Exploring Careers | Student Success and Advising Office

Student Success and Advising Office

Career Exploration

Career exploration involves researching occupations that align with your interests, skills, goals, and values. Unsure of what you want to major in? Sometimes narrowing down a career path can help.

Goals

1. Research three careers and identify how your interests, skills, goals, and values relate to these careers.

2. Identify if these careers require any specific education, certification, or testing.

3. Brainstorm experiences (work related experience, internships, informational interviews, job shadows, etc.) they should purse based on the occupations listed

Questions to Consider

Nature of Work: What tasks are involved?

Outlook: What will the job market be like when you graduate?

Qualifications:What entry-level experience is required?What experiences do you need?

Job seeking skills: Do you have a resume/cover letter? (Center for Professional Pathways can help!)

Earnings and Working Conditions: What’s the pay range? What are the physical demands of the job?

Resources to Support Exploration

What can I do with my major?

Career Values

Which careers match my skills?

Activities to Support Exploration

1. Do a job shadow

2. Conduct an occupational interview

3. Visit Center for Professional Pathways

4. Volunteer or find an internship to gain experience

Western Oregon University’s Land Acknowledgement
Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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