What Should I Study?
by Suellen M. Lazarek
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.
Suellen M. Lazarek is the coordinator of the CALLS Program (Career/Academic/Lifetime Learning Skills) at Assumption College.
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.
Suellen M. Lazarek is the coordinator of the CALLS Program (Career/Academic/Lifetime Learning Skills) at Assumption College.
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