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

2. Choose Career Options That Match Your Values
Knowing what you value most will help you refine your career search and choice:
Helping others
Prestige
High income
Flexible work hours
Establish and align values, career choice, and career goals for motivation.
There is no substitute for "knowing yourself."

3. Surviving in a Fast Economy
You will always have some control over your career.
You must accept risks and plan for the future to advance your career.
A college degree does not guarantee employment.
A commitment to lifelong learning will help keep you employable.
The more you know,
the greater your marketability.

4. explore a number of careers and majors get involved
Factors to Consider
Do:
explore a number of careers and majors
get involved
Get advice from people in your target occupation
follow your passion
Dare to try something new
Don’t:
focus on a major just to get a career out of it
select a major just because it is “cool” or seems to promise prestige
let someone else push you into a job
Assume that you have it all figured out

5. Factors Affecting Career Choices
Interests
Skills
Aptitudes
People skills
Experience
Family traditions
Personality
Life goals and work values

6. Exploring Your Interests
Holland’s Hexagonal Model of Career Fields
Realistic
Investigative
Where
are
you?
Artistic
Conventional
Enterprising
Social

7. Where to Go for Help Ask someone in your chosen field:
Career center
Faculty
Upper-class students
Student organizations
Placement services
Ask someone in your chosen field:
How did you find your job?

8. Become Knowledgeable About Careers
Explore the Occupational Outlook Handbook at
Research several careers, not just one
Browse the Careers section of a local bookstore
See a career counselor
Scope out Internet resources
Network--many people love to talk about
their jobs!
Know your options...

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

10. What to Look for in a Career
Major career field target
Preferred type of work
Income requirements
Geographical requirements
Special needs
Industry preferences
Stress level
Level of interaction with other people
Indoor vs. outdoor
Amount of independence
Balance between creative and conventional tasks
The type of people you would interact with
Physical requirements
Local/national/international organization
Benefits and perks
Advancement opportunities
A good boss
Training
Industry outlook
Reputation of the firm in the industry

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

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

13. Assess Your Skills Academic Strengths Personal Qualities People Skills
Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening
Math
Creative Thinking
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Personal Qualities
Self-Esteem, Self-Management, Responsibility
People Skills
Social, Negotiation, Leadership, Teamwork

14. See a Career Counselor
The career counselors at your college are trained professionals who can help you
discover your strengths and weaknesses
evaluate your values and goals
sort through what type of career you want
They will not tell you what to do, they will simply help identify what factors may lead to successful and interesting career options.

15. Questions for Academic Advisors
What classes should I take this term and next?
What sequence of classes should I take?
Am I taking too many difficult classes in one term?
What electives do you recommend?
What career
opportunities are there if I study mainly _____?

16. Nothing teaches like experience.
Getting Experience
Volunteer or service learning
Study abroad
Internships/co-ops
On-campus employment
Student projects/competitions
Research
On-the-job training
Apprenticeships
Nothing teaches like experience.

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

18. Know What Employers Want
Potential employers will look for evidence of your accomplishments and experiences.
Did you hold leadership positions?
Were you active in campus organizations or extracurricular activities?
Did you have relevant experiences in co-op, internships, or part-time work?
Did you make good grades?
The more you have of these experiences, the better.
Go by incognito and get the “lay of the land.”
How do the employees dress, interact with each other, look for
company policy wall signs and so on.
First things first
Be prepared!

19. Building a Resume
Put contact information at the top.
State an objective if appropriate.
List education to date.
State accomplishments succinctly using action verbs.
Separate work experience related to your major from other work experience.
Include interests you want to talk about—they are often used to begin an interview.
Even if the job isn’t related to your major, employers will want to see how your experience is relevant to the job.

20. Knock ‘Em Dead in a Job Interview
The examples you give of your past experiences is critical.
Be able to show how past experiences relate to this opportunity.
Résumés are important in getting you an interview in the first place. Make yours organized and clear.
Prepare for the interview: research your prospective employer.
Anticipate what you will be asked and practice interviewing.
Ask appropriate job-related questions.
Keep your cool. Remember, employers are looking for competent people with whom they want to work.

21. Job Interviews (cont’d)
Be able to answer basic questions:
Why do you want this job?
What are your strengths? Your weaknesses?
What sets you apart from other candidates?
If you decide you want the job, you may want to ask for it at the close of the interview.
Type a brief follow-up letter to mail within 24 hours. Follow-up is key!
What are other interview questions you’ve encountered?

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

23. Get A Job--Activity 13.1
In your group, create a classified ad for the “job” of college student.
For example, “_______________________ College/University is seeking applicants with excellent skills in oral and written communication, problem solving, time management, and technology for positions as professional students preparing for a variety of future opportunities…”
Ads should list particular job requirements, benefits, information about your institution and so on, and be transferred to a large sheet of paper to present to the group.
Goals: to help students understand that being a college student has real requirements and responsibilities just like a “real” job in the world of work.
Time required: 45 minutes to 1 hour
Materials: large sheets of newsprint and examples of employment ads from a local newspaper.
Variation: You may wish to have each participant first create an ad individually, perhaps as an outside assignment, and then combine and refine their ideas in groups.
Activity taken from Staley, Constance. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lectern. Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003.

24. Internet Career Journey Activity 13.2
Research a potentially desirable career via the Internet. Your goal should be to build a portfolio that includes:
a printout or description of a career field of interest from the online Occupational Outlook Handbook
a description of ten things you have learned about yourself and your career choices based on what you find
a projection of your lifestyle twenty years into the future, including the career necessary to sustain that lifestyle, and other career-related factors of interest such as preparation required, necessary skills, additional training after college, pros and cons, entry salary range, advancement opportunities, personality characteristics of those in the career field, impact on family life, etc.
Starting websites are shown on the next slide.
Goals: to help first-year students explore career options while learning to use the Internet as a research tool.
Time required: variable, depending on students’ expertise and in-class vs. out-of –class format
Materials: one computer per student with an Internet browser
Variation: Have students develop a “Webliography” of websites relevant to their career interests, rather than having you provide sites. It is also very useful to have students first complete on-line diagnostics that include career-related analyses such as the Keirsey Character sorter found at
Activity taken from Staley, Constance. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lectern. Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, 2003.

25. Internet Career Journey Activity 13.2 --Web Resources
The Riley Guide: Employment Opportunities and Job Resources on the Internet
Monster.com
Quintessential Careers
Occupational Outlook Handbook
11_Careers_new.ppt
Career Resource Center
Job Hunt
The Catapult on Job Web