Happy National Career Development Day!

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environmental wellness picNational Career Development Month and particularly today, National Career Development Day (November 18), is a great time to take a moment to reflect upon your career development.   Learn more about the four basic steps in the career development process by visiting NOVA’s Career Services website.

Continue to celebrate with NOVA Online this month by –

  • Participating in special webinars to help you focus on your own career development.
    • Today, from 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm, a Conducting a Job Search webinar is being offered.   Learn more and register here.
  • Following us on Twitter to receive a daily inspirational quote.
  • Joining us on Facebook to participate in a weekly activity.
  • Visiting the Virtual Student Union to learn about career development and related resources.
  • Reading NOVA Onlineife for tips and to stay connected.

Free Career Planning Tool for NOVA Students

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Did you know all NOVA students, staff, and faculty have free access to FOCUS 2, an online, interactive, self-guided career and education planning system that can help you:

  • Select a 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

Follow the steps below to create an account and begin using FOCUS 2.

  1. Go to https://www.focuscareer2.com/Portal/Login.cfm?SID=1014
  2. Click on “NEW USER? CLICK HERE TO GET STARTED”
  3. Enter “NOVA” for the access code
  4. Enter your NOVA student e-mail address in the e-mail box
  5. Select appropriate group from list provided
  6. Click continue

Contact Christy Jensen (chjensen@nvcc.edu) if you have any problems accessing the system or to schedule a career advising appointment.

This Week at NOVA Online!

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Open registration for all students starts today, Monday, November 16. Have any questions about your spring term courses? Need to change your degree plan? Schedule a virtual appointment with an NOVA Online Counselor!

First time in college? Participate in a New Student Orientation Webinar – This one hour webinar is required for new-to-college students aged 17-24. New Student Orientation will focus on academic and career goals, reading degree plans, and registering for classes. Use your VCCS username/password to register and email NOVA OnlineLearn@nvcc.edu with any questions. All are welcome.

November is National Career Development Month. Join NOVA Online Career Counselor on Wednesday, November 18, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm for the Conducting a Job Search Webinar. This 45 minute webinar will focus on basic strategies for conducting a job search. Topics covered will include creating a plan, identifying sources of job leads, and resume, cover letter, and interview basics.

Last week was National Distance Learning Week! We celebrated throughout the week with trivia, facts/myths, and memories – including this picture below! NOVA Online started as correspondence classes and used video, audio, and postal mail for courses. Can you imagine? We hope you enjoyed NDLW!

s NOVA Online-2Have a great week!

Motivational Minute: Seek Opportunities for Growth

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It is easy to become stagnant on the road to professional success. One can get stuck in the repetition of the day-to-day routine and settle into a state of complacency. Resting in complacency leaves no room for change. Growth and change are constant processes and opportunities for learning and developing should be actively sought daily. Take a moment to think of what you want for your future and ask yourself, what do I need to learn today to get myself there? What types of experiences do I need to get into the 4-year school I want to attend? What skills will I need to develop or practice to get the job I want, to be a better student, etc.?

Answering these questions on your own can be a bit daunting and you may need guidance on where to find such opportunities, i.e. internships, research opportunities, professional development workshops, etc. Luckily, NOVA has a staff of people who can guide you. Instructors can be a great resource for learning what types of professional experiences a student will need to be successful in a specific profession. Counselors can give you information on choosing your career path.  Success Coaches can help you develop the skills you need to complete your classes to get you to that end goal.

Access your resources to see what types of experiences you should be having and put yourself in the position to take advantage of any opportunity that may take you to a new level. Say “yes” to as many experiences as possible because you never know what the right “yes” will lead you to. Namaste.

NOVA Online Counselors: elicounselors@nvcc.edu

NOVA Online Success Coaches: elisuccess@nvcc.edu

Article written by Jennifer Reed – NOVA Online Success Coach

RESOURCE REVIEW: Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center

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Happy National Career Development Month! A great resource to help you explore career options is Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center database provided by NOVA’s library.

Ferguson’s offers 3 major resources:

 Job and Industry Profiles picture  Job Hunting and Workplace Skills  Career and Industry Resources picture
Use the Job and Industry Profiles section to find detailed profiles of more than 3,000 jobs in over 94 industries. Use the Job-hunting and Workplace Skills section to learn valuable information for finding employment including tips on: etiquette, teamwork, resume writing, and leadership. Use the Career and Industry Resources section to find resources devoted to college and career advancement including scholarships, fellowships, internships and apprenticeships.

Ferguson’s Career Guidance Center offers everything above and more, including a career interest assessment. So, whether you are just starting out, you are interested in advancing your career, or you would like to change fields this database has something for you. Happy searching!

Need more guidance? Contact your career services counselor .

Article written by Joi Jackson, NOVA Online’s Library Assistant

Learn about additional career resources by participating in today’s Exploring Career Options webinar being offered from 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm.  The webinar is free, but registration is required.

National Distance Learning Week

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To mark National Distance Learning Week, we wanted to take the opportunity to share with you 10 things you might not know about the Extended Learning Institute (NOVA Online) at Northern Virginia Community College.

Curious what the 1975 course catalog looked like when the Extended Learning Institute offered it’s first course? 1976 Catalog & Schedule of Classes 1

1.    23,000 NOVA students taken online courses through the NOVA Online each year.

2.    NOVA Online offers more than 500 online courses, so whatever field you’re in and whatever degree requirement you’re working to fill, you can probably find it at NOVA Online!

3.    NOVA Online courses and NOVA Online faculty win national awards every year.

4.    You are not alone when you take a NOVA Online course – you will interact with your instructor and classmates through discussions, group assignments, and more.

5.    NOVA Online staff provide lots of services to support you in your online courses, too, including 24/7 free online tutoring, online librarians, 24/7 technical support, student success coaches, and much more.

6.    NOVA Online offers monthly start dates for most of our courses, so just about any time you want to get started with us, we have a new session starting soon!

7.    You can earn more than 40 complete associate’s degrees and certificates entirely through NOVA Online. Check out the complete list on NOVA Online’s website.

8.    Not sure whether an online course is right for you? You can take the Smartermeasure assessment to find out!

9.    NOVA Online offers courses in 16-week, 12-week, and 8-week lengths so you can choose the schedule and course length that best fits your needs.

10.    Most NOVA Online students take classes on campus as well as NOVA Online classes; combining the two can be the perfect way to get to your degree as quickly as possible.

Happy Distance Learning Week to our online students at NOVA. If you have any questions, contact the NOVA Online Student Services Team at 703.323.3347 or elisuccess@nvcc.edu or connect with us on social media. We are more than happy to answer your questions, as well as refer you to useful resources and services that will support your online learning experience.

National Distance Learning Week!

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It’s National Distance Learning Week and throughout the week we are celebrating current students and making sure future students know the ins and outs of being an online student. Throughout the week on social media, you will see trivia, myths, pictures, and of course prizes! logoNot sure if online courses are right for you? Take the SmarterMeasure assessment to gauge your readiness! Listen to the Furthering your Education with NOVA Online webinar designed for prospective students and will focus on the benefits of studying online at NOVA’s Extended Learning Institute, programs offered, options for accelerating your program and student support services.

In addition to National Distance learning Week – it is also National Career Development Month. Join NOVA Online Career Counselor on Wednesday, November 11, 12:15 pm – 1:00 pm for the Exploring Career Options webinar – This 45 minute webinar will focus on using various online resources to research career options.  The relationship between programs of study at NOVA, college majors, and career options will be discussed.  Resources presented will provide information on nature of work, educational requirements, job outlook, and wages. Can’t attend a live session? Click here to request a recording.

Tuesday, November 10 – 12:15 – 1:00 pm – Getting Ready for your Second Semester – Join us for this 45 minute webinar for NOVA students will focus on answering key questions students have about preparing for their second semester. Topics covered will include program identification, course selection, college resources, schedule planning, and registration/payment tips. Register Today!

Join a representative from Old Dominion University to learn how to transfer to ODU Online business programs, Tuesday, Nov. 10 at noon. Join the session on Tuesday!

Have a great week!

MOTIVATIONAL MINUTE: FINDING YOUR PASSION

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Having passion for what you are pursuing gears you up to tackle all the tasks you have to complete on your way to reaching your ultimate goal. Whether it be writing papers, studying for exams, or reading chapters, you have to feel like there is a purpose behind it all to keep you moving forward. Not everyone can readily identify what excites them, however, and some may find it difficult to pinpoint an area of study that moves them. If this sounds like you, take the following things into consideration to help you find your passion:

It’s important to evaluate your reasons for pursuing the major you are pursuing. Make sure you are signing on to this program for the right reasons. To explore your motivation, ask yourself these questions: Does this interest me? What draws me to this field? Would I be happy pursuing something else?

Explore your interests and be honest about your skills. What if you are interested in a field but you may lack the strength in the primary subjects needed to be successful in that area? For example, you want to study Engineering but you have never been particularly strong in Math and Science. Don’t give up on the vision you have for yourself completely, instead, look for ways to improve the skills that are integral to your success in that area, i.e. taking extra classes, attending online workshops, etc. If your skill set is not conducive to the dream job you want, see what other capacities you can serve in in  that field that would be just as, if not more, fulfilling. Don’t give up just because the route to your goal is not as direct or clear-cut as you want it to be.

Reach out to NOVA Online Counselors for guidance! If you are completely lost and unsure of where to start to pinpoint your area of study, to discover your interests, to select a career path, etc. our NOVA Online Counselors are here to help you figure everything out. You can reach any one of our counselors at elicounselors@nvcc.edu.

Connecting to your purpose makes the path to success that much smoother. Tune into what motivates you and let it give you hope in the face of doubt (everyone needs the strength of hope to make it through exams!). And never hesitate to reach out for guidance whenever you need it. Namaste.

Check out the FOCUS 2, an online, interactive education and career education tool, to explore careers and majors!

Article written by Jennifer Reed – NOVA Online Success Coach

PLANNING AHEAD FOR NEXT SEMESTER

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The end of the semester will be here before you know it and there is no time like the present to start prepping for next semester. The longer you wait, the likelihood of you encountering roadblocks increasing drastically, so resist the urge to put it off. When you start thinking about the courses you want to take next semester, keep these tips and tidbits of information in mind to avoid missing out on the courses you need.

Plan ahead. Speak to an advisor (elicounselors@nvcc.edu) to make sure you are taking the necessary courses toward degree/certificate completion. Read over NOVA’s course repeat policy and speak with an advisor if you are taking a course for the 3rd time. Make sure your finances are in order to pay your tuition on time. If you are using Financial Aid, call 1-855-323-3199 to check on your status.

Register for classes early. Please make note of NOVA’s On-Time Registration policy that does not allow enrollment into a class after 11:59pm the day before the class is scheduled to begin. Enrolling in the course early will help you avoid many unnecessary headaches, i.e. courses being closed, full, or unavailable (huge migraines!).

Be aware of your course start and end dates. NOVA offers courses that vary in length (16, 12, 8, and 4 week sessions) and that start at different times during the semester. You wouldn’t want to think the course starts and ends at the wrong time (disaster!). Also pay attention to the course’s critical dates that inform you of deadlines for refunds and withdrawals.

 Getting into a closed course. If the course you want is closed, and it is before the start date you may still be able to get into the course by emailing the instructor to request permission to be allowed into the course. The instructor has authority to grant or deny such a request. Once granted permission, have the instructor forward that email to elireg@nvcc.edu, or you can forward it yourself, and NOVA Online Registration will enroll you in the course.

If you miss the registration deadline. NOVA offers students different sessions throughout the semester with different start dates. If you are unable to get into a course because you missed the registration deadline, search for a later starting session for the same course and enroll in that session, if available. However, if taking a later starting session is not an option for you, you can complete and send a Permission to Enroll During the First Week form to NOVA Online Registration (elireg@nvcc.edu) to try to get in that session. Please note that there is no guarantee that you can get into the class after the start date so registering early is highly encouraged!

If you have any questions about the enrollment process, call NOVA Online Registration at 703-323-3368 or elireg@nvcc.edu.

Article written by Jennifer Reed, NOVA Online Success Coach

Happy National Career Development Month!

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career pink and greenNovember is National Career Development Month.  NCDM was designed to highlight the importance of life-long career development and the personal empowerment of all people.  During the month everyone is encouraged to take a moment to reflect upon their career development.   A good starting point is taking time to review the basic steps in the career development process. The following is an overview of the steps:

Step 1: Understanding Self

During this step individuals focus on identifying their interests, personality, skills, and values.

Step 2: Exploring Careers

During this step individuals focus on learning more about careers.

Step 3: Making Decisions

During this step individuals evaluate their options to develop a personalized plan.

Step 4: Finding Employment (and Gaining Practical Experience)

During this step individuals focus on getting a job, obtaining an internship, or exploring options for gaining practical experience.

Learn more about each step by visiting NOVA’s Career Services website.

Further your personal development by participating in a career focused webinar. Learn more about webinars being offered and register here.  Follow NOVA Online on Twitter to receive a daily inspirational quote and use #NCDM to share your favorite quotes. Join us on Facebook to participate in a weekly activity. Visit the NOVA Online Virtual Student Union to learn more about career development and related resources. Read the Career Counselor posts on the NOVA Onlineife Student Blog for tips, stories, and to stay connected.