1. Career Decision-Making
The Decision-Making Process & Decision-Making Styles

2. The Decision-Making Process
Decision-making involves choosing between 2 or more alternatives or options
Sometimes its easy; sometimes its difficult
Choosing not to decide is also a choice
It’s a 5-step process
Use the same steps whether you are making a decision about
A career
Choosing a college
Buying a used or new car

3. Step 1 – Define the Problem
The term problem refers to a question in need of a solution
Become aware of the ‘problem’ and see the need to make a decision
Examples:
“What are my goals in life?”
“For what occupation do I want to prepare?”
“How can I earn money for Saturday night?”

4. Step 2 – Gather Information
You cannot make a good decision without getting all the information
How much information is enough?? You don’t know
The amount of information and the amount of time you spend fining it is directly related to the importance of the decision you need to make
This is the gather stage – get as much information as you can

5. Step 3 – Evaluate the Information
Organize all of your information into categories
Identify the PROS and CONS of each possible choice
Eliminate any unacceptable choices
This is where you would narrow your choices down
What would be the pros and cons of not doing your homework for the next days class?
PROS –
CONS -

6. Step 4 – Make a Choice Choose 1 of your alternatives
Making this choice can be difficult
Look for the alternative that leads to the most desirable result and has the highest possibility of success
The option with maybe more “PROS” than “CONS”
There are always ‘trade-offs’ with any choice

7. Step 5 – Take Action
At this point, you begin to carry out the alternative you chose in Step 4
Taking action also involves committing yourself to make a successful decision
Sometimes your choice does not always work out
Back to Step 1!! And begin the process again

8. Occupational Decision-Making
Step 1: “Which occupation should I chose?”
Step 2: Identify interests, aptitudes, self-information, collect occupational information
Step 3: Organize information, compare and evaluate, evaluate own feelings and attitudes, eliminate the unacceptable occupational alternatives
Step 4: Based on your work values and career goals, choose the occupation that seems best to you now
Step 5: Enroll in an appropriate education program that will prepare you for the occupation

9. Decision-Making Styles
People tend to have different decision-making styles or typical ways of making decisions
These styles are gained over a long period of time
There are 7 styles that are most common
The agonizer
The mystic
The fatalist
The evader
The plunger
The submissive
The planner

10. Decision-Making Styles 1 & 2
The Agonizer
collect information and spend a lot of time evaluating it
Spend so much time doing this that they end up not knowing what to do!
Get overwhelmed with data
The Mystic
Makes decisions because it “felt right”
Decision based on intuition (feeling or a hunch)
Some people make most of their choices this way

11. Decision-Making Styles 3 & 4
The Fatalist
Do not believe that they have much control over their choices
Do not spend much time gathering information
The Evader
Hopes that if you delay long enough the problem will go away
Considered the “Ostrich Style”
Sticking your head in the sand
Letting someone else make the decision for you

12. Decision-Making Styles 5,6,7
The Plunger
Eagerly makes decisions
Frequently chooses the 1st alternative that comes to mind
The Submissive
“What do you want me to do?”
Want to let someone else make the decision for them
Decision is made based on what they think someone else would want them to do
The Planner
Most likely to use a good decision-making strategy
Thorough and weigh all information
Maintain balance between facts and emotions
What is YOUR decision- making style???

13. Other Influences on Decision-Making
Information, decision-making styles, and willingness to accept responsibility ALL influence decision making
Previous decisions
Environment and Experiences
Your surroundings – family, neighborhood, friends, school
Real-World Restrictions
Events or situations you have little control over
Economic Conditions
Jobs/economy