Career Decision

To make a solid decision when choosing a career or when targeting the most appropriate jobs for yourself during job hunting, there are three stages to follow:

Stage I Get to Know Yourself

Stage II Conduct Research on Potential Careers or Jobs

Stage III Make Decisions and Plan for Action to Pursue the Career or Job

Choosing an appropriate career field or job requires that you look for MATCHES between who you are and potential career or job options.  You want to find a career or job that matches you instead of one that you have to force yourself to match, (like Cinderella's stepsister trying to force her foot into a slipper that just doesn't fit!)  The two parts of this matching process consist of Stages One and Two.

Stage I: GET TO KNOW YOURSELF

Before you can figure out if a career matches you, you need to know who "you" is! Choosing an appropriate career or job, creating a good resume, and conducting a good interview all depend on you having a clear self-profile. Creating the MATCH is like making two puzzle pieces fit together. One puzzle piece contains information about you; your interests, personality, work style, skills, capabilities, past experiences and accomplishments. The second puzzle piece contains accurate information about the potential career or job. When the two puzzle pieces fit together, you will have a clear direction and the confidence to make good decisions as you pursue your career or job goals.

Career Services Center | Room A 1039 | 440-525-7222

Career coaching is available for Lakeland students and alumni to help examine past work experiences, skills, knowledge and accomplishments that you possess in order to connect them to your chosen career goals. On-the-job factors motivating career change can also be discussed.

Counseling Center | Room A 1024 | 440-525-7200

If you are undecided about your career choice or you are considering a career change to a yet unknown career, you may want to begin with individualized counseling and career exploration "testing". Personal issues affecting your career change and decisions can also be discussed.

Career Exploration - COUN 1100 (3 credits)

This course is an introduction to the components and process of career planning. It also includes self-assessment assistance, self-inventories for your interests, values and personality, how to identify matching careers, and more. This group setting adds the benefit of peer discussion and support.

Women's Center / Men's Resource Center

Room B 1046 / Room A 1044g

440-525-7322 / 440-525-7447

Workshops on topics such as assessing yourself, self-confidence, emotional well-being, decision-making, stress management, and other personal development topics are offered to students and the public for extremely reasonable fees through the Community Education Program. Scholarships are available.

Stage II: CONDUCT RESEARCH ON
POTENTIAL CAREERS OR JOBS

As previously mentioned, the second puzzle piece contains information about the potential career or job that you are considering.  Potential careers or jobs that match you will surface during your exploration.  It's now time for Stage Two, Research.  Gather as much information as you can stand (!) about each of these potential careers or jobs.  Keep an open mind about what you will read and hear.  Consider:

• In what career fields can I best utilize the strongest skills and personal traits that I possess and the ones that I most enjoy using?
• What are the outlook, salary, and expectations of these occupations?
• Are there other different but related occupations that I can consider?

These are just three of many questions for which you will want to find answers before you make any final career decisions.

Career Services Center

Students and alumni can obtain assistance to conduct research on careers, job outlook, salaries, required skills, company profiles, and more. Hardcopy, online and referral sources are offered. Help is also available to figure out what questions to ask, where to look for answers, who to ask for answers, and how to ask them!

Counseling Center

Information on educational requirements, related majors, Lakeland program requirements, course selection assistance and general information on other colleges is available.

Lakeland Library

A vast array of hardcopy, inter-library and online occupational information resources are available.

Stage III: MAKE DECISIONS AND
PURSUE YOUR CAREER OR JOB

This final stage begins by integrating all the occupational information that you have gathered to make appropriate and rational career decisions. Apply basic, realistic, decision-making techniques to sort through the options, the facts and your priorities. Throw in a touch of gut-reaction for good measure, and the light at the end of the tunnel will begin to appear.

Alas, the tunnel may be longer if your goals require additional education, job change, relocation or other life adjustments. Creating and conducting a well-thought out action plan will enable you to reach your ultimate goal.

Lakeland Services

Each of the Lakeland resource departments listed in Stage I would be happy to assist you in your career planning by coaching you through the decision-making process, providing information, referring you to other experts, discussing courses of action, and being your cheerleader as you reach small, large, short-term or long-term successes!

Career Services

Additionally, Career Services assists students in obtaining employment and career-related, experiential learning opportunities, in the beginning, the middle and/or the end of your career search journey. Job services are available to current students and alumni. Some examples of these services include:

Like space exploration, career exploration is a journey. There is no one path. There are many unknowns. Research for information is imperative. You will need to make smart decisions. It will take time to reach the goal. But once you get there, the view will be spectacular!

Updated 07/01/09