The Journey is the Goal!

 

It is such a privilege and thrill to work as a Counselor and Advisor at a university! Having a role that provides direct service to students allows me to see results on a regular basis. It’s really hard for students to figure out their journey in life. Don’t try to do it all on your own. At every university, there are student services and academic affairs professionals who are eager to help you along the way.

Start with making a commitment to yourself to give yourself the time and luxury to think about your career path. Now that you are a college student it’s the perfect time to reflect further and explore the road you are on. You do not need to have all the answers figured out yet. Don’t let the pressure of other people’s expectations affect your journey. Career development is a lifelong journey with many twists and turns along the way!

Explore and research the world of work. Conduct informational interviews with adults that work in the field you are considering and ask them the hard questions. People that work within the occupation are the ones who really know the nature of the job the best! To guide you with questions you could ask, find out “what they wish they would have known about the field of XYZ that they now know”. Examine and discuss the pros and cons of the occupation. Learn to explore the culture of various organizations. Most of us are happiest when the culture of the workplace is congruent with who we are and the skills that we want to use on an everyday basis.

Use some popular exploration tools such as the Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics available at http://www.bls.gov/ooh. Examine how the world of work is clustered so you are not overwhelmed by your exploration. Can you see the relationship between the similar occupations? Great, then you’re on the right track!

Another great tool and one of my favorites is the O*Net Online. Click the link to check it out at: http://www.onetonline.org/. The O*Net takes it one step further and helps you see the types of knowledge and skills that one needs for various occupations. Use this tool and compare it with your campus “Guide to Majors” that many career centers offer to help categorize and explain the majors and their requirements. This will give you a starting point for what types of majors you may want to consider.

Use your campus professionals and visit counselors and advisors to guide you through the process. They are eager to help you do some self-assessment to reveal your personality, interests, abilities, skills and values so you can select the best major to help you fulfill your goals and dreams! Most importantly, remember that the “journey is the goal”…Good luck and enjoy your journey!

Christine Harriger, M.Ed., M.C.D.P.