Unlocking the Career
Mystery:
The What, How, and Why of
Career Choice
WHAT IS MYSTERIOUS ABOUT
CAREER CHOICE?
THE ONLY REAL MYSTERY
IS DISCOVERING
WHO YOU ARE!
CAREER MYTHS
MYTH:I have to choose a major/career and I cannot
change my mind.
TRUTH: Statistics tell us students will change majors
3-7 times over their college career.
MYTH: When I choose a career it will be the one I am in
for my most of my life.
TRUTH: Those days are over. For most people, the
economy, changing technology, and personal
choices will necessitate a change of career, at least
once, during one’s lifetime.
“BIG MYTH”
My counselor, parent, sister, brother,
husband, wife, friend can tell me the best
major/career for me.
TRUTH: Only YOU can choose the best
fit major/career for you! And you can
do this, by “KNOWING YOURSELF”.
Step 1 to Knowing Yourself
Gather information
about self through:
Personality - Myers-Briggs
Type Indicator (MBTI)
Interests – Strong Interest
Inventory, Self-Directed
Search (SDS)
Values clarification
CHOICES or DISCOVER
Step 2
Gather
information about
major/career that
matches your
personality,
interests, values.
Use the resources
available in the
Career Resource
Center
Step 3
Make a decision
to create a plan to
obtain the career
you want.
Select a major
Determine Prerequisites
Get an Educational Plan
from Counseling &
Educational Planning
Department (CEPD)
Why is making a
major/career choice
important?
Importance of Picking a Major
establishes motivation
saves you time & money
Makes goal-setting and achieving
your goals easier
DALE PARNELL
“if there is no goal, there is no
motivation. If there is no
motivation, there is no
persistence.”
How Do We Get Motivated?
• In order to have motivation, one must
have meaning in their life.
• In order to have meaning in one’s life,
one must have a goal.
Steps to Motivation
Goal (Major/Career)
Meaning of Life
Motivation
Meaning of Life
“He who has a why to live can bear
with almost any how.”
- Nietzsche
When there is nothing on top
of the mountain-
-climbing to the top can
be difficult and
uninspiring.
When there is something on top of
the mountain- a home, car, money
and love-
climbing to the top can be
rewarding and fulfilling.
It takes 6 months to a year to make a
career decision.
The exercise that follows is a way to begin the
career decision-making process using values as a
basis for selecting a major. The best career
decision will utilize information about your
personality, interests, and values.
PICK A MAJOR
EXERCISE
Values Clarification
From the list of values, select five which
you feel are the most important.
Rate the selected five values from most
important to least important.
Keep this list handy when selecting a
career to go with your major.
“PICK A MAJOR”
From the list of majors, cross out any
major you know you definitely do not want
to take.
Do this until you have at least three to five
remaining.
Rank the remaining majors from most
important to least important.
Identify Majors for Research
For your top four majors, list several
career options.
Use the “Major & Career” sheet from your
packet.
For further research refer to the resource
list also included in packet.
Once you have selected a Major
Make an appointment with a counselor or
advisor in the Counseling and Educational
Planning Office (407-328-2337) to:
Change or Declare a Major
Prepare an Online Educational Plan
Additional Suggestions
Career Counseling in CEPD
Life/Career Planning- SLS 1301C
CHOICES/DISCOVER –
Career Resource Center
Conclusion
There is no magic wand
when it comes to
discovering what
gives YOU meaning
and motivation. You
must look within at
your personality,
interests, and values
to determine which
path to follow.