Career Decision-Making

The following process can help your career decision-making:

1. Identify he decision to be made.
   1. Are you choosing a career, a job, or a college major?
2. Gather Information:
   1. About yourself
      1. Interests
      2. Abilities/Skills
      3. Values
      4. Money needs
      5. Training needs
      6. Experience
      7. Education
   2. About the working world
      1. Job titles
      2. Job descriptions
      3. Job openings
      4. Income for job
      5. Outlook for the future
      6. Skills and training required
      7. Educational opportunities
      8. Locations
3. Identify possible alternatives
   1. List all the possibilities.
4. Investigate and evaluate alternatives
   1. List pros, cons, and possible results for each alternative.
5. Decide among the alternatives
   1. Prioritize your alternatives by making a tentative choice and a backup plan.
6. Implement an action plan
   1. How will you make this happen?
   2. What training will you get?
   3. Where will you get the money?
   4. How to network?
   5. Get family input and buy-in.
7. Review decision periodically
   Choosing a career is not a one-time decision; you will change and grow, and so will your occupation. On occasion, you will need to reconsider your interests, skills and values, and your occupation's rewards and requirements
   1. Evaluate what fits, what doesn't fit, and how can you improve the fit.