Career Development

Resource Guides

Resource guides for each career stage are provided below. Explore and complete the appropriate guide prior to your appointment. The guides are designed to increase general career awareness and may be required as part of the scheduling process.

Stage 1: Understanding Self

Career Assessments are an important part of the career development process and a great way to explore how your skills, interests, values, and personality type impact how you make decisions about the major/career you choose to pursue. Review and complete the Stage 1: Understanding Self Worksheet:

Understanding self includes knowing yourself and your values, interests, and skills.Prepare for your Career Counseling appointment on this stage by completing the activities below.

1. Complete* (2) career assessments.

Save an electronic copy of the results to reference during the appointment. Some of the free assessments may require students to create an account.

When completing assessments, instruments, and activities:

  • Work in a quiet, comfortable environment.
  • Answer every question.
  • Choose the response that reflects the natural way you would respond or think.
  • Stay away from giving too many neutral responses and “I don’t know” answers to open ended questions – provide thoughtful and detailed responses.
  • DO NOT think of work, being a student, or any other role - instead, consider your natural preferences.
  • DO NOT select answers based on what you perceive would be the desirable response, as no such thing exists.
  • SELECT only ONE of the following two options. Read the questions then WRITE (don’t just THINK about) your responses; be prepared to discuss your responses.

2. SELECT only ONE of the following two options.

Read the questions then WRITE (don’t just THINK about) your responses; be prepared to discuss your responses.

Option 1: Values, Interests, Skills

  • Values: Guiding principles that reflect what is most important to you in life.
    • What did I like most and least about the past experiences I have had? (jobs, community service, school involvement, etc.)
    • What is important to me?
    • What makes my life and work meaningful?
  • Interests: Topics you enjoy reading about and activities that leave you energized.
    • What do I enjoy doing?
    • What kind of clubs/organizations am I interested in joining?
    • When reading, surfing the Internet, or watching television, in which issues/topics am I most interested?
  • Skills: Developed talents or abilities.
    • What are the subjects/classes in which I perform well?
    • Where have I had successful experiences?
    • What do the people I am close to say I do well?

Option 2: What is My Vision for the Future?

  • What do I want to accomplish in the future?
  • What is my dream career?
  • What inspires me? OR What am I passionate about?
  • When I think about a happy life, what does that include?
  • What interests me? How do I spend my free time?
  • What activities do I enjoy most?
  • What skills do I have? AND What skills would I like to develop?
  • What motivates me? (what I would do, even if I didn’t get paid for it)
  • What are the top three “must-haves” for my career?
  • Where am I now? What are my needs and value? What strengths and assets do I have?
  • Describe, in vivid detail, what how you want your future to look. In addition to describing the work you will do, consider geography (where you will live), lifestyle (how you live and the kinds of people/places in your life), community activ

Stage 2: Exploring Careers & Majors

Learn more about potential career fields that best fit your interests, skills, values, and personality by conducting research. Exposure, self-awareness and understanding the world of work are key components to identifying "best fit" career options.

Helpful Resources for Exploring Careers and Majors

Stage 3: Decide & Plan

Career development and management is a continuous, lifelong process that requires a clear understanding of self and goal setting. Once an individual has identified potential "best fit" career options, please review and complete the Stage 3: Decide and Plan Worksheet to create a career action plan:

Making effective and informed career decisions throughout the continuous, lifelong process of career development and management requires a clear understanding of three key areas of the process. Once an individual has a strong foundation in understand self, they should be able to identify “best fit” career options and informed decisions.

  1. Self - Explore likes and dislikes, values, strengths, knowledge, skills, and interests.
  2. World of work (labor market) - What are some “best fit” options available now and what could they be in the future? Research the labor options for the desired industry/career cluster.
  3. Influences - What are the people and factors that shape and impact the choices to be made, i.e., fear, cultural stereotypes, family, survival needs, etc.?

Prepare for a Career Counseling appointment at this stage:

Refer to the following information and related activities:  

What's Impacting My Decision?
Before you can make a decision about your major or career, consider what things are influencing that decision and how important these factors are to you. In the space below, in your journal or on your computer, list any thoughts, feelings, circumstances, people, or events that are impacting your decision or telling you that a decision is needed. List as few or as many as you would like.

Stage 4: Employment Preparation

Employment preparation begins with the identification of suitable job leads. Once a job has been found, a resume is written to connect the job seeker's background and skills to the specific job opening. Employment leads can be found by searching for relevant employers and positions within NOVA's Career Connection portal. Preparation for interviews should include the Mock interview feature within Career Connection.

Helpful Resources for Employment Preparation