Career Planning Steps

Knowing what career you want to pursue is a critical component of your education. Your career plays a big part of how you spend your future, your degree helps you get the career you want, and the classes you take determine the degree you earn.

Decide to decide
Learn about yourself
Gain in-depth knowledge about a variety of careers
Think through options and potential results
Make the best career choice you can with the information you have
Develop a plan
Take action

Decide to decide

To be invested in the decision-making process, you first have to make the commitment to doing the work of finding the career for you.

Resources to help you with this step:

• Attend a Career Planning Workshop at MATC-Truax. See a workshop calendar.
• Make an appointment to meet with an Academic and Career Advisor at any MATC campus. See Advising and Career Resources contact information.

Learn about yourself

Knowing your skills, values, interests, and personality is an important part of knowing what careers would fit you best.

Resources to help you with this step:

• JobHuntersBible.com has several links to free online career assessments and personality assessments.
• Take an online assessment in Career Cruising or WISCareers
• Check out one of many career books at our ACR libraries (at the Truax Campus, the ACR library is located in ACR, Room 159AA. At the regional campuses, the career books are located in the campus libraries.)
• Make an appointment to meet with an Academic and Career Advisor at any MATC campus. See Advising and Career Resources’ contact information.
• Attend a Career Planning Workshop at MATC-Truax. See a workshop calendar.

Gain in-depth knowledge about a variety of careers

It's almost impossible to make a career decision without having enough information. What duties would you do during the day? What kind of education is required? What is the typical compensation? What do people in this career like and dislike about their jobs? Take the time to gather knowledge about several careers that interest you. Learning about the required education will help you when choosing a program or classes.

Resources to help you with this step:

• Career Cruising and WISCareers provide information about many different careers.
• Check out the online resource What Can I Do With This Major?
• The Vocational Information Center and Occupational Outlook Handbook provide information about many vocational and technical careers.
• The MATC Graduate Employment report provides information about the careers of recent MATC graduates (such as job titles, salaries, employers, and more).
• Check out one of the many career books in our ACR libraries (at the Truax Campus, the ACR library is located in ACR, Room 159AA. At the regional campuses, the career books are located in the campus libraries.)
• Attend a Career Planning Workshop at MATC-Truax. See a workshop calendar.
• Make an appointment to meet with an Academic and Career Advisor at any MATC campus. See Advising and Career Resources’ contact information.

Think through options and potential results

Envision yourself in some of the careers that interest you. What do you see? It may help to talk to people in those careers, or volunteer at a place where you might want to work.

Resources to help you with this step:

• Talk with someone that has this career. DaneNet provides tips to help you conduct an informational interview with someone in a career of your interest.
• Getting an internship in your field of interest can help you learn about careers. Randell S. Hanson has tips on "How To Find Your Ideal Internship" at QuintCareers.com
• Check out one of the many career books in our ACR libraries (at the Truax Campus, the ACR library is located in ACR, Room 159AA. At the regional campuses, the career library is located in the campus library.)
• Make an appointment to meet with an Academic and Career Advisor at any MATC campus. See Advising and Career Resources’ contact information.

Make the best career choice you can with the information you have

Now that you've gathered a lot of information about several careers, you can make decisions about what careers fit you best, and which MATC program can help you get into that career.

Resources to help you with this step:

• Friends, family, and mentors
• Check out one of the many career books in our ACR libraries. (At the Truax Campus, the ACR library is located in ACR, Room 159AA. At the regional campuses, the career library is located in the campus library.)
• Make an appointment to meet with an Academic and Career Advisor at any MATC campus. See Advising and Career Resources’ contact information.

Develop a plan

Create a plan to reach your goals (advisors in ACR can help!) Which classes should you be taking now? If you will need a bachelor’s degree, what 4-year school should you attend? What part-time jobs, internships, or other learning experiences can help prepare you for your career?

Resources to help you with this step:

• Find information about programs of study at MATC.
• If you're interested in a 4-year degree, the Internet can help you research the admission requirements and requirements for your major of interest. You can find the homepage of any accredited 4-year U.S. college and university at the U-Texas education website.
• As always, advisors in ACR can you with this step! See the contact information for Advising and Career Resources.

Take action

Your plan will only work if you take action TODAY!

Last Modified: June 23, 2008