
projects/competitionsprojects/competitions
 ResearchResearch
 On-the-job trainingOn-the-job training
 ApprenticeshipsApprenticeships

17. Research the JobResearch the Job
 Identify the skills andIdentify the skills and
experience necessary toexperience necessary to
perform the job you want.perform the job you want.
 Determine the generalDetermine the general
requirements of the job.requirements of the job.
 Learn about the day-to-dayLearn about the day-to-day
tasks and responsibilities.tasks and responsibilities.
 Research the company andResearch the company and
employer.employer.
 Determine the company’sDetermine the company’s
philosophy.philosophy.
 The more you know about theThe more you know about the
job, the stronger thejob, the stronger the
candidate you will become.candidate you will become.
How big
will my
office be?

18. Explore Relevant Part-TimeExplore Relevant Part-Time
and Summer Jobsand Summer Jobs
 Students benefit when their jobsStudents benefit when their jobs
are on campus.are on campus.
 Investigate if there exists a part-timeInvestigate if there exists a part-time
job in the department of your major.job in the department of your major.
 Advanced planning will help youAdvanced planning will help you
obtain a summer job with a companyobtain a summer job with a company
related to your field.related to your field.
 If you can’t find a related job, youIf you can’t find a related job, you
can still demonstrate work-relatedcan still demonstrate work-related
skills and a work ethic that willskills and a work ethic that will
impress prospective employers.impress prospective employers.

19. Internet Career JourneyInternet Career Journey
Activity 13.2 --Web ResourcesActivity 13.2 --Web Resources
Occupational OutlookOccupational Outlook
HandbookHandbook
11_Careers_new.ppt11_Careers_new.ppt
Career Resource CenterCareer Resource Center
http://www.careers.org/http://www.careers.org/
Job HuntJob Hunt
http://www.job-hunt.orghttp://www.job-hunt.org
The Catapult on Job WebThe Catapult on Job Web
http://www.job-http://www.job-
hunt.org/hunt.org/
The Riley Guide:The Riley Guide:
EmploymentEmployment
Opportunities and JobOpportunities and Job
Resources on theResources on the
InternetInternet
www.rileyguide.comwww.rileyguide.com
Monster.comMonster.com
http://www.monster.comhttp://www.monster.com
//
Quintessential CareersQuintessential Careers
http://www.quintcareers.com/ihttp://www.quintcareers.com/i
ndex.htmlndex.html