1. Career Decision Making Gayle E. Wood, M.Ed. Director of Access and Diversity

2. 3-Steps to Career Planning Self-Assessment –Evaluate your interests, personality and values, skills and abilities. Career Exploration –Evaluate career trends. –Complete an information search. Put it Together –Set a specific timetable for completing goals. –Use your contacts.

3. Self-Assessment Interests –What sparks my interest? –What activities give me the most pleasure? –What’s really important to me? –What volunteer activities do I find most enjoyable? –What school subjects do I find most interesting?”

4. Self-Assessment Skills and Abilities – What are areas in which I excel? – What are my special gifts and talents? – What are some things I do for which I receive compliments? – In what subjects do I earn the highest grades?”

5. Self-Assessment Personality and Values –What are my lifestyle preferences? –Do I prefer to be indoors or outdoors? –Would I rather be with lots of people or by yourself? –Do I consider myself a quite, calm person or an active person? –Would I prefer a 9-5 work schedule or a flexible work schedule?

6. Tools for Self Assessment Daydream about careers that interest you. Review the classified section of the Sunday Newspaper. –Make a scrapbook of the job listings you cut out of the newspaper. –Pay attention to similarities in job choices.

7. Tools for Self Assessment Participate in a Shadow Program. Review your Transcripts. –Highlight those courses in which you earned an A or B. Take a Career Assessment. –Meet with a counselor and take the Campbell Interest Skills Survey.

8. Career Exploration Review Career Trends. –Labor Market Trends Which employment fields will be dominant? –Occupational Trends What careers are predicted for fast growth? What changes are occurring in occupational trends? How has the work force changed in the last few years? What significant work force changes will occur in the next 5-10 years?

9. Career Exploration Complete an Information Search. –Use the following Internet sites to research specific careers. Occupational Outlook Handbook www.bls.gov/oco/ www.bls.gov/oco/ Princeton Review www.princetonreview.com/cte/ www.princetonreview.com/cte/ What Color is Your Parachute? www.jobhuntersbible.com www.jobhuntersbible.com America's Career Infonet www.acinet.org/acinet/ www.acinet.org/acinet/ Tennessee Career Information Delivery System www.tcids.utk.edu/ www.tcids.utk.edu/

10. Career Exploration Talk to people in the field. Participate in an internship. –Contact the placement office for more information on internships.

11. Put It Together Set a Specific Timetable. –Write down long- and short-term goals that guide you toward achieving the career you want. Teach K-5, graduation date, internship, licensure, etc.) –Periodically evaluate those goals.

12. Put It Together Use Your Contacts. –Network with people in your field before you graduate from college, especially during your last two semesters in college.

13. Need Help? If you need assistance with career planning, contact Counseling Services: –Blount County Center - 981-5303 –Division Street Campus - 971-5218 –Magnolia Campus - 329-3113 –Pellissippi Campus - 694-6547