What should I do next? This is a question that gets asked at every point in life. What college should I go to? What should my major be? What can I do with that major? Where do I go from here? In college especially, these questions can sometimes be intimidating but the Personalized Career Plan definitely organizes it in a step by step manner that takes away all the stress. You start with 3 tabs: explore, prepare, and implement based on how advanced you feel you are with careers. Each tab is linked to a variety of questions for you to choose what is most relevant now for you.
As a senior, I chose to focus on the implement tab and start brainstorming about what life after college looks like. The focus of my questionnaire was on researching related job posting to my field, deciding if graduate school is right for me, and taking a step back to ask myself questions about where I actually see myself in five years. It was arranged in an easy to follow format regarding next steps.
The best part is that it does not just end there. After your personalized career plan is all filled it, you have the opportunity to come to the Center for Career Development and meet with a member of the staff and complete an activity to help you start brainstorming what the goals mean.
When I came into the office, I was able to complete the skills brainstorming activity as well as the goal tracker. I loved the skills activity because it was a very hands-on activity that allowed me to physically separate the skills I would like to use in my career from the ones that I will not. Then, it allowed me to assess myself by dividing the pile into skills that I currently have and ones that I still need to develop. Looking at the list, it helped me to develop some short term goals that are actually achievable from the skills I feel I could develop further when thinking of my future career.
Thinking about the future can be stressful and overwhelming at times, trust me I have felt this way too. However, just know that there are plenty of resources on campus that allow you to complete some self-assessment, or even come and meet with a member of the Center for Career Development during their Same Day Career Coaching Sessions. Take the initiative, fill out the Personalized Career Plan, and meet with a member of the staff to dissect it all. You certainly won’t regret it!
