Steps to Choosing a Major

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Steps to Choosing a Major

• Tutorial

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How Would You Describe Your Current Situation?
Stuck in a maze?
Confused?
Dont know where to begin?
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• This tutorial will introduce you to the five
  steps
• involved with choosing a major and explain the
• resources offered by Career Services that can
• help you navigate your way through each step.

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Step 1Knowing About Myself / Self Awareness

• In order to choose a major, you will need to
• gather information and clarify what you know
• about yourself.
• Consider these four components
• Skills Values
• Interests Personality

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Step 1Knowing About Myself / Self Awareness

• Skills
• What do you do well? What are your strengths?
• Interests
• What do you like to do for fun? What do you
  enjoy?
• Values
• What is most important to you? What motivates
  you to work?
• Personality
• What are your personal preferences?

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Step 1Knowing About Myself / Self Awareness

• To assess your skills, interests and values,
  Career
• Services offers two career assessments
• eDISCOVER
• Self-Directed Search (SDS)
• To obtain a Discover user name and password, or
  take
• the SDS, stop by Career Services in Smith House.

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Step 2Knowing About My Options / Career
Exploration

• Identify potential occupations and majors that
  match your skills, interests, values, and
  personality.
• Research job descriptions, education and training
  requirements, salaries, and labor market
  projections.

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Step 2Knowing About My Options / Career
Exploration

• Find out what skills and personal characteristics
  are required for specific occupations.
• Research college majors to determine what classes
  are required and what schools offer the major.
• Talk to people who can provide you with
  information about majors you are considering.
  (e.g. Academic Advisor, Professors who teach
  classes within the major, Students in the major,
  Professionals working in careers youre
  interested in).
• Create a list of pros and cons for each
  occupation you are considering.

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Step 2Knowing About My Options / Career
Exploration

• Utilize eDiscover or the Explore Occupations and
  Industries link on the Career Services website to
  gather factual information that can aid you in
  deciding among occupations and majors you are
  considering.

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Step 3Decision Making

• Once you have a clear understanding of your
  self-knowledge and your options, the next step is
  to make a decision.
• Refer to our Career Decision-Making tutorial for
  help with deciding.
• Using the analysis in the previous step, select a
  1st and 2nd choice.

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Step 4Thinking About My Decision Making

• Identifying and addressing any barriers to your
  career
• decision-making is essential to choosing a major.
  It is
• most difficult to think and make decisions when
  you
• are bombarded with negative thoughts.
• Become aware of the negative thoughts that impede
  
• your decision-making. Learn techniques to avoid
• negative thinking and turn those negative
  thoughts into
• positive thoughts.
• The goal is for you to feel positive and excited
  about
• your decision.

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Step 5Create and Carry out Your Plan

• Take practical steps to implement you career
• decisions. If you do not already have it, get the
  
• education, training and experience required for
• your chosen occupation.
• Speak with your academic advisor or faculty
• advisor about the appropriate curriculum.
• Begin the coursework.

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Step 5Create and Carry out Your Plan

• Identify opportunities that can get you the
  experience relevant
• to your career goal (e.g. internships, service
  learning, volunteering).
• Get involved with professional associations
  and/or campus
• student organizations.
• When you are ready to job hunt, prepare a quality
  resume and
• cover letter and prepare for interviews.

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Career Services Resources

• Face-to-Face or Telephone appointments Walk-Ins
• Career Services Website
• Workshops / Seminars
• Career Resource Library
• GT Job Connection
• eDISCOVER
• Companies on Campus
• Career Assessments
• Alumni Career Network

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What Next?

• Am I ready to make a decision? If yes, what will
  it be? If no, what kind of information do I still
  need?
• Do I need to further explore my skills,
  interests, values, and personality?
• Do I need to conduct more research about
  occupations and majors?
• What 2 or 3 things will you do next?

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Happy Choosing!
Need More Help? For additional information,
visit Career Services in Smith House. To speak
with a career counselor, complete the Talk to a
Career Counselor form on our website.