Exploring Your Career Options
Deciding how to use your major and degree after graduation isn't always an easy task. For example, should you work for a non-profit or corporate? Small company or large? Public or Private? Taking time to explore various career options, your skills, and your values can help you to get a sense of what direction to take your major.
Online Resources
Exploring various career options can begin online. Many Web sites provide career profiles--like a job shadowing experience online! Visit the CPDC for more career exploration assistance. The following web sites can help you in the meantime as explore your career options:
Occupational Outlook Handbook: A-Z Index
Occupational Outlook Handbook lists a wealth of career information for a wide range of occupations, including a brief review of important features and "what workers do on the job, working conditions, the training and education needed, earnings, and expected job prospects." Users can access this information (offered in HTML and PDF formats) by conducting a keyword search for a specific occupation, by browsing an "occupational cluster," or by browsing a listing of all occupations in alphabetical order.
O*Net OnLine
O*NET OnLine was created for the general public to provide broad access to the O*NET database of occupational information. This database includes information on skills, abilities, knowledge, work activities, and interests associated with occupations. O*NET includes information for more than 950 occupations, and each occupational title and code is based on the most current version (1999) of the Standard Occupational Classification system. You'll like searching this by keyword or code and enjoy the ability to see what occupations are similar to yours and which ones use the skills you already have.
Job Web
JobWeb, a Web site of career development and job-search information for college students and new college graduates, is owned and sponsored by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
Learn More Indiana
Learn More Indiana is Indiana's college and career connection web site. The "Career" link gives access to career assessment information, career profiles and job market statistics specific to Indiana.
Career One Stop
CareerOneStop is a new gateway to all of the job and career tools provided by the U.S. Department of Labor. CareerOneStop unites America's Career InfoNet, America's Job Bank, and America's Service Locator into a single source, making it easy for you to move from one to the other as your information and service needs change. An excellent investment of our tax dollars.
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Informational Interviews/Mentors
Conducting an informational interview allows you to collect information about a possible career by speaking with a professional in that field. The goal of an informational interview is to gain information about a job, not to get a job. An informational interview has multiple advantages for your career exploration and development, which include getting "inside" information about what a career is really like, networking with professionals in the field, and enabling you to gain experience and confidence with interview situations that may help you prepare for future job interviews. Contact the CPDC to assist you in identifying possible interviewees.
Steps to conduct an informational interview:
Identify a professional to interview:
- Select which career or career field you'd like to learn more about
- Identify people you already know- parents, family, friends, etc. Ask them for contacts in that particular area
- Ask professors and other campus professionals
- Connect with the CPDC for possible alumni leads
- Call a local organization and ask for someone by job title
Arrange and Prepare for an Interview:
- Arrange for a safe, public meeting place and confirm with your interviewee.
- Dress professionally and come with materials to take notes and collect information
- Prepare questions ahead of time to ask ahead of time
Possible Informational Interview Questions
- How did you decide on your career?
- What qualifications or prior experiences did you have that enabled you to enter your career?
- What specific steps did you take to find your current position?
- What advice would you give to beginning college students about things they could start
- Doing now to help them prepare to enter your career?
- During a typical day's work, what do you spend most of your time doing
- What do you like most about your career?
- What are the most difficult or frustrating aspects of your career?
- What personal skills or qualities do you see as being critical for success in your career?
- How does someone advance in your career?
- Are there any moral issues or ethical challenges that tend to arise in your career?
Follow-Up After the Interview
- Collect the interviewee's business card
- Ask if you may contact in the future
- Send a hand-written thank you note within 48 hours
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Graduate School Preparation Checklist
End of Junior Year
- Research areas of interest, institutions and programs
- Talk with advisors about application requirements
- Register and prepare for appropriate graduate admissions test
- Investigate national scholarships and financial aid
- Summer Before Senior Year
- Request application materials
- Take required graduate admission tests
- Visit schools of interest
- Write your application essay
- Check on application deadlines and rolling admissions
- For medical, dental, osteopathy, podiatry, or law school, you may need to register for the national application or data assembly service most programs use
First semester of senior year
- Obtain letters of recommendation
- Take any necessary graduate admissions tests
- Submit completed applications
Last semester of senior year
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), if required
- Check with schools to ensure application file is complete
- Send fall transcripts
- Once accepted, visit programs to which you have been accepted
- Send deposits and registration material
- Notify other colleges and universities that accepted you of your decision so that they may admit students on their waiting list if you choose not to attend
- Send thank you notes to people who wrote you letters of recommendation, informing them of your success
Adapted from a handout prepared by Union College
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Graduate School Related Web Sites
