RCC

You must know yourself and your passions well and think positively about yourself to make good decisions, something that not all young adults and people in transition find easy; You must be very knowledgeable about your options—wages of your aspired occupation, the outlook, and geographical opportunities/barriers; You must consider your limitations (money, time, willingness to relocate, aptitudes, etc); You must overcome bias and stereotypes to expand your options; and You must make a very important decision, overwhelming to some in and of itself!

Step 1: Examine your interests. Step 2: Realistically assess your aptitudes. Step 3: Know your skills. Step 4: Know your values. Step 5: Know your options! Step 6: Take a reality check. Step 7: Narrow and select your major.

INTERNALINTERNAL I have a very high GPA in my business classes. I have been working part-time business setting and get great evaluations. I have worked on campus as a work-study job and got good evaluations. I was a school leader in high school. I am good with computers. As a mother, I know the value of working as a team and sharing the load. I am strong and can overcome stereotypes. I have very little experience using the business skills I want to use—technological. I have an impatient streak. I can be careless and make mistakes, problematic in a business setting. I talk too much, I have been told. I can only afford to go to school for two more years. I am a woman and struggle with priorities. EXTERNALEXTERNAL Business careers are one of the fastest growing areas in the United States. According to CIS, business majors are likely to find jobs all over Oregon. Salaries continue to be relatively high because skilled technology and sales professionals bring money into business. Lots of people want to go into business in the technology end of things, and more people are majoring in this area to take advantage of the trend. Many high school students have more technical skills in computer systems than entry-level workers. Today's standards won’t be tomorrow's. The costs of on-going training are huge. Business technology changes so quickly that being successful means lifelong training. It’s still a man’s world in business!