Career Center

The Career Planning/Competency Model encourages individuals to explore and gather information that enables them to synthesize, gain competencies, make decisions, set goals and take action. Each individual varies in their progress through each of these stages for many reasons. Some advance rapidly through each or all of the stages while others progress more slowly. Individuals may repeat all or parts of the career development process at various points throughout their lives as values, interests, abilities, and life circumstances change.

Each of the following steps explores the Career Planning Model.

Step One:  Self-Assessment
The first step in the Career Planning Model involves gathering information about yourself to assist in making a decision about a career. You should develop an understanding of self including values, interests, aptitudes, abilities, personal traits, and desired life style, and become aware of the interrelationship between self and occupational choice

Step Two:  Academic/Career Options
The second step allows individuals to investigate the world of work in greater depth, narrow a general occupational direction into a specific one through an informed decision making process, and declare a major.

Step Three:  Relevant/Practical Experience
In Step III individuals evaluate occupational choices and gain practical experience through internships, cooperative education, relevant summer employment, volunteer work and campus activities. In addition, more specific decisions about occupational choices are made.

Step Four:  Job Search/Graduate School Preparation
An initial occupational choice is made in Step IV. Individuals prepare for and begin conducting a job search, or apply to graduate or professional schools.