Career Decision Making

Unsure of what you want to do or thinking about a career change?

In thinking about making a career decision or a career change, sometimes knowing where to start can be particularly challenging and overwhelming. As such, it can be helpful to work with a professional to assess your personal qualities, evaluate occupational research you have collected, gather suggestions about additional resources, and help guide you through the decision-making process. If you want to get started right away, complete FOCUS-2 and evaluate your personal qualities and explore career options that are most compatible with your personality, interests and skills.

Steps to help you get started:

• Review the Career Center's Career Decision Making Resource Packet
• Complete FOCUS-2 or call the Career Center to discuss further assessment opportunities. Assessment can be useful in helping an individual to evaluate his/her options based on personal qualities, skills and values. Assessment can provide an individual with options he/she might not have previously considered or about which he/she might not have been aware.
• Develop a list of assessment results and research these results. Through research, eliminate certain suggestions based on criteria you develop with the help of a career professional.
• Use Career Center resources to research what you can do with your major and explore professional organizations and other job search resources.
• After you have completed some research, conduct an informational interview.
  • Use LinkedIn to identify other Temple alumni with whom you can conduct an informational interview.
  • Talk to former faculty members for referrals regarding informational interview contacts.
• Volunteer in your potential industry of interest or with an organization that can use help in relation to your area of expertise.