Career Decision Making Process
Four Phases of Career Development
1. Self-Assessment: Explore who you are: your strengths, weaknesses, skills, interests, values, and personality.
- Register for CAR-100 Career Development as a Life Process.
- Participate in self assessment workshops or individual career counseling.
- Explore Discover career development software to learn about yourself.
- Get feedback from friends, professors, academic advisers, and family about your
interests, abilities, and plans.
2. Learn Career Information: Become an "information expert" on the fields you are considering.
- Research potential careers and learn about job descriptions, education and skills
necessary. Obtain information on salaries, job market trends, and the projected
outlook of the field.
- View the career resources in the Career Center and the library. Make an appointment with the career counselor to find out how to best utilize the resources!
- Find out what you can do with a major in?
- Take courses related to possible career interests. Talk to professors about courses,
majors, and field of interest.
- Participate in Academic Community activities
3. Experience Career Alternatives: Find out what it is like to be employed in potential careers.
- Find career-related summer and part-time jobs.
- Obtain an internship or volunteer position.
- Shadow a professional at work.
- Participate in extracurricular activities, hobbies, clubs that relate to your career
interests.
- Conduct an Informational Interview with a professional in your chosen field.
- Participate in a Service Learning Project (Room 118)
4. Implementing a Career Choice: Participate in workshops and/or one-on-one counseling to learn:
- Job search strategies
- Resume development
- Interview preparation
- Attend Carroll Community College's annual Spring Job Fair or other local job fairs
- Check the events calendar for information
