| Students
Home
Career
Development
Career Plan of Action
Getting Experience
Making connections
Campus Recruiting
Job Fairs
Alumni On Campus
Job Search Checklist
Graduate Studies
Employers
Hiring
La Salle Students
Experiential Education
On
Post a Job
Job Fairs
EXplorenet
Partnership Program
Map and Directions
Alumni
Alumni Services
Alumni On Campus
|
Career
Plan of Action
Self-Assessment
Assess your interests, values, skills or abilities, and experiences.
The best career for you will involve a combination of these elements.
Start by taking an assessment test. The the Career Services Center recommends
the use of DISCOVER, a computer-assisted career guidance tool. DISCOVER
is accessible via the web. Visit or call the Career Services Center to receive
a personal login ID. Once you have complete DISCOVER, schedule an
appointment with a counselor to discuss and evaluate your results
and prepare for the next step. Additionally, we offer the Self-Directed
Search, which is a short, paper & pencil assessment exercise.
Investigate Career Options
Once you have completed the self-assessment, develop a list of potential
careers, occupations, or industries that match your profile or interest
you. DISCOVER has information on hundreds of occupational titles and
nearly all graduate schools in the US. The Occupational Outlook Handbook
provides descriptions of job titles and potential career paths. Assess
the information you gather, discuss it with your counselor, and decide
if you are still interested in pursuing those particular careers
In a word, research, research, research
Still interested?
Start talking! By that we mean network with people who are actually
working in your area of interest. The only way you can figure out
if a career is really for you is to find out about the reality of
the industry. The Alumni On Campus program helps you connect with
La Salle alumni who are working in your area of interest.
Test reality even further…Get experience
In the Career Services Center we call it Experiential Education
-Get as much practical work experience as you can. If you know that
you are interested in pursuing a career in finance or publishing,
start your summer job search in January and pursue employers of interest.
If you are unsure of your eventual career direction, look for work
that will help you develop skills that can be used in many areas.
For example, a summer position as a telephone interviewer will help
you demonstrate to potential employers that you have good communication
skills; a position as a bank teller demonstrates accuracy, attention
to detail and the ability to handle responsibility.
-Consider taking a co-op or internship. Not only do these opportunities
often develop into full-time positions, but they really impress potential
employers who see them as a more intensive work experience because
you are earning credit as well as gaining experience.
-Get involved in extracurricular activities. They really add depth
to your resume. For example, if you are Vice President of the Marketing
Association you are showing that you have leadership qualities necessary
for success in management; if you are a Communication major who writes
for campus publications you can use this to impress newspaper editors
with your capabilities.
- Volunteer whenever possible. It is sometimes difficult to find paid
employment in your chosen field. Volunteer your time. This way you
not only get experience, you also generally receive good recommendations.
Some final thoughts:
Get the perspectives of your academic advisors and other faculty.
Balance your course selections - business majors should talk humanities
courses, especially those that require you to write and speak; liberal
arts & science majors should take electives that will provide
a practical background for the work world.
Continue to develop and enhance your technical skills.
|
