Choosing a Career

Undecided? Unsure? Unmotivated? Unusual? Uninspired? Unorthodox? Unconventional? Unprepared? Unbelievable!

Does even one of these words describe how you feel about your career plans? Chances are, that if you're completely honest with yourself, you'll admit to some reservations or insecurities about the future. With that in mind, seeking some career clarity will be a valuable course of action.

Take action by talking honestly with someone concerning your thoughts about the future. A career counselor, of course, is the most likely person with whom to begin this conversation. You have nothing to lose. However, here are some clues about getting the most out of a visit with a career counselor. First, don’t assume that you have to know what you want to do in order to visit the OCC. Second, don’t expect to come away from your first session with an answer to that burning career question: what should I be when I graduate?

First, don’t assume that you have to know what you want to do in order to visit the OCC.

Instead, be looking for some guidelines to a logical and planned path to the answer. Career counselors are trained to help you discover what skills, interests, values, and issues seem to be recurrent in your life. If you take the time to assess these attributes, you will be in a much better position to evaluate the various options you will have upon graduation. Counselors will assist you by suggesting some good starting points for your search.

Discovering a career takes careful thought and planning. The danger in postponing career planning is that instead of being in control and making your career happen, your career will happen to you, whether you like it or not. It's a fact of job search life: before the resume, before the cover letter, before the first phone call, before anything, you must decide what you want to do.

Self Assessment

Many books have been written on the subject of identifying the right career goal. Most of the advice contained within them boils down to prompting you to ask two basic questions. Question #1: What do I enjoy? Question #2: What do I do best?

Often the best way to begin answering these questions for yourself is to create a career notebook or journal in which you can start compiling lists, for both questions. For Questions #1 your list might include activities you enjoy, products and services you use and value, issues that are important to you, anything that might help you see some patterns. Be honest with yourself. Don't put items on your list that are fanciful or vague. Remember that you’ll have to ask yourself Question #2 before long . . . speaking of which: What do you do best?

Most people don’t realize that their extracurricular activities often reveal a great deal more about themselves than what they major in or how they perform in the classroom.

Most people begin the answer to this question by reciting the practical skills they've developed over time. This is a good way to begin, if only because it gets you started with facts you know intimately. You'll probably discover that some of the answers to this second question have elements of the answers to the first question. That is a good sign; each of the skills you identify becomes a direct or indirect indicator of general areas of aptitude. Be sure to include skills you may have developed in non-academic environments. Most people don’t realize that their extracurricular activities often reveal a great deal more about themselves than what they major in or how they perform in the classroom. Don’t ignore skills you’ve developed simply because they’re not within your major area of study.

Once you make an evaluation, talk it over with your friends to see if they agree with your assessment. You might ask them to name the skills they think you have and compare notes. Try not to overestimate your skills, but don’t slight yourself, either -- take on the whole problem with an even-handed approach.

It’s not easy to come up with these lists. But doing so is an important step you shouldn’t overlook, because the lists are excellent tools you can use to determine your next step. If you feel you aren’t getting the kinds of ideas that make sense, it may be a good idea to consult your career counselor or anyone else whose opinions you trust and respect.

The New FOCUS Program

The OCC is launching a new program to help students crystallize their thinking about their career choices and goals. It’s a comprehensive and interactive tool specific to you, your interests, values, and skills. Click here to find out more.