CAREER DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
THE CAREER EXPLORATION PROCESS
Step 1: Define the Problem
Are you undecided about a major? Are you considering changing your major?
Are you sure about your major but undecided about what to do after graduation?
Do you need more information about careers related to your major?
Are you interested in taking career assessments?
Do you want to explore how your specific interests, personality type & values relate to the process of choosing a vocation or calling?
Are you an ASU alum who is exploring career changes/transitions?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, your next step is to call or visit the Counseling Center and set up an appointment for career counseling. A career counselor will work with you to complete the remaining steps & refer you to other departments on campus as needed. Counseling services & career assessments are available for all currently enrolled students & employees free of charge. ASU graduates are eligible to participate in the Alumni Career Counseling Program for a fee (call office or go on-line for more details).
Step 2: Explore Career Ideas & Gather Information
- What are your dreams? Interests? Abilities? Values?
- What experiences do you have? What do all these have to do with potential majors/occupational areas?
Suggested Activities:
- Talk to people working in occupations that attract you: benefit from their experience, training, & opinions. Keep in mind, however, that people who like their jobs may describe their work much differently than people who don’t like their job. Ask about work & employment opportunities in their field & about how they arrived at their career choices.
- Take interest & personality tests.
- Enroll in a class which involves career exploration.
- Assess your previous work or volunteer experience.
- Discuss nature of work & work values with a variety of others (increase personal awareness).
- Investigate career information sources on-line and in the Counseling Center Career Library.
Recommended Websites:
- O*NET Online (Occupational Information Network) – up to date information on over a thousand careers with other cross references for additional career links http://online.onetcenter.org
- What Can I Do With A Major In… - extensive list of careers which are possible with various academic majors www.uncwil.edu/stuaff/career/majors
- Occupational Outlook Handbook – occupational information provided by the U.S. Department of Labor including job descriptions, salary info, job outlook & training necessary to enter field www.blsw.gov/oco
- ASU START UP Center – Major Decisions 101 www.aug.edu/startup/md101/welcome.html
- Engage in values clarification exercises.
- Engage in personal skills assessment activities.
- Engage in informational interviewing with academic advisors/major professors. Discuss plan of study with academic advisor.
- Identify your strongest academic areas & examine several careers related to study in that area.
- Become familiar with academic majors available at Augusta State University or other schools of interest.
- Weigh the alternatives you have considered so far by
asking yourself the following questions: - Does this major/occupational area match my interests?
- Is this major/occupational area compatible with my abilities & personality style?
- Are identified work values consistent with major/occupational area?
- Is the time, money & effort it takes to complete the educational requirements acceptable to me?
Services Appropriate for this Step:
- Individual career counseling with the Counseling Center
- Complete the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Self Directed Search (SDS) & Values Inventory with counselor at the Counseling Center.
- After seeing counselor, begin exploring various occupations, programs of study & complete additional interest/skills assessments using on-line programs such as the Georgia Career Information System (GCIS) & DISCOVER programs.
- Utilize resources of the Counseling Center’s Career Library
- Find out more about how to conduct an informational interview from the Counseling Center or Career Center (706-737-1604 www.aug.edu/career_center).
- Speak with an academic advisor in the department you are
considering.
Step 3: Investigate Career Choices
Suggested Activities:
Engage in informational interviewing with people who work in your career of interest.
- Participate in job shadowing, when appropriate.
- Research career choices in-depth. Use all possible resources (GCIS, DISCOVER, your professors, people who work in prospective careers) and make a list of pros and cons for each career choice. If needed, meet with a career counselor again to review the list and your career choices, and how well each career fits with your interests, personality and values.
- Seek employment, a co-op, or an internship related to career choices.
- Enroll in introductory level class related to major you are strongly considering (consult academic advisor prior to registering for any courses).
- Meet with academic advisor or Career Center staff to learn entry-level positions recently obtained by graduates in field you are considering.
- Declare or change academic major with Registrar/Student Records Office.
Services Appropriate for this Step:
- Individual appointment with Career Center staff to discuss informational interviewing, co-op/internship opportunities, part-time employment & learn more about job markets for fields of interest.
- Students may also coordinate internships with their academic departments, depending on their major.
- Additional career counseling as needed; students may also need to utilize resources in the Counseling Center Library, which may not require an appointment with a counselor.
- Seek advice from academic advisor about enrolling in courses of interest & find out more about jobs recent grads have acquired in field of interest.
Suggested Activities:
- Gain direct experience in field by pursuing internships for credit, summer or part-time employment, a co-op position or volunteer work.
- Participate in academic department activities such as joining clubs or becoming a research volunteer.
- Attend conferences, workshops or seminars relevant to field.
- Engage in independent study specific to career interests.
- Establish a working relationship with faculty members.
- Take field trips to employment sites, when available.
- Identify and discuss strengths and weaknesses in skills areas with someone in the field.
- Research graduate training necessary for field of interest. Contact those programs or search on-line to learn about admissions requirements & application deadlines. Begin studying for any required graduate admissions tests (i.e. MAT, GRE, LSAT, etc.).
- When applicable, become acquainted with graduate students in the department.
- Enroll in courses designed to help students enter graduate programs.
- Attend Career Center seminars designed to teach job search skills and strategies.
Services Appropriate for this Step:
- Individual career counseling at Counseling Center
- Pursue your own career investigation using the resources of the Counseling Center’s Career Library
- Utilize Career Center resources/services & meet individually with Career Center staff
Step 5: Implement Career Choice
Suggested Activities:
- Develop a job search strategy, prepare a resume, develop interviewing skills and research job market.
- Register with the Career Center, seek job interviews, & develop referral sources.
- Take qualifying exams for selection or admission to graduate programs.
- Select & apply to appropriate graduate programs.
Services Appropriate for this Step:
- Utilize resources of the Career Center
- Speak with academic advisor, major professors, employers, etc. regarding referrals/recommendations.
- Visit the Testing and Disability Center to learn more about graduate admissions tests.
Information from ASU's Undecided Majors Advising Center (formerly the START UP Center)
http://www.aug.edu/umac/menuundc.htm
Return to Counseling Center Home
2500 Walton Way Augusta GA 30904 706-737-1471 Questions or Comments? Contact Us!  |
