Career Planning

Research

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When you are researching career fields, your goal is to see if the field is a fit for your interests, skills, personality, and values.  Pay especial attention to the nature of the job, skills needed, as well as training/education needed.

While going straight to the internet to look for information seems easy, there are other sources that may be quicker or more productive.  Don't underestimate the value of books about career fields or talking to someone in the field.

• Browse Career Books
• Meet with a Career Counselor
• Conduct an Informational Interview with someone in the field
• Contact a Professional Association in your field

If you are going to look for career information on the internet, avoid getting side tracked or lost in a sea of links.  Pick a few good sites and read only the parts most relevant to your goal of learning more about the day-to-day tasks and skills needed for a certain job/career.  The following are recommended starting points. 

• Occupational Outlook Handbook.  This invaluable resources is published by the U.S. Department of Labor and describes job duties, working conditions, education/training requirements, average earnings, and employment prospects for hundreds of occupations.

• JobProfiles.org has profiles written by people working in the field sharing their motivations, skills and advice for those just entering the field.

• Wetfeet has more than just job listings.  There are two great sections.  The first is an overview of career fields  focusing on requirements, career tracks, and compensation.  The second is interviews with people working in the field focusing on their education, career paths, aspirations and the truth about how they really spend their time at work.

• America Career Info Net has an in depth listing of job tasks, skills, wages, and additional sources of information.

• Vocational Information Center provides links to online resources for career exploration, and career related reference resources.  Site can be a little overwhelming and often links to other sites to provide needed information, however, links tend to be very useful. 

• The Creative Group  placement agency website has job titles and brief explanations for jobs in advertising and marketing; creative and production; public relations; and web design.

Individual Guidance

If you would like additional or individualized assistance to explore your careers options, please schedule an appointment to meet with a career counselor.