Career Exploration
After you have engaged in self-assessment and identified some career
options, the next step is to do some research about career fields
that interest you. Some suggestions:
Read all you can about careers that appeal to you. Use Career
Services resources, the Z. Smith Reynolds Library, and public libraries
to identify books, trade magazines, Internet websites, videotapes,
and news articles that have related career information.
Participate in the field directly. Seek an internship, part-time
or summer job, or volunteer experience that will help you gain first-hand
knowledge.
Talk to people who are in the field(s) that interests you.
This process is called informational interviewing and allows you to
ask questions informally about people's jobs. The "Real World"
panels, Career Fest and the Career Forums in selected cities afford
students the opportunity to talk to professionals from a wide variety
of career fields.
Ask
- What is the nature of your work?
- What are your duties and responsibilities on a daily, monthly,
or annual basis?
- What are the entry-level opportunities in this field?
- What skills are needed to excel in this field?
- What are some courses that would prepare me for entry into this
field?
- Are there particular personal characteristics desired in people
hired for entry-level positions?
- How is this field changing? What can I do to prepare for those
changes?
- What, in particular, gives you satisfaction in this job? What
frustrates you?
- Does your organization offer internships or summer jobs for college
students?
- Where can I find more information about the field?
Think about where you want to work-not just the company, but
the environment. Do you want a for-profit or not-for-profit organization,
big company or small, manufacturing or service sector, etc.? The same
job function in varied settings can be very different.
Observe people in their places of work and write down all
that you see.
Compare what you see to what you are looking for in a career.
Meet with a counselor in Career Services to talk about your
career direction and interests.
One excellent source for informational interviews is the Alumni Career
Assistance Program (ACAP), a group
of over 1,000 alumni nationwide willing to discuss their careers with
you. (Remember to acknowledge the interview with a thank-you note!)
Listed here are some sites you might find helpful:
Additionally, a number of websites offer industry-specific information.
Some of these sites include:
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