Career Assessment & Exploration with Ryan Murphy

Two weeks ago, Ryan Murphy (Career Development Staff Member) hosted 2 Passport Events.  The events were called Career Assessment and Exploration.  They were focused on which career path is right for you and how you can research them.

“Career exploration and planning involves thinking about which educational and occupational paths will provide you with self-fulfillment in all aspects of your life, not only in the present, but also in the future.”

 

Ryan first started out by presenting the Career Development resources and tools that are available to all students and alums of Chestnut Hill College.  They were the Career Development’s Blackboard site, O*Net, FOCUS, and the Occupational Outlook Handbook and Career Guide to Industries.

 

He then went on to explain how to find these resources.  First, we took a look at FOCUS.  FOCUS provides several career assessment tools, designed to help students who may meet the any of the following criteria:

 

• Undecided about my major
• Unsure what I can do with my major
• Unsure about my interests, values and skills
• Interested in exploring jobs/internships that relate to my talents
• Wanting to compare facts about different occupations

FOCUS enables you to take several different assessment tests:

These assessments allow you to:

1.Analyze your current career planning status

2.Assess your work interests and values

3.Examine your educational preferences

4.Assess your personality and life values

5.Examine your leisure time preferences 

6.Assess your skills

7.Create a personal development needs checklist 

  

After introducing FOCUS, Ryan went on to introduce a resource that is relat ively new to the Office of Career Development: O*Net.  “The O*NET program is the nation’s primary source of occupational information. Central to the project is the O*NETdatabase, containing information on hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors. The database, which is available to the public at no cost, is continually updated by surveying a broad range of workers from each occupation.”  It allows you to rate your interests and skills to see which career paths are right for you and which are not. 

 

Then, Ryan told us about the Occupational Handbooks. The Handbook can be found at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ and can be downloaded in PDF form to any computer.  The Guide can also be found at http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/ and can be downloaded.

 

Ryan finished his presentation with these words of advice:

• Self-Assessment is a terrific way to learn about yourself, learn about possible major/career paths and investigate occupations in your chosen major
• These tools are FREE!  
• All students should utilize these assessment tools, even if you “know what you want to be when you grow up.”
• Results can be overwhelming- don’t worry!
• Career Development Office can help you to interpret the results and sift through the information
• May also assist in choosing future classes, especially electives
• Can help you to identify skill areas that you are lacking and should develop more fully

Overall, Ryan Murphy’s presentation on Career Assessment and Exploration was very well presented.  He introduced great resources to the students.  I’d highly recommend sitting down with Ryan and having him tell you first hand how to find out which career is right for you!

                                                                                                                                                  

Have any questions? Feel free to contact Ryan Murphy in the Office of Career Development on the 3rd Floor of St. Joseph’s Hall OR e-mail him at MurphyR@chc.edu

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