Looking Forward to the World of Work Text: Chapter 3

Making Decisions By David Agnew and Jim Wendell Arkansas State University

Objectives Define “New Career Terms” Explain why decision making can be difficult Explain the importance or career decision making List and describe the seven steps in the decision- making process Give an example of how someone can use the decision-making process to make career decisions List and describe seven hints for making wise decisions

New Career Terms Decision - choosing between two or more possibilities Decision-Making Process - steps that can be taken to help you make the best decision Needs - things you must have to survive Resource - any skill or advantage you have Wants - things you would like to have, but don’t have to have - luxuries

New Career Terms (Cont.) Evaluate - to look at closely and judge Plan - the method or course you decide to take after going through the decision- making process Tentative - the best decision you can decide on at a certain time, which can be changed later as you learn more

Decisions Nothing more than making a choice between two or more options. Life is full of decisions - you make hundreds during the course of a day ! Most are simple to decide and require very little time or effort to complete. Others are important and may require selecting from many choices. Choosing will usually take more time and thought on your part because every time you make a decision you are saying “NO” to all the other options.

Ways to Decide Do you fear making the wrong decision ? Supposed you have only enough money for one item, but you would like to get many other items also: Do you close your eyes and point ? Do you ask a friend which they would choose ? Do you choose the least expensive or most expensive item ? Do you become frustrated and leave without making any choice at all ?

Why Make Decisions? What would you do if you had to drive to Alaska without a road map and weren’t allowed to look at any signs for help ? You would be lost most of the time You may or may not even reach Alaska For the majority of your trip, you would feel confused, unhappy, and frustrated You would never know if you were making progress towards your goal

Why Make Decisions? (Cont.) Most people would laugh at the idea of starting a journey to Alaska under these conditions. Yet, many people use this same planning technique with a much more important journey - THEIR CAREER JOURNEY. This is the main reason why so many people are unhappy with the way their lives turned out. The decisions you make now concerning your career choice is like pushing over the first domino in a long line. As each domino falls, it knocks down the next in a chain reaction. So it is with career decisions. Each one impacts the next throughout your life and for many years to come.

Decision Making Process Decide what you need or want. Look carefully at your resources. Identify your choices by writing down: the decision you are making the time frame allotted for completion every option you know about places to learn of other choices Gather information on all your options. Evaluate and compare your options. Make an educated decision. Develop an action plan.

Making Career Decisions Never to early to make a tentative career decision This is not your final choice, but the best choice for you at the present time Make an educational plan for your decision: Is a four year college degree or more needed ? Two year degree or Vo-Tech training needed ? Is high school training adequate ? What high school courses are needed as a foundation ?

7 Tips for Career Decisions Even though they want to be helpful, family and friends may try to pressure you to do what THEY want you to do. Don’t be afraid of failure. Pay attention to all everyday decisions. Decisions can have both good and bad outcomes. Accept all outcomes. Don’t depend on luck. If you are unsatisfied with any outcome, you can change a decision.

In Summary Life is full of decisions. Some large, some small, some important, and some unimportant. Most have several choices which complicates the decision making process. An organized method of approaching decision making can help to make difficult choices easier to complete.

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