Assessing & Exploring Careers

Finding a career path may seem easy for some people and yet the hardest decision in the world for others. Everybody goes about the process differently and makes the choices they make for very different reasons. There is no "one right answer," and more than one major can lead to the same type of work. It's important to remember that it's okay to not know what to do after St. Olaf-to explore and take your time to find out where your interests, values and skills really lie before jumping into something you're not sure of. Most people change jobs and careers an average of eight to ten times in their lifetime!

Where Are You in the Process of Developing a Career Path?

Click on one of the statements below that best fits you to find potential resources or answers to your question. Or, look at the bottom of this page to find quick links for information you need.

• I don't even know what I'm interested in.
• I don't have any idea what types of occupations are out there.
• I have some occupational areas in mind but need to know more about them.
• I want to know what I can do with my major.
• I know which type of occupation I want to move toward but not what I need to do to get there.
• I'm deciding between a couple of occupational areas, or I think I've decided on one area. How can I be sure I find the right fit?

Descriptions of Careers:

Vault - Online Career Library

O*NET
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Iseek
Spotlight on Careers - for off-campus use: Name = lacn, Password = vassar

 

Majors Connected With Careers:

Online Alumni Directory-Search database by major to see what alums are doing

What can I do with a major in . . ." (University of Tennessee)
What can I do with a major in . . ." (Univeristy of North Carolina at Wilmington)
What can I do with a major in . . ." (Dickinson College)

Other "Exploring" Resources (Visit the CEL to find out more about any of these experiential learning opportunities):

• Job Shadowing
• Informational Interviewing
• Get an internship
• Get a part-time or summer job in your interest area.
• Volunteer in some occupational interest area.
• Join a student organization that relates to an occupational interest area.
• See what it's like starting up your own business with a Finstad grant.