Section 2.1 Decision Making Back to Table of Contents

The seven steps of the decision-making process WHAT YOU’LL LEARN The seven steps of the decision-making process How to use the decision-making process to choose a suitable career

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Using a consistent and thorough decision-making process will enable you to make sound decisions throughout your life.

decision-making process KEY TERM decision-making process

A Seven-Step Process A decision-making process is a logical series of steps used to identify and evaluate possibilities and arrive at a good choice.

Using the Decision-Making Process to Choose a Career Step 1 Define your needs. Step 2 Analyze your personal resources. continued

Using the Decision-Making Process to Choose a Career Step 3 Identify your career choices. Step 4 Research your career choices. continued

Using the Decision-Making Process to Choose a Career Step 5 Evaluate your career choices. Step 6 Make your decision. continued

Using the Decision-Making Process to Choose a Career Step 7 Plan how to reach your goal.

Step 1: Define Your Needs Consider your hopes and dreams for the future. Where do you want to live? Do you want a job that allows you to travel? Do you hope to marry and have children?

Step 2: Analyze Your Personal Resources Your personal resources are who you are and what you have to offer. continued

Step 2: Analyze Your Personal Resources Your resources include your values, interests, aptitudes and abilities, and personality traits and styles of learning.

Step 3: Identify Your Career Choices Select several possible careers that match your personal goals and resources. Keep your eyes and ears open to discover “what’s out there.”

Step 4: Research Your Career Choices Find out all you can about the careers you identified in Step 3.

Step 5: Evaluate Your Career Choices Look at your career choices in detail to see if they match your personal goals and resources.

Step 6: Make Your Decision It is important to make a decision and have a plan, even if you later change your career goal. continued

Step 6: Make Your Decision If you discover that your career goal is unrealistic or undesirable, you can repeat the decision-making process to arrive at a new goal. continued

Step 7: Plan How to Reach Your Goal Once you’ve reached your career decision, you can begin to plan how to reach your goal.

Using the Decision-Making Process to Choose a Career Graphic Organizer 2.1 Using the Decision-Making Process to Choose a Career Step 1: Define your needs. Step 2: Analyze your personal resources. Step 3: Identify your career choices. Step 4: Research your career choices. Step 5: Evaluate your career choices. Step 6: Make your decision. Step 7: Plan how to reach your goals. Chapter 2 • Getting to Know Yourself Succeeding in the World of Work

Key Concept Checkpoint SECTION 2.1 REVIEW Key Concept Checkpoint Comprehension Imagine that you’ve won a $1,000 gift certificate for audio/video equipment. Explain how you would use the seven steps in the decision-making process to decide what to buy. continued

Key Concept Checkpoint SECTION 2.1 REVIEW Key Concept Checkpoint Comprehension Explain the importance of having a strategy for choosing a career. continued

Key Concept Checkpoint SECTION 2.1 REVIEW Key Concept Checkpoint Critical Thinking Why might you use the decision-making process many times before finding the right career?

End of Section 2.1 Decision Making Back to Table of Contents