Table Of ContentT h i rd E d i t i o n
Turning Points
Your Career Decision-Making Guide
Diane Ducat
LaGuardia Community College
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Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ducat,Diane Elizabeth
Turning points:making career decisions / Diane Ducat.—3rd ed.
p.cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-10:0-13-708445-5
ISBN-13:978-0-13-708445-6
1. Vocational guidance—United States.2. College students—Employment—United States. I.Title.
HF5382.5.U5D832 2012
650.14—dc22 2010030789
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ISBN 10: 0-13-708445-5
ISBN 13:978-0-13-708445-6
CONTENTS
Preface xiii
Acknowledgments xvii
Part 1 Preparing for Success: Understanding Who You Are
and What You Need to Know
Chapter 1 EXPLORING YOUR CAREER OPTIONS, STEP BY STEP 1
What Is Your Career Dilemma? 2
Career Path Dilemmas 2
Education Path Dilemmas 3
An Important First Step: Be Clear and Specific as You Describe Your
Dilemma 4
Avoid the Errors Some Students Make in Describing Their
Dilemmas 4
Consider Your Life Situation 6
What Internal and External Obstacles Do You Face? 8
What Kinds of Information Will Help You Solve Your Career
Dilemma? 8
The Personal Profile Database 8
The Career Database 9
The Education Database 9
Search for Information from All Three Databases Before
You Decide 9
Identify Your Information Needs 10
ASAP: A Systematic Approach to Searching for Information 10
Your Career Will Unfold in a Rapidly Changing, Interconnected
World 11
Globalization and Technology 11
Your Career Network: Vital Connections for Your Career Success 13
Key Points 13
ACTIVITY 1.1: Define Your Career Dilemma and Take Stock of Your Need
for Information 14
Chapter 2 IDENTIFYING YOUR VALUES AND PERSONALITY
TYPE 17
Three Routes to Happiness 18
Identifying Your Work Values 20
iii
iv Contents
The Holland Personality Types: Help in Shaping
Your Career Goals 23
The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator®: Consider Your Preferences
forVarious Work Environments 24
Extraversion–Introversion 26
Sensing–Intuition 26
Thinking–Feeling 27
Judging–Perceiving 27
Key Points 28
ACTIVITY 2.1: Who Are You? Analyze Your Career Dreams 19
ACTIVITY 2.2: Take a Work Values Survey 21
ACTIVITY 2.3: Put the Holland Personality Types to Work 28
Chapter 3 IDENTIFYING YOUR INTERESTS AND SKILLS 30
Your Interests and the Campbell Work Orientations 31
Your Skills and the Campbell Work Orientations 33
Develop Skills Related to Your Interests 35
Portable Skills: Key Assets in the Global Workplace 35
Don’t Overlook Career Stallers 38
Character Strengths: A Solid Foundation for Career
Success 38
The Impact of Rapid Technological Change 40
Making Sense of the Information in Your Personal Profile
Database 42
Key Points 42
ACTIVITY 3.1: Assess Your Interests Using the Campbell Work
Orientations 33
ACTIVITY 3.2: Understand the Skills Associated with Your Career Interests 43
ACTIVITY 3.3: Explore One of Your Top Five Character Strengths 44
ACTIVITY 3.4: Find Out How Others See Your Strengths and Skills 44
ACTIVITY 3.5: Complete Your Portable Skills Profile 45
Chapter 4 GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT CAREERS 52
The Value of Having Information about Careers 53
Putting the Career Database and the ASAP Method to
Work for You 53
Identify the Starting Point of Your Search 54
Step 1: Ask the Right Questions 55
What Is the Nature of the Work? 55
What Are the Entry Requirements? 55
Contents v
What Are the Rewards and Benefits? 55
What Is the Outlook for the Future? 57
Step 2: Search for Information 59
Search Guidelines 60
Conduct Informational Interviews 63
Search Guidelines Summary 63
Step 3: Analyze Your Findings 63
Compare the Advantages and Disadvantages of Career Options 63
Take a Practical Look at Your Career Options 65
Step 4: Plan Your Next Actions 66
Key Points 66
ACTIVITY 4.1: Do an Informational Interview on a Career Field 67
ACTIVITY 4.2: Comparing Career Options 71
Chapter 5 GATHERING INFORMATION ABOUT FOUR-YEAR
COLLEGES AND GRADUATE SCHOOLS 74
Making Sense of the World of Higher Education 75
Step 1: Ask the Right Questions 78
What Is the Nature of the Academic Programs? 79
What Will It Take to Be Admitted? 80
How Would You Describe the College and Its Students? 80
What Does It Cost, and Is Financial Aid Available? 80
Step 2: Search for Information 80
Search Guidelines 81
Consult Print and Media Sources 81
Conduct Informational Interviews 82
Visit Prospective Campuses 82
Step 3: Analyze Your Findings 83
Compare the Advantages and Disadvantages 83
Step 4: Plan Your Next Actions 84
Reflect on Your Learning 84
Gather Additional Information 84
Make Sacrifices Now to Gain Benefits Later 84
When You Have More Education than Your Family 85
Should You Consider an Online Degree? 85
Key Points 86
ACTIVITY 5.1: Do an Informational Interview on a College 87
ACTIVITY 5.2: Comparing Colleges 90
vi Contents
Part 2 Setting a Direction: Choosing a Field, Preparing
for It, and Showing You Are Qualified
Chapter 6 MAKING CAREER DECISIONS 93
Setting a Career Direction Is a Process 94
What’s at Stake: The Significance of Career Decisions 94
Your Work Gives You an Identity 95
Your Work Influences How You Spend Your Life Energy 95
Your Work Affects the Rhythm of Your Life 96
Your Work Provides You with Money, Which Affects the Lifestyle
You Can Afford 96
Complicating Factors: Your Identity, Your Commitments, and the Job
Market 96
Your Evolving Identity 96
Your Other Life Commitments 97
The Job Market 97
Deciding within the Context of Change 97
Listen to Your Heart and Use Your Head 97
Deciding with Your Heart 97
Deciding with Your Head 98
A Balanced Style 98
The Decision-Style Window 98
Window 1: The Balanced Style (Like/Practical) 99
Window 2: The Sacrifice Style (Dislike/Practical) 99
Window 3: The Daydreaming Style (Like/Impractical) 100
Window 4: The Haphazard Style (Dislike/Impractical ) 101
Resolving Career Decision-Making Conflicts: Making
Trade-Offs 101
Setting Your Career Direction Takes Time 102
Make a Plan to Implement Your Decision 103
Think of Your Quest for a Career as a Hero’s Journey 103
Key Points 104
ACTIVITY 6.1: Midpoint Personal Assessment and Reflection 105
ACTIVITY 6.2: Making a Plan 105
Chapter 7 SELECTING A MAJOR 108
Understanding Majors and Degree Requirements 111
Will You Become an Expert? 111
Degree Requirements: An Overview 111
Contents vii
Two Types of Majors: Career Oriented and Multipotential 112
Career-Oriented Majors 113
Multipotential Majors 113
Your College Major and Your Career: Is There a Connection? 114
Will Your Major Affect Your Earnings? 116
Students Have a Variety of Life Goals 118
Two Key Actions in Choosing a Major 118
Self-Assessment 118
Conduct Research on Majors and Careers 118
Make a Balanced Decision: Listen to Your Heart and Use
Your Head 120
Listening to Your Heart 120
Using Your Head 120
Choose Your Major with Care 121
Key Points 121
ACTIVITY 7.1: College Majors: True or False? 109
ACTIVITY 7.2: Looking at Majors: Preliminary Research 119
ACTIVITY 7.3: Do an Informational Interview on a College Major 122
Chapter 8 CONDUCTING A JOB SEARCH 126
Deciding on a Work Setting 127
The Business World: For-Profit Companies 127
Government Agencies 131
Nonprofit Organizations 132
Job Leads: More Is Better 132
Networking: The Key to the Hidden Job Market 133
Traditional Networking 133
Online Networking 134
Using College Services and Internship Programs 135
Use Career Services 135
Internship Programs 136
Mining for Gold on the Internet 136
Job Boards 136
Company Websites 137
Blogs, Forums, Message Boards, and Chat Rooms 137
Trying Other Sources: Direct Contact with Employers, Ads, Job Fairs,
and Agencies 137
Always Remember: Active Methods Are Best 138
viii Contents
Before You Launch Your Own Business: Get Information and
Experience 138
Key Points 139
ACTIVITY 8.1: Do an Informational Interview on Starting a Business 140
ACTIVITY 8.2: Choosing Career, Education, and Job Search Links 144
Chapter 9 PRESENTING YOURSELF: RESUMES, COVER LETTERS,
AND REFERENCES 145
Building an All-Important Tool: Your Resume 146
Your One-Page Advertisement 146
Resume Formats 146
Resume Content: Standard Resume Categories 147
Common Resume Mistakes 157
Producing Your Resume 157
Writing an Effective Cover Letter 158
E-Mailing 160
Compiling a Solid Reference List 160
How to Deal with Online Resumes 161
Taking Advantage of the Possibilities in Other Media 161
Portfolios and Websites 161
Video Resumes 162
Key Points 162
ACTIVITY 9.1: Analyze Your Job and Life Accomplishments Skills 163
ACTIVITY 9.2: Checklist for a Winning Resume: What to Include and How 164
Chapter 10 PRESENTING YOURSELF: INTERVIEWING 167
Key Steps as You Prepare for Your Interview 168
Research the Organization 168
Prepare Your Interview Clothes 168
Assemble Your Interview Materials 169
Practice Interviewing 170
Get Ready for What They’ll Ask: Anticipating Standard
Interview Questions 170
The Most Frequently Asked Question: “Tell Me About Yourself” 170
Define Your Strengths 172
Define Your Shortcomings 173
Motivation and Goals 173
Your Fit with the Company 174
Behavioral Interview Questions 174
Contents ix
Major-Related or Industry-Related Questions 175
Technology Makes It Easier for You to Sharpen Your
Interview Skills 175
The Interview: Creating the Best Possible Impression 175
Start Off on the Right Foot: Your Arrival and Greeting 175
Coping with Possible Illegal Interview Questions 176
Make the Interview a Two-Way Exchange by Asking Questions 177
Avoid Discussing Salary until You Have a Job Offer 177
Following up on a Positive Note 178
Send a Thank-You Note 178
Follow Up 178
In Salary Negotiations, Rely on the Three R’s 180
The Research Rule 180
The Range Rule 180
The Respect Rule 180
Nontraditional Interviewing: Mastering Other Kinds of
Presentations 180
Interviews by Phone or Video Connection 181
Panel Interviews, Group Interviews, and Meetings in Unusual
Places 181
Other Interview Venues 181
Dealing with Circumstances out of Your Control 182
When Your Best Isn’t Enough: Coping with Rejection 182
Key Points 182
ACTIVITY 10.1: Creating Profiles of Companies, Government Agencies,
andNonprofits 183
ACTIVITY 10.2: Composing a Professional Pitch 187
ACTIVITY 10.3: Use the S-A-R Format to Illustrate One of Your
Valuable Qualities 188
ACTIVITY 10.4: A Checklist for Mock Interview Feedback 189
Part 3 Making Your Experience Count: Practical Advice for
Reaching Your Career Goals
Chapter 11 HOW TO ADVANCE YOUR CAREER BEFORE YOU
GRADUATE: LEARNING FROM INTERNSHIPS, JOBS,
AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES 190
Seek a Variety of Experiences beyond Your Course Work,
Especially Internships 191
Internships Link School and Work 191
Investigate Internship Opportunities at Your College 192
