I agree with her in trying to separate the students into three groups. I would like to focus on the undecided studentds.

We, the United States, usually wait to deal with most item of the reform issues after they have been "beat" to death and don't work. We always let the trial go on much too much longer than the error portion! This article "Charting Career Paths--Early", by Juliette N. Lester has much support and agreement from me. It's 10 years dated. but never the less, you see we are still in that dilemma of when, how, and what process to best have our students follow in career choices/planning. The author suggests that we should have learned something from our School -to-work initiative (that's anothe sore issue with me, and whose interests was it to squash it as quickly as it was ended).

We must learn to start our children/students (parents, schools, community orgqnizations, churches,etc)earlier than we do in mentoring programs, junior achievement in every community as much as possible, internships, summer programs, summer jobs, volunteer programs). This process should start at the elementary level. The students at the elementary can be assisted or assisting other students and it continues from there!

Careers are ususally introduced by the counselors, so why would we surmise that talking about this topic is only for certain levels. The article also suggests that if we, counselors followed the career/planning competencies of the NCDG(national career development guidelines) we would have successfully shown counselors how to involve most students plan and integrate career development! What would happen if we were proactive versus reactive to this issue or topic?

I would also like to share the following websites that
will also help when planning your lessons:
http://www.icouldbe.org/start.asp
http://www.nycnet.edu/ve/nyceve/index.htm

Major & Career Profiles section in the College Board’s website
http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/

One’s career path and his/her college major are closely intertwined. What colleges our students attend and what academic majors the students choose often determine their future career paths. In that sense, Major & Career Profiles section in the College Board’s website (URL: http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/) is very useful to both students and counselors, and this site is user-friendly. In the initial screen/page, users can find the lists of both college majors and careers: “Major Categories” where 49 college academic majors are listed and “Career Categories that include 25 career paths.

The “Major Categories” contains 49 titles in alphabetical order starting from ‘Agriculture & Related Sciences (contains 22 majors such as agricultural economics and soil science)’ to ‘Transportation & Materials Moving (6 majors like air traffic control and flight attendance). When you click each major, you see lots of useful information like ‘a concise description of the major,’ ‘Helpful high school courses,’ ‘Related majors,” and ‘Degree type.’

The “Career Categories” lists 25 career categories also in alphabetical order ranging from agriculture to business, law, transportation, etc. This section also provides very useful information about specific careers you choose. For example, if you click ‘architect,’ it shows ‘who is architects,’ ‘what they do,’ ‘outlook,’ ‘compensation,” and so on.

Its related site (URL: http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-45262,00.html) suggests the following 10 questions to ask yourself (users themselves), while you look through the Profiles mentioned above:

1. Are you willing to work hard for the knowledge you'll gain in this major?
2. How much will you enjoy the daily activities of students in this major?
Do classes emphasize discussion? Lecture? Problem solving?
3. Do the typical course titles sound interesting?
4. How much do you enjoy the high school courses recommended for students who
want to choose this major?
5. How important to the major are skills in math? In reading? In writing? In research?
6. How specialized is the major? Will you learn a lot about a little or a little about a lot?
7. Is the major interdisciplinary? Will you use a wide range of academic disciplines to study
a particular topic?
8. Is this a career-oriented major? Will it prepare you for one or more specific careers or
will it give you a chance to build general skills that you can use in any number of
careers?
9. Can you see yourself in one or more of the listed related careers?
10. Which degree do programs in this major usually award?

Choosing Your Major
http://www.jobweb.com/Resources/Library/Careers_In/Choosing_Your_Major_122_01.htm
 

It is a very basic article that explains to students what having a major in college actually means. I think that the two questions always put to high school kids by adults are (1) "Where are you going to college?" and (2) "What are you going to major in?"

I think that this article does a good job of explaining what a college major is, how you might go about choosing one, and whether or not a college major has a connection to what the student will later choose as a career, or even just a first job.

The author points out that whether you choose a major first and then a career that will grow out of that, or instead have an idea of a career and then "back in to" a major is a bit of a chicken and egg question. What I like about her approach is that she points out that neither way of going about it is wrong, just different.

Then, to help kids toward making their decisions on the issue, she gives them the four basic steps of decision making process as they relate to the college major decision:

(1) Assess yourself

(2) Gather information and explore options

(3) Evaluate and make your decision (about which major)

(4) Take action, by sampling courses and doing activities related to the possible major.

Then, the author follows this up with a general discussion of factors which could keep the student from being able to come to a decision about his/her major, including internal and external factors.

Like I said, this article is very basic, but I really like it because it is a good first step article to teach high school kids about the whole college major area -- one with which they have not had to deal usually at earlier stages in our educational system.

After they understand the basics, then they can go off and explore the specifics of trying to narrow down this choice through other career exploration materials.

How to Explore Careers Through Informational Interviewing
http://www2.jobtrak.com/help_manuals/jobmanual/inform.html

Suppose you are a student who’s thoroughly researched a particular career for future work and employment. You’ve made sure the college you’ll be attending offers a major that will adequately train you for the career you’re interested in. You’ve checked out books, spoken to your Counselor, and gathered detailed information from various web sites. In fact, you feel that most all your questions about the career you’re interested in have been answered.

Think again. Think about an “informational interview’ with a professional who is currently working in the field you’re interested in. He or she can help fill in the gaps about your occupation’s educational requirements, prospects for future employment, career benefits and rewards. This type of face-to-face contact results in frank advice about the occupation you’re interested in, and details of the work environment that can’t often be found in a Counselor’s office, in a book, or on a web site

There’s a web site called JOBTRAK that works with hundreds of college career centers to help students and alumni connect with job opportunities. In the “Exploring Careers” section of the web site, JOBTRAK provides a useful article for anyone hoping to gain more information about a particular career.

JOBTRAK’s article states that ‘informational interviewing’ is simply talking to people who have jobs that interest you. The purpose of the interview is for students to gain knowledge about an area of work or a field of interest by talking with a person doing that work.

The article further adds that students should decide ahead of time what information they hope to gain from this type of interview, how to go about conducting the interview, and types of questions that could be asked. The ‘informational interview’ requires some work on the part of the student, but the benefits are outstanding.

Here are some of the important factors a student should consider when preparing for an 'information interview':

-- Know What You Want to Accomplish: learn more about a specific career, narrow your options, obtain advice, learn the ‘jargon’, broaden your network of contacts, and create a strategy for entering the job market for the specific career

-- Know How to Conduct the Informational Interview: write down questions ahead of time, dress appropriately, learn something about the person you’ll be speaking with, and remember that the interview is for gathering information and seeking advice … not an employment interview.

-- Know What to Ask: keep your questions open-ended to engage the person you’re interviewing into meaningful conversation. Ask about skills, training, and education needed to perform this kind of work. Ask about ‘pluses’ and ‘minuses’ of the occupation, and prospects for future employment.

For anyone thinking about asking for an ‘informational interview’ with a professional in their field of interest, I recommend this JOBTRAK article as an excellent place to start. If a student were to follow the outline provided by this JOBTRAK article, they would be very well prepared for the interview. And they would gain additional insights and information about their field of interest. A student would have a much better idea if the occupation would be a good “fit” with his/her interests, skills, values, etc.

On a personal note, I recently conducted an ‘informational interview’ with a college counselor working in a community college setting. I was not familiar with this particular technique to gather additional career and job-related information, and even entertained the idea that the interview could be conducted over the telephone. After meeting the counselor face-to-face and asking my questions, I can’t imagine conducting an ‘informational interview’ in any other manner. There are benefits galore to be gained by visiting the interviewee's workplace and observing the work environment.

Careers in the Military Overview
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/military/overview.asp

A very dear friend of mine just lost his cousin in the war in Iraq this past week, so I apologize for not being so active as I have been. While I thought working on the class today would keep my mind from it, I ended up chosing an article about Careers in the Military. Nate (the young man who died) was 18 and all his life he knew he wanted to serve his country.

The article from Princeton Review is entitled "Careers in the Military Overview" and it is VERY short - but it does link to the five crutial areas: Army, Navy, Air force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard.
The article discusses the concept of civic duty and the strength of our military is the PEOPLE who serve. So very true.
Lastly, it outlines the benefits of serving: education, housing, medical and dental benefits. So many of our students have parents who are losing medical benefits these days - they are very aware of how important it is to have such benefits.

Choosing a College Major: For Love or for the Money?
http://wwwsa.csuhayward.edu/~cdcweb/pdf/article_choosing_college_major_nytimes.pdf
 

The title, which sums up the topic of the article, is a frequent topic of discussion with students and parents. Many students and career counselors say the pressure to choose the "right" major is more intense than ever because of factors like rising tuition costs and the uncertain economy. Parents and students today often consider college more an investment than a time of academic and personal exploration. Some students say they are education consumers seeking the best return on that investment, which is often financed with a student loan. A Northeastern University study reports that on average, humanities and education majors fared far worse financially than students in business or engineering.

But some people worry that choosing a career based primarily on economic factors can
lead students to make poor choices. There are many other factors to consider when choosing a college major. It is recommended that liberal arts majors think of themselves not as psychology or sociology majors, but as workers with marketable skills like research, writing and communications. A danger in the Northeastern economists' research is that it adds to the "mythology" that only dollar figures are important in choosing a field of study, and it does not account for differences in personality, aptitude, interest and values.
 

Career Resource Library - Career Videos
http://www.acinet.org/acinet/library.asp?category=1.2
 

This site is designed to help people make informed decisions about their career direction. It is a component of Career One Stop. I was fascinated with all the careers listed and I personally explored many by watching the videos. The sound is great and they also provide words which is very cool. You can find any career imaginable by searching the alphabet.

Survivor Face-Off: Career vs. Liberal Arts Majors
http://www.collegeboard.com/article/0,3868,4-24-0-38381,00.html

Two evenings ago, I was having dinner with my husband (a Kenyon College grad) and good friend (a Yale alumna). In telling them about my certificate program progress, the conversation turned somehow to the fact that college doesn’t prepare one to be able to actually “do” anything. Rather, it is an opportunity to read great works of literature, think about the ideas that have shaped society, and generally explore valuable, but mostly-useless knowledge. This was my husband’s and friend’s argument. I graduated from Chico State and argued that most of my fellow alumni graduated with skills that qualified them for particular jobs: computer programming, teaching, nursing, accounting, and the like. The Kenyonite and Yalie were struck by this difference, having never considered that an undergraduate degree provided more than a broad liberal arts education.

This article from the College Board pits the career-oriented major against the liberal-arts major in a fantasy episode of the reality show, Survivor. It compares the relative value of each education. While a career-oriented major provides specific knowledge for mastery in a given career field, a liberal arts major can take general knowledge to create one’s own career path. The article also delves briefly into the type of person that may be attracted to either type of major: the career-oriented major might appeal to someone who knows what his/her career will be and wants to get started on learning the specifics of the field; the liberal arts major is someone who is comfortable with career uncertainty and wants to define his/her own career path. This is a short article, but useful for a student deciding which of these two broad paths to take in choosing a school and major.


NJ Counseling Association WebQuest
http://www.njsca.org/col/colquest.htm

This extensive web quest exercise begins by directing the students to take two interest inventories from either Career Key, Princeton Review’s Career Quiz, School in the USA Career Key, or the College Major Interest Inventory. From the interest inventories, students list three potential careers and are direct to the Occupation Outlook Handbook, the College Boards Career Browser, or the Prince Review Career Search. From their they select two careers of interest and are directed to What Can I Do With a Major In… Students then select two related careers and list the web site of a related professional organization. Next they use two of three college search engines: College Board’s College Search, Counselor-O-Matics, or Peterson’s College Quest. They select six college that offer majors in that area of interest. Next they to the College Board Colleges Side-bySide Comparison and answer the following questions. What is the percentage accepted by each school? What is the undergraduate enrollment?
Next student are directed to the US News Personality Quiz and answer questions about their profile. They are then directed to the NACAC College Fair Listing and find two fairs they can attend. They are then directed to the College Guide Wizard to thoroughly research two college websites. This is the most detailed section of the exercise. They are asked to read the student newspaper, find the course catalog, email a professor in their interest area, review admission requirements, print a copy of the application, take a virtual tout of the colleges, go to the athletic page, read about a sport that like, and review the campus security. Finally, they are asked to download the common application. After all of this is completes, it is suggested that they read guidebooks, view books, go to college fairs, and visit college campuses.

There are some great strengths to this exercise. They offer choices of links in each section that actually exposes the student to more information than they need and requires a little more thought. The Link to the College Guide Wizard is also a strength. On the negative side this exercise would take several hours and if assigned independently, would require access to technology that not all students will have. If it were used in the classroom, students would need to be in the computer lab for several days to complete. I will definitely share this with my AVID teachers who might be able to use it as a class assignment.

The use of genograms in career counseling with elementary, middle, and high school students
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0JAX/is_4_53/ai_n14710853

The foundation of the author’s view of career development is that parental expectations and role models influence career aspirations and educational decisions and that examining family dynamics, role, and values can help them reach their individual goals. Through the use of genograms, the child and counselor can assess and discuss career patterns in their family. Implementation takes a developmental approach based on the student’s level: from career awareness in the elementary school to facilitating career exploration in the middle school where they begin examining their interests and abilities to the personal preferences, interests, and decisions-making processes of high school students. At the middle school levels students are encouraged to ask the “why”, “what”, “who”, and “when” questions. The author includes great questions to ask families. High school students are asked to interview family members and identify patterns of education, skills, and careers among family members. The author also discusses ways to integrate the material into classroom lessons.
 

Working towards Effective Practices in Distance Career Counseling
http://www.ericdigests.org/2003-4/career-counseling.html
 

Noting that the field of Distance Career Counseling is rapidly on the rise and largely unregulated, author James F. Malone states that, “the time is ripe to focus on early field reports from practitioners who are using distance methodologies in their career counseling.” Malone notes that many distance career counselors are “seeking guidelines and standards,” and that some form of competency-based training and certification might be needed in order to help regulate the field and ensure best practices. Despite the ongoing debate about online counseling practices in general, Malone does say that many innovative practices and delivery models are being created and that these models should be explored.

Malone spends most of the article talking about effective distance career counseling practices, which are as follows:

1.        Distance counselors need to have experience with and knowledge about face-to-face counseling practices. (Citing Brown and Ryan Crane, Malone lists key elements such as comprehensive client assessment with disclosure, education and employment research, exposure to career models, written action plans/goals, and ongoing counseling support).

2.        Distance counselors need a “Clear and Comprehensive Website” for potential clients so that they can have realistic expectations about what services they will receive (including service delivery/design, confidentiality ethics/legal issues, fees and the professional counseling relationship.)

3.        Distance counselors need “A Comprehensive, Technology-Assisted Pre-Counseling In-take Registration and Assessment Protocol, “ with validated internet instruments, open ended questionnaires, and qualitative information-gathering processes. (This also helps build the counselor-client relationship.)

4.        Distance counselors need to ensure a “Personalized Selection and Assignment of a Well-Matched Counselor.”

5.        Distance counselors need to create “Technology-Assisted Strategies that facilitate efficient and personalized communication between counselor and client.” (This must include strategies for synchronous and asynchronous communication and methods that compensate for the lack of face-to-face contact.)

6.        Distance counselors need “Structured Distance Career Counseling Interventions.” (It is especially imperative for distance counselors and clients to have mutually agreed-upon goals and follow-up activities because of the logistical communications challenges inherent in this relationship).

7.        Distance counselors must “Maintain Counselor-Client Contact Between Sessions.”

8.        Distance counselors should “Provide Clients with Thoughtful, Written Feedback from Their Counseling Sessions.” (Malone cites Boer in stating that “research suggests written communication provides clients and counselors with deeper insights than initially expected and enhances the career planning process in a profound way.”)

9.        Distance counselors must “Evaluate Distance Career Counseling Practices.”

Career Success Steps
http://www.nku.edu/~aarc/steps.html
 

This is an article I would recommend to students as an example of a college’s steps in choosing a major or career. The steps are outlined for Northern Kentucky University students but are applicable for any other institution when we have given students the internet tools on how to find resources at their own schools.
The article is titled "CAREER SUCCESS STEPS" – Excerpt from the article, “This is a model of career decision-making and planning which lays out suggested activities to be completed during each of the (assumed) four years a student is in college, not just in deciding upon your major but also developing leadership skills and experiences to enhance your degree and chances of landing that professional position! Look it over and see if it gives you any ideas that would be helpful.”
I like that the article breaks down steps that a college student can focus on per year rather than saying you should choose your major and career from the beginning and work on achieving that goal. My experience was to enter as an undeclared major, as many high school seniors I did not have a clear picture of what I wanted to study or what profession I wanted to work in. I chose to focus on finding courses I felt would be interesting while completing general ed requirements and as suggested in the article to explore student organizations. Not intentionally I think I was preparing myself for a career in education – the organization I most contributed to and continued participation in through the years was a mentoring and tutoring program for a nearby low-income elementary school. I loved the experience.
I started off taking one course in Latin American history and that sparked an interest in a second course then to move on to another in the Latin American Arts category. I was involved in the AAP (Academic Advancement) program at UCLA and was able to network with other students with similar interests and came to find my course of study, Latin American Studies, an interdisciplinary program that allowed for flexibility in taking courses from different areas (my focus was history, sociology and education). Well the purpose of that explanation is to say that I enjoyed the article’s presentation of choosing a major/career as sort of falling into place on its own if you are open to explore in academics as well as student activities and volunteer or job experiences.
The mention of attending major/career expo’s is important early on or I would suggest attending the open houses that departments have usually during freshman orientation. Also important is the reference to the college’s career development center as a resource.
A website I would recommend with a simple layout as a source of information on majors and associated careers is the Arizona Sate University Career Services site , http://career.asu.edu/s/choosemajor/majorinfo/majorinfo.htm .

A resource I just came across is “The Mentor: An Academic Advising Journal” http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/ .
If you are interested, as I am, in the topic of mentoring as influential to the student transition there is a good article in the current issue, direct link is http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/050713bf.htm . An excerpt from the article,

“Students who feel comfortable with the academic and social transition into the collegiate environment are more likely to persist through graduation. Advisers play a large role in this success. A student who develops an early relationship with an adviser is likely to return to the adviser later for referrals to necessary campus resources throughout the semester, academic year, and his or her college career. This communication will help the student to reach his or her goals, one of which is to create an appropriate schedule.

Creating a schedule with an informed adviser provides an opportunity for both the student and the adviser to participate in choosing courses in which the student can be successful. Understanding how students learn best, what their major and career goals are, and how additional extracurricular activities (athletics, employment, or clubs, for example) will affect class times can help in developing an appropriate class schedule. Matching students' learning abilities and types with professor instruction and assessment styles can enhance the classroom transition that occurs each semester. Again, developing a trusting relationship with advisees is important to this level of success in the advising arena. Furthermore, with the majority of the students' time being used to attend classes, complete assignments, and study for exams, it is important that academic matches occur within the framework of the classroom setting. With the important role that classroom time plays in peer development, even more importance is placed on this decision making process.”

To Declare or Not to Declare...That is the Question
http://www.collegeview.com/articles/CV/careers/declare.html

This article talks about the differences of entering college knowing what your major is or entering as “undeclared.” If a student enters college having already chosen a major and stays with it, he will probably be able to obtain more than a degree. Time may allow him to earn a second major or minor, or have an opportunity to explore a variety of other courses.
        
Many students, however, start college without knowing what they want to major in or do afterwards, and begin their undergrad career as “undecided” or “undeclared.” These students sometimes worry that being undecided will hurt their chances of being accepted into a desired school, but many schools use the student’s designated major only to assist in placement with academic advisors. Students will not fall behind, as the first semester/year is when general academic requirements can be met.
        
There are advantages to both ways of entering college. Students should not worry, as there is no right or wrong way to go about selecting a major. Doing what is right for the individual is what is important. Once in college, professors, academic advisors, career counselors, and peers can help in the process of selecting a major.
        
The article states that: “…many schools assure students that majors have no impact on college admissions.”         
 

How to Choose a Major
http://www.princetonreview.com/college/research/articles/majors/MajorsBook2.asp

The article first asks the student why he or she is going to school. If it is to prepare for a specific career after college then one should choose a career-focused major such as engineering or education. However, if one’s reason for attending college is to gain general knowledge, among other things, then a student should consider majoring in liberal arts which may not lead one directly to a career but by emphasizing critical thinking skills will prepare a student for a multitude of different job and career opportunities.

The article suggests that the student be open-minded when selecting classes. While in school, one should think about what sparks one’s attention; which classes do you find compelling. The article provides a list of other suggestions such as speaking with an upperclassman or meeting with an advisor. It also suggests talking to professionals in a field that may be of interest to a student. Most importantly it tells the student to “pay attention to your passions.”

I am of the belief that students, unless they are focused on a career such as engineering, should take time in college to explore different majors before they settle on one particular area of focus. I also don’t think, unless of course they are pursuing a career in engineering or something else that is very specific, that a student should choose a school based on a major. Most schools have a broad based liberal arts program which will prepare students for either a more focused graduate program or a career direction. I wondered how the rest of the class felt about this and would like to hear your opinions.
 

Creating Your Career Path
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/cresearch/RM_createPath.asp

This career planning article targets high school students, and includes a little bit of college major decisions, but it is also for anyone needing some career planning advice. A portion of the article emphasizes self-reflection, as it opens with typical thoughts that would most likely frustrate the individual, including “how can I get a handle on what jobs will be actually be available when I am ready to graduate?” The author offers several tips in pursuing a career choice, which are to do a self-assessment, exploring different careers, learning to make decisions, learning to self-market, and developing your own support system.

These tips are seemingly basic and straightforward “checklists” of things to do, but realistically, these summarize steps of an individual’s life, which could take months, even years to develop. It’s a great way to be introspective such as self-assessments and career exploration, as well as develop life skills such as learning to make decisions, self-market, and developing support systems.

University of California Berkeley Career Center
http://career.berkeley.edu/Plan/Plan.stm
 

University of California Berkeley Career Center has an excellent career planning website. I found the information in the Planning Your Future area very helpful in career exploration. There is a Decision Scenarios and Planning Resources section that provides a student steps towards making a decision or solidifying their plans and resources to help them make decisions about his/her major, career, or graduade school options. Under the Deceision Scenarios section, it has question such as What should I major in?; Which careers go with my major?; and How can I best prepare for the career I'm concerning?. On the Planning Resources, it has some of the following topics:
1. Evaluate Yourself (self-assessment tools)
2. Make Connections (get advice from others)
3.Research Your Options Print and Online resources
4.Get Experience (Types of hands on experience and how to obtain it)
5. Make Decisions (decision-making steps and styles)
 

Some Common Misperceptions about Choosing a Major by Michael J. Leonard
http://www.psu.edu/dus/md/mdmisper.htm

I like this one in particular, “Some Common Misperceptions about Choosing a Major” (by Michael J. Leonard), because it addresses issues that can ultimately slow down a student’s progress in choosing a major. One of these is the assumption that students who major in the humanities are qualified only for careers in those areas. This is a personal favorite, as I am an advocate for a liberal arts education, especially for the “undecided.”

The 5 Misperceptions addressed are:

1)        The best way to find out about majors is to take courses.
2)        I’ll just get my Gen Eds out of the way first.
3)        Picking a major and a career are the same thing.
4)        Choosing one major means giving up all the others.
5)        The major I pick now will determine my lifelong career.
 

How to Choose a Career by Alex Epstein
http://www.duke.edu/~aje3/career.html

Written specifically for college students, I believe this article is relevant for younger individuals as well. Epstein begins by defining an ideal career as one in which “you face and overcome great challenges, maximize your creative capacities, and progress from achievement to greater achievement – all while doing the work you love most.” He uses Michael Jordan as an example of someone whose key to happiness was his passion for his work. Although we don’t have to achieve the level of success Jordan did, we should strive to reach our potential doing the work we love.

Transitioning to a pessimistic, or perhaps more realistic point of view, the author states that most people do not have careers they love. He poses the question, “why do so many people fail at choosing a career when the decision has such a crucial effect on the happiness?” He contrasts the lack of vision or method for selecting a career with the more careful approach people take with buying a car. Obviously, a rational method of thinking, researching, checking and test-driving make for a much more successful search and selection than the more haphazard approach many take when choosing a career.

After consulting several adults who had successfully chosen their careers, the author developed the following method for choosing a career.

1.        INTROSPECTION – Think about past experiences and the emotions you felt while doing them. Since a career may span up to 50 years, look for an activity you are completely passionate about – not merely interested in at the moment.
2.        IDENTIFICATION – The basic rule to follow is doing the activity you love to do the most. Evaluate your own qualifications or whether you are willing to make an effort to get them. In addition, consider the challenge you will get out of the career.
3.        VALIDATION – Consider other aspects of life, such as romance, recreation, and friendship, and ask yourself how well this career fits in. The process of validating includes understanding everything it entails.

I liked his idea of the “typical day test,” the final step of the validation process where students write down, in as much detail as possible, what an average day in their future career will be like. Students evaluate their answers and ask, “Is this what I want?” and “Am I willing to do whatever it takes to succeed in this career?” If a student can answer yes to those questions, he or she is ready to start and begin achieving his/her highest potential.
 

The Right Skills: Universal Skills for the Work World
http://www.collegeview.com/career/career_planning/skills_tools/universal.jsp

This article found on the college view web site contained some very practical advice and information on skills needed for any career. More than helping students find the perfect career, I think the counselor’s role is to help the student figure out what line of work he or she is best suited for. This article gives both counselor and student a clear list of qualities and skills needed to succeed.

The following is a list of qualities the article mentions as necessary for any job.

Function in a team environment
Written and oral communications skills
Eager to learn
Dependable and responsible
Able to work with minimal supervision
 

College Prep - 101: Helping Students Prepare For College
http://home.okstate.edu/homepages.nsf/toc/chp15_1

The article highlights choosing a major - how important it is and how to go about finding a major that works for you. It offers up suggestions to think about before deciding like:

1)Gather information about yourself
2)Become informed about social issues that affect your career
3)Job market exploration

The article also offers up resources students may want to explore to choose a major including career resource centers, career assessments and/or enrolling in an academic course. There are also helpful suggestions including searching the internet, shadowing someone in the work place that interests you and developing a plan.
 

How To Jump Start Your Career, by Randy M. Miller
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/cresearch/RM_jumpStart.asp

I found this article to be very interesting and informative. In my opinion, I think it would be more beneficial to those who are ready for a career change as apposed to a college bound student. However, Sometimes a Career change requires going to college to complete course work for the alternative profession. The article is based on the underlying belief that one should truly be happy-not unhappy-in his or her career pursuits. The article discusses a 4 step change of career guidelines which can be utilized by both college bound high school students and individuals seeking a career change. The list incorporates an initial Assessment and moves on to an Self Exploration Component and then gives guidelines for the Decision Making process. A fourth step, Self-Marketing, was included as well which basically states that whatever one decides for their alternative, being confident and comfortable knowing that he/ she has taken the steps to better understand themselves and their goals. I believe all these elements are essential in Jump starting a future career.
 

Exploring Majors
www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm

One of the first things the article clarifies is that a major does not lock you into a certain career. The explain that a major develops skill that can be used in many careers. The article goes on to state a student does not have to know what job they want before picking a major. They recommend picking a major based on personal likes and interests. The article states career ideas change several times over the course of 4 years in college.

The article suggest using college resources to help you discover your major selection. Some resources they suggest using are:
Consult advisors
Keep in touch with advisors and resources
List you top choice and research them
Don’t rule out any choices
Speak with informed college faculty
Speak with fellow students
Attend major/minor fairs

The article suggests using the following suggestion to enhance your major selection:
Keep a journal and record success and excellence in field
Plan college classes around your major to enhance your employment marketability
Take upper level course in the major
Develop solid written and oral communication skills
To make your yourself more well rounded, volunteer and become active especially in leadership type activities

The article offers additional resources to help with your decision:
Meet with college career specialist
Attend groups and workshops
Use libraries and research books on undeclared majors
Read books about specific career
Use online resources
Use alumni volunteers to gain further insights into certain fields

The article wraps up by providing some online resources that focus on undeclared majors. The resources listed are:
What can I do With a Major In? (University of Tennessee)
What can I do With a Major In? (University of North Carolina)
Major Handout Profiles (Georgia Southern State University)
Major Resource Kits (University of Delaware)
Career Plan It (National Association of Colleges & Employers)
 

This website was developed by Providence college to help undergraduates pick a major.

I will summarize this article in outline form.
The article is broke down into:

I. Myths
a. Like: You don't have to pick a career before choosing a major.

II. Truths
a. Majors lead to a variety of careers
b. Careers draw from a wide variety of majors
c. Your undergraduate field does not have to be graduate field
d. How majors connect with field
e. Liberal arts major can help with employment
f. Choose a major based on interests and challenges

III. Researching Majors
a. Consult, maintain, develop a list, speak with students,speak with depts. chairs and directors, etc.

IV. Enhancing Major
a. Record of success
b. Take electives in major
c. Challenge yourself
d. Develop academic skills
e. Do extracurricular activities

V. Use School Resources

There were several links for more information.

I found this article to be very informative for the student who hasn’t any idea what he/she will major in or what he/she plans to do after graduation. There is a big misconception that a student must know your life plan before heading off to college when in reality all he/she needs to know is that you want to go, and that you want to go for yourself. In the end any major he/she chooses will be transferable when he/she enters the working world.
When I was in high school I didn’t have a clue what I wanted to be when I “grew up”. During my senior year there was no support like there is now from counselors. Our high school counselor was our football coach who didn’t have a clue on how to assist students. Therefore I was one of those student’s who thought that if I didn’t have my major then what would I possibly do in college. I think it is important to get the point across to student’s that they can go to college without a major or a path, and obtain one while there.

This article guides the student with help in how to obtain a major. From fairs, networking, workshops, and individual consultations. There is an abundance of information and assistance waiting for students who do not know their path and we, as counselors should be prepared and willing to assist.

I looked at the article, "Exploring Majors," which came from a Providence College career center link: www.providence.edu/Career/Students/Exploring+Majors.htm. The goal of the service is assist undeclared majors by providing counseling, resources, and programs.

I was pleased to read, "Our focus is to help you with the important process of self assessment and exploration, not premature selection of a career." I believe in the value of a strong liberal arts education, one in which the students learn to think critically and where they develop verbal and written communication skills. Students should be guided to select a major based on their strengths and interests. The article does support the idea that in doing so, they will develop skills for the job market.

The article also suggests that students supplement their major with a minor, electives, or internship activities to enhance "employment qualifications."

A few other noted pieces of advise include, "All majors lead to a wide variety of career areas and conversely all career areas draw from a wide variety of majors." And, "Your undergraduate field of study does not necessarily define or limit your
graduate field of study."

The article concludes with a list of related topics. One of the topics is, "What do I do with a major in…" Since the website was not directly linked to further resources, I plugged that phrase into a Google search. I found several sites that addressed the topic. One I particularly liked was from UNCW. The user can select a major and then be taken to related career titles, related major skills, and finally related websites. This exercise was very valuable in showing the expansive opportunities one can have with any given major.
 

*The premise of the article is that “undeclared” majors are OK! Most students do not know what they want to major in, so just narrow down your interests to two or three favorite areas. Try to choose colleges that have substantial departments or concentrations in those three areas, at a minimum, so that you can explore them all. The article tries to debunk the common myth about whatever you do eventually choose to major in has to determine what you do with the rest of your life. It doesn’t.

At Providence College, the undergraduate advising function and the career services function are closely aligned, which is, in my opinion, an excellent structure and one I will look for when I research colleges in the future. The process that the student is advised to go through to choose majors is very similar to the steps one might go through to prepare for a career after graduation: internships, get to know department chairs, and plan extracurricular activities that will enhance your major. Community service works very well with most majors.

The Providence article included five links to resources for further student study. The best one was What Can I Do With This Major.
(http://www.providence.edu/career/majors/default.html).  I decided to search the majors relating to art and art history since I have a daughter majoring in Art History with one more year to go in college. The information that I got back was quite detailed, evolving from art, to art history, to museum management, to photography, to art sales, to retailing, to merchandising, to designing. Each category listed potential types of employers and strategies for getting a job.

*I chose the article called Exploring Majors at http://wwwprovidence.edu/Careers/Students/Exploring=Majors.htm

A little background. Providence College is located in Providence RI and run by the Dominican Friars. It was established in 1919. The school has an average graduation rate of 84% and a freshman retention rate for 4th year of 92%. One of the highest in the nation. There a approximately 3600 students attending.

Article: Exploring Majors. This article was broken down into 7 key topic areas. I found 6 of them to be of great value.

Common Myths; One of the biggest myths is you have to know what you want to be before you choose your major. Nothing is farther from the truth. You don't have to decide what you want to be before choosing a major. It's OK to select a major because of your interests. Key points to remember,
1.Undergraduate study doesn't limit your graduate field.
2.Make sure the information on your major accurately connect with your career. It would be very hear breaking to find out that your major doesn't work with your career choice after you've completed. DO YOU HOMEWORK.
3. Find a major that interests you and challenges you academically, not what will get me a jog. This is one place people make a big mistake.

Research Major: This section laid out what this college has to offer in the way of researching majors. It is important for all students to find these resources at their school Key points'
1. consult and maintain contact with academic resource.
2. Get perspectives from others
3. Attend a career fair.

Enhancing Major: This section offered very good advice. One piece of advice given was to select your electives or minor in a way that it would enhance your major. This is a great way of making yourself employable.

Check Out Other Resources:
This section hade great links to web sites that offered information on what you can do with certain majors, tips on how to prepare, and links to profession organizations.
 *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 in house and online (from other universities).
 

*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.

*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.

*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 clear-cut 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.

*Article Review: Exploring Majors
http://www.providence.edu/Career/Studnts/Exploring+Majors.htm

This was an article on the Providence College website which was contained in a series of career counseling articles, put out by the Career and Internship Services Department. The other topics covered in the website include the following: Know Yourself, Exploring Majors, Researching Careers, Networking, Shadowing, Internships, Entry-level Jobs, Campus Recruitment, Resumes and Correspondence, Interviewing, and Graduate or Professional School. All of the articles are worth a look, but the one for this particular assignment was the one on Exploring Majors.

Included in the Exploring Majors article were the following sections:
Common Myths--which essentially advised students that they did not have to necessarily chose a career or know what they wanted to do for the rest of their lives in order to select a major. It further stated that all majors lead to a wide variety of career areas and all careers draw from a wide variety of majors. It stressed that a well-rounded liberal arts education which encourages the development of solid research, communication and other skills. It encouraged students to choose majors based on that interests and cahallenges tham rather than what would get them a job.

Researching Majors: The article suggests the following strategies:
-Consult your undeclared adviser and key academic resources.
-Develop a list of top choices and thoroughly research each.
-Do not rule out any major based solely on career concerns.
-Speak with Department Chairs and Program directors.
-Carefully speak with students in the majors of interest.
-Attend school major/minor fair.

Enhancing The Major:
This section offers excellent advise on ways to improve one's employablity after one has selected the major, such as doing well academically in the field of study, carefully planning electives and minors, challenging oneself with upper division courses, independent study and internships, and supplementing one's education with volunteer and extracurricular activities.

Print and Online Resources: These were excellent and I would encourage you to go into the article and possibly bookmark it for these online resources alone.

You may be wondering why I chose these articles. I was thinking about why students seem to panic and delay their college search, choosing a major and finally a career path. So when I went to the course documents I found a link to the article about procrastination.

Let's Face It; Advising Is The Stepchild Of Academia
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/d/x/dxb11/dean.htm

This article focuses on the possible consequences of having the department faculty member be responsible for offering career guidance to the students who have chosen a major in liberal arts. It points out that faculty members are already busy being scholars and doing research and have little expertise, time, or motivation to direct a student toward possible careers in their chosen major beyond the proverbial one of “teaching.” This is especially significant for the Humanities or liberal education, such as English, Communications, and other languages. There are students who immediately know what field they want to study and precede straight ahead. Then there are those students who have chosen a major that has prerequisites and a definite career path, such as nursing, architecture, or engineering. However, for those students who choose a more liberal arts education, what would be their career objectives and who would advise them?

If faculty members are not stepping up to this task, does that leave the Career Center and possibly the college counselor? The article continues with the admonition that if liberal arts students are not being advised toward a multiple of career options, they may not choose to study English, for example, and the consequences would appear to lead to a diminished academic program in these areas. Would this mean a newer version of the “publish or perish”, only now it is “advise or perish”?

Can You Change Your Career After 40?
http://www.careercc.com/after40.shtml

I chose an article entitled "Can You Change Your Career After 40?" because that is precisely what I am trying to do. The article was very cursory and replete with marketing materials and links to fee-based activities regarding career changes. However, the article made me think about what it takes to successfully consider and make a career change after 40. According to the article, one should begin with a skills and interest inventory. The next step is to research careers that are compatible with your interests and skills. Focus on career choices that are enjoyable, not merely aimed at the financial bottomline. Narrow down career choices by conducting in depth research about careers on your list. Finally, make a plan about how to get started such as determining if more education or financial resources are necessary to make the career change.

The article provided some interesting food for thought but was too high-level to be of tremendous benefit. I am certain more thorough articles are available on the same topic.

Making High School Count: Parent’s Guide
http://www.mapping-your-future.org/features/mhscparentmore.htm

Summary: As college counselors we will not just be consulting with students. We will be talking with their parents also. What are some of the ways that we can advise parents to assist their children in the process of considering the many options in colleges, majors and ultimately, careers? What decisions should parents be making as their children weigh these options? This article introduces the following ideas to parents:
1.        Helping kids keep their options open
2.        The importance of being a good student.
3.        The importance of selecting the right courses in school.
4.        Helping kids use their time outside of school wisely.
5.        Ways to think about the future
6.         Thoughts about college costs
7.         Resources to get help
 

5 Easy Ways to Incorporate Career Development into School Counseling by Susan Marconi Harrell, M.A.
http://209.235.208.145/cgi-bin/WebSuite/tcsAssnWebSuite.pl?Action=DisplayNewsDetails&RecordID=505&Sections=2&IncludeDropped=0&AssnID=NCDA&DBCode=130285

This article suggests that many students graduating from high school with noteworthy GPAs and outstanding test scores are ill-prepared in making career decisions. With the surmounting duties and responsibilities of high school counselors, the author (also a counselor) notes that not much time is given for acquiring and disseminating career information to students. Therefore, a combined effort from faculty, parents, and the students themselves is needed for effective career counseling.

This article highlights five “easy” ways to incorporate career development into school counseling. Here are the suggestions:
1.        Act on Needs Assessment (assess the needs of the student population)
2.        Take Advantage of Human Resources (teachers, career specialists, JROTC, computer labs)
3.        Motivated Students to be Well-Informed (so they can make their own decisions)
4.        Engage in Parental Collaboration (newsletters, emails, conferences, flyers)
5.        Above all, Listen! (to their wants and needs)

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 gives advice on six ways to help students find a major that is meaningful to them. It also offers web sites to assist students self-assess their interests, abilities and values. Career exploration sites are provided as well. The article suggests other resources to take advantage of in choosing a major or career including one's professors, classmates and college’s alumni. The article is very focused and perfect for the overwhelmed teenager feeling oppressed over the need to declare a major. The article also provides a book list regarding college majors.

*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?

Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path
http://www.quintcareers.com/choosing_major.html

This article was written by a college professor: Randall S. Hansen, PhD. It is well laid out with lots of links to other websites and with a list of books to refer to for more information. The article starts out explaining how it is not uncommon for students to change their major in college, and how some schools have dual and even triple majors available. Dr. Hansen lays out his article about choosing a major in six steps. He discusses each of the six steps in terms of the journey a student is on when he/she is deciding on a major. The first step he discusses is the self-evaluation/assessment process. The second step is to exam one's abilities. He discusses strengths and weaknesses and how to look at one's past in high school. The third step involves what one values in work. The fourth step is career exploration. He encourages students to link to UCBerkeley's Career Exploration link and check out some detail descriptions of careers. The fifth step of a student's journey is the reality check. He wants the student to honestly look at his options. The sixth step on the journey is the final step. He discusses narrowing choices and focusing on a major. He then gives the student other resources to explore. He recommends students review their college catalog, their professors, classmates, college's alumni, family and friends, as well as their college career center. This article has many links and resource books listed for additional exploration. I liked it because it was very personal. Dr. Hansen talks about his path to his career as a college professor and webmaster.

Dispelling the Myths of Career and Tech Schools
http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/plan/whycte.asp

This article focused on the common misperceptions of career and tech schools and how they can be extremely helpful to many individuals. These types of schools don't seem to be taken seriously, especially when they are frequently advertised during midday soap operas. The article goes on to ensure that many of these schools have good programs and that it is not limited to 'skill' based jobs, but also includes programs in business management and biological sciences. The article highlights that those looking to be nurses, cooks and court reporters would greatly benefit from a career or tech school rather than investing so much at a university.

University of Virginia’s University Career Services called “Choosing and Using Your Major”. You can find this handout and many more really good ones at
http://www.virginia.edu/career/handouts/  (These are all various PDF files)

UVA opens this document with the “Major” Myth, which states that
“Most college students think a corresponding academic major exists for each specific career field, and that it’s impossible to enter most career fields unless they choose that matching major for undergraduate study. This is not true!”

And like Jennifer’s article, this handout states that “most career fields don’t require a specific major, and people with specific majors don’t have to use them in ways most commonly expected.” UVA continues by stating that the choice of a major is only one of the many factors towards future career paths as your grades, the electives you choose, and the skills you acquire often tell employers more about what you have to offer. To follow a few of my fellow researchers’ thoughts, UVA also believes that a liberal arts education can offer several benefits to include
1. A personalized education (individual educational needs)
2. Broadened global view (cultural explorations)
3. Generalist education (for those with broad interests and diverse ideas)
4. Liberal arts skills (skills that can be transferred into the world of work)

And, UVA feels that a college major alone will not get you a job. Internships, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities also provide experience that are required for career choices.

However, whether you choose to follow the liberal arts road or want to decide on a major, the main questions that you need to ask yourself are not “What should I major in?” or What can I do with a major in so-and-so?” but “Who do I want to be? What do I really want out of my life? What kind of person am I, so far? Where do I really want to go with myself?” This self-assessment is like map-making with your choice of academic major as one part of the map to reach your chosen career goals, and your minor, electives, internships, vacation jobs, leadership, and extracurricular activities as the other parts of that map.

UVA does suggest three strategies for choosing a major:
1. Major in something with a high potential for developing you as a human being.
2. Consider a major that provides a good background for the professional areas you hope to enter in a graduate school.
3. Develop a marketable combination of liberal arts major with a practical course work concentration i.e. a second major or minor.

And, concludes that “by working hard to answer the right questions about yourself, it will be much easier for you to plan your college curriculum so that you can study what you enjoy learning about, what you can do successfully, and what will serve as groundwork for the future you want for yourself.”

The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools. ERIC Digest.
http://www.ericfacility.net/ericdigests/ed328825.html

The article “The Challenge of Counseling in Middle Schools” was of particular interest to me. As a Middle School Counselor, I am aware of the importance of students in this age group to make a ‘game plan’ for their college and career choices.

Counselors in middle schools work with young people whose lives are in constant flux. Early adolescence is a time of physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development, during which young people confront the question “Who am I?” Early adolescence is difficult for most youngsters, a time for challenging one’s self and the ideas brought from childhood. The child, who in elementary school was obedient and academically motivated, may seem disrespectful and lazy in middle school. Early adolescence begins the transition from acceptance of adult direction to challenging authority and moving toward self direction. Counselors implement various practical strategies to help middle school students move toward self understanding. These strategies include such activities as maintaining daily journals, group counseling, and developmental classroom programs that offer young people opportunities for self exploration.

The Challenge of Academics – Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the need for schools to promote academic excellence. Individuals in the business community and elsewhere complain that young people do not have the basic academic skills necessary for economic success in a competitive world. It is necessary that middle school counselors should collaborate with teachers to implement programs that help their students develop a reasonable “work ethic.”

The Challenge of Career Exploration – In the search for identity, young adolescents struggle not only with the question of “Who am I?” but also with the question “Who will I become?” The latter question is often answered in terms of future occupation. Adolescents face an ever-changing world of work, a fact that is often neglected by overburdened middle school counselors. Middle school counselors have many opportunities to promote career development and career exploration among young people. It is important for young adolescents to learn the skills that will eventually help them achieve gainful employment. These skills include how to write a resume, how to fill out a job application and how to interview effectively for a job. Middle school counselors must be especially attentive to the special needs of exceptional students in the area of career exploration.

Middle school counselors are faced with issues such as dysfunctional families, substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school dropouts, and numerous other difficult matters. Preventive and developmental programs seem to be the most promising and cost-effective approaches to counseling with young adolescents in middle schools. Such programs are likely to help young adolescents satisfactorily address the question, “Who am I?”

How to Find Your Ideal Internship
Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

http://www.quintcareers.com/finding_ideal_internship.html

This article from the Quintessential Careers web site speaks directly to students about the importance of interning and about how to find an internship that is "right for you." I'll summarize the three parts of the finding process.

1. Determine Your Internship Goals -- Hansen suggests several questions to ask yourself, such as the following:
-- What do you hope to gain from your internship?
-- Do you want college credit for your internship?

2. Prepare/Polish Your Job Search Skills -- Hansen recommends paying attention to these elements of the job search: cover-letter writing, resume preparation, and interviewing strategies. Each of these elements is a link that leads to information on the topic (and sometimes to products and services that are sold on the web site). The information on the link pages is very worthwhile.

3. Find/Track Down Internship Sources -- Hansen suggests many places to go for assistance in finding internships. Besides the obvious, such as the college career center, he suggests the alumni office, internship and career fairs, and internship web sites (there is a link to a page that is loaded with internship site links).

Hansen wraps up the article by suggesting follow-up strategies after applying for an internship (the usual job-hunting ideas, such as making a follow-up phone call and writing a thank-you letter after each interview).

WebQuest lesson plan "Have We Got a Career for You!"

http://edtech.suhsd.k12.ca.us/ingrogress/suh/kcallaway/careersquest

The lesson is designed to get high school students critically thinking from perspectives they may not naturally venture to. The students are asked to collaborate in groups of four and perform their career research by selecting several careers that they find interesting. They will have to narrow down to one career for the final report presentation using either a Hyperstudio stack or Powerpoint.

The students must each select a role of
1. The Educator-evaluates the training and education necessary for entry into the career
2. The Personnel Manager-assesses what skills are necessary for entry into the career for the interview process, job search, resume writing
3. The Money-Lover-researches the starting salary, projections for the future of the career in respect to salary potential, typical retirement plans accompanying that career if any
4. The Self-Actualizer-explores the real day-to-day functions of the career as well as flexibility, variety, general quality of the work environment

The students then do outside research using pertinent internet resources, live interviews, school career centers, libraries. They view their research from the perspective of their particular role.

This unique approach adds dimension to the career exploration beyond the usual dry data and definitely makes it more personal.

Procrastination: Cause and Cure, Part 1 and Part 2
Written by: Flora Brown
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/4189/70554

This article describes the causes and the cures of procrastination. This is a problem that effects everyone, both old and young, students and professionals. This article provides the reader with many explanations as to why people put things off. Some of the common keys are:
1. fear of failure
2. overestimating the time left to complete a task
3. underestimating the time required to complete tasks
4. believing that they must be in the mood to do a task.
5. over reliance on time-saving modern technology

At the end of the first section there are 2 quizzes that the reader can take to see if they have any of the character traits of a procrastinator.

The second article is
Procrastination: Cause and Cure, Part 2 written by Flora Brown discusses the 6 steps to avoid and fix procrastination.
The steps are as follows:

1. Change your flawed thinking to positive, realistic thinking, to get motivated you must use positive self-talk.
2. Set clear goals for yourself.
3. Prioritize and partially your tasks
4. Organize your work area and tools before you begin.
5. Use reminders to help you remember important tasks
6. Reward yourself. When you’ve successfully completed a task.

I think as counselors if we recognize the reasons why students procrastinate and address those reasons we will be able to help them see the college search and even choosing a major as an enjoyable experience and something that shouldn't cause them too much anxiety.

http://www.che.umn.edu/img/assets/4906/FINDING_YOUR_CAREER_DIRECTION.pdf

This online booklet, “Finding Your Career Direction,” is put out by the College of Human Ecology at the University of Minnesota and is available at the career services section of the U MN website. It’s a useful and user-friendly site, with step-by-step suggestions for exploring careers.

The first section of the booklet is called, “Career Myths.” Myths listed include:
“I must be absolutely certain before I act.”
“There is one career cut out for me...if only I can find it.”
“My career must fill all my needs.”
“It is best to specialize if you want a job...People with liberal arts majors don’t get jobs.” Just seeing these misperceptions in print is myth-busting.

The next sections take students through suggested steps toward Career Competencies. Each step lists further resources for gaining self-knowledge or information about careers and requirements.
Stage One, during the freshman year, involves developing Awareness.
Stage Two, during the sophomore year, takes on Exploration.
Stage Three, in the junior year, is a time for gaining Experience.
Stage Four, in the senior year, is a time for Action.

The third large section takes the student through four building blocks:
1) Interests – resources include taking the Strong Inventory through the school and going to the website for Career Key, a free Holland-type inventory (http://www.ncsu.edu/careerkey). The Career Key website is also very accessible and helpful, pointing beyond itself to other resources as well.
2) Skills – includes lists of questions to consider and places to go for further help in assessing strengths.
3) Personality – suggests taking the MBTI through the school to gain more insight
4) Values – again, a possible inventory to take

The last section is called the Career Action Plan and provides the student with a place to write out goals and an action plan.

The career services website, of which this booklet is a part, also has a Career Planning Guide that lists the individual steps to take during Stages One through Four above.

I will summarize the two general articles College Board offers on college majors: "Let's Go Surfing: Use of the Internet for Career Counseling in Schools." It was from ERIC/CASS Digest. www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed446332.html

The article explains what Bridges.com, also referred to as CXOnline, can do for career counseling the students as well as explain the best way to help the teacher use the program to makes the counseling more successful.
Bridges.com is a great program that schools can use to counsel students. The program is an interactive program that is updated daily for students and parents. Teachers can either help students, through Bridges.com, research careers and academic needs for careers through the site.
The article explains the best usage for Bridges.com in classroom or in a counseling office.
The article begins with suggestions on how to start-up the program within the school and the gives suggestions on the Day-to-Day use by both student and teachers. The article explains how the teacher can utilize the various aspects of CX-Online for classrooms daily.
The article also gives an example of how one school utilized the program help low-performing students by using it as an incentive for In-School suspended students.
There is a discussion regarding its cost and how schools can find funding for the program. It suggests involving the principal to demonstrate it's importance to students and to counseling.
The conclusion is that CX-Online must be used everyday and that that one negative aspect of this program is that the counselor usually needs to be the expert and stay up-to-date with all of the updates of the program to keep the program useful to students and to teachers.

http://www.collegeboard.com/article/1,,4-24-0-468,00.html?orig=sch
Choosing Your College Major
So, what are you going to do with your life?

This is a simple, straightforward article written in a passive voice. It begins by putting the reader at ease about knowing or not knowing what their major might be. Then five tips are presented with several explanatory sentences after each. The items covered are: the definition of a major, when to declare a major, how to choose a major, does a major dictate one's profession, and what if one wants to go to graduate school. The College Board's advice regarding this last item is “as long as you fill a graduate school's course requirements, it really doesn't matter what you major in.”

http://library.adoption.com/Child-Development/Career-Counseling-of-Youth-with-Learning-Disabilities/article/4271/1.html
Career Counseling of Youth with Learning Disabilities

Career counseling in high school is important for all students, especially students with learning differences. They have a higher drop-out rate as compared to their non-disabled peers, and benefit from a cognitive approach to career counseling (Biller, 1987).

Students with learning differences often have characteristics that contribute to career difficulties such as:
Lack of maturity and awareness of their own abilities.
Poor planning skills.
Lack of problem solving skills.
Immature social skills.
Difficulty with reading.

Research shows that adults with learning differences have reported that many of their career problems stemmed from a lack of understanding of their disabilities. By the same token, adults with LD that have successful careers chose their job based on their strengths, which leads to job success and satisfaction.

Doing career exploration in high school would allow students with learning differences to understand both their strengths and their weaknesses, and chose a career path that acknowledges both areas.

One was “It's Never Too Early -- or Too Late -- to Visit Your College Career Office” by Mary Keen Krikorian. http://www.quintcareers.com/college_grad_articles.html (you need to scroll down to the article to access it)

The article is written for the college student contemplating the usefulness of the Career Guidance Office in the semesters prior to their last. The purpose is to suggest to students that this office will do more than focus on their career, it can be useful for selecting a major, gaining perspectives on their personality traits that might influence career paths, discover the means to break into a field and generally provide extensive support services beyond simply ‘finding a career’.
The article notes that many students are disappointed to find out so late in their academic careers that this office exists and that there are so many resources they can utilize. We understand that college is best experienced by those students able to advocate for themselves and this article is a wonderful reminder for students of the wealth of resources that lie just beneath the surface.

Unfortunately for me, I left college without using the services of career counseling. I knew I wasn’t ready to jump into a job and I was going to take a few years working non-white collar jobs in Maine and New Mexico. The problem was that when I was ready for a 'real job' I was too far away to use the services and really entered the search phase unprepared.

http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/articles/plan/145excerpt.asp
The Princeton Review:
Figuring Out What You Want to Do

Article Summary:

This Princeton Review article was excerpted from “145 Things to Be When You Grow Up”, and is directed at helping high school students figure out what kind of work they want to pursue when they graduate. Similar in some ways to the article by Jennifer Gross, this writer also recommends that students begin by exploring their personal interests first, and provides several links to other websites that are related to general career exploration and college majors. Students are asked to consider:

·        What job will help me be myself?

·        What job will enable me to incorporate my interests, values, and skills?

The author also suggests that students consider their personal values, unique personalities, diverse learning styles, and particular skills and abilities. Additional related links are offered for students to review -- and hopefully -- to help them begin to explore their personal characteristics. This article is intended for high school students, and suggests that students begin to explore careers “right here and right now”, rather than waiting until they get to college.

For students who are still uncertain about where to begin, the writer of this article recommends that student join clubs, do volunteer-work, and get a part-time job. Learning to be responsible at home, at school, or at work is the first step in learning about job skills. All of theses job-related activities will help students gain skills and talents that they will need to call on later in life.

This article was written in a simple format, and in a user-friendly manner. Although the article provided fairly basic information, the information offered in the linked articles is more targeted to specific career interests, and is much more detailed.

I chose an article entitled, “Major Decisions: Some Common Misperceptions about Choosing a Major,” which I found on the Penn State University website http://www.psu.edu/dus/md/mdmisper.htm

 The premise of the article is that st