|| Career Choices are Life Choices ||

What is CAREER?

Def. (Oxford English Dictionary): A person’s course or progress through life.

It also pertains to his occupational or profession that usually involves special training or formal education and is considered to be a person’s lifework.

What is Career Development?

Career development is an ongoing process of gaining knowledge and improving skills that will help an individual to establish a career plan.

Why Select a Career?

• We have been created unique. (Eg. Fingerprint).
• We are born only once & lets count it big.
• We spend almost 40 years on our work. A total over 80,000 hours , we work.
• Now ask yourself how you will spend these 80,000 hours before you die?

THE CAREER DECISION-MAKING PROCESS:

Abilities/Aptitude + Interest + Personality/Motivation = Career Choice

Step 1: Discovering Yourself

• What are my interests? Values? Skills? Personality preferences? Strengths?
• What are three careers that interest me?
• What are three college majors that I want to explore?

Step 2: Exploring Options

• What information or individuals can help me to explore my college or career options?
• What classes or activities can help me to develop my strengths?
• How can I learn more about informational interviews, job shadowing, exploratory internships, service learning, civic honors, or student organizations to gain firsthand experience?

Step 3: Making a decision

• How much time and energy am I willing to invest to make a career decision?
• Who is part of my support system to help me evaluate the pros and cons?
• What are my top priorities to consider for this decision?

Step 4: Taking Action

• How can I strengthen my readiness for success in a college major?
• What is one goal that I have? How can I reach it? What action can I take now?
• Which one of my talents can I develop through classes or outside activities?

Step 5: Evaluating the decision

• Is my decision a realistic option?
• Is there anything preventing me from achieving this goal? What would it mean if I didn’t have any barriers?
• Who in my support system can assist me with achieving this goal?

Advice to the students:

• Self – evaluation to identify one’s strengths & weakness, followed by efforts to strengthen the former & to eliminate the latter.
• When your efforts each day build on your previous efforts, the combined result is powerful indeed. (perseverance)
• Complete responsibility of your thoughts & actions.
• Focus & with hard-work.

All the very best for the wonderful opportunities ahead.

- Mr. Happie