Singapore's graduates leap into work

As the job market becomes more competitive, MBA graduates need to "sell themselves," to clinch top jobs globally.

Michael Melcher, a New York partner with Next Step partners, who has conducted training workshops with a number of Ivy League universities, says focusing on soft skills can add value to a student's appeal.

"I've worked in a lot of top schools in the US and Europe, and most of the MBA students need a fair bit of work. Most of them have made huge investments, time and money to get a MBA degree. But most do not know how to market themselves," adds Mr Melcher.

"So we need to work on their soft skills, to help them tell their story to the employers in a convincing manner. At the end it doesn't matter whether you come from Asia or the US, you need to transcend your local levels, and be able to have a global impact."

This is especially true to the MBA students coming out of Singapore, who are a blend of local and foreign graduates. Even though the buoyant economy coupled with a tight labour market has brought about good employment opportunities, the universities admit it is important for their business schools to find quick job placements for their graduates. As a result a lot of resources are channeled into preparing students to be market-ready.

"MBA is an investment. The opportunity costs are high especially for full-time students who quit their jobs. They are looking for a return on investment (ROI), a career progression or a career switch. Thus, through the career services we equip them with soft skills to assist them," says Ms Tan from the NTU business school.

Ms Tay from NUS agrees: "It is who you are and not what school you come from that matters. What we do at the careers services is create an environment where we can prepare our students to be ready for the market. Whether the economic times are good or bad, every company wants the best candidate for the job. We give the students the grounding to articulate their abilities when they meet an employer."

Choosing a Major...

Introduction to Choosing A College Major

It all begins when you're growing up and people ask you “So what do you want to be when you grow up?”

As you enter college the inquiries shift to:

“What is your college major?”
“What do you plan to do with your college major when you graduate?”
“Just what are your career plans?”

You feel the pressure. You envy the friends that seem so career focussed. If you are an older individual who has been out of high school for some time, you may feel the added pressure of time constraints, as well as work and family responsibilities. You wonder why choice of a college major and comtemplations about career direction have been such a struggle for you. Are you alone in your struggles? The answer is a resounding ‘NO’. It is quite normal to be uncertain about the choice of an academic major and /or career direction at this time. College is a time of exploration and self-discovery. It is a time for opening new doors rather than prematurely closing them.

Remember also that declaration of a college major does not indicate that a step by step career plan of action is in place. Many students select a college major without first gathering information about their interests and options. Furthermore, a majority of college students change their major at least once during college and many change their majors several times. What about that friend of yours with the clear post graduation career vision? Well, according to the US Department of Labor the average college graduate changes jobs once every three years and changes career fields two or three times in their life time.

Feeling even more confused about the choice of a major and/or career direction? No need to be. There is a process that you can learn which will serve as a guide to you as you explore your options. Where do you begin with this process? Well, you can start by reviewing this entire majors section of the CDC homepage and then by scheduling an appointment with one of our career counselors as a follow up.

Try to keep the big picture in mind as you read on by remembering the following quote:

“ The fact that most individuals hold from five to fifteen different jobs or positions throughout the course of their career life further emphasizes that a career is not a point–in-time event but rather a lifelong process.”
Schlossberg, 1984

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Should I Choose a Liberal Arts Degree or a More "Occupation Specific" Degree?

Some people believe that for every occupation there is a specific corresponding academic degree that goes with it. While there are occupations that require specific academic majors for certification (i.e.- nursing and engineering), most do not. In addition, studies have shown that most graduates are working in career fields that are not directly related to their undergraduate program of study.

What might help here is to consider college majors as if they were falling along a continuum. At one end of the spectrum there are degree programs that are highly specialized in nature and which are providing specific knowledge skills pertinent to a given occupation (i.e.- nursing). At the opposite end of the spectrum there are the "purer" liberal arts degrees (i.e. Liberal Studies, English) which provide broad based and highly transferable skills. In the middle of the continuum lie degree options which are somewhat focussed in terms of specific knowledge acquired and yet are still quite transferable (i.e. business administration).

Taking the time during Freshman and Sophomore years to explore career options will help you in determining what educational plan is best suited to your needs. If you have some possible career fields of interest in mind, take the time to research corresponding entrance qualifications, including educational requirements, necessary skills, and hands on experiences. Consider the “majors continuum” and determine whether a more specialized body of knowledge and/or major is required for your interest area(s). If in doubt, schedule an appointment for career counseling here at the Career Development Center.

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The Value of a Liberal Arts Foundation

At the heart of a Rivier College education lies the liberal arts. Rivier offers a strong liberal arts core curriculum for all majors as well as a number of specific liberal arts degree program choices. A liberal arts foundation offers students a broad background in communication, critical thinking, and problem solving skills, as well as the ability to learn. These are highly transferable skills that employers value.

Some consider a liberal arts education as lacking value in today’s job market. This is not accurate. In the book, The Liberal Arts Advantage, author Gregory Giangrande reflects that stereotypical attitudes which devalue a liberal studies education may partially stem from the industrial and technological revolutions in our country's brief history. These events have prompted corporations to seek employees who possess more specialized skills. However, in response to increasing trends in global market competition, Giangrande states that, "corporations have become less hierarchical, and require employees who are generalists rather than specialists, who can cultivate the complex international relationships that will help them to compete internationally…who is better equipped than liberal arts majors - whose scope is the big picture, and whose sweep of study has trained them to understand and think critically about people, culture, and society, to step in and fill the void?"

Along with the marketplace changes noted above, an additional reality is that jobs do change over time. How work is performed in a given occupation today can differ greatly as compared to how it will be performed five years from now. A given occupation can even become obsolete due to all the technological changes that are taking place. As such, a liberal arts education offers broad-based skills that will not become obsolete with time. These skills provide the flexibility needed for dealing proactively with changing job functions.

Yes, a liberal arts education offers many benefits that extend beyond the added benefits of personal and cultural growth and awareness. At Rivier, “all” majors offer these benefits through our strong liberal arts core curriculum.

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Skills are Key/The Employers Perspective

Employers focus on abilities and skills as they seek out prospective employees because they want workers who can perform certain job functions and produce desired results. In our work with students and alumni here at Rivier, we have found there to be a great deal of confusion around the topic of skills. While your interests may point you in a direction towards choosing preferable industries and occupations, your skills dictate what you will actually be doing day in and day out on the job. Whatever the academic major, it is important to consider this topic of skills in preparation for the eventual post graduation transition. This is especially true of liberal arts majors. Consider the following two quotes:

“I’ve encountered too many liberal arts majors who wait until their senior year to begin thinking about career preparation, only to find they still need to develop a few skills essential for being competitive in the job market.”

Gregory Giangrande
The Liberal Arts Advantage

"If you’re a student majoring in political science but thinking about going into advertising, you can join some of these (advertising) organizations and acquire leadership roles over a period of years. You are really building your portfolio to make your case to an employer. You can say, “ I wanted to get this broad-based education, but I have some skills that you might be interested in that relate to this particular position."

Marcia Harris, Director of University
Career Services at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

So what “exactly” is meant by all this talk of building ones skills? Read on to get the scoop. Understanding skills is key to an effective future job search campaign!

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Types of Skills that Increase Your Employability

Human performance is made up of three different broadly categorized skills we call Functional, Specific Knowledge and Personal Trait.

Functional Skills are labeled as verbs and so they are reflective of actions. In addition, functional skills are competencies that relate to things, information (data and ideas) and people. Repairing things, analyzing data, and motivating people are all examples of functional skills. When you use functional skills alone, like those noted above, there is a vagueness about your skills and others might ask, “Repairing what?” or “Analyzing what data?” or “Whom do you motivate?” The remaining two types of skills answer these questions.

Specific Knowledge Skills are labeled as nouns, which help make functional skill information more specific by answering the questions “on what” or “with who” is the activity being performed. Examples of these skills might include: “Repairing an automobile engine” or “Analyzing computer hardware sales data” or “Motivating a group of professional athletes”. These competencies are not easily transferable, yet they enable an individual to perform a specific job function, therefore these skills are of tremendous interest to employers. Specific knowledge based skills are normally acquired through an advanced training program or on the job experience.

Personal Trait Skills are labeled as adverbs, which help make functional skills more specific by answering the question “How?” These skills reflect competencies that enable an individual to accept and adjust to one’s surroundings. The examples previously given can now be fine tuned, "Repairing an automobile engine precisely", or"Motivating a group of professional athletes enthusiastically", or “Analyzing computer hardware sales data intuitively”. Effective performance occurs when all three types of skills work smoothly together.

So, liberal arts skills (such as communication, critical thinking, and problem solving skills) are transferable. Purer liberal arts majors gain a solid grounding in these wonderful skills, but may have a much more difficult time with the post graduation transition to the world of work. Why is that? It is because they do not tend to take the time to consider industries and occupations of interest and to gain related Specific Knowledge Skills prior to graduation from college. In other words, they don’t always engage in the process of career planning. For “occupation specific" majors, Specific Knowledge Skills are built in to the major. Yet, even with these majors, specialty interest areas and market place trends need to be considered. Careful career planning and specialized skill development (including hands on related skills training) are key to confidently navigating that post-graduation transition.

So, the question to ask is not “What can I do with a major in ________?”

Instead, the questions from a career planning perspective would be .....
*What are the work settings and job functions that interest me?
*What can I do to explore and prepare for these options?
*What related course work and hands on experiences would be beneficial?

We sum up this section with one final quote, "Landing an entry–level job is not about gimmicks, games, and guerilla tactics. It’s about preparation, a positive attitude, initiative, and maturity. It‘s about understanding who you are, what you want and need, and what employers want and need".

Gregory Giangrande
The Liberal Arts Advantage

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Strategies for the College Major Selection Process

There is a step by step process that you can follow in selecting a college major. This process helps to ensure that you get the most out of your college education and it also greatly facilitates the post graduation transition. This process places you in the driver’s seat providing you with a clearer vision of where you want to head and your plan for getting there.

Decision Making Steps:

I. Identify the Decisions to Be Made:

This is done by stating the challenge or problem you’re faced with. You may consider your challenge to be choice of a college major, but looking at a broader perspective will help you clarify your options. Consider and try to answer the following questions and then identify the decision(s) to be made at this time.

• What are my dreams for my life (including my career) upon graduation?
• What would a future ideal work scenario consist of for me?
• Why am I attending college? (There can be more than one answer to this question).
• To prepare for a specific occupation or for general career advancement ?
• To find myself ?
• For the social opportunities?
• To gain a solid foundation for future graduate study ?
• Due to expectations/ pressures from family and /or significant others in my life ?
• Because my friends are ?
• Other ____________________________ ?
• Where do I want to head in my life /career and what classes and experiences can I pursue to help me explore and move in that proposed direction?
• What do I want my life’s work to be known for? What contributions can I offer through my work? What elements would need to exist for my work to be satisfying and meaningful?
• What conditions affect my decision situation?
• Internal Conditions (attitudes, feelings, beliefs, biases, etc.).
• External Conditions (finances, time, obligations, disabilities, opportunities, etc.).
• Which of these conditions are reality based and which are based on assumptions?

II. Gather Information About Yourself:

Self-assessment consists of examining your strengths, interests, values, enjoyable skills, and key personality traits. Engaging in the self-assessment process offers you direction in terms of determining future career plans and ultimately in selecting a college major to support your plans. Your interests, values and key personality traits help you determine work settings and industries of greatest interest to you. The skills you enjoy using most can help you determine preferred day to day work activities within a given work setting. Some questions you may want to consider when beginning the self-assessment process are:

Interests
? What activities absorb my attention?
? What situations energize me?
? What words would I use to describe myself?
? How would others describe me?
? What do I dream of doing, but never seem to get to?
? What subject areas am I most passionate about?

Skills
? What activities am I best at?
? What are my strengths and weaknesses?
? What skills do I want to use in a job?
? What skills do I need to develop?

Values
? What personal rewards do I seek in a career?
? In what ways must I be challenged on the job?
? What activities bring me greatest satisfaction?
? In what type of work environment would I be happy?

Personal Traits
? What personal qualities will help me be successful at work?
? Am I able to get along with supervisors? Co-workers? The public?
? Does my personal style enhance my work with people, data or things?

At the CDC, we offer you a variety of self assessment activity options including interest inventories and card sort exercises to name a few. For information on self-assessment, or to get started with some online self-assessment activities, click on Self-Assessment. If you have an interest in going through the self-assessment process, contact us at 603-897-8246 and schedule an appointment with one of our career counselors.

III. Brainstorming Options of Interest:

Upon completion of the self-assessment process, you will have the tools to help you brainstorm potential industries and occupations of interest based on your personality profile. At this point, your focus shifts from internal to external information gathering so that you can learn more about options in line with your self-assessment results. Your goal is not to prematurely select only one occupation to pursue, but rather to look for patterns in your work interests. Given your unique personality characteristics, you will notice a pattern in terms of the “cluster” of work and educational options that interest you most. For example, you might find that you’re drawn towards social service, physical science or administrative work options.

With a CDC career counselor to guide you, you will learn about what kind of information to gather and how to obtain it. For more information on a variety of occupations and the world of work, click on Career Exploration. To explore career planning options for each of the undergraduate majors offered at Rivier, refer to the pull down menu after you click on Major Options. Once again, schedule an appointment with a career counselor for more thorough assistance.

To help you in making a choice regarding an academic major, you will want to learn about educational and experiential entrance requirements for occupation(s) of interest. Through this exploration process, you will determine whether a specific major is required for each of your top interest options or whether there is greater flexibility in the choice of a major.

IV. Evaluate an option:

At this point in the process you would make a list of the different major options that are of interest to you. Next, consider the following questions in relation to your options:

• Do I enjoy or do I think I will enjoy the subject matter in this discipline?
• Do I think I can perform well in this discipline?
• If I have interest in more than one major can I take classes in more than one discipline and leave my options open?
• How do I relate to other students and faculty in this discipline?
• How does this major relate to my self-assessment results?
• How does this major relate to occupations and industries of interest?
• Is an internship required or offered in this program? If not, what hands on experiences can I pursue to give me the Specific Knowledge Skills needed for post graduation employment? (These could include service learning, volunteer experiences and/or part-time employment or a self-obtained internship).
• Will this major serve as a stepping stone to graduate study that interests me?
• What do I “think” about each major option? How do I “feel” about each major option?
• Are there any other pros or cons related to each option?

V. Decide on an option:

In some instances, the choice of major will become clear especially when you have a career interest requiring a specific college degree. In other instances you might decide to go the non-declared route while you continue to explore available alternatives. You might realize that a double major or a specific major/minor combination would be the answer. If you find yourself continuing to struggle even after considering the questions in step IV, ask yourself, "What is keeping me from pursuing my top option right now?" Seek support from faculty, academic advisors and from our CDC staff. Finally, it’s time to choose and take responsibility for a choice.

VI. Design a Course of Action to Implement the Decision:

• What goals and objectives do I want to create for the direction I have chosen?
• What courses will I take?
• What topics will I research?
• What Functional, Specific Knowledge, and Personal Trait Skills do I need to develop?
• What experiential activities will I pursue?

VII. Implement the Decision:

• How will I carry out my career plans?
• What specific steps will I take and when will I take them?
• Who or what resources can I call upon to support me in my efforts?
• How will I hold myself accountable and how will I reward myself for following through on my plans?

VIII. Evaluate the Decision on the Basis of the Outcome:

• How well is my decision working?
• What can I do to make it better?
• What new decisions am I now in a position to make?
• What fits and what doesn’t fit at this point?
• Review prior self-assessment activities for clues if something doesn’t seem to be working for you.

CONCLUSIONS:

The main point to remember here is that you don’t have to jump from one choice of academic major to another without rhyme or reason. There is a process available to guide you and there are Rivier College staff and faculty available to support you in selecting a college major along the way. Above all, it’s important for you to be informed about your options, to reality test those options and to take the time to prepare for your top options. The following quote sums it all up. It reflects the message that employers love to hear from Liberal Arts majors, as well as all other disciplines; that is, that you have done your homework, you are informed, and you are prepared to enter their industry and organization.

“I’m a recent liberal arts graduate, and I am prepared for a career in this field. I‘m intelligent, mature, eager and have a positive attitude. I’ve researched this industry and your company, and I know what to expect in an entry level position".

Gregory Giangrande
The Liberal Arts Advantage

Good luck and feel free to stop by or give us a call. We welcome the opportunity to support you through the career planning process!!!

career quotation

It's not necessarily about what career you pick. It's about how you do what you do.

Cory Doctorow, Someone Comes To Town, Someone Leaves Town, 2005
American science fiction writer

"The key to a happy and fulfilling future is knowing yourself. This self-knowledge is the most important component of finding the right career" Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color Is Your Parachute (ISBN 1-58008-615-2).

"You can define the word 'career' in two ways - as a noun or as a verb. I recommend pursuing your career as a noun." Rowan Manahan, author of Where's My Oasis (ISBN 0-09-189998-2)

Very few of the great leaders ever get through their careers without failing, sometimes dramatically.

Philip Crosby, Reflections on Quality

The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.

Ben Stein

College Majors

The following are examples of the typical majors you might find at a comprehensive college or university.

Be sure to read our article, Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path.

So, what can you major in? You actually might find a lot more -- specialized and emerging majors -- so be sure to check your college's catalog or guide for a complete listing of majors, minors, and specialized degrees.

Business: Accounting, Advertising, Business Economics, E-commerce, Finance, Hospital and Health Care Administration, Hospitality Management, International Business, Management, Marketing, Operations Management, Real Estate

Computer Science: Database Management, Digital Arts, Networking, Programming, Software Development, Systems

Engineering: Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Nuclear Engineering, Petroleum Engineering

Humanities: Art, Communications, Counseling, Education, English, Foreign Languages (Italian, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, others), Literature, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Speech, Theatre

Music: Instrumental Performance, Music Education, Vocal Performance

Sciences: Astronomy, Astrophysics. Biology, Biochemistry, Botany, Chemistry, Earth Science, Forestry, Genetics, Geology, Mathematics, Physics, Zoology

Social Sciences: American Studies, Economics, Geography, History, Latin American Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology

Choosing a College Major: How to Chart Your Ideal Path

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

The most important piece of advice in this article follows this sentence, so please make note of it and repeat it to yourself as often as you need as you read this article and make decisions regarding choosing a major in college. Are you ready for it? The advice: Don't panic.

I know it's easier said than done, but I can't tell you how many students I have advised since the time that I have been a professor that seem in a state of panic if they are uncertain of their major, let alone a career. Choosing a major, thinking about a career, getting an education -– these are the things college is all about. Yes, there are some students who arrive on campus and know exactly their major and career ambitions, but the majority of students do not, thus there is no need to rush into a decision about your major as soon as you step on campus.

And guess what? A majority of students in all colleges and universities change their major at least once in their college careers; and many change their major several times over the course of their college career.

This article is all about giving you some pointers and direction -- some steps for you to take -- in your journey toward discovering that ideal career path for you. But it is a journey, so make sure you spend some time thinking about it before making a decision. And don't be discouraged if you still don't have a major the first time you take this journey...your goal should be narrowing your focus from all possible majors to a few areas that you can then explore in greater depth.

Please also keep in mind that many schools have double majors, some triple majors, and most minors as well as majors. Way back when I was an undergraduate at Syracuse University, I was a dual major in marketing and magazine journalism. Today I am a college professor and Webmaster of a top career resources Website...which brings me to the last piece of general advice before you begin your journey: your major in college is important for your first job after graduation, but studies show that most people will change careers -- yes, careers -- about four or five times over the course of their lives -– and no major exists that can prepare you for that!

The first stop on your journey should be an examination or self-assessment of your interests. What types of things excite you? What types of jobs or careers appeal to you? If you are not sure, start the process at Quintessential Careers: Career Assessment. Also, many, if not all, college career centers have a variety of self-tests you can take to help you answer some of these questions.

The second stop on your journey is an examination of your abilities. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What kind of skills do you have? You can begin this self-examination by looking at the courses you took in high school. What were your best subjects? Is there a pattern there? What kinds of extracurricular activities did you participate in while in high school? What kinds of things did you learn from part-time or summer jobs? While you can only do part of it now, you may want to skim through our article, Using a SWOT Analysis in Your Career Planning.

The third stop on your journey involves examining what you value in work. Examples of values include: helping society, working under pressure, group affiliation, stability, security, status, pacing, working alone or with groups, having a positive impact on others, and many others. Again, a visit to your college's career center should help. You can also check out our Workplace Values Assessment for Job-Seekers, which examines what you value in your job, your career, and your work.

The fourth stop on your journey is career exploration. The University of California at Berkeley offers Career Exploration Links – Occupations, which allows you to explore a general list of occupations or search for a specific occupation and provides links to resources that give you lots of information about the occupation(s) you choose. There are many schools that offer similar "what can I do with a major in…?" fact sheets or Websites, but one of my favorites is at Ashland University. You can also learn more about various occupations, including future trends, by searching the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. You can find all these resources -- and more -- at Quintessential Careers: Career Exploration Tools.

The fifth stop on your journey is the reality check. You need to honestly evaluate your options. Do you really value physicians and have an interest in being a doctor, but have little skills in science? Does your occupation require an advanced degree, but your future commitments preclude graduate study? Do you have a strong interest in the arts, but your family is convinced you will become a CPA like your father? There are often ways to get around some of the obstacles during the reality check, but it is still important to face these obstacles and be realistic about whether you can get around them.

The sixth and final stop on your journey is the task of narrowing your choices and focusing on choosing a major. Based on all your research and self-assessment of the first five stops on your journey, you should now have a better idea of the careers/majors you are not interested in pursuing as well as a handful of potential careers/majors that do interest you. What are the typical majors found at a comprehensive university? Visit Quintessential Careers: College Majors for a listing of the typical college majors.

What are some other resources for helping you get more information about a major and/or a career?

Take advantage of:

• Your college's course catalog -– you'll be amazed at the wealth of information you can find here…from required courses to specialized majors and tracks.
  
• Your professors, including your academic adviser -– talk with your professors, whether you have taken a class with them or not…many of them have worked in the field in which they teach and all are experts about careers and career opportunities.
  
• Your classmates, especially upperclassmen -– these are the folk who are deep into their major, perhaps already having had an internship or gone through job interviews...use them as a resource to gather more information.
  
• Your college's alumni -– unless your college was just founded, your school probably has a deep and varied group of alums, many of whom like to talk with current students…so use them as a resource to gather more information about careers.
  
• Your family and friends -– there's a wealth of information right at your fingertips. Next time you go home or call home, ask your family about majors and careers.
  
• Your college's career center -– almost always under-appreciated, these folk have such a wealth of information at their fingertips that it is a shame more students don't take advantage of them…and not just in your senior year –- start visiting in your first year because most have resources for choosing a major and a career, as well as internship and job placement information. Read more about this option by reading our article, It’s Never Too Early -- or Too Late -- to Visit Your College Career Office.

There are also a number of books that you may find useful, including:

How to Choose a College Major, by Linda Landis Andrews (VGM Career Horizons).
The College Board Guide to 150 Popular College Majors , by Renee Gernand (College Entrance Examination Board).
The College Majors Handbook: The Actual Jobs, Earnings, and Trends for Graduates of 60 College Majors, by Paul E. Harrington and Thomas F. Harrington (Jist Works).
Major Decisions: A Guide to College Majors , Richard A. Blumenthal and Joseph A. Despres (Wintergreen/Orchard House).
Major in Success: Make College Easier, Beat the System, and Get a Very Cool Job , Patrick Combs (Ten Speed Press).

It's Never Too Early -- or Too Late -- to Visit Your College Career Office

by Mary Keen Krikorian

Deciding on a major. . . Locating an internship. . . Writing resumes and cover letters . . . Preparing for interviews. . . Applying to graduate schools. . . Researching companies and employers. . . Networking with professionals. . . Planning your future. . .

Is it possible that you could find just one place where trained professionals would assist you with all of the above-for free?? The answer is yes. These are all services offered by the career office at your college or university. Often called the career development office, career planning services, or a similar title, your college's career center is a place you will want to locate within your first semester on campus. One of the most frequent comments from seniors acquainting themselves with their college's career services for the first time is, "I had no idea there was a place like this on campus! I wish I'd come here sooner!"

Let's explore, then, some reasons a first- or second-year student would venture into an office called "Career Services," which certainly sounds like a place seniors would go to find out about opportunities available after graduation. First of all, many students come to campus undecided about what subject to choose as a major; even if they have declared something on paper, some room for doubt still exists in their minds as to whether the subject they have chosen is truly the "right" one for them. Other students may enter college thinking they are sure about the major and career path they will follow, only to change their minds when they delve more in depth into the subject area or when they are exposed to options they never knew existed. For example, few students come to college with the intention of becoming a forensic psychologist, a cultural anthropologist, or a technical illustrator. It is often after learning about the wide variety of career fields available that students are ready to make a more informed decision about the career path they will take.

However, increased information about options can lead to confusion and indecision. More choices?? Yikes! How is a student to choose the right path? This situation presents a great opportunity to make an appointment to discuss options with a career counselor, a professional who is trained to guide you in exploring your interests, strengths, likes and dislikes, as well as your values related to the world of work. There are even career inventories that will enable you to look at these areas in greater depth, including some wonderful computer assessment tools. But beware of taking these inventories to find “the answer” to your questions about careers and majors. Self-assessment is meant to be just that-a look inside yourself, and an opportunity to take stock of your interests and values in a new way. A career counselor will not give you a "test" that will tell you what to major in or what your future job should be. But the counselor can ask some pointed questions and lead you to valuable information that will assist you in finding your own answers to important career questions. Many colleges also offer classes or workshops to investigate career and major decisions; check with your career center to see what is available in this area.

Other opportunities that may be available to first- and second-year students through the career center include informational interviewing, job shadowing, or other experience-based programs. Informational interviewing involves locating professionals in an area of career interest and asking questions related to various aspects of their jobs. In a job shadow experience, you make arrangements to observe and interact with a professional in a field of interest for a specified amount of time. Your career center can provide you with a list of potential questions to ask, as well as help connect you with alumni, local professionals, or others who have volunteered for these excellent networking opportunities.

During sophomore or junior year, when you have decided on a major and have taken some of the fundamental courses in that area, you may want to take advantage of another excellent experiential opportunity available through many college career centers: an internship. During internships, students work for a specified period of time (usually a summer or an academic semester) at a site in which they have a strong career interest. Internships provide a wonderful way to explore a career field, apply classroom knowledge, and start to network within a chosen profession. Your career office may have an established internship program, or can at least lead you to some of the excellent resources available for locating these opportunities. Similarly, some colleges and universities offer co-op programs, which provide an in-depth look into a business or industry within in a chosen field.

Before applying for most jobs or internships, students generally need to create a resume, which reflects your academic, work, and co-curricular experiences to-date. "An awesome resume can play a very important part in your job search," notes Kristine Vidic, director of internships at Bentley College. "It can make the difference in getting a competitive internship when you are a sophomore or junior or a job after graduation. Your resume represents you when you can't be there; it helps employers know what to talk about with you during interviews." Your career office can provide you with much needed resume advice including formatting tips, assistance with proofreading, sample resumes, and insight into what employers look for when reviewing resumes. The same assistance is available for writing cover letters, or letters of application, which often accompany your resume.

Once you have made some progress in terms of career decision-making and have gained some experience and insight into potential career fields, services pertaining to life after college become important. One such service commonly available through most college career centers is on-campus recruiting, in which recruiters from various companies come to campus looking to interview and possibly hire new grads. This process can take place either through individually scheduled interviews or through career fairs, in which a number of employers send representatives to a college. Speaking with someone at your career office before attending one of these events can be extremely beneficial -- and may be required in the case of scheduling individual interviews.

Other career services commonly offered to seniors include assistance with job searching, mock interviews, graduate school information sessions or individual assistance, and establishing and maintaining credential files. With the increased use of technology by many recruiters, it is a tremendous asset to have someone who can help you navigate the various websites and databases designed for job seekers. Mock interviews are a wonderful way to strengthen your skills (and improve upon your weaknesses) before you experience the "real thing," you will receive some suggestions regarding your interviewing style and, since many career offices videotape mock interviews, you may even get the chance to critique your own performance. As many students will go on to further their education before entering the world of work, learning more about the process of searching and applying to graduate and professional schools is another valuable service provided by career offices.

Many college career offices continue to offer services to students even after graduation. Services to alumni may include access to job postings, resume assistance, and career counseling. Many schools also have "reciprocal agreements" with other colleges, so that if you relocate you are able to use the career services at a college in your area. The services provided by career offices are generally free to students because they are already covered by the fees students pay. Thus, the career office may charge a nominal fee to alumni or students from other universities, but the fee should be significantly less than a private career counselor would charge. Check with the career office at your institution for policies and any fees related to alumni services and reciprocal agreements.

As you can see from the broad range of services listed above, the earlier you establish a relationship with your career center and its staff, the better. There is a reason that the terms "career development" and "career planning" are so often used by career counselors; finding the major and career choices that are the best "fit" for you is not an overnight process, or a decision that can be arrived at after a half-hour appointment with a career counselor. The career decision-making process is just that; something that takes place over time, and often takes a great deal of thought and effort. The role of a career counselor is not to find the right job for you, make all of the necessary contacts, and place you in a position after graduation. An effective career counselor rather will guide you along the way, through self-assessment as well as some exploration into the world of work, and assist you in finding the appropriate tools, resources, and sets of experiences that will maximize your ability to find a meaningful and satisfying career. The skills you develop will also serve you well when you are ready to change positions or consider other career options.

With that said, career office staff members readily acknowledge that many students do not take advantage of their services until the 11th hour. Cathy Purcell, career counselor at the State University of New York at Oneonta, speaks for many career professionals when she says, "Although we encourage students to come in early in their college career, it is never too late to get some help. We have helped many students find some direction the week before graduation! We also can help alumni, both recent graduates and older alumni. It is very common for a student about to graduate to have no clear direction. That is something we can assist students with."

The choices you make and experiences in which you take part now will have a great impact on the options open to you after graduation. It would be impossible to mention all of the services available through your career center in one article, so stop by today to see what your school has to offer. The staff at your career center will be more than happy to assist you in any way they can; once you become a "familiar face" at your career center, you may be the first person who comes to mind when a great opportunity comes along! Albert Schweitzer said, "Success is the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." Let the staff at your college career center provide you with information and assistance to plan for a career at which you will be both happy and successful!

The Top 10 Steps for Choosing a Career

Career choices may well be more difficult today than at any time in history, for three reasons: there is infinitely more to choose from; career definitions are more fluid and changing; and the levels of expectation are rising. Most men and women entering the workforce today can expect to change careers three or more times during their working lives. Here are ten steps that will help ensure that your choices are good ones.

1. Begin with your values.

What's really important to you? What turns you on? What do you like to do so much that you would almost feel guilty getting paid to do it? These questions are designed to help you get at one of the key elements in career choice: values. Your values are the emotional anchor of all that you do. Satisfying careers are built upon the notion of a high correspondence between one's personal values and the work they will be doing. Begin your career search by sorting out your values and writing them down as clearly and succinctly as you can.

2. Identify your skills and talents.

A skill is something you've learned to do. A talent is something you've been born with, or at least that you seem naturally qualified to do. It's important to recognize the difference between the two. You may be skilled at something and still not find it interesting. Chances are, however, if you are naturally talented at something, there will be a correspondence between that particular talent and your values. Put another way: you are more apt to enjoy doing what you do well naturally than what you have simply been taught to do.

3. Identify your preferences.

From early on, we approach the world with certain personal preferences--how we perceive others, how we think and make decisions, whether we prefer concepts over people or vice versa, and the extent to which we are comfortable with uncertainty in our lives. For many, these preferences operate at a subconscious level, but they strongly influence the way we function with others. Some questions may help: Do you regard yourself as highly intuitive? Are you outgoing or reserved? When faced with a decision, do you rely primarily on facts or feelings? Your answers to these questions can tell you much about the kinds of work you will find interesting and challenging. One way of sorting this all out is by taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator a self-assessing instrument that helps clarify these issues. If you haven't taken it in the past year, or at all, I strongly recommend that you take it and include your results in your career deliberations.

4. Experiment.

There's no substitute for experience, the more the better. It's probably safe to say that nearly every career looks vastly different from the outside than from within. If you're new to the job market or if you are considering a career change, get out and talk to people who are actually doing it. Take a job in the field or industry and see for yourself if it's really all you thought it would be. And don't rely on a single authority or work experience. Within the bounds of the area you've picked, try to get as much and as varied experience as you can. If you're committed to finding out about a certain career, you may want to consider volunteering in order to gain work experience. That way, you'll be able to test out whether it fits your values and preferences. If you aren't getting paid to do it, chances are you won't stay with it unless you like it.

5. Become broadly literate.

In this high tech information world, there is an incredible pressure to specialize, to know more and more about less and less. That's dangerous, because it increases your chances of being obsolescent immensely. Many people lose their jobs and scuttle their careers because they have gradually developed tunnel vision about who and what they are and what their capabilities are. The old debate over specialist versus generalist is being tempered by a new term: the generalist/specialist. That's the individual who has been able to grasp the large picture while, at the same time, becoming expert on several of its parts. That's what becoming broadly literate is all about. Learn as much as you can about what interests you and about the jobs and careers your're considering--not just what those involved are currently doing, but about where the industry or profession is heading.

6. In your first job, opt for experience first, money second.

If you're at the top of your class graduating summa cum laude, you may be able to combine both in a single package, but for most new entrants into the workforce, it's a matter of priorities. A good way of sizing up several opportunities is to ask yourself: "Which position will offer me the best chance of becoming excellent at what I do?" And that may not be the one that pays the highest initial salary.

7. Aim for a job in which you can become 110% committed.

Modest decication and average performance are unacceptable today. The problem is, with downsizing becoming fully acceptable you aren't likely to discover the truth of that statement until you're out of a job! So, how to protect yourself? If you aren't able to commit 110% to what you are currently doing, start NOW to find something in which you can.

8. Build your lifestyle around your income, not your expectations.

Recruiters are famous for courting desirable applicants with promises such as: "Why, in two years, you could be making X thousands of dollars". The problem is that many new entrants into the job force buy into this line and begin living as though they were making the kind of money promised in two years. A better way is to begin, right with your first job, to structure your lifestyle in such a manner that you can put away ten percent of every paycheck. Starting early and investing regularly and wisely are probably two of the greatest secrets of wealth accumulation.

9. Invest five percent of your time, energy, and money into furthering your career.

In terms of a forty-hour week, that's only two hours per week. The point is, you cannot rely on your employer to spoon feed you. Employers today are oriented towards immediate returns on their dollar. They will invest in you only when they can see an immediate or relatively quick expensive benefit, or when they see extraordinary potential. Better to not count on either. Dedicate yourself to getting ahead by keeping ahead, and you do that be controlling the one thing you can control: your dedication to being the best that you can be.

10. Be willing to change and adapt.

If you re-read the preceding steps in this list, you'll note an absence (refreshing, I hope) of emphasis upon goal-setting and a substitution instead, of words like "values", "skills", "talents", and "preferences". It's not that goals aren't useful, but rather that they should emerge naturally from these other factors and, even though you may write them down and paste them on your mirror, they should not obscure the need to be willing to change and adapt to new conditions, your own growth, and developing opportunities. The distinction here is between "direction" and "plan". An ant has a direction, but not a plan. The ant knows where it wants to go and is willing to turn around, back up, and change course in order to get there. But the ant hasn't written it down, posted it on a bulletin board, or gained concurrence from all the other ants. The ant just knows, with absolute certainty, the general direction in which it's heading and that it WILL get there. That's what modern day career direction is all about.