Career Counseling: Career Exploration
The Career Services Center offers a variety of tools and resources for students who are going through the exploration process, whether you are attempting to figure out which major is good for you or which career aligns with the major you have chosen.
Assessments
The Career Services Center can help students sort out their interests, skills and values. Professional staff members meet with students individually to determine where they are in their career decision-making process. Professional staff members then determine what next steps would best help students reach their current career goals and in collaboration with the student set forth a plan of action. Part of that plan may include completing one or more career assessment instruments. These instruments are administered only after consultation with one of our professional staff members and require a follow-up appointment for interpretation and for reviewing next steps.
Focus II
FOCUS II is a computer-based career and education planning system that takes about an hour to an hour and a half to complete. FOCUS II enables students to assess their interests, values and skills; assists in selection of a major; identifies personal development needs and provides ways for students to explore occupations. In addition, the program provides links to help students search for jobs, graduate schools, internships and financial aid. Consultation with a staff member refines students' career "focus."
To complete the Focus II, students may create a new account. Once "create a new account" is selected, enter the keycode "musketeers". Students may then register to complete the Focus II.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The MBTI is a personality inventory that assesses student preferences along four bipolar dimensions: Extraversion-Introversion (E-I); Sensing-Intuition (S-N); Thinking–Feeling (T-F) and Judging-Perceiving (J-P). The various combinations of these preferences result in 16 personality types. Students are assigned one of two preferences for each of the following dimensions: general attitude toward the world (E or I); perceptual or information-gathering process (S or N); decision-making process (T or F) and what one does with information once received (J or P).While all types are represented in all occupations, some occupations attract more of certain types than others do. Thus, working with a staff member, the MBTI can be useful in helping students generate occupational alternatives and identify compatible work settings.
Online Abbreviated Assessments
Here are some other assessment tools that provide you with a snapshot of your profile as well as give you an insight to how assessments work. These are not monitored or interpreted by the Career Services Center:
What Can I Do With This Major/Degree
A convenient section of the Career Services Center website. It provides the visitor with general connects between specific majors and career paths one might take upon completion of that degree.
Career Exploration Books
The CSC has various books to assist students and alumni with the exploration stage of career development. Most resources are available for check out.
Online Career Exploration
Listed below are a few links that can assist you with additional career exploration.
Career Specific Links
A list of links compiled and organized based on the majors and degrees conferred at Xavier Univesity
Career Magazine
Provides industry and career resources as well as job searching tools.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook is revised every two years. It provides the training and education needed; earnings; expected job prospects, what workers do on the job; and working conditions of various career areas.
O*NET
The O*NET system serves as the nation's primary source of occupational information, providing comprehensive information on key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations. The O*NET database houses this data and O*NET OnLine provides easy access to that information. You can search specific occupations or do a search based on your skills.
JobWeb.com
JobWeb®, a web site of career development and job-search information for college students and new college graduates, is owned and sponsored by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE is America's bridge between higher education and the world of work.
Career Development Manual
Designed by the University of Waterloo, the eManual is designed to help you consider the following questions:
- Are you concerned about the future?
- Are you unsure how to start your career?
- Do you need to make changes in your direction?
- Are you concerned about finding stable and secure work?
Career exploration links
A list of career areas with various links to explore
JobSmart Career Guides
Various career, job, and industry guides to assist with career exporation
College Board.com
Information on various majors and career options aligned with those majors.