The Counseling and Resource Center

Career Planning

Choosing a Career

Choosing a career is a major life decision: we'll be working for many years. We want to choose the "right" career for us. (Most of us will change careers several times, but making our first or second choice carefully can save retraining time later.)

What are the STEPS to a good career decision?

Know Yourself

Know Your Career Choices

Know How to Determind the "Fit"

(From "Feeling Adrift in a Sea of Career Choices?")

Although choosing a career and choosing a major are related, choosing one doesn't automatically mean you have chosen the other. Choosing a major doesn't limit you to just one career: choosing a career doesn't limit you to just one major. For more information on choosing a major see:

The CRC brochure "Choosing a Major".
Wondering what you can do with your chosen major? This site at University of Washington Center for Career Services may be able to help.

The Counseling & Resource Center (MLT 145) offers free Career Counseling. Students, potential students and others can explore the "fit" between a career and their skills, needs, values, personality and interests. Self-knowledge and an introduction to career research help students better understand themselves and their career options, and help them make informed decisions. For an appointment call 425 640-1358 or drop by.

Some Basics

How do you know whether to see a "counselor" or an "advisor"? See "Counseling vs Advising".
Is there somewhere to go to do career research? See info on the Career Resource Room in MLT 137.
What Interest Inventories are offered at the Counseling & Resource Center?

Classes

Career and Life Planning classes offered at Edmonds Community College.

CCLS 111: Career & Life Planning (3 Credits)-A quarter-long career/life planning class that provides a CORE of career planning tools: interest and personality inventories, examination of values, skills, labor market trends, group interaction and sharing of ideas, and a whole quarter to research, process, discuss, and explore for a thorough career plan.

CCLS 105: Career Transitions (2 Credits)- Offers the same CORE of career planning tools as above, including the interest and personality inventories, etc. Applies them in a shorter format and with a focus on how career changes impact us. Also looks at non-traditional careers and workplace expectations.

CCLS 106: Express Career Planning(1 Credit)- Gives you a late-quarter jump-start on career planning, using the same CORE of career planning tools as above, including inventories, in a condensed format, to devise an Action Plan for successful career planning.

Reading & Links

WOIS/The Career Information System is a private, non-profit organization that researches and distributes information about Washington careers, schools and training programs. From the WOIS Career Information Page you may access a variety of research and assessment tools.
Vocatinal Biographies - With this program, you can career-shadow up to 1,001 persons from across America, research career's, education, training, and success stories.
For fun try an assortment of free online personality tests.
Careers.org offers an extensive directory of links to careers, jobs, education, employment and career reference resources sorted by topic and region.
For labor market and career planning information try Workforce Explorer Washington.