NOVA Online Leadership Common Experience: Week 4

Week 4 blog posts focus on the topic of Job and Career Exploration. The posts for this week are provided by NOVA Online Counselor, Christy Jensen.

186090306During week two of the leadership common experience you learned about the importance of understanding self in the college environment. Self-assessment is also a key element in helping an individual identify an occupation or career that will be satisfying and fulfilling.  All NOVA students have access to FOCUS 2 – an interactive, self-guided career and education planning system that can help you with the following:

  • Select a major/program based on your interests and aspirations
  • Discover occupations matching your personal preferences and attributes
  • Map out your career plans, present and future
  • Make informed career decisions

The “Self-Assessment” section of FOCUS 2 includes assessments in the areas of work interest, personality, skills, and values. After responding to a few questions, you can begin to identify occupations/careers that are consistent with your work interests, personality, skills, and/or values. Be sure to follow-up with me by email or another NOVA career counselor if you have any questions about the assessments or to discuss your results. Students using FOCUS 2 for the first time will need to create an account. This is a simple, quick process. Learn more and get started with FOCUS 2.

While there are many resources available to help you explore career options, two additional ones I would like to highlight are your instructor/professor and the Exploring Career Options webinar.

During week three of the leadership common experience Instructor Hatheway shared – “If this course is in an area that you are considering pursuing as a career, ask your instructor for her/his insider knowledge, tips, resources, and so on. Teachers are nothing if not passionate about their subjects and desirous of helping students develop into the professionals they want to become.” This was an excellent suggestion as your instructor/professor can provide you with a first-hand look at the field. Not sure where to begin the conversation? Two questions to get started – How did you get started in <insert area/field of interest>? What advice would you give to someone interested in getting started in <insert area/field of interest>?

The Exploring Career Options webinar is a 45 minute webinar that focuses on using various online resources to research career options.  The relationship between programs of study at NOVA, college majors, and career options are discussed.  Resources presented provide information on nature of work, educational requirements, job outlook, and wages. When you register for the webinar you will receive several handouts that should be helpful to you with your career exploration. Request a free copy of a recorded session.

What occupation/career resource did you find most helpful? Why? What questions do you have about exploring career options?