Spring 2004 Articles
Exploring Majors
http://www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm
This article is talks about the difficulty of choosing a major and the
importance of self assessment and exploration before making a choice. It talks
about common myths and the why these myths aren't true and gives clearcut steps
about researching your major. Steps include working with your college advisor,
maintaining regular contact with academic resources who can help you, developing
a list of top choices and researching those choices, and not ruling out a major
based on strictly on career concerns. Resources for helping a student to
identify a major are listed, including online resources.
Collegeview Career Center
http://www.collegeview.com/career_planning/index.html
This site is directed towards high school students helping them to understand what career opportunities are out there, what education is necessary in order to enter these careers, and how to choose a career. Through this site a student can begin the process of planning a career path starting their freshman year in high school. It identifies specific actions students need to take each year in high school to launch them on a career path in college. This site offers detailed information with links to choosing your career, education and training, self assessment tests, skills and tools and career resources.
"What Can I Do With a Major In..."
http://career.berkeley.edu/Major/Major.stm
Each major field of study contained data from recent college students who had graduated with a degree in that field. The data included the percentage of those who went on to graduate school (including the school and the degree they pursued) and the employment results of these graduates (including a list of their employers and the title of their position). The data also included a range of salaries for these grads. The information is easy to access and informative.
Why Your College Major Matters
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-959,00.html
This article starts by stating that some people view major as the most
important factor in proceeding to a career while others see the major as
building universally acceptable skills.
What's important is the time frame. When you graduate from college, your major
is important for the first 3 years at least, because it dictates the scope of career
opportunities that are available to you. After you start at your first job, you
build skills which transcend your major. After 5 years, your major has no
importance, the degree becomes a minimum requirement. The article goes on to say
that you invest 4 years to study a subject in detail and you will be successful
in what you have invested in.
JobHuntersBible.com
http://jobhuntersbible.com/counseling/fgmcounsel
Because Richard Boles is an author whose advice seems timeless and highly
regarded, when I came across this article as a way to look at the field of
online personality and career assessments, I was immediately attracted to it. I
think it is part of a great site listing many of the good sites for these
things, all categorized. The article that I read by him was “The Fairy
Godmother Report on Test and Advice Sites”. It addresses his opinion on
whether online career counseling is helpful. He believes that there are good
sites for interactive tests, articles dealing with career issues, career
manuals, and answers to job-hunt problems delivered by “truly competent career
counselors” for free. Yet, he still thinks the total effectiveness of solely
using online career counseling is 10%, the other 90% either not needing any help
or needing more personalized help.
Boles’ one complaint is that he thinks a lot of the advice on detailed answers
to common job-hunting problems such as resume writing is either “dead-wrong”
or superficial. He says, “this defect would go away tomorrow if these
‘personnel experts’ had to go out and find a job themselves tomorrow.”
Question: How do you react to this statement for yourself since as college
counselors we are in some ways needing to be ‘personnel experts”?
Majors & Careers
http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/0,,4-24-0-0,00.html
The College Board webpage on Careers and Majors is loaded with links to
articles and worksheets that assist students in determining their path after
high school. The information includes topics such as the future job market.
There is a list of top ten careers based upon job creation and which fields
those jobs will be in. This might help a student when they start deciding which
major to choose. There is a link that helps students figure out what type of job
they could pursue with the various majors. Another link provides information
about jobs and the college degrees they require. The article gives a list of
sample jobs for two year colleges, four year colleges, and beyond four years.
The webpage gives links to a tremendous amount of pertinent information but
could add a few “worksheets” so that students could have a hard copy of
their time spent on the web.
Your Soul's Work
http://www.yoursoulswork.com/voice_and_vocation.htm
Jason Smith, the author and creator of the website has a M.A. from Pacifica
Graduate Institute and continues to study with C.G. Jung Institute in Boston.
Smith's premise distinguishes between "speaking" and
"listening". One must weed out the voices of family and friends and
enable the singular voice of oneself to be heard. Smith employs poetry to
endorse his perspective. This is a valid point, but it might be difficult
for a teenager to understand and employ. The majority of students with whom I
work still reside in very traditional households. Their families guide them and
therefore tell them what career path to chose. Secondly, if a seventeen year old
does listen to their voice, do they have the knowledge to make an informed
decision? What do they know of the 55,000 careers available? What do you
think of Jason Smith? Is this a valid premise for teenagers?
Do we have time to employ this approach with our students?
Exploring Majors (from Career
Services at Providence College)
http://www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm
The college major does not necessarily define one’s career path.
-All majors develop core sets of skills that can be applied to a wide variety of
careers.
-You do not need to know “what you want to do with the rest of your life”
before choosing a career.
-Be sure your information on how majors connect to careers is accurate, e.g. to
work in communications you not necessarily have to major in communications.
-Well-rounded liberal arts education that develops such things as good writing
skills, research skills, and communication skills; and practical experience can
prepare one for many careers.
-Career ideas usually change. Select a major that will develop you as a broadly
educated individual.
-Enhance you major with a minor or an emphasis, e.g. English major with
marketing.
National Association of Colleges and Employers - JobWeb.com—Career
development and job-search advice for new college graduates
http://www.jobweb.com/Resources/Library/Career_Pursuit/Career_Action_Plan_103_01.htm
This article does an excellent job of presenting to a student the benefits of
engaging in the career assessment process. Often, students do not take the
assessment process seriously resulting in random responses that are not well
thought out. Consequently, the usefulness of the assessment feedback becomes
significantly diminished. An overview of various types of assessment tools
is also provided in this article. It gives the reader a clear understanding of
the specific criteria each tool evaluates and how to interpret the results.
Choosing a major - choosing a
college major is nothing to take lightly. It’s a major undertaking? By Mark
Rowh College Bound article from Career World Magazine
http://articles.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HUV/is_5_31/ai_97176882
How to choose a major is the topic of this article. Students should be aware that choosing a major is not an easy process and should be sure to take enough time to make their choice. Students should take the time to read the college catalogs carefully for specifics as to what majors are offered and when a student needs to declare a major. The article recommends that students take their time toward self-discovery and not rush into a major. The choice of a major may or may not be related to eventual career goals. Certainly, if you are hoping for medical school, a science major would be in order, this is not the case for students wishing to go into law. There are many resources for exploring major of interest some are; informational interviews with people in the field, shadowing someone working in the field your interested in, internships, volunteer opportunities, sampling different elective classes, visit the career counseling center on campus and career interest inventories. Changing majors is not uncommon but should be thought through in order to avoid problems later on like delaying graduation.
Ethics and Regulations of Cybercounseling
http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed446326.html
This article basically outlines a debate that many people are having
regarding cybercounseling. The questions/problems that may arise during
cybercounseling need to be dealt with and at this time, few states have set any
regulations for cyber counselors. Licensure and qualifications are not
necessarily required yet it is a growing field with a relatively large clientele.
I found this to be a very interesting topic and I think you will too.
Choosing a College Major: How to Chart
Your Ideal Path by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.
http://www.quintcareers.com/choosing_major.html
This article urges students “not to panic”. He lays out a step by step
plan that can assist a student in assessing and choosing a career. The steps
include interest assessment, ability assessment, values, career exploration and
a reality check. The final step is narrowing the search and making a choice.
There are a lot of links to websites as well as some worksheets. A list of
suggestions is also included.
So What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/grads/bestEntry.asp
The article I read discussed the notion of first jobs for the 22 year old
which has many angles that are interesting. I think it is an old fashioned
notion that when you get out of college you do something productive with your
life. Many of our parents took a job that they planned on having for 25 year.
Grandparents always ask what the 22 year olds are doing after graduation and
when you say that they are going to Australia for a year to find themselves you
get very strange looks. I think that some students need their GAP YEAR after
graduation. You may need time to figure out what is your "island of
competence" and what is going to be your current passion.
Exploring Majors
http://www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm
Summary:
- This article incorporates Providence College's resources and the questions
that are crucial for incoming freshmen. The article does a superb job of
simplifying the myths and misunderstandings of choosing a major.
- Undeclared advising: explaining that choosing "undeclared" is not a negative
one.
- Common Myths: a breakdown of wide-spread myths on college majors.
- Enhancing Your Major: a small lecture on what students can do to explore and
gain experience about their interested major.
- Our Resources: lists out events and organizations that students can explore on
the Providence campus.
http://www.iccweb.com/
Click on "Career Advice Articles Library"
Click on the article, "Choose Your Major As You Choose Your Best
Friend" by Steve Bohler
This article is appropriate for teenagers who feel pressured to choose a
specific career or have questions about what they want to study in college. I
enjoyed reading the author's personal story about how he chose a career based on
income rather than passion. I think it is beneficial for teenagers to hear this
message while they are evaluating their options. I especially liked the
suggestions that the author provides to help high school students choose an
appropriate career:
1. Don't feel pressured into a decision.
2. Take a variety of electives that you are interested in.
3. Research different careers and talk to people who have the jobs you are
considering.
4. Assess and evaluate your individual strengths and preferences.
5. Pick a major that interests you and has a variety of job possibilities.
Collegeview Career Center
http://www.collegeview.com/career/career_planning/index.html
I decided to review the Collegeview Career Center website because I found it
to be a very straightforward and practical career planning site. The career
planning section is part of the larger Collegeview site which is a search engine
for college, financial aid and career searches.
The Career Center is comprised of 12 different topic areas with many articles
and additional links to explore. The career planning area has an excellent
step-by-step approach for high school students to follow that will guide them
through the career planning process during their 4 years of high school.
Additional areas will assist students with occupational searches and a career
directory. There are also tips on resume writing, interviewing techniques and
job hunting skills. Much of the information that is contained in the
career planning area would also be useful for college students as well, as they
continue to plan their careers.
Why Your College Major Matters
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-959,00.html
The article I chose and read dealt with how important your major actually was
in your life. The article discussed that, in the long run, one's major choice
was not all that important, but that it would usually serve as a potentially
career boosting start. In summary, the article suggested that your major choice
could have a major impact at the start of your career endeavors and so it would
be of great benefit to the students to take their major choice seriously and
take some time to pick carefully what they wanted to spend the next several
years studying.
Pre-Law, Pre-Med, and Business Majors Picking the Right Major for the Right
Career http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-31364,00.html
The article focuses on pre-law, pre-med and business majors. In the very
short article, it focuses on the coursework needed to enter post-bac programs
rather on completing a specific major. This is a great article to share with
students who don’t understand the “myth” that pre-law and pre-med are
actually majors.
Free Online Tests Dealing with Careers
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/counseling/ctests.shtml
Not all career assessment tests are created equal. This article is a great simple approach to assessing the assessors. It is especially important as with all web sites to understand the roots of the site, its authors and its purpose. Having the ability to scrutinize these tests and intelligently evaluate them is as important as taking these assessments.
Why a Small Liberal Arts College Could Be Your Kid’s Best Choice By Joy Castro, 15 August 2003 http://liberalarts.wabash.edu/cila/home.cfm?news_id=1254
This article addresses the reputation of the “small liberal arts” schools
as being expensive and only for the rich. Many affluent parents send their kids
to private liberal arts schools because they know the many doors that the
liberal arts opens. Many college bound students will go to large public schools
out of fear of costs jeopardizing the needs of a student and quality, (in some
cases). The article is suggesting the reputation of liberal arts is for the
elite, rich and famous.
New financial aid programs are helping disadvantaged students. In the early
twentieth century, and in some areas of the country the immigrants, minorities,
and the poor are pushed into vocational education schools. Hopefully the new
programs will attract theses students and empower them into leadership.
The small liberal arts colleges provide a very nurturing environment, face to
face interaction and small group discussion. It opens up many doors for
different career options. The LA pushes students to explore and use critical
thinking which can be used in all careers. At a liberal arts school you will
observe students in class debating ideas with peers and professors. The advisors
are asking “What are you interested in?” and offers many options.
Encouraging students to think in many different ways is what liberal arts is all
about. The Greek meaning for liberal arts is liberty and freedom.
A solid liberal arts program provides texture, nurturing, critical thinking and
life long skills. Students of the 21st century will change their career an
average of eight times during their working life. The need to have a flexible
mind, tolerance of ambiguity and ethical complexity is learned over and over
again in a small liberal arts school.
The following is a great site in
support of the Liberal Arts. The Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts has its
homebase on the campus of Wabash College in Indiana. The site has a wealth of
information and you can also sign up to get it's eletronic newsletter which
comes out a couple times per year.
http://www.liberalarts.wabash.edu/
Career Colleges & Schools: Options for Life After High School
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-31371,00.html
This article addresses pros and cons of specialized colleges and explores the variety of available programs and finding the right one based on cost, credentials and quality, and faculty and student body. It explains the importance of considering all options. It is a simple and straight-forward account for the student beginning consideration of this option.
Winter 2004 Articles
Trying to Figure Out Career Plans and College Majors
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/plan/ReadyOne_plans.asp
The article outlined the importance of implementing a career search and career assessment in assisting students in choosing a college major, and ultimately the college of their choice. I liked how the author was hesitant to place too much emphasis on picking a career so early in a student’s life, and how the job market and job descriptions of each career may change from now until they are out of school. If we only look back 5-6 years we can see an ever changing landscape as to how many jobs are performed. My position, as a school counselor, has changed immensely and we now incorporate the internet for research, applying, and making contact with colleges and college personnel. Something that was non-existent only 5 years ago.
This article emphasized that students should work on preparing an action plan in order to match their career self-assessment with proper resources that will allow them to research different majors and schools. Although the article ended with a plug for an advanced career counseling component through this company, the information that was free of charge was pertinent and useful. There were a series of links for more specific information about the general career aspects that were discussed in the article. The website, and in particular this article, was easy to navigate or find, and the information was up-to-date and correct! It also did an excellent job of addressing the population that this article is aimed at, namely students. All in all the entire career component to Princeton Reviews website was very well organized, and extremely useful. This article was one that highlights many of the issues surrounding career exploration and related it to college majors. It certainly met its purpose and goal and then some!
Myths & Facts about College Majors
and Careers
www.pueblocc.edu/advise/advise_myth.htm
This article succinctly dispels many
myths related to college majors and their purported relation to future careers
and graduate school. The article is a reassuring one-sheet designed to lower
student anxiety. My favorite fact dealt with the mythic correlation of academic
major and its primary role in future career success. The author explained that
career preparation is holistic and includes a college major and “internships,
jobs, extracurricular activities, and volunteer work…in developing your skills
and abilities.”
Why Your Major Matters And How to
Choose Just One
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-959,00.html
The article starts with stating that
there is some considerable debate at to how important choosing your major is.
Some believe the skills you build are universally valued, some believe the major
you choose dictates your opportunities. The article breaks down these two
beliefs by time frame.
Long Run:
a. in three years of work experience, you degree begins to fade into the
backdrop of your resume.
b. after five years, it is relegated to the fine print.
c. five and beyond, it is a minimum requirement for employment.
Near Future:
a. you need to start somewhere, a series of unrelated jobs won’t launch a
career.
b. you need to be pointed in the right direction
c. the major you choose can help to direct your career.
The article prepared for your career today if you had picked a completely
different field of study?goes on to tell all the reasons why choosing a major is
a serious decision (expense-both money and time, additional degrees—Master’s,
PhD’s) and should not be taken lightly and decided on quickly. Putting off this
decision can result in delay of graduation, and an unwise, convenient choice
later to be regretted.
Reality Checks for Career Planning
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-8585,00.html
I always seem to find myself coming back to College Board for many different things. It's a reliable, credible source, and it is kept up to date with timely information. I liked this article in particular for its simplicity. Many of the other articles I read, although informative, didn't seem to be as user-friendly for students. I can envision asking students to read this article, make their lists (in the section entitled "So What Can (or Should) You Be Doing Now?") and then use those lists to spark a good dialogue about future planning. I liked the emphasis on flexibility; reminding students that it's perfectly all right to not know what they want to do or change their minds about a previously held idea is very important. I also lliked the paragraph called "Satisfaction, not status, is key." I have had students, male in particular, tell me that they would love to go into what they see as lower paying professions, such as teaching or occupational therapy, but they feel they need to have a higher income. Software engineering may yield a higher income, but that doesn't guarantee job satisfaction or happiness. That said, my discussion question is: how do we, or should we, encourage students to pursue a career path in which they seem truly interested if the prospects for employment in that field or salary projections are poor?
“Career Pressures Mean No Time for
Exploration” by Kemba Dunham of the Wall Street Journal
http://www.collegejournal.com/jobhunting/searchstrategies/20040304-dunham.html
From the moment they enter college, more and more students are much more
concerned about job skills and are following academic paths that are much more
career-oriented than in years past. This viewpoint is attributed to students
having watched the dotcom crash, a recession and lay-offs, as well as having
concerns about paying off heavy student loans. This attitude has affected the
intellectual life of campuses and has changed expectations that students have
for faculty and for the colleges themselves.
College and Career Quest Exercise
http://www.njsca.org/col/colquest.htm
This is a worksheet that students can use to guide them through beginning to
look at careers, college majors, and college choices. The worksheet asks
students to take a career inventory, research those careers, what you can do
with those careers, and then look at colleges with those majors. I liked this
site because it is very comprehensive, going from searching for a career to
looking for colleges with that career in a short worksheet.
Exploring Majors
http://www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm
The article discusses how to go about searching for a major and also what not to do. The section on the common myths on choosing major was especially interesting. The articles points out several important facts. One is that what the student majors does not limit the student to the field. The article also describes in details the methods on researching for one’s major in. There’s a section on how to enhance one’s major. I think this section is important in that just major in a certain major limits one’s options. I believe that the student must do extras in order to further his or her career options. The articles also points out other resources available at Providence College, but I believe that most of these services are available at other schools as well. At the end of the article, there are many very useful links provided by the website. Overall, I felt that the site was very informative and straight to the point.
This exploring majors page was written
with care and understanding of the difficulty of deciding on a "career". It was
loaded with resources and counseling assistance, offering students with
undeclared majors and extensive list of resources to search. I think this page
was an excellent introductory page for the student who is conflicted and an
excellent resource for our class.
While this article is meant to outline
the services available to students at Providence College with Undecided Majors,
it makes some interesting points.
1. “Your major does not necessarily define your career. All majors develop core
sets of skills that are transferable to a wide variety of career areas.
2. Guidence is available at Providence from summer orientation through
declaration of a major, which must be made by March of the student’s sophomore
year.
3, this article stresses that students should choose a major that will broaden
there education, not just what will get you a job.
4. “There’s plenty of time to explore and reality test your options.”
Other advice to students include: developing a list of top choices and research
them, do not rule out any options based strictly on career concerns, speak with
department chairs and program directors in areas of interest and speak with
other students.
Career Key Personality Summary
http://www.careerkey.org/english/you/hollands_home.html
The article summarizes the basics of personality theory and relates it to career choice. It describes each personality type, and shows which other types are related, as well as gives concrete examples of professions considered matches for each type. Read the three links from the main page. There are many other links and a self-assessment here as well. The article is on The Career Key website
When I Grow Up: Five Tips For Those
Who Still Don't Know What They Want To Be." by Valeria Young, the
publisher of Changing Course (www.changingcourse.com)
http://www.search4careercolleges.com/articles/whenigrowup.asp
It has been my experience that many
students want to explore different majors and career options but they do not
know where to begin. This article helps people to think about blending a career
with their passions in life.
Tip #1. Make your career fit your life, not the other way around.
Tip #2. Put happiness first, skills second.
Tip #3. Look back to discover your future.
Tip #4. Go on a clue hunt.
Tip #5. Enlarge your view.
It has been my experience that students worry about money when they are thinking
about careers. Valerie suggests that money will come when you are doing the
right thing. I think that this might be a hard sell to some families but it is a
nice idealistic way of thinking.
Don't let old assumptions hamper
your success
http://www.search4careercolleges.com/articles/assumptions.asp
The author, Peter voigt, explains that
as part of his master's thesis, he began look into the generalizations made
about college majors and the careers they lead into. He uses an example of a
girl who loves her artwork and would love to do it as a career but thinks that
there is no money in it.
He feels that students make these assumptions based on false or misleading
information. He thinks it is a shame that students are abandoning their dreams
based on misinformation. I totally agree!
He states that we find ourselves believing things that parents, fellow students,
family members, etc. are telling us about career salaries and opportunities. It
seems impossible to put your finger on "who" actually stated the facts that they
relay onto students.
I agree that we should do our own investigations into our futures and follow our
hearts. I have had many people ask me "Can you really make a living by college
counseling kids?" I answer them emphatically "Yes!"
Interim or Gap From Fastweb
http://fastweb.monster.com/flash/content/focus/story/2242.ptml?ID=HR8BINUAMGBZ&IDT=1078863477&IDH=692DBE3C26877A5EEE101E48315F356E
Collegeview Career Center
http://www.collegeview.com/career/career_planning/index.html
Linking to the Collegeview Career Center link there were a variety of simple basic articles to help get students focused on thinking about career. I liked it because the articles were less major focused and more work value focused. The articles talked about learning that takes place in school and how they can translate into the world of work. They were short, simple and to the point. I think these are a great resource and I will implement some in our sophomore career exploration curriculum.
The Princeton Review “Top Ten Jobs
for your Career Type
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/plan/tenjobs.asp
A very brief article with helpful
links that offers a “career quiz” with 24 questions. Not an in depth assessment
but a start. There is a list of the top 10 jobs for people who like to keep
learning and as it says in the title, career matches for your personality or
preferences. I would categorize this article as fun and interesting but I doubt
that any serious life changes would come of it.
America's Career InfoNet Career Resource
http://www.acinet.org/acinet/library.asp?category=1.2#1.2.
The reason I recommend this site is that I think that the video clips will appeal to students and give them a visual concept of what various careers entail. While the list of careers that are available there may not be encyclopedic, it is quite extensive. I do think that the majority of the videos are more applicable to those students who are entering trade schools or apprenticeship programs rather than 4-year college programs. However, there are a substantial number of videos for careers requiring a college degree. I think this site offers a great variety of information for students of all backgrounds.
Four 2 Explore Careers
http://www.42explore.com/careers.htm
This article is packed with useful links to many sources for
career information and exploration. Many of the links specify grade level
appropriateness, which is very helpful in utilizing your online time
efficiently. High school counselors and academic advisors developed many of the
links. I would definitely consider this site a useful tool for preparing our
final project.I focused my attention on the
http://www.careerkey.org/english/ link for the discussion part of the
lesson.
Armed Services
Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)
http://www.todaysmilitary.com/explore_asvab.shtml
The ASVAB is a
nationally normed multiaptitude test battery developed and maintained by the
Department of Defense.
The ASVAB Career Exploration Program helps one to identify the things you're
good at, are interested in, and the things the military can offer you. The ASVAB
Career Exploration Program is a tool to help students identify and explore
potentially satisfying occupations and to develop effective strategies to
realize their career goals. In addition, students learn career exploration and
planning skills and decision-making skills, The program provides students the
ASVAB Career Exploration Guide, which includes a self-scoring interest inventory
and the OCCU-FIND. The interest inventory provides students with RIASEC-based
interest codes that they can use to identify potentially satisfying occupations.
The OCCU-FIND organizes and presents relevant information about occupations of
interest to help students identify tentative career choices and is linked to
occupational information for approximately 500 civilian and military
occupations. The Web site also provides students with downloadable exercises
that will guide their career exploration and planning. For example, a Coursework
Planner helps students evaluate the appropriateness of their current high school
program of study, determine what they need to do to graduate, and enhance their
career-related skills while still in high school. A segment of our high
school population is not necessarily college bound. For some, it is one way to
actually find a career and go to college. This assessment is available to all
high school students (sophomores, juniors & seniors) at no cost. It is given by
the US Military and does not require a service commitment.
Is college the answer to each and every high school student?
Career Articles - Fall 03
Adventures in Education
Web site:
http://adventuresineducation.org/highschool/hs_goal.cfm
The Adventures in Education site has many articles for students, parents and
counselors about career planning, college planning, financial aid and beyond. I
particularly like the step by step approach they take with career planning. For
high schoolers they have a Develop Career Goals area full of great information.
The first two sentences would be comforting to any student. "Is that feeling in
the pit of your stomach fear— or excitement?
With all the career possibilities out there, choosing your life's adventure can
be a bit scary— and exciting. Calm down. You don't have to decide on the perfect
job right now. Take some time. Head in a general direction that fits your
interests. You can adjust your route later on."
Step by step they take students through the development of a career plan,
appropriate testing and course planning, finding the right kinds of schools,
applying, financing your education and getting a job. Many of our students use
the Getting a Job section for help with developing a resume and what to expect
when going for an interview.
I found Quintessential Careers -
Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path by Randall S. Hansen,
Ph.D. a very informative and detailed article on the process of finding a
college major and a possible career.
http://www.quintcareers.com/choosing_major.html
In the article, Dr. Hansen, who by the way is the Webmaster of Quintessential
Careers, offers an important piece of advice by saying that above all else when
going through the college and career process do not panic. His advice says that
college itself is all about choosing a major, thinking about a career, getting
an education. There is no need therefore to rush toward a decision. He goes on
to state that even though some students enter college with a declared major,
many times they change their major at least once if not several times during
their college career.
The article list steps one can take in the journey toward discovering that ideal
career path. The author also suggests that your major in college is important
for your first job after graduation only, because people change careers about
four or five times over the course of their lives and no major exists that can
prepare you for that! Therefore, do not panic!
The steps in the process however include:
l. Self-assessment of your interest
2. Examination of your abilities
3. Examining what you value in work
4. Career exploration
5. Honestly evaluate your options and obstacles
6. Finally, narrow your choices and focus on choosing a major
In each of the above steps, Dr. Hansen gives resources to help in the process.
Some of them are on the Quintessential site and others are not. Also, he list a
number of books that are useful and tells students to take advantage of sources
such as college course catalogs, professors, classmates, college alumni, family
and friends and the college career center.
I found this site easy to follow and extremely informative - a lot of what he
presents helps his own website, but I still found it appealing and helpful.
In step one, Dr. Hansen mentions the Quintessential Careers: Career Assessment
to determine ones own interests. My question is how important do you think
career assesments are and if you feel they are accurate and useful?
The fifth step asked that students take a reality check to see if the goals they
have set for themselves are realistic. In your opinion are a lot of students
detered from their goals because of family commitments, financial obligations,
or the fact that they might want to have a profession that they do not have the
skill for?
I chose the article “Using the
Internet in Career Education” by Judith Wagner.
http://ericacve.org/docs/pab00010.pdf I liked the “authoritative voice” in
this article, because it contains a quick reminder of how to review a website,
but also helped me to recall information I learned in the “Testing/Career
Assessment” class.
The opening quote caught my interest immediately “If job seekers or career
counselors choose not to participate in using the Internet as a key tool in
career development, they may be cheating themselves and their clients.”
The article is broken down into several sections: - Identifying Websites –
Evaluating Websites – Selecting Websites. Ms. Wagner lists 5 sites as beginning
points for the job seeker, and suggests that we peruse the University of
Pennsylvania’s Career Service Page – www.upenn.edu/CPPS .
On the professional side Ms. Wagner suggests checking out the Listserve VOCNET,
to “listen” to the experiences and expertise of those in the field of vocational
education. What was particularly interesting is that Ms. Wagner posted a
question to the Listserve asking them how people were using the internet in
career education, and she lists some of the results in the article.
With demand for nurses likely to
increase in the coming years, I wanted to provide students considering a career
in health care with information about the variety of types of nursing schools
and nursing careers. Students often don’t know the difference between RN, LVN,
and nurses aides. They do not know the differences between university based
nursing schools, technical college nursing careers and post graduate nursing
studies. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has websites
that provide much of the basic information of this sort for students. For
example, the site
www.aacn.nche.edu/Education/career.htm
gives basic answers to the questions above. They review the value of a BSN
degree, describe job opportunities and opportunities for advanced programs in
health care administration. They discuss salaries, work hours, credentialing and
continuing medical education needed for health care professionals.
While researching the site
http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/counseling/ctests.shtml There you will find
an article entitled “The Seven Rules about Taking Career Tests” written
by Richard Bolles.
Step 1: “There is no one test that everybody loves”. Some types whether they be
“forced choice” or ranking yourself against others make some test takers uneasy.
The form of the test has to fit the person taking it.
Step 2: “No One test gives ‘better results’ than another”. Your feelings about
the type of test you taking can skew the results.
Step 3: “No test should necessarily be assumed to be accurate”. In other words
don’t let the results of a test define who you are. Tests should be used to help
you map out previously unexplored territory. If you are asking for more, you
really are asking for too much!
Step 4: “You should take several tests rather than one”. This is where the rule
of three comes in…you should take three or more tests.
Step 5: “Always let your intuition be your guide”. If the results of a test
don’t sound right the probably aren’t right. If something peaks your interest,
follow it. Listen to that still, small voice; it is your best guide.
Step 6: “Don’t let tests make you forget that you are unique”. The ideal way to
take assessment is face to face and in person so you can talk to a counselor.
Results seem to compartmentalize. You don’t fit neatly into one category. Just
like your finger prints, there is no one like you.
Step 7: “You are never finished with a test until you have done some good, hard
thinking about yourself”. Tests help put you on the path to discovery, but you
need to do the footwork.
The article I will describe here is
from the Providence College website:
http://www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm
The title of the article is “Exploring Majors” and it was written to
alleviate the fears of students entering a liberal arts college and still
undecided about a major and/or career, as well as to provide some guidance for
students in identifying an eventual major. Very early into the article the
writer debunks the myth that you have to know “what you want to do for the rest
of your life” before choosing your major. Instead, it reassures students that
most career areas (and graduate schools) draw from a variety of majors. It
encourages students to follow their interests, and to choose courses that
complement those interests. Talking to other students in majors that one is
considering and supplementing academia with practical internship experiences can
also be beneficial.
I was particularly intrigued with the section on “Enhancing Your Major” which
reads very much like a high school four year plan: develop a record of success
in your academics; plan electives that complement your intended major and
enhance your employability; take challenging courses; develop good written and
oral communication skills, analytic abilities and computer literacy; and
supplement coursework with extracurricular activities and/or volunteer work.
The article concludes by listing a variety of resources available to Providence
College students both inhouse and online (from other universities).
INTERN BY DESIGN: CREATING YOUR OWN
INTERNSHIP
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/internships/internshipDesign.asp
The article starts out…“Good internships are like good haircuts: easy to see,
but not so easy to come by.” This piece emphasizes the popularity of
internships. In addition, it encourages the student to create an internship of
choice by contacting the desired company and offering his/her services as an
intern. The article gives steps as to how to proceed:
1.) Select a person whose shoes you would like to fill.
2.) Research the person.
3.) Contact the person introducing yourself and the concept of being his/her
intern.
The piece highlights how this “ad hoc” internship can prove rewarding for both
the student and the “employer.” It cites an example of a student who created an
internship position with a constitutional lawyer. The experience proved
invaluable.
As the world of business continues to
become ever more competitive, the need for an edge is crucial. An M.B.A. for
example from a quality school might just supply an interested business student
with such an edge. Specialization in Accounting, Commercial Banking, Investment
Banking etc. can be accomplished with just such a degree. I would like to
provide students with information that will enable them to make an educated
decision on what path to follow in their business career.
The following article form The College Journal From the Wall Street Journal:
www.collegejournal.com/mbacenter/preparemba/20030527-montauk.html
"Should you invest in an MBA"
is one of many articles on this particular subject matter. The article
delineates the evolution of when a high school diploma was sufficient, then a
college diploma, then an M.B.A. and now the "quality" of the M.B.A. program has
become the determinate factor. This is known as the "degree creep." Further the
need for students to distinguish themselves in their job as well as in their
extra-curricular activities and experiences has become of paramount importance
if they want the opportunity to be successful. The article will take a student
through the determining factors such as cost, feasibility and merit.
I reviewed the Skill Development Summary link as I was interested in how high school students could identify skills needing development versus those they have already mastered. I accessed this site through Course Documents-Online Resources, clicked on Career Assessment and then clicked on Skill Development Summary. I could not find the exact URL for these pages. It appears as though it must be part of the site www.skillscan.net.
This site identifies skill sets in 6 major categories-Communication, Relationship, Leadership/Management, Analytical, Creative, and Physical. Under each cateogory are listed several specific skill sets. For example, Core Communication, Instruction, Persuasion/Promotion and Consultation/Influential are listed under the major category of Communication. By clicking on each skill set, a list of specific skill development activities comes up. The list is very specific and practical. However, not all of the activities would be applicable to students but rather to working adults.
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-959,00.html
Why Your Major Matters (and How Do You
Choose One)
This article, offered within College Board's College Search - Majors and Careers
section, discusses how choosing a major impacts a student's life. Looking both
at the short term and the long term, it presents the decision as a weighty one,
and emphasizes that the decision doesn't need to be made too early. The article
suggests taking the time during the first two years at college to do the
research, to take courses in possible majors, and to talk to people in the
field.
Technology-Delivered Assessment:
Diamonds or Rocks?
http://ericcass.uncg.edu/digest/2000-02.html
This was a fairly interesting article talking about the use of technology in the
area of assessment. The concept is that we all interact in some way or another,
on a daily basis, with technology by just going online. And 95% of all public
schools are equipped with computers and most have Internet access. So it only
seems like a natural that technology and assessment should “shine like a
diamond”. But under the wrong conditions and without proper care this
combination can “be a rock”.
I will attempt to list the diamonds versus the rocks.
Diamonds:-Accessibility: various tests for various purposes (college entrance,
course placement, certifications career decision –making, personality
assessment-Immediate feedback: key advantage-More efficient testing: time and
money saved by more accurate target of persons to test-Ability to assess higher
order skills: more authentic conditions, real world simulation-Helping persons
with disabilities: physically challenged have voice recognition, touch
screen
Rocks:-Lack of accessibility: Internet dependent on income, racial, ethnic and
urbanicity-Test security problems: vulnerable to compromise-Concerns about test
taker identity: person really the correct person?-Issues of
privacy/confidentiality-Lack of information on the quality of the
instrument-Problems with test comparability: different scores with different
formats-Gender, racial and ethnic disparities- Reporting and interpretation: not
appropriate-Lack of human contact: meaningful intervention (skilled
counselor)-Issues of familiarity with technology: students who learn on
computers have advantage on computerized assessments
So how do the diamonds get sorted out from the rocks? Everyone must be in
constant awareness of the various issues that relate to the construction,
production, administration and interpretations of tests through the computer or
Internet. And there are many organizations that have produced policy statements
and standards for testing so one does not have to recreate the system.
Making the Most of Your College Career
Center
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/grads/careercenter.asp
I found this article on the Princeton Review website to be very informative.
Entitled “Making the Most of Your College Career Center” this article dispels
the myths behind a college career center and offers helpful tips on how to
utilize its vast resources. Many students fail to use the resources that are
available on campus either because they are unaware of what is available or
because they are intimidated by taking that first step. This article explains
why a college center is helpful to students in their career exploration search.
Many of the reasons given are very persuasive: job listings, career assessments,
workshops on career related topics, and interviews with perspective employers-
and all of these services are free. The article is written in a way that offers
advice to its readers- mainly college students. Straightforward and humorous,
the article is one that is helpful for all students who are in college.
From Collegeboard
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-959,00.html
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-229,00.html
I chose to summarize two of the better articles on the College Board website. I
like their website because it is often a good, broad, easy to navigate starting
off point for students in their web searches. I know most graduate from college
Board stuff pretty quickly, but it is, nevertheless, a good starting point, and
I figure that most students are there quite often for all of their SAT, SAT II,
and AP work.
The 1st article talks about choosing a major and why or why not it may be
important. There are points given in both directions - that it does not matter
because the college education gives you the broad strokes you need and that is
what employers are looking for, and that, as you gain a new skill set in a job,
your major becomes less and less important, finally meaning nothing after a few
years' experience. The flip side of the coin is that some jobs and employers are
looking for specific majors and, so in the immediate post-college future, your
major can have an effect depending on the field in which you intend to work.
The advice on how to choose a major is simplistic and obvious.
The 2nd article presents two stereotypical students and what their potential
career choices (and major choices) could be if they went to college. This is a
very simplistic article that illustrates one point and does it reasonably well :
turn your interests into your job if you play your cards right during college.
It's a point that too many kids ignore and abandon their truer callings because
of that.
I chose the article “Exploring
Majors” on the Providence College website.
http://www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm.
Providence has an “Undeclared Advising Program” to assist students in choosing a
major.
The article begins by reassuring students that a lot of people have trouble
choosing a major, and that it’s not as important as a lot of people think
anyway. Your major won’t limit your career opportunities as much as you might
think — you should pick your major “based on what interests you and challenges
you academically, and what you will enjoy studying.”
It goes on to give advice about enhancing your major by choosing electives and a
minor, choosing challenging courses, and supplementing your academic work with
extracurricular activities and volunteer work.
Finally, the article lists resources available for researching majors, including
talking to students and department heads, software available for self-assessment
and career exploration, and online resources.