Major and Career Exploration
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Undecided about your major? Looking for the "right" career for you?
Schedule an Exploring Majors/Careers appointment with an advisor now!
Major and career exploration is a process, a journey that takes time, information, reflection, and action. These steps below will help you understand the steps you will be taking to make wise choices about your major and career choices. Remember that this journey of discovering your major/career and your purpose may be repeated at various stages in your life, and it does not always go in a straight line. That is OK! This site will give you the tools to get started.
Counseling and Career Development (CCD) 1170: Career Exploration (1 credit course)
In addition to the tools on this site, Normandale offers a 1-credit course every fall and spring to help students navigate this process. This course is designed to help students define their interests, values, personality, skills and strengths, and relate these to their choice of major and career.
Step 1: Know Yourself
Understanding where you are and who you are is the first step in your career decision-making process. In this step, you will actively engage in self-discovery and reflection searching for a "fit" between who you are and the work you could do.
Interests
GPS LifePlan Interest Assessment
- Explore your top three interest themes. You can take your top themes and explore online what careers may be a good fit.
Strong Interest Inventory (SII) Also included in the CCD1170 course - This inventory costs $10 and compares your interests with those working in a broad range of occupations. This assessment is intended for use by currently enrolled Normandale students only. Please call us at 952-358-8261 with any questions you have regarding the Strong Interest Inventory process.
Here are the steps you will need to follow to complete this assessment.:
- Complete the Strong Interest Inventory Request Form
- Within a few days of completing the Form in step #1, you will receive an email from advising@normandale.edu with instructions and a link used to take the assessment (30-45 minutes).
- After completing the assessment; follow the appointment scheduling link in the email you received to schedule a one-hour interpretation appointment with a counselor to get your results. Ethically, we cannot give out your results without this interpretation appointment.
Skills
- Matches the skills you select with potential careers.
- Gives you a list of career options that might be a good fit.
Personality
- Learn your personality type and get an explanation of how your personality type can influence relationships, career paths, and workplace habits.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Also included in the CCD 1170 course - This inventory costs $15 and helps you better understand your behavioral preferences. This assessment is intended for use by currently enrolled Normandale students only. Please call us at 952-358-8261 with any questions you have regarding the Myers-Briggs assessment process.
Here are the steps you will need to follow to complete this assessment.:
- Complete the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Request Form
- Within a few days of completing the Form in step #1, you will receive an email from advising@normandale.edu with instructions and a link used to take the assessment (30 minutes).
- After completing the assessment; follow the appointment scheduling link in the email you received to schedule a one-hour interpretation appointment with a counselor to get your results. Ethically, we cannot give out your results without this interpretation appointment.
Values
- Shows which of 14 career values are most important to you.
Explore with a Normandale Counselor
For a more comprehensive assessment of your values, meet with a Normandale counselor to do a free values card sort exercise that will introduce you to a thorough list of career and life values and help you sort which are the most important to you. Call 952-358-8261 to schedule.
Normandale Career Exploration Class (CCD 1170) This 1-credit course taught by a Normandale counselor helps you explore your career interests.
Step 2: Explore Options
In this step you will be proactively identifying, understanding and matching yourself to possible career/majors. To explore your options with an advisor or counselor, schedule an Exploring Majors/Careers appointment.
Career Options for Degree
- See how your Holland Code (RIASEC) matches your major/career choice here
- Search which campus has your program at Minnesota State colleges and universities here
Occupational Research
- Do a career search-occupations, wages, demands, job openings, related education and much more here
- View detailed descriptions of various occupations and search for careers based on your interests, abilities, and work values.
- See how your education matches the occupation here
Industry Trends
- See what the labor market demand is looking like in MN and other states here
Normandale Career Exploration Class (CCD 1170)
- This 1-credit course taught by a Normandale counselor helps you explore your career options.
Step 3: Get Focused
In this step, you will set goals, make decisions, and create an action plan to reach your goals.
Career Goal Setting
- Use Smart Goal Setting. Find out more about how to develop a plan and identify specific goals with GPS Life Plan.
Career Decision Making
- What is your decision-making style?
- Who or what is influencing your decision? Consider these factors: family, culture, media, peers, social norms, and others.
Career Action Planning
- Prepare to take action
- List the first small actions you need take to begin activating your goal
- Create an action plan: Smart Goals Sheet or use our Action Plan Worksheet (link PDF)
- List the short-term action plan (next 6 months)
- List the long-term action plan (1-5 years)
CCD1170 Career Exploration course
- This 1-credit course taught by a Normandale counselor helps you to get focused on your career interests.
Step 4: Take Action
In this step, you will carry out the specific actions needed to move forward with your chosen career by gaining experiences, planning your degree, transferring, or searching or an internship or job.
Transfer
- Transfer Guide and Tools Website to transfer OUT from Normandale
Job Search
- College Central Network to search for off-campus jobs, share your resume with employers, and access job searching resources.
- Student Jobs Website Search on-campus jobs.
- CAREERWise Minnesota State College and University's resources for employment and education options, along with job postings
- MinnesotaWorks Job postings in Minnesota
Gain Experience
- Internships
- Information about Normandale's Internship program. If you would like to learn more about internships contact Normandale's Center for Experiential Education at internship@normandale.edu or at 952-358-8119.
- Search for internships on College Central Network.
- Volunteer
- Normandale resources related to volunteering. If you would like to learn more about volunteering contact Normandale's Center for Experiential Education at ExperientialEducation@normandale.edu or at 952-358-8119.
- Leadership Development at Normandale
Normandale Career Exploration Class (CCD 1170)
This 1-credit course taught by a Normandale Counselor helps you to take action on your career goals.
