Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College

Career Development

Career development activities and resources

Use the activities and resources below to prepare for each stage of career development. Complete the appropriate activities before your appointment. Some activities may be required when scheduling an appointment.

Stage 1: Understanding self

Career assessments can help you understand how your skills, interests, values and personality influence your decisions about majors and careers. Review and complete the Stage 1: Understanding self activities:

Understanding self includes knowing yourself and your values, interests and skills. Prepare for your career counseling appointment at this stage by completing the activities below.

1. Complete two career assessments

Save an electronic copy of your results to review during the appointment. Some assessments may require you to create an account.

When completing assessments and activities
  • Work in a quiet, comfortable environment.
  • Answer all questions.
  • Choose the response that best reflects how you naturally think or respond.
  • Avoid giving too many neutral responses or “I don’t know” answers to open-ended questions. Provide thoughtful, detailed responses.
  • When answering, think about your natural preferences rather than your role at work, school or elsewhere.
  • Do not choose answers based on what you think is the “right” response. There are no right or wrong answers.

2. Select one of the following two options

Read the questions, then write your responses rather than just thinking about them. Be prepared to discuss your responses.

Option 1: Values, interests and skills
  • Values: Guiding principles that reflect what is most important to you in life.
    • What did I like most and least about my past experiences, such as jobs, community service and school involvement?
    • What is important to me?
    • What makes my life and work meaningful?
  • Interests: Topics you enjoy learning about and activities that energize you.
    • What do I enjoy doing?
    • What kinds of clubs and organizations am I interested in joining?
    • When reading, browsing the internet or watching television, what issues or topics interest me most?
  • Skills: Talents or abilities you have developed.
    • What subjects or classes do I perform well in?
    • Where have I been successful?
    • What do people close to me 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?
  • What am I passionate about?
  • What does a happy life look like to me?
  • What interests me?
  • How do I spend my free time?
  • What skills do I have?
  • What skills would I like to develop?
  • What motivates me?
  • What would I do even if I didn’t get paid for it?
  • What are my top three “must-haves” for a career?
  • Where am I now?
  • What are my needs and values?
  • What strengths do I have?
  • Describe in vivid detail how you want your future to look. In addition to the work you will do, consider where you will live, your lifestyle, the people and places you want in your life and your community activities.

Stage 2: Exploring careers and majors

Research career fields that align with your interests, skills, values and personality. Building self-awareness and understanding the world of work can help you identify career options that may be a good fit.

Helpful resources for exploring careers and majors

Stage 3: Decide and plan

Career development is an ongoing process that requires self-awareness and clear goals. After identifying career options that may be a good fit, complete the Stage 3: Decide and plan activities to create a career action plan.

To make informed career decisions, consider three key areas: understanding self, understanding the world of work and recognizing the influences that shape your choices.

  1. Self — Explore your likes and dislikes, values, strengths, knowledge, skills and interests.
  2. World of work — Explore career options available now and consider how opportunities may change in the future. Research the labor market for your preferred industry or career field.
  3. Influences — Consider the people and factors that may shape your decisions, such as family, cultural expectations, financial needs or fear.

Prepare for a career counseling appointment

Review the following resources and activities:

Career decision-making
Goal setting and planning
What’s impacting my decision?

Before making a decision about your major or career, consider the factors influencing your choice and how important each one is to you. Write down any thoughts, feelings, circumstances, people or events affecting your decision. Include as few or as many as you need.

Stage 4: Employment preparation

Employment preparation includes finding job opportunities, tailoring your resume to each position and preparing for interviews. Use Handshake to search for jobs and internships, connect with employers and access career development resources.

Helpful resources for employment preparation

Career Connection transition

Career Connection will be discontinued in September 2026. Use Handshake as your primary resource for jobs, internships and employer connections.