1. Assess your interests.
-What type of outside-the-classroom activities do you like?
-What type of courses do you enjoy?
-What class activities or discussions motivate you?
-What have you enjoyed about past jobs or volunteer positions?
-What kind of careers appeal to you? Which don't?

2. Assess your abilities.
-What are your personal strengths?
-What are your best subjects?
-What have past employers or teachers told you that you are good at?
-Have you been complimented by others on a particular skill?
-What type of class assignments did you excel at?
-What would your co-workers say is your best personal trait?

3. What do you value?
-Is it important to you that you make a difference by working with others?
-Do you want to lead or manage?
-Is it important to you that you work independently?
-Is creativity on the job a must for you?
-Do you value status (in the community, on the job etc.)?
-Do you value social good over material gain?
-Do you want to make an impact on society?

4. Explore your options.
-Attend college fairs and collect school catalogs.
-Read course descriptions and explore different organizations, clubs and volunteer activities.
-Talk to teachers and guidance counselors about majors and minors.
-Ask family and friends about a typical day at their work.
-Use the O*Net Online Resource center onetcenter.org, which is offered by the U.S Department of Labor to identify occupations and assess skills.

5. Look for ways to develop your communication skills.
-How can you grow in your ability to speak and write?
-What kind of student organizations can help you develop your communication skills?
-Are internships at local companies available?
-Do courses offer you opportunities to research, give presentations and lead group discussions?

6. Look for ways to develop your leadership skills.
-How can you develop your ability to lead a project or organization?
-Do courses offer you opportunities to work with others and manage tasks?
-What kind of student leadership opportunities are available?
-Are there student organizations that you would be interested in joining and leading?

7. Look for ways to develop your teamwork skills.
-Do courses offer opportunities to work with others on assignments?
-Are there opportunities for you to volunteer with other students for community service?
-Are you interested in any of the student organizations, academic clubs, intramurals, or student government opportunities?

8. Look for ways to develop your technical skills.
-After you graduate will you be able to demonstrate your ability to use software and new technology?
-Do internships offer you opportunities to develop your technical skills?
-Are there interesting courses that offer you the ability to develop your computer skills?

9. Look for ways to develop your interpersonal skills.
-Will internships offer you an opportunity to work with others?
-Will community service offer you an opportunity to learn new cultures?
-Are courses available that teach conflict resolution skills?
-Are you interested in study abroad?

10. Narrow your options.
-Cross out schools that do not give you both inside-the-classroom and outside-the-classroom opportunities to develop competencies in the areas of communication, leadership, teamwork, technical and interpersonal skills.
-Research the websites of the schools that you are interested in and evaluate their list of majors.
-Cross out majors that you are not interested in so that for each school you have a working list of potential majors.
-Make sure you look at course descriptions, electives and internship requirements.
-Choose a school that has more than one area of study that you are interested in.
-Look for a school that has academic advisors or career counselors available to first year students to help them with self-assessment and  

choosing a major

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Suellen M. Lazarek is the coordinator of the CALLS Program (Career/Academic/Lifetime Learning Skills) at Assumption College.

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