CAREER EXPLORATION & DISCOVERY GUIDE

Career exploration is the process of learning about career paths, industries, job functions, and fields that can help to illuminate professional goals, aspirations, and interests.

Questions to Consider:

1. What are your likes and dislikes? 

2. What is your dream job (money aside), and why does this appeal to you? 

3. What sort of work environment is most ideal for you? 

4. What subjects absolutely captivate your attention? 

5. What do you inherently do well and enjoy? 

6. What are you looking for in a career? 

Career assessments are tools that help explore different components to help identify jobs and careers that may align with your values, interests, and/or skills. The Matthews Center offers three assessments:

Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI)- Assesses an individual's natural preferences for how they make decisions and view/interact with the world around them. 

Strong Interest Inventory- Helps individuals identify their work personality by exploring their interests in six broad areas: realistic, artistic, investigative, social, enterprising, and conventional (often referred to using the acronym RIASEC).

CliftonStrengths- Helps individuals identify what they naturally do well and their talents so they are able to develop them into strengths. 

What classes do you find fascinating? What majors are you considering, and why those in particular? Will this major be a good fit for your interests and where you see yourself in 5 years? What are your different career trajectories and how can we hone them down so they are manageable? 

Major Exploration

Start with selecting a major, while your chosen major does not need to equal your career upon graduation this is your first step in the process. Once you have explored the 74+ various majors, minors, and interdisciplinary programs Davidson College has to offer, speak with your holistic advisor for more in-depth information about the declaration process. 

Reminder: use your first two years wisely, as this is your opportunity to explore different classes and gain an appreciation for the subject areas you find fascinating or quickly eliminate the ones you dislike. 

Career Exploration

Career exploration does not happen in a bubble nor does it start your senior year of college, but instead is a process that begins as soon as you become a student at Davidson. Utilize your Exploratory Career Adviser in the Matthews Center for Career Development to research possible career interest areas and to develop a strategic individual development plan to target potential industry areas or careers. 

RESOURCES:

Davidson Connect: Davidson portal, where students and alumni can participate in mentorship programs, post and apply for jobs, connect with classmates and alumni, and more.

LinkedIn Alumni: Connect with alumni for a career conversation/informational interview and even trace a career path!

Ferguson's Career Guidance Center: Comprehensive career exploration and job search preparation database. Articles, blogs, and videos help users explore industries and careers, plan for education and learn best practices for resumes, cover letters, interviews, networking, and salaries/benefits.

Industry Liaison: Schedule time to meet with an adviser in the Matthews Center to learn targeted information about an industry/field of interest.

Schedule a one-on-one advising session with a career adviser, stop by for drop-in hours at any time, or attend Matthews Center programming to begin developing your career competencies. Don’t know where to begin? Start with the checklist! Not sure what they are, ask an adviser. 

• Explore resume and cover letter writing

• Analyze a job description

• Attend conferences

• Join professional associations

• Gain insights and skills through programming offered by the Matthews Center 

• Create and maintain an active LinkedIn account

• Begin skill building (LinkedIn Learning - free to Davidson students!, Lynda.com, etc.)

• Practice mock interviewing

• Develop transferable skills 

NACE Competencies for Career Readiness

Career readiness is the foundation from which to demonstrate requisite competencies that broadly prepare college educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management. Of the competencies below, which do you possess? 

• Career & Self-Development: Proactively develop oneself and one’s career through continual personal and professional learning, awareness of one’s strengths and weaknesses, navigation of career opportunities, and networking to build relationships within and without one’s organization.

• Communication: Clearly and effectively exchange information, ideas, facts, and perspectives with persons inside and outside of an organization.

• Critical Thinking: Identify and respond to needs based upon an understanding of situational context and logical analysis of relevant information.

• Equity & Inclusion: Demonstrate the awareness, attitude, knowledge, and skills required to equitably engage and include people from different local and global cultures. Engage in anti-racist practices that actively challenge the systems, structures, and policies of racism.

• Leadership: Recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.

• Professionalism: Knowing work environments differ greatly, understand and demonstrate effective work habits, and act in the interest of the larger community and workplace.

• Team Work: Build and maintain collaborative relationships to work effectively toward common goals, while appreciating diverse viewpoints and shared responsibilities.

• Technology: Understand and leverage technologies ethically to enhance efficiencies, complete tasks, and accomplish goals.

Source:  naceweb.org/career-readiness-competencies

Opportunities to Gain Experience:

• Career Treks (Fall/Spring Breaks)

• Job Shadowing Externship (Summer)

• Industry Symposiums

• On-Campus Job

• Education Away

• Internships

• Volunteer

• Undergraduate Research

• Experiential Learning

A value is an abstract judgment of what a person considers to be good, right, or worthwhile. Understanding what you value is an important step in self-exploration. Read through the below values and identify 10 you deem to be the most important to you personally. Afterward, narrow down your list of negotiable values to five core values.