1. Peak Performance: Success In College And Beyond
Chapter 14: Explore Majors and Careers

2. Learning Outcomes
Explore majors and careers
Determine your values, interests, abilities, and skills
Assemble a Career Development Portfolio
Prepare for the job-hunting process
Take charge of your career development

3. Focus on ACCOMPLISHMENTS, not entitlement.
Success Principle 14
Focus on ACCOMPLISHMENTS, not entitlement.

4. Connecting School and Job Success
Exploring and Choosing a Major
Assess yourself
Meet with a career counselor at your school
Talk with your support system
Explore through college classes

5. Connecting School and Job Success
Explore through the course catalog
Go to the academic department
Take classes or workshops
Gain experience
Be creative with your major
Relax and reflect

6. Connecting School and Job Success
Values
Interests
Abilities
Skills
“Mostly I just followed my inner feelings and passions…and kept going to where it got warmer and warmer until it finally got hot…Everybody has talent. It’s just a matter of moving around until you’ve discovered what it is.”
George Lucas
Director

7. Connecting School and Job Success
Exploring Careers
Career center
Library
Professional organizations
Your network
Government organizations

8. Building a Career Development Portfolio
Your career development portfolio helps you…
Plan and design your educational program and postgraduate learning
Describe how your experiences have helped you grow professionally
Document skills and accomplishments in and out of the classroom

9. Building a Career Development Portfolio
Link what you can do with what an employer is looking for
Identify areas you want to augment or improve
Record and organize experiences for your resumé and job interviews

10. Building a Career Development Portfolio
Express talents creatively and artistically
Justify college credit for prior learning, military, internship, or life experiences
Prepare for a job change

11. Building a Career Development Portfolio
When Should You Start Your Portfolio?
The sooner the better
Make copies of papers or other coursework

12. Building a Career Development Portfolio
How to Organize and Assemble Your Portfolio
Three-ring notebook
Sheet protectors to hold documents and work samples
Labels and tabs
Box to store work samples and information

13. Building a Career Development Portfolio
Elements of Your Portfolio
Title or cover page
Contents page
Introduction
List of significant life experiences

14. Building a Career Development Portfolio
Analysis of accomplishments
Inventory of skills and competencies
Inventory of personal qualities
Documentation
Work philosophy and goals
Resumé

15. Building a Career Development Portfolio
Samples of work
Summary of transcripts
Credentials, certificates, and workshops
Bibliography
Appendix
Portfolio cover letter
“When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt.”
Henry Kaiser
Industrialist

16. Building a Career Development Portfolio
Overcome the Barriers to Portfolio Development
It’s a lot of work
I don’t have the time
I wouldn’t know where to start
I’ll do it when I’m ready for a job
I don’t have enough work samples

17. Submitting a Cover Letter
Planning the Job Hunt
Submitting a Cover Letter
It is a written introduction
It should state the job you are applying for
It should state what you can contribute to the company

18. Planning the Job Hunt Interviewing Be punctual Be professional
Dress appropriately
Learn about the company

19. Planning the Job Hunt Learn about the position
Relate your experience to the job
Be honest
Focus on how you can benefit the company
Be poised and relaxed

20. Planning the Job Hunt Maintain comfortable eye contact
Practice interviewing
Anticipate question types
Close the interview on a positive note
Send a thank-you letter
Determine what’s next

21. Take Charge of Your Career
Conduct a personal performance review
Keep your portfolio
and resumé
up to date
Watch job trends

22. Take Charge of Your Career
Look over the horizon
Further your education
Keep networking
Be your own “career coach”

23. Take Charge of Your Career
Focus on your values, positive personal qualities, and mission in life to become a true peak performer.
“Although gold dust is precious, when it gets in your eyes it obstructs your vision.”
Hsi-Tang Chih Tsang
Zen master

24. Peak Performance: Success In College And Beyond
Chapter 14: Explore Majors and Careers