The Career Exploration Process
- Page ID
- 152221
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The United States Department of Labor defines 867 occupations in its Standard Occupational Classification system, and new occupations are being created at an ever-faster rate. In addition, O*NET, a searchable database sponsored by the Department of Labor, lists 1,016 occupational titles.
The process of career exploration can be a lot of fun because you are able to discover a world of possibilities. Even those students who have a pretty clear idea of what they want to do should go through this process because they will discover new options as backups and occasionally a new direction even more attractive than their original choice. The career exploration process involves the five questions listed below. This text and course are structured around these five questions, and you will work through each question as you progress through the chapters.
The Career Exploration Process:
- Part 1: Who Am I?
- Part 2: What’s Out There?
- Part 3: What Factors Might Affect My Choices?
- Part 4: Where Do I Go From Here?
- Part 5: What Have I Learned Through This Process?
On your journey, as you work through each part of the text, there are rest stops after each part that encourage you to reflect on what you have learned throughout the previous chapters in that part of the text. Part five rest- stop is a comprehensive reflection of your personal career exploration journey throughout the course.
There are many different career development theories and there is not one right way to make a decision. You can interview a dozen people who have found success and none of their career paths will be the same. A great place to start is to engage in the career exploration process. It focuses on you gaining a greater understanding of yourself and the world of work. While you cannot always plan for opportunities, you can create happenstance by taking purposeful actions that keeps you moving forward and increases your chances for unplanned events that can lead to good careers.
When getting started in the Career Exploration Process the first question you have to ask yourself is why am I doing this. Making a career decision can be challenging for various reasons:
- You may not know enough about yourself which is the purpose of part 1, finding out more about who you are.
- You may not know enough about what careers are out there. We are limited in our career decision-making to careers we know about, which is the purpose of part 2, learning more about what is out there.
- You may be overwhelmed by the decision because you see it as a life decision. Remember that decision-making is a lifelong process and you are only making a decision about your next career not your only career.
Part 1: Who Am I?
This part involves getting to know who you are. Understanding who you really are—is an important step of career exploration. We will explore many different career assessments, and you will have the opportunity in class to take several assessments that allow you to learn more about your values, personality preferences, interests, skills, and abilities. Each assessment will help you gain a better understanding of yourself and allow you to identify your career priorities. You will use your career priorities to evaluate the careers you will be researching in Part 2 of this OER.
Part 2: What’s Out There?
Part 2 involves doing career research. Once you have taken time to research yourself and gain a stronger understanding of who you are, you can begin to explore what types of careers might be best suited to you. This phase involves online research, talking to professionals in the field and gaining hands-on exposure through volunteer work, internship experience and networking. This phase also includes researching industry expectations and understanding minimum qualifications for employment. The more information you gather and the more you learn about the world of work, the better you will be able to make well-informed decisions about your future career.
Part 3: What Factors Might Affect My Choices?
In Part 3, you will take time to explore factors that may affect your choice and start making some decisions. You will need to use your creative and critical thinking skills to come up with alternative “correct” answers to factors that may present obstacles to pursuing the most rewarding career.
- Timing: How much time must I invest before I actually start making money in this career? Will I need to spend additional time in school? Is there a certification process that requires a specific amount of experience? If so, can I afford to wait?
- Finances: Will this career provide me with the kind of income I need in the short term and the security I’ll want in the longer term? What investment will I need to make to be successful in this field (education, tools, franchise fees, etc.)?
- Location: Does this career require me to relocate? Is the ideal location for this career somewhere I would like to live? Is it somewhere my family would like to live?
- Family/personal: How will this career affect my personal and family life? Do friends and family members who know me well feel strongly (for or against) about this career choice? How important is their input?
Taking time to research these factors will help you with the decision-making process and allow you to plan and prepare for your future. We will discuss the decision-making process in detail along with internal and external factors that influence decision-making.
You will also be introduced to the educational planning process. You will read about the academic programs available at HACC and gain a good understanding of what program you'd like to pursue while developing your educational plan.
Part 4: Where Do I Go From Here?
Thinking about life after school may seem odd at this point if you are just getting started. You will be making decisions about your future soon, however, and regardless of the direction you may choose, there is a lot you can do while still in college. You will need to focus your studies by choosing a major. You should find opportunities to explore the careers that interest you. You can ensure that you are building the right kind of experience on which to base a successful career. These steps will make your dreams come to life and make them achievable.
Part 5: What Have I Learned Through This Process?
Keep in mind that deciding on and pursuing a career is an ongoing process. The more you learn about yourself and the career options that best suit you, the more you will need to fine-tune your career plan. Do not be afraid to consider new ideas. Keep an open mind, apply careful consideration as you narrow down your choices, and solidify your career plan. Career planning is exciting: learning about yourself and about career opportunities, and considering the factors that can affect your decision, should be a core part of your thoughts while in college.
References, Resources and Works Cited
Priester, Thomas. (2015). Foundations of College Success: Words of Wisdom. Open SUNY Textbooks. Foundations of College Success by Thomas Priester [textbooks.opensuny.org]
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021, August 31). Number of jobs, labor market experience, marital status, and health: results from a national longitudinal survey. NUMBER OF JOBS, LABOR MARKET EXPERIENCE, MARITAL STATUS, AND HEALTH: RESULTS FROM A NATIONAL LONGITUDINAL SURVEY (bls.gov)
United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2016, August 5). U.S. Department of Labor: Standard Occupational Classification. Bureau of Labor Statistics SOC [www.bls.gov]