Self-Awareness for a Rewarding Career Journey

Trying to choose an educational program or major? Re-evaluating your current direction? Seeking a rewarding and meaningful career journey? 

Self-knowledge and knowing your options are essential for making informed decisions and re-decisions about your educational, career and life direction. To help clarify a meaningful direction, take time to reflect. What are your personal qualities and preferences--for example, your interests, skills, personality, values? How do they influence what you need for career satisfaction? Also important, what is the impact of your social situation (e.g., friends and family)? Broader environmental-societal factors, such as the economy and job market? Consider these factors to help identify the more suitable options for your career direction.             

What is assessment for career development?

• Generally, this involves doing different types of reflective activities to develop a detailed picture of yourself--for example, completing an interest inventory.
• Also important is recognizing other factors in your life situation that influence your goals and decisions--for example, finances, family values and location. 
• Integrating information about yourself (e.g., interests, strengths) and your situation provides a foundation for making informed decisions about your options.

What else can help with making informed career-related decisions?

• Keep an open attitude for learning more about career development. Work on strengthening your career knowledge, skills and resources (e.g., write customized resumes) .  
  
• Change happens. To help maintain career satisfaction over time, return to doing more activities for making informed re-decisions: re-evaluate, self-assess, and explore new options and connections.
• Career development is a complex and dynamic process. Enjoy navigating a rewarding educational, career and life journey!