The first step in the career development process is self-assessment. Once students have identified interests, skills, values, and personality characteristics, it is time to begin occupational research to learn more about different careers and the world of work. After they have narrowed down what career areas might be a good ft, it is beneficial to enroll in a variety of academic courses in majors they are considering, job shadow professionals in the career fields of interest, conduct informational interviews, and obtain career-related work experience.
Upon gathering the necessary information on the career areas students are considering comes prioritizing and narrowing the options, following by making final decisions. They can determine the steps required to implement their career decision and develop a timeline. Periodically, they should meet with an academic advisor to assess academic progress and a career counselor to identify career goals.
Once students have implemented their career decision, it is good to re-evaluate their choice from time to time to determine if it is meeting their needs. If not, they can always go back to self-assessment and conduct further occupational research to identify if there is another major or career that may fit better. Remember that people change careers 4-11 times throughout their life, which makes career development a life-long process.
