The first step in the career development process is to assess your preferences, interests, values and skills. The more you know about what you want and what you have to offer, the more focused and confident you will be as you explore your options and pursue your goals. The quest for self-discovery can take many forms: a trek through the Himalayas, a year with the Merchant Marines—or a few minutes with a CSO counselor. Here are some of the services and resources available to help you with your quest:
Workshop: Do What You Are - A special workshop designed to introduce the process and techniques of self-assessment. Check the CSO Calendar for upcoming presentations.
Drop-in Appointments - A fifteen-minute conversation with one of our counselors can be the perfect way to jump-start your process; if you'd like to continue the conversation, you can drop in again, or schedule a longer session at your convenience.
The CSO Library – Useful titles from our collection include: Do What You Are, Making a Career While Making a Difference, the Great Jobs series (Great Jobs for Liberal Arts Majors, Great Jobs for Biology Majors, etc.), the Careers series (Careers for Travel Buffs and Other Restless Types, Careers for Good Samaritans and Other Humanitarian Types, etc.), and many more.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory – If you still feel a bit lost after attending the "Do What You Are" workshop, speaking with a counselor, and exploring the resources in our library and online, then you may want to make use of these heavy-duty assessment instruments. Often mislabeled "Personality Tests", each of these instruments measures your preferences by interpreting your responses to a series of carefully researched questions. Contact Career Services for more information.
CSO Self-Assessment Page – Links to the various self-assessment tools available on the Web.
CSO Core Competencies Page – A list of the core competencies most valued by employers and graduate schools.
Questions or Suggestions? Contact us!