Remember to Take Time for Reflection

Another summer session has ended and the final summer session has begun.   If you have not taken time to reflect on the progress you are making towards achieving your goals consider taking a few minutes now to do so.  The following are a few questions to help you:

  1. What went or is going well for you this term?
  2. What did not or is not going well?
  3. Why?

Take time to consider what changes you may want to make as you move forward with working towards achievement of your academic and professional goals.

Below are links to resources you may find helpful.

Focus on Your Career Development

As you continue your studies, plan your schedule for your next semester, prepare to transfer, or get ready to begin a new job, take a moment to focus on your career development.  Are you attending NOVA to pursue a certificate or degree, but unsure about what career options might be available to you? Have you decided on a major, but have difficulty answering the question – “What can I do with a major in _____?

Do you need to fine tune your skills or add to your skill set in preparation for a career change? Learn more about career options by utilizing FOCUS 2, an online interactive self-guided career and education planning system that can help you:

  • Select a program/major 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

FOCUS 2 is free for NOVA students.   Learn more about and access the system at NOVA’s Career Services website.

View Announcements in the Virtual Student Union (VSU) and NOVA’s Events Calendar for events about FOCUS 2.

 

Congratulations Graduates!

The following are a few items to add to your to do list:

  1. Pause and reflect.  Take time to appreciate all you have accomplished.
  2. Update or create your resume.  As an alumni, you have access to Career Connection, NOVA’s job & internship database for students.  Utilize the resume builder tool if you need help getting started.
  3. Request your transcript.  Order a copy for yourself as well as copies to provide to appropriate parties based on your goals.
  4. Stay connected to NOVA by joining NOVA’s Alumni and Friends Network.
  5. Take care of yourself.  Find helpful resources, including a Virtual Self-Care Kit, on the Office of Mental Health and Wellness website.

Congratulations and best wishes!

Are You Focused on Your Career Development?

As you continue your studies, plan your schedule for your next semester, prepare to transfer, or get ready to begin a new job take a moment to focus on your career development.  Are you attending NOVA to pursue a certificate or degree, but unsure about what career options might be available to you? Have you decided on a major, but have difficulty answering the question – “What can I do with a major in _____?

Do you need to fine tune your skills or add to your skill set in preparation for a career change? Learn more about career options by utilizing FOCUS 2, an online interactive self-guided career and education planning system that can help you:

  • Select a program/major 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

FOCUS 2 is free for NOVA students.   Learn more about and access the system at NOVA’s Career Services website.

Consider participating in a Focus on Your Career Planning webinar.  Two webinars are being offered on Wednesday, June 2 – at 11:00 am and 3:00 pm.  An overview of FOCUS 2 will be provided during the webinar.  RSVP for this webinar through the Events section of Career Connection.  Registration closes on June 1.

Career Planning Tool for NOVA Students

All NOVA students have access to FOCUS 2, an online, interactive, self-guided career and education planning system that can help you:

  • Select a program/major 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

View a Getting Started with FOCUS 2 handout.

Follow the steps below to begin using FOCUS 2.

  1. Visit NOVA’s Career Services website
  2. Select Career Planning System – FOCUS 2
  3. Click FOCUS 2 button
  4. Click REGISTER button
  5. Enter “NOVA” for the access code
  6. Enter your NOVA student e-mail address in the e-mail box
  7. Provide requested information
  8. Check box to acknowledge terms and conditions of system
  9. Click CONTINUE button

Contact Christy Jensen (chjensen@nvcc.edu) if you have any problems accessing the system.

CHOOSING AMONG JOB OFFERS

First, make sure you know enough about the organization, the job, and the details of each offer to weigh one offer against another. If you lack information, seek it out by asking the employer, researching the organization, and talking to others who work at or are familiar with the organization or job. Ask your career services staff if they have had feedback from past students who have taken jobs with the organizations you are considering, and check to see if your career office has an alumni adviser to help you make contact with alumni working for these organizations.

There is no perfect formula for making your decision, but one of the best ways to begin is by making a list of all of the features that are important to you in your first job. These may include such items as the type of work you’ll be doing, the organization’s reputation/prestige, training program, salary, specific benefits, location of job, opportunity for advancement, work environment, opportunity for free time (evenings and weekends), opportunity for travel, colleagues with whom you’ll be working, and so forth. Add every possible item you can think of to your list.

WHAT MATTERS MOST?

After you have all the features on your list, rank them in order of their priority to you. For example, type of work may be most important to you, followed by salary, and then specific benefits.

Next, look at each job offer you are considering, and rate the features of each using a scale of one to five (with five being excellent and one being poor). For example, if ABC Company’s offer provides a great starting salary, you’ll most likely give that feature a “5” under ABC. If XYZ Company’s offer provides a lesser starting salary, XYZ might earn a “3” rating for salary. (See the sample below.)

After you have finished rating all the features for all your offers, add up the scores for each offer. Although this is an inexact science, it is a way to demonstrate which offer provides you with the most of whatever features are important to you.

WEIGH YOUR OPTIONS CAREFULLY

In the final analysis, remember to weigh carefully what is most important to you. Don’t be unduly swayed by the job title or the prestige of the organization and how it will impress your relatives. While it is helpful to get advice from family and friends, you are the one who will be going to work every day. You need to be sure that your job will be a good experience for you and will allow you to achieve your initial goals. Remember, though, that no job is perfect or able to meet all your needs. Consider the factors that you are willing to compromise on or have met in other ways. For example, if you enjoy travel and your job provides little opportunity for it, you can use long weekends and vacations for this interest.

NOTHING IS FOREVER

Keep in mind that while you want to make the best possible decision at this moment in time, your decision is not irrevocable. The odds are great that you will not remain with your first employer for your entire career. As you progress in your career, you will continue to learn which features are of highest priority for you (your priorities will also probably change with time) and how to find the best opportunity to have these priorities met. Good luck!

Sample Rating Sheet for Multiple Job Offers
FEATURE
(IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE)
ABC
COMPANY
MNO
COMPANY
XYZ
COMPANY
Challenging work 4 5 4
Advancement opportunities 3 4 2
Medical benefits 5 5 5
Salary 5 3 5
401(k) retirement plan 4 4 3
Dental benefits 4 4 4
Training program 3 4 4
Life insurance 4 4 3
Job location 5 4 4
Workplace environment 4 3 4
Opportunity to travel 4 2 2
Tuition reimbursement
for grad school
5 4 1
Total Rating: 50 46 41
Create your own list of features that matter to you and list them in order of importance, with the most important feature appearing at the top of your list. Then, rate the features of each company’s offer on a scale of one to five (five=excellent; 1=poor). In the sample to the left, the offer from ABC Company has the highest rating, indicating that ABC’s offer provides more of the features that matter to the sample job seeker. This is one way to compare job offers.

by Marcia B. Harris and Sharon L. Jones. Courtesy of the National Association of Colleges and Employers.

As part of the NOVA Online NCDM Webinar Series 2019 – the How to Research a Company webinar is being offered today at 12:15 pm.  Learn more and register at https://nvcceli.wufoo.com/forms/q1gb5zwz17m8jt5/.

4 Ways to Focus on Your Career Development

It’s National Career Development Month (NCDM).  Below are four things you can do to focus on your career development this month.

  1. Visit NOVA’s Career Services website to learn more about career development.
  2. Participate in the Career Development Webinar Series – a lunchtime webinar series created to help you make informed decisions about your academic and career goals.  All webinars are free, but registration is required.
  3. Check out NOVA’s Events calendar for information about programs supporting NCDM being offered across the college.
  4. Follow NOVA Online on Twitter to receive a daily inspirational quote.

54th Annual Poetry and Art Contest for NCDM

Help celebrate National Career Development Month by participating in the 54th Annual NCDA Poetry and Art contest. This year’s theme is “My Inspiring Future Career”. There are various division areas for the contest including adult student – 18 and older enrolled in school as well as open adult – 18 and older not enrolled in school.  Learn more about the contest here.

Your Final Semester is Almost Here!

 

Congratulations to all students who will be preparing for their final semester !  You have almost reached the finish line. The following are a few things to do in preparation for graduation:

Apply for graduation. Access NOVA’s graduation website to view the Crossing the Finish Line: NOVA’s Graduation Program video and complete the Graduation Application Form.  The deadline to apply for graduation is March 1.

Update your resume.  Review an action plan you may have created in FOCUS 2.  Utilize resources in Career Connection.  Connect with a career advisor/counselor.

Prepare to conduct a job search if you will be looking for a job or a new opportunity.  NOVA’s Career Services website is a great place to start.

Review websites of potential transfer institutions for information about applying, if you are planning to transfer.  Don’t forget to look for information about financial aid and scholarships as well.  NOVA’s Plan to Transfer website has many helpful tips.

Participate in employment and transfer focused programs.  Check out NOVA’s Events calendar to see what is happening around the college.

Don’t forget, in addition to daily blog posts, NOVA Online is offering a lunchtime webinar series this week focusing on topics to help you with preparing for your next semester. All webinars are thirty minutes and begin at 12:15 pm. Learn more about the series and register at https://nvcceli.wufoo.com/forms/q17oo4ni0mszh1v/.

 

 

Are Your Career Plans in Focus?

As you plan your schedule for your next semester, prepare to transfer, or get ready to begin a new job take a moment to focus on your career development.  Are you attending NOVA to pursue a certificate or degree, but unsure about what career options might be available to you? Have you decided on a major, but have difficulty answering the question – “What can I do with a major in _____?

Do you need to fine tune your skills or add to your skill set in preparation for a career change? Learn more about career options by utilizing FOCUS 2, an online interactive self-guided career and education planning system that can help you:

  • Select a program/major 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

FOCUS 2 is free for NOVA students.   Learn more about and access the system at NOVA’s Career Services website.

Don’t forget, in addition to daily blog posts, NOVA Online is offering a lunchtime webinar series this week focusing on topics to help you with preparing for your next semester.  All webinars are thirty minutes and begin at 12:15 pm.  Learn more about the series and register at https://nvcceli.wufoo.com/forms/q17oo4ni0mszh1v/.