1 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Chapter Twelve Exploring Career Options and Opportunities

2 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Learning Outcomes 1.How to choose a major 2.What various program types and degree options mean 3.What to do to schedule next term’s coursework 4.Ways to plan for your career

3 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Choosing a Major Today’s workers often change careers – not jobs- many times in their lives If your career goals directly translate into a specific major - major in that subject

4 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Guidelines for Choosing a Major Think about yourself Picture your ideal working environment Pay attention to what you enjoy Don’t confuse your hobbies with your career Research the career you want Weed out what you don’t want to do Avoid stereotypical thinking Look at the big picture Read job descriptions Talk to others Finish your degree Don’t be afraid to change your mind Keep your eyes open

5 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Degree Options Associate Degrees Certifications Bachelor Degrees

6 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Four-year Degree Considerations Is the school accredited in the desired major? Does the school have an articulation agreement? Are there requirements to be accepted at a new institution? Do you have a copy of your transcript? Do you need to go to graduate school?

7 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Scheduling Coursework Be aware of what classes you need for your major Faculty and staff can provide additional information

8 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Seeing Advisors and Career Counselors Seek advice for undecided majors Come prepared with ideas and questions Find out your career options for your degree Information on internships Provide tools and resources to prepare for your future career

9 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Semester Scheduling for Undecided Majors Choose courses that fit several different majors Take an introductory course –May not apply to all degrees but would help decide a major

10 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Creating an Educational Plan Should be made up of all the courses for your degree Determine your course load based on your needs Helps you determine what you need to do

11 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Planning a Career Start by assessing your strengths Make your experiences stand out Be prepared for future job searches

12 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Workplace Skills Foundation skills –Literacy skills –Thinking skills –Personal qualities Five groups of workplace competencies –Resource management –Interpersonal skills –Information management skills –Organizational management skills –Technology skills

13 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Opportunities in Campus Organizations Membership Work your way up Participate in meetings Contribute

14 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Service Learning and Volunteerism Experience is valuable Build the skills you want to develop New interests Take a service learning course Opportunities are endless

15 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Networking Get to know faculty and advisors Join campus organizations Develop mutual beneficial relationships

16 © 2012 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. McGraw-Hill Continuing Education Conferences On-the-job training Online workshops Professional organizations Keeping up with trends and news Professional development benefits you and your future goals Learning is part of every career