This week’s webinar will be presented by Joe Paul on Thursday September 18^th from 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm (EST). Register here.

Joe Paul was born in Brooklyn, New York, partially raised in Miami, Florida and is the fifth of ten children who come from Haitian immigrant parents. Joe experienced many of the social ills that continue to plague American society at the tender age of thirteen when he was forced into independence. Joe experienced homelessness, growing up in foster homes and group homes and child abandonment. Although he experienced trials and tribulations early on in his journey, he was determined to finish his high school education against all odds.

After graduating from Miami Central Senior High School, his desire to further his education inspired him to apply to colleges and universities with uncertainty. Although his parents have the equivalence of an eighth grade education they maintained the wherewithal to encourage him to take advantage of his American education; an opportunity that was not afforded to them. He became the first person in his family to earn a college degree when he graduated from Florida State University where he reserved the honor of leading more than fifteen clubs and organizations including Student Government Association as well as serving as one of the few African-American Homecoming Chief in the history of the university. Joe Paul is a former National Brother of the Year as well as Assistant Vice-President for the Southern Region for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

After graduating from Florida State, Joe moved to Los Angeles, California to pursue an acting career. He quickly found out that most actors in Hollywood are starving artist so he had to figure out a way to survive. He found solace once he was introduced to the Real Estate industry where he found a passion for helping others to achieve the American Dream of homeownership.

During this time, Joe continued to pursue another passion close to his heart; to inspire others through his touching testimony by motivationally and inspirationally speaking to others and through his writing. This passion encouraged him to leave the daily grind of the corporate world which inspired a move to the Washington DC area where he currently resides and runs his company. Joe Paul has been recognized by community, educational and business leaders including public servants as an outstanding citizen through dozens of awards and recognition.

Currently, he is the CEO of Motive8 corporation; a motivational speaking and corporate training organization. He is also a Professional Speaker, Certified Life Coach, and Blogger through www.JoePaulSpeaks.com. He is the author of “Morning Cup of Joe” and a devoted philanthropist. He respectively served as a board member of The Urban League and currently serves as a board member of the DC Seminole Alumni Association. He is a former national board member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the MLK Foundation and is a current member of the NAACP Washington DC Branch and The Florida State Society of Washington DC. He is also the Founder and Senior Advisor for the “Toys for Boys” Initiative as well as the Chief Proprietor for The Haitian heART Gallery nonprofit organization where he raises funds through showcasing and auctioning Haitian art with the ultimate goal of building schools focused on the arts and humanity in Haiti.

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.

During 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?