1. Career Exploration, Preparation, and Development
Thriving in College & Beyond
Chapter 12: Finding a Path to Your Future Profession

2. Strategies for Career Exploration & Preparation
Awareness of yourself
Awareness of your career options
Awareness of what career options provide the best “fit” for you
Awareness of the keys steps and strategies needed to reach your career goal

3. Step 1: Awareness of Self
Interests
Talents
Needs
Values

4. vocation comes from the Latin “vocatio”
Salary is important, but you should consider your special abilities, what you’re passionate about, and what is meaningful to you.
vocation comes from the Latin “vocatio”
“a calling”

5. Personal Needs to Consider, Box 12.1
Autonomy
Affiliation
Achievement
Recognition
Sensory Stimulation

6. Step 2: Awareness of Career Options
Career Information Resources, see pg. 309
Career Planning & Development Workshops
Career Development Courses

7. Information Interviews
Shadowing & Externships (Career Observation)
Internships

8. Cooperative Education (Co-op) Programs
Volunteer Work or Service Learning
Part-Time Work

9. Key characteristic of goal setting– set goals that are __________________.
Getting firsthand experience in the work setting gives you a realistic view before you commit to that field as your career goal.

10. Five Advantages of Experiencing Work in Real-Life Work Settings
Get a realistic picture
Test your interests and skills
Strengthen your resume
Acquire contacts
Network with employers

11. Step 3: The Best “Fit” for You

12. Step 4: Awareness of the Major Steps Needed to Reach your Career Goal
Self-Monitoring
A Learning Journal
Box 12.3: skills & action verbs
Box 12.4 personal attributes & adjectives

13. Self- Marketing
Course Transcript
Co-Curricular Experiences

14. Personal Resume (Box 12.5)
Portfolio
Letters of Reference/Recommendation (Box 12.6)

15. Cover Letter (Sample Template)
To whom it may concern,
Paragraph 1
Who you are & where you go to school
Job you’re applying for, how you found the listing & decided to apply
Paragraph 2
Print out the posting & highlight key words; use them in your paragraph
Describe how your experiences meet the challenges of the job
Paragraph 3
Describe your personal traits & how they make you a great candidate
Include short, specific examples that illustrated each trait
Sincerely,