Before You Begin

Benefits of going through the career planning process

You may already have some idea of what kind of career you want to pursue. But how much do you really know about this occupation? Do you know what is done on a daily basis? Are you aware of the working environment? Are there a lot of employment opportunities for this career? Do you have the required experience and education?

In addition to finding out what type of careers interest you and suit your abilities, by going through this process you will:

• Realize the many career choices that are open to you.
• Have an increased sense of self-awareness and self-confidence, and be more aware of your strengths 
• Be aware of your weaknesses, and thus, be in a position to do something about them.  For example, if you learn that you are not comfortable with public speaking, you can take a Toastmaster course.
• Develop a well-targeted resume. Employers receive many qualified applications. To be considered, you must be able to demonstrate who you are, what you have to offer, and where you plan to be in the future.
• Be prepared for interviews. By learning more about yourself you will be able to easily answer interview questions with precision and focus.

Before You Begin - There are some things that you should know...

As you go through the career planning process keep in mind the following advice and information:

• Be true to yourself throughout the entire process. It is very easy to respond to questions portraying yourself the way you think you ought to be, rather than answering them according to the way you really are. The more honest you are with yourself, the greater the chance that the results you get from this process will be useful to you.
• There are no wrong answers. The questionnaires that you will fill out are not tests, they are personal inventories.
• Many of the questions in the inventories are difficult and require a great deal of reflection. Take your time and think carefully before answering.
• Be willing to commit time to the process. You do not need to complete the process in one sitting, but be prepared to spend several hours overall to complete the first two stages. If you rush, the results will likely be unreliable.
• The on-line inventories that we have provided links to are free of charge, and usually self-assessed.  There is a difference between results you will get from self-assessment versus assessment by a career planning professional. This is why we also urge you to talk to your career placement officers on campus. These individuals have the training and resources to help you.
• Use the results as a guide, not as the absolute truth. Think about what the results are saying about you to determine how true they may be.